Colossians 1:21

The Subject pursued: the special case of the Colossians with regard to Redemption

21. you In the Greek "you" is accusative, and (in the best supported reading) the only verb to govern it is "to reconcile" in Colossians 1:20. (See note on "hath He reconciled" just below.) Thus the constructionruns unbroken from Colossians 1:20 into this verse. But there is a break, a paragraph, practically, in the thought and treatment.

As in Ephesians 1:13, so here, the Apostle moves from the general case of the "all things" to the particular case of the Colossian believers, included among "the things on the earth." Cp. also Ephesians 2:1; a close parallel.

sometimes Ideally, before Christ's work; biographically, before their conversion to Him.

alienated Estranged, Lightfoot. Cp. Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 4:18, and our notes there. Here, as there, the unregenerate man, and now particularly the heathen man, is viewed as (ideally) once in covenant and peace with God, and recipient of His "life," but "fallen" thence. See note above on "to reconcile," Colossians 1:20.

enemies Not, as some render, "hated." The Greek doesmean "hated" Romans 11:28; but scarcely so anywhere else in N.T. For the truth, cp. Romans 8:7. In its inmost essence, sinfulness is hostilityto the nature, will, and claims of the Holy One. He therefore on His part must be judicially adverseto the sinner, apart from the propitiation He has provided. But this side of the fact is less prominent here.

in your mind The word rendered "mind" commonly denotes the rational powers in general; cp. e.g. Ephesians 4:17; 1 Peter 1:13. The Colossians in their heathen state had shewn their "enmity" "inthose powers," inasmuch as the approved principlesof their lives were contrary to the will of God.

by wicked works More lit., in your wicked works; the orbit, so to speak, traced by their life of "enmity." For the truth, cp. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 2:1-3; Titus 3:3-7.

now "As the fact is," in the actual provision of mercy and gift of grace. "Comp. e.g. Colossians 1:26; Romans 5:11; Romans 7:6; Romans 11:30-31; Romans 16:26; Ephesians 2:13; Eph 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:10; 1Pe 1:12; 1 Peter 2:10; 1 Peter 2:23." (Lightfoot.)

hath he reconciled More lit., did He reconcile, in the finished work of Christ. But the somewhat better supported reading gives the passive; you were reconciled. Thus (see note on "you" just above) we have here a new sentence, grammatically, although the order of thought practicallyjustifies the rendering of the A.V. Reading thus, we may regard the words from "yet now" to "through death" as a parenthesis in the construction.