Colossians 1:22

νυνὶ in contrast to ποτὲ : “now,” not “at the present moment,” but “in the present state of things,” thus, as Lightfoot points out, admitting an aorist, referring to an action lying in the past. ἀποκατηλλάγητε : “ye were reconciled,” but scarcely to be represented in English except by the perfect. ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. It is disputed why Paul should add to σώμ. the defining words τ · σαρκὸς. Bengel, Lightfoot and Moule think they are added to distinguish Christ's physical from His mystical body, the Church. But this would imply an incredible obtuseness on the part of his readers, for διὰ θαν · sufficiently fixes the reference to the physical body; and, as Meyer points out, the contrast to the body of His flesh is the glorified body, not the Church. Nor is a reference to Docetism probable. We have no evidence that it had appeared so early, and Paul would not have refuted it by a mere aside. Oltramare thinks that they are added because the flesh was the actual seat of suffering. But the addition would have been unnecessary, for ἐν τ. σώμ. was sufficient in itself. The most satisfactory view is that Paul has in mind the false spiritualism which thought reconciliation could be accomplished by spiritual beings only, and hence attached little or no value to the work of Christ in a body composed of flesh (Mey., Alf., Ell., Haupt, Abb.). In opposition to this Paul emphasises the fact that it was just by the putting to death of this body composed of flesh that reconciliation was effected, and thereby excludes from the work the angels who had no body of flesh. But while this is so, it is hard to avoid the impression that the phrase is also chosen because in the corresponding experience of Christians their death to sin is the removal of the σῶμα. τ. σαρκός (Colossians 2:11). παραστῆσαι ὑμᾶς : cf. Ephesians 5:27. With the reading ἀποκατήλλαξεν the infinitive expresses purpose, “He reconciled in order to present”. With λάγητε, if we adopt Lightfoot's parenthesis, the infinitive will depend on εὐδόκ. (Colossians 1:19). But if νυνὶ δὲ begins a new sentence we should translate “ye were reconciled to present yourselves”. This presentation is usually taken to be at the judgment, and that is the impression the passage naturally makes. Hofmann, Lightfoot and Haupt refer it to God's present approbation. Haupt thinks the presentation is just the same as the reconciliation. Reconciliation has not to do with a change of feeling in God or man, but of the relation of God to men. It is synonymous with justification. This παραστ. is a continuous process dependent on continuance in faith and love. He urges that Paul regards the judgment as depending on moral conditions, not on the holding fast of faith and love. But a distinction of this kind should not be pressed in the case of Paul; for him faith was the root of morality, and love the fulfilment of the Law. κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ. Generally this is taken to be before God. But since Paul elsewhere teaches that we must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, it seems best (with Meyer) to take αὐτοῦ in the same way. ἁγίους καὶ ἀμώμους καὶ ἀνεγκλήτους. Soden and Haupt insist that these are not ethical but religious terms. This is probably correct; since the reference is to the judgment, they have a forensic sense. ἀμώμους probably means blameless rather than undefiled, and this is supported by the addition of ἀνεγκλ.