Colossians 1:21-23

From: Bill Ross (wross@farmerstel.com)
Date: Fri Dec 17 1999 - 09:25:15 EST


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<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Bill&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;The term "reconciled" APOKATHLLAXEV does not have the same
sense as in</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;"reconciled" in English. Etymologically it comes from
tearing down a wall.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;The sense is that one person tore down their side of the
wall, not that two</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;were reunited into unity. Hence...</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Carlton&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>LSJ indicates that the basic verb stem ALLASSW was used to
denote exchanging one thing for another. The only meaning given for the
double</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>compound APOKATALASSW is to "reconcile back" or to restore a
relationship that is damaged.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Bill&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>APO=from</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>KATA=down</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>ALLASSW=change</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><SPAN class=667322014-17121999>I'm afraid I extrapolated</SPAN>
the "wall."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=667322014-17121999>How many people are
willing to be reconciled, but not unilaterally!</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Carlton&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>...In the context of Col. 1, the word refers to God reconciling
sinners to himself.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Bill&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Yes, of course, context....</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Colossians 1 has the *identical* inference of only *one side*
being reconciled:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him
to reconcile ***all things*** unto himself; by him, I say, **whether they be
things in earth, or things in heaven***.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>21 And [KAI="even"] you, that were sometime alienated and
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy
and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>23 If [EIGE=if indeed] ye continue in the faith grounded and
settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard,
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul
am made a minister;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>This expresses the unlimited reconciliation of the atonement in
sweeping terms, but its efficacy is conditioned on faith.&nbsp;<SPAN
class=667322014-17121999>This is clarified further</SPAN> in 1 John
2:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the whole world.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>This is just the same formula as the Cor 5 passage:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling **the world**
unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto
us the **word of** reconciliation.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, **be ye** reconciled
[tear down your</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&gt;side of the wall] to God.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Carlton&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>...I think what's in brackets would be very distracting if
inserted into this context. The passive form here is what Carl Conrad calls
middle and I call</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>reflexive passive. To me it says "be reconciled to God" (Accept
for yourself God's provision of reconciliation).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Bill&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Exactly. It is an imperative, so it is impossible to construe as
passive in a non-grammatical sense. But it is predicated on the steps made by
God. Repent. Believe. Be baptized. The Father is willing to forgive. "I will
return to my Father..." Our side of the wall is not "half." His side was the
cross, our side is faith. Each are our mutual steps to restoration.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>So Scriptural context always argues for a one-sided
reconciliation (or rather, one side at a time).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Carlton&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I would say that the subjunctive following hINA in Col. 1:28
indicates the basic purpose of Paul's ministry, i.e., to "present every person
mature in</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Christ."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>&lt;Bill&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Yes, but the subjunctive highlights that Paul realized that he
would not indeed "present every person mature in Christ" though he labored that
he "might."</FONT></P>
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