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The close parallel in Col. 2:, and in some sense the epitomizing of Ephesians 1: and 2:,
are worthy of careful consideration. We will set out the parallel, but cannot digress from
Eph. 2: long enough to attempt an explanation.
Eph. 1: and 2:
Col. 2:
"Who is the Head of all principality and
"Far above all principality and power."
power."
"A circumcision not made by hand, in the
"The circumcision in the flesh made by
putting off of the body of the flesh."
hands."
"Risen with Him through the faith of the
"The exceeding greatness of His power to
inworking of God Who hath raised Him from
usward who believe according to the inworking
the dead."
of His mighty power which He wrought in
Christ when He raised Him from the dead."
"And you being dead in trespasses and in
"And you being dead in trespasses and sins.
the uncircumcision of your flesh hath He made
. . . even we also being dead in trespasses,
alive together with Him."
hath made us alive together with Christ. . . .
and hath raised us up together."
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
"The enmity in His flesh--the law of
that was against us, which was contrary to us,
commandments
in
ordinances
having
and took it out of the way, nailing it to His
abolished. . . . by the cross, having slain the
cross, and having put off principality and
enmity by it."
power, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them by it."
Much more is yet to be learned from Eph. 2:, but enough has been said for the
moment to exhibit the scope and meaning of the reconciliation in this chapter. It differs
from that which has gone before in that it is perfect and full, and that it is directly
connected with the blood of Christ ("made nigh by the blood of Christ"), and the cross of
Christ ("that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross"). The
reconciliation is of "the both" to God, the enmity which was related to "his flesh" and
commandments in ordinances giving place to access in one Spirit, and perfect freedom
from commands and ordinances. One thing we trust is abundantly clear, and that is, that
this passage does not contain the slightest warrant for applying the reconciliation outside
the limits of the peculiarly elect company of the one body, and that it does not look
forward to the future either for its fulfilment, or great development.
We must follow the leading of the inspired Word, and leave the further amplifications
of Eph. 2: that are found in Col. 2: until we have considered the only other reference to
the reconciliation contained in the Word. The remainder of Eph. 2: from verse 19 to 22
the reader will see is the glorious result of the reconciliation, verse 19 in particular more
than compensating for the state of verse 12. These verses will be dealt with in due course
in the series dealing with the Epistle; we therefore leave the subject here and will
consider Col. 1: in our next article on this subject.