Expiation

The removal of the guilt of sin in God's sight by the offering of a vicarious sacrifice which, in its death, bears the sin of the individual or nation concerned.

Expiation is necessary because sin is punishable by God

Exodus 32:30 See also Numbers 16:46–48; Deuteronomy 21:8; Psalm 79:8–9

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

Expiation and the sacrificial system

Unintentional sins expiated by the sin offering

Leviticus 4:1–5:6; Numbers 15:22–29

Unintentional sins requiring restitution expiated by the guilt offering

Leviticus 5:14–6:7, Leviticus 19:20–22

The nation's sins expiated on the annual Day of Atonement

Exodus 30:10 See also Leviticus 16:3–34; Hebrews 9:7

Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”

Blood as a symbol of substitutionary sacrifice

Leviticus 17:11 See also Ezekiel 45:19–20; Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 13:11

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

The rite of expiation administered by the priests

Leviticus 9:7 See also Leviticus 7:7, Leviticus 9:15, Leviticus 10:17–18; Numbers 6:11

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to make atonement for yourself and for the people. And sacrifice the people’s offering to make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded.”

Expiation and special provision for the poor

Leviticus 12:7–8 See also Leviticus 5:7–13, Leviticus 14:21–32

And the priest will present them before the LORD and make atonement for her; and she shall be ceremonially cleansed from her flow of blood. This is the law for a woman giving birth, whether to a male or to a female. But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

The sin offering as a constant reminder of the need for expiation

Sin offerings for occasions of dedication

Exodus 29:31–33 See also Leviticus 8:14–15; Numbers 8:12; 2 Chronicles 29:21–24; Ezra 6:17

You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. They must eat those things by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no outsider may eat them, because these things are sacred.

Sin offerings for occasions of purification

Leviticus 12:6–7, Leviticus 14:19–20, Leviticus 14:49–53, Leviticus 15:13–15, Leviticus 15:28–30; Numbers 19:1–13

Sin offerings as part of the regular cycle of worship

Numbers 28:15, Numbers 28:22, Numbers 28:30, Numbers 29:5, Numbers 29:11, Numbers 29:16

The death of Jesus Christ as the fulfilment and replacement of the old sacrificial system

The death of Jesus Christ as a substitutionary, expiatory sacrifice

1 John 2:2 See also 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:4; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Peter 3:18

He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

God's provision of Jesus Christ as an atoning sacrice

Romans 3:25 See also Isaiah 53:10; Romans 8:3; 1 John 4:10

God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

The blood of Jesus Christ as an atonement for sin

Hebrews 9:13–14 See also Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ as final and unique

Hebrews 7:27 See also Romans 6:10; Hebrews 9:25–10:14

Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.