05_Biblica_Do_Layout 1 08/07/13 12:57 Pagina 434 434 TOAN DO rendering of i`la,skomai and its cognates does not regard the cultic meaning as a means of appeasing the displeasure of the Deity, but as a means of delivering human beings from sin. In such cases, the rendering of the i`la,skomai word-group carries an expectation that God himself will perform the deliverance. Therefore, the common rendering “propitiation” is not proper in any biblical context 76. While Büchner argues strongly for “propitiation”, he allows a certain semantic shift that has its origin in the LXX and moves into later Jewish and Christian theology. Even though certain LXX words and phrases have a purely symbolic function, subsequent communities may well have altered and introduced them with a content that remains alien to standard Greek usage 77. In the NT, the propitiatory sense of i`la,skomai seems to have dis- appeared, giving way to a stronger theological emphasis on expia- tion. For example, H.W. Attridge argues that the NT usage of the ilaskomai word-group whenever referring to Jesus’ sacrificial death `, is always directed at removing sin and its effects, not at propitiating God or appeasing his wrath 78. More particular is the noun i`lasmo,j in 2,2 and 4,10. I have elsewhere pointed out an important parallel between the phrases i`lasmo,j … peri. tw/n a`martiw/n h`mw/n (2,2 and 4,10) and to. ai-ma VIhsou/ tou/ ui`ou/ auvtou/ kaqari,zei h`ma/j avpo. pa,shj a`marti,aj (1,7). Of particular importance are the expressions fol- lowing the noun i`lasmo,j and the verb kaqari,zw, both of which point directly to the forgiveness or purification of sins 79. In 2,2 and 4,10 we are obviously dealing with the reality of sins, and not with appeasing God’s wrath. Added to this argument is the fact that nowhere in 1 John is the term qumo,j/ovrgh, used to refer to God’s wrath which must be appeased. Much work has, of course, been done on i`lasmo,j. For our purposes we will accept, with Attridge and others, that this word may best be viewed in light of the NT understanding of Jesus’ death as a means of expiating sins 80. In the context of 1 John 2,2 (4,10; cf. 5,19) it is not God’s wrath that is propitiated. Rather, the author’s use of i`lasmo,j DODD, “i`la,skesqai”, 353, 359-360. 76 BÜCHNER, “evxila,sasqai”, 256. 77 H.W. ATTRIDGE, The Epistle to the Hebrews. A Commentary on the 78 Epistle to the Hebrews (Hermeneia; Minneapolis, MN 1989) 96, n. 2. DO, “Jesus’ Death as Hilasmos”, 546-547. 79 ATTRIDGE, Epistle to the Hebrews, 96, n. 2; and DO, “Jesus’ Death as 80 Hilasmos”, 553. © Gregorian Biblical Press 2013 - Tutti i diritti riservati