Propitiation of our Advocate Jesus Christ

I John 2: 1-2 states that Jesus is both our Advoctate and the propitiation for our sins. Both of these concepts have interesting meanings.  Strong's concordance defines advocate, the Greek word is parakletos, and means someone who is called to another's aid.  It means helper, comforter or consoler.   The sense is a combination of encouragement with the alleviation of grief.  Both Christ is our Advocate as well as the Holy Spirit who indwells all true believers.  The Holy Spirit not only consoles but strengthens, helps and counsels with such authority as a legal advocate has for his client. When applied to Christ, the meaning is narrowed to that of Him as an advocate with the Father. An advocate is thought of as one designated as a lawyer to present his client's case in court. Christ is our advocate before the Father as the mediator between God and us the sinner.  He pleads our case before a holy God and because of His sacrifice as the Lamb of God, we who believe are allowed to enter into God's throne of mercy and grace.

Jesus cancelled the debt of our sin by dying on the Cross of Calvary.  God poured out His holy wrath at sin on His Son and not us who duly deserved it.  Without Jesus' sacrificial atonement we have no way of being reconciled with our holy Heavenly Father.  Our sin would be a permanent barrier to fellowship with God.  Jesus' blood satisfied God's anger so we can be cleansed and forgiven in Him.  We can come boldly before the throne and not fear condemnation or God's wrath.  We have become children who cry out "Abba Father!" with the full expectation of acceptance and love.  God may discipline and train us but He cannot and will not forsake us.

There are three different words in the Greek for the term propitiation. Hilaskomai is the verb.  The nouns are hilasterion and hilasmos.  The sense is that sin is covered and payment has been made.  The verb form is translated two different ways in the New Testament. In Luke 18:13 the definition is to be merciful.  In Hebrews 2: 17 it means to make reconciliation.  In Luke the sinner cried out "God be merciful to me, the sinner." He was in essence asking to be satisfied before Him. In the Hebrews passage Jesus is said to be the merciful and faithful High Priest. He makes propitiation for the sins of the people.  Christ as the God man fully understands people yet He is also divine which qualifies Him to serve as the intermediary in a High Priestly role.  He lived a perfect live of sinless obedience to the Father and thus qualifies to be the Lamb of God.

In the Old Testament the Ark of the Covenant supported the mercy seat. It was the covering or lid to it in fact. The Ark contained the rod of Aaron, the pot of manna and the tablets upon which was written the Law. Kapporeth is the Hebrew word for cover or mercy seat. Without going into a much depth the Greek word hilasterion came to mean cover or propitiation.


The mercy seat in the Old Testament tabernacle is a precursor to the work accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. The mercy seat was the place of sacrifice and the site where God could communicate with the High Priest who represented man. As our Great High Priest through Him and His sacrificial death we can communicate to God the Father.

Jesus was symbolically represented throughout the tabernacle. The mercy seat in particular was the place where God’s wrath against sin could be satisfied. When Christ died on the Cross, he made full payment for the sins of the elect. He totally satisfied the judgment of the Father against sin. We no longer need a human High Priest for Jesus is the Great High Priest whose one and only sacrifice perfected for all time those who are sanctified.