The word "expiation" seems an impoverished rendition of the Greek term 'ιλασμός (ee-lahs-MOHCE), often translated "atonement" in other traditions. Ιλασμός is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew כפר (kah-FAR), whose verbal form is first used in Scripture in God's command to Noah to כפר the Ark with tree pitch. Covering the ark with pitch is not an act of expiation, unless we are to imagine that the Ark had committed some transgression. But it most certainly had not! Rather, the pitch covered the Ark, making it ready to endure the waters of the flood and preserve the lives of its passengers. So כפר seems to have more to do with "covering" than with "expiating" or "making amends for guilt."

Perhaps, it is no coincidence that the Hebrew word כפר, "KAPHAR," sounds similar to the English word "COVER." In the case of Noah's Ark, what is being covered is not sin, but rather the wood of the Ark for its preservation and the salvation of its passengers. Further strengthening this connection with COVERING, we note that the Hebrew word כפר serves as the root of the noun כפרת (kah-poh-RET), which is often erroneously translated as "mercy seat." The Hebrew word כפרת describes the COVERING placed on the Ark of the Covenant. This COVERING of the Ark is translated as ἱλαστήριον (ee-lah-STEE-ree-ohn) in Greek, the first four letters of the word revealing its association with 'ιλασμός. The כפרת or COVERING and the two cherubim it featured were made entirely of one piece of solid gold. Now gold is a Biblical symbol of Divinity and Cherubim are a rank of the Bodiless Powers who exhibit the Divine Energies. Thus, the כפרת, or ἱλαστήριον, in itself, represents, not so much the reparative suffering of a victim for sin, but rather the COVERING of Deifying Grace by which we participate in the Eternal Life of God. Further bolstering these associations is the fact that the Divine Glory--the SHEKINAH--was manifested between the Cherubim above the כפרת. Like the Holy Spirit, the Power of the Most High overshadowing the Holy Theotokos at the Divine Conception of the Logos (Luke 1:35), the Cherubim of Glory are said to overshadow the ἱλαστήριον (Hebrews 9:5). So the כפרת with its related words כפר, 'ιλασμός, and ἱλαστήριον, ought to be primarily identified as a COVERING of glory rather than an "expiation" or "making amends" for transgressions. It is rather symbolic of DEIFICATION, the Garment of the Spirit, which describes a union--an at-one-ment--with Divine Grace. As in the case of Noah's Ark, it is a covering which makes someone or something compatible to fulfill its purpose or intended role.

That being said, we must not wholly separate the idea of "expiation" from this theme as can be seen from the following. In the Old Testament the Altar is also said to be "covered" (כפר), thus making it fit to serve as the place of holy sacrifice. On יום כיפור, the Day of Atonement, the high priest would sprinkle blood upon the כפרת in order to make 'ιλασμός for the people. Blood is the means of access to God's Glory manifest at the ἱλαστήριον. (See Hebrews 10:19.) So, in understanding how sin is addressed through a sacrificial victim in relation to the words כפרת, כפר, 'ιλασμός, and ἱλαστήριον, we must not lose sight of the purpose of such sacrifice. It is not simply expiation, but access. It is intended, not simply to cover sins, but to COVER the sacrificial offerer with a Garment of Glory through an act of Divine Mercy.

So how ought such words to be translated into English? Perhaps the best English words to be used are the words "conciliate" and "covering." "Conciliate" carries not only the connotation of gaining favor or grace, but also of making things compatible. Thus both the Ark and the Altar are made compatible with their intended function--one by Tree Pitch and the other by Blood. Furthermore, the mortal flesh is made compatible to Eternal Life by being clothed upon by Deifying Grace. (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:1-5.). Thus, rather than expiate, perhaps it would be better to render it "conciliate" or "make conciliation," instead of "expiation," "conciliation," instead of "mercy seat," "conciliatory covering," because it is the Blood of Christ's Cross coupled with the Garment of the Holy Spirit which conciliates or renders one compatible with the Life of God.

Finally, we ought to note a curious feature of the Hebrew alphabet which may well speak to the things spoken of here. Jewish Kabbalists have long noted in the ancient Hebraic tradition that there are seven letters in the Hebrew alphabet which are called "double letters." These letters were called "double" letters because in Biblical Hebrew they could be pronounced two different ways. When these letters are placed next to one another in the order they appear in the Hebrew alphabet and according to the manner of writing Hebrew from right to left, they appear as follows:

נגדכפרת

BGDKPRT

Those who know Hebrew will readily see the following theologically-significant Hebrew phrase here:

נגד כפרת

BGD KPRT

Vowel markings did not appear in ancient, Biblical Hebrew, but if we add in the appropriate vowels to assist pronunciation, we obtain

BEGED KAPPORET

(bay-GHED kah-poh-RET), meaning, "Garment of Conciliatory Covering." Indeed the COVERING of the Ark of the Covenant, the KAPPORET, is symbolic of that Garment that conciliates us with God and with Eternal Life. We are speaking of the Garment of Divine Glory with which we may be clothed--the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit, received by grace through faithful and loving obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Who is our Conciliation (1 John 2:3). Amen. ( )