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These words are a great depth: they must either be studied with some measure of
fulness, or left in all their grace. For our present purpose they speak for themselves, and
the parallels with Rom. 4: that suggest themselves will be sufficient comment.
The full reconciliation as pertaining to the mystery.
The word apokatallasso is reserved for the revelation of the mystery. Eph. 2:
establishes the complete and full agreement between every member of the body of Christ
by totally destroying all fleshly distinctions and creating one new man in Christ. This
church is reconciled to God in one body, complete and perfect. Col. 1: brings
reconciliation to its goal, by the final adjustment of the church of the one body in the new
creation, with its heavenly associates--the principalities, powers, and invisible yet
mighty dwellers in the super-heavenlies.
If Rom. 5: speaks of boasting in the hope of the glory of God, Col. 1: overwhelms us
with it. There, as in Rom. 5:, aliens and enemies are fully reconciled. "The access" of
Rom. 5: is filled out to the full in Eph. 2: 18, 3: 12. The "grace wherein we stand" of
Rom. 5: is eclipsed by the "meetness for the inheritance of the saints in the light", and
the presentation of the reconciled believer "holy, and blameless, and irreproachable, in
His presence" is a marvelous expansion of the believer's perfect standing in Christ. The
hope of glory of Rom. 5: finds its echo in Christ, "the hope of glory", in Col. 1: 27. Just
as tribulations are closely associated with access and reconciliation in Rom. 5:, so we
find them in Col. 1: 24: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and am filling up the
remainder of the tribulations of Christ in my flesh, on behalf of His body, which is the
church."
Paul's apostleship to the Gentiles is first of all indicated in Gal. 1: & 2:, and
II Cor. 11: & 12: The stress upon Abraham and the Gentile in Galatians and Romans
shows the reconciliation in progress. A great preparation for its acceptance is made in
I Corinthians, followed by its proclamation in II Corinthians, and it underlies the whole
of the teaching in the epistle to the Romans, which we summarize as follows:--
Romans and reconciliation.
(1) RECONCILIATION AND THE NATIONS.
Rom. 1: 18-32 shows the Gentiles' utter need. Rom. 3: 29, 30 shows the
leveling effect of the gospel, and Rom. 11: 15 the reconciliation in its dispensational
character.
(2) RECONCILIATION AND THE LAW.
The presence of the law, and its connection with the old covenant and works of
the flesh, emphasized fleshly distinctions as between circumcision and
uncircumcision, and barred reconciliation (Rom. 3: 10-20; 4: 15; 5: 20; 7: 7).
(3) RECONCILIATION AND PRACTICE.
The acceptance of the Gentiles by God is seen in Rom. 15: 16, and, in turn, their
acceptance by believing Hebrews is prayed for in Rom. 15: 30, 32. All were to be
received as Christ had received them, so that with "one mouth" both Jewish and
Gentile believers might glorify God" (Rom. 15: 6, 7).