The Meaning of the Term «ἱλαστήριον/ἱλασμός» (Rom. 3, 25) in the Context of Understanding the Nature of Divine Forgiveness

Abstract

In this article, we consider in detail one of the biblical concepts important for the emotional theory of Divine forgiveness — «ἱλαστήριον/ἱλασμός» (Rom. 3, 25). Many translations and commentaries of Scripture follow the classical meaning of the concept in Greek religious literature, in which the word ἱλαστήριον was understood to mean «propitiating» the gods. In the article, we show the philological arguments of domestic and foreign researchers, as well as provide patristic comments that clarify the true biblical meaning of ἱλαστήριον — «purification». The new meaning of ἱλαστήριον lacks the aspect of God’s emotional change, which calls into question the relevance of the main method of the emotional theory of Divine forgiveness: the modeling of Divine forgiveness on the basis of human forgiveness.