 |  |
#10. Col. 1: 13-23 (concluded).
Reconciliation, and a special note on adoption
in the three spheres.
pp. 211 - 216
Looking back, by faith, to Gen. 1: 1, to the period before the great overthrow, we
learn from Col. 1: that Christ occupied a twofold relationship: (1) to the invisible God,
and (2) to every creature. To the One He was the Image; to the other He was the
Firstborn, and, as such, He not only created all things in heaven and earth, but was before
all things and in Him all things consisted, or were held together.
Entering now the region of grace we find Christ is the Head of the body, the church,
the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the
pre-eminence. There is a close connection between the Image and the Head, as may be
seen from the account of the creation of Adam. Immediately following the statement,
"Let us make man in our Image", come the words, "and let them have dominion".
Headship and image come again in I Cor. 11: 1-7.
Turning once more to Col. 1: we observe that creation gives place to reconciliation in
the scheme of the passage (see structure page 130), and this must be our next
consideration. The word used in Col. 1: 20 and 21 is apokatallasso, and occurs but once
elsewhere, namely, in Eph. 2: 16. It is the climax of a series of words, all of which
indicate some form of change. To be able to appreciate in any measure its wondrous
intent, we must all be acquainted with the derivation of this term. Lying at the root of the
word is allos, meaning "other", indicating that a change from one state to another is in
view. Allaso, the next development, shows this more plainly, inasmuch as it is translated
"change"; "change the customs" (Acts 6: 14), "changed the glory" (Rom. 1: 23),
"we shall be changed" (I Cor. 15: 51, 52), "change my voice" (Gal. 4: 20).
To indicate varying shades of "change" this word allasso is supplemented by the
prefixes dia, kata, and apokata.
Diallassomai occurs in Matt. 5: 24, where it is a question of the reconciliation of
equals, "Be reconciled to thy brother".
Katallasso occurs as follows:--
"Enemies reconciled . . . . . being reconciled" (Rom. 5: 10).
"God . . . . . hath reconciled us" (II Cor. 5: 18).
"God was in Christ reconciling" (II Cor. 5: 19).
"Be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5: 20).
"Reconciled to her husband" (I Cor. 7: 11).
Katallage is translated "atonement" in Rom. 5: 11, which would be a good rendering
if the word had not such a fixed meaning in the O.T. As it is, "atonement" has lost its