Colossians 1:20

Colossians 1:20. Through him (as the instrument in Redemption as in Creation) to reconcile all things unto himself; lit, ‘unto Him,' but the reference to God seems necessary; comp. Ephesians 2:16, where moreover the word ‘reconcile' occurs in the same form. Here, as there, it seems best to take the term as a strengthened form, rather than as meaning ‘reconcile again.' The latter sense might be deemed appropriate here, especially in view of the similarity to Ephesians 1:10, where that thought is more fully expressed. But the statements are not identical, and ‘all things' must be needlessly limited if the idea of restoration is accepted. The thought is: ‘Through Christ the entire universe is reconciled with God' (Meyer). How this takes place in many cases we do not know; but that there is obviously a difference in the application to different parts of the universe. Wild speculations have been made on this topic, but this should not lead us to limit the great thought of the Apostle, either to the Church, or to men, or even to intelligent beings. ‘The absolute totality of created things shall be restored into its primal harmony with its Creator' (Ellicott). Neither here nor in the more specific parallel passage (Ephesians 1:10) is there any implication of the restoration of fallen angels and of the finally impenitent

Making peace through the blood of his cross. Comp. Ephesians 2:14-16. This is the means of the reconciliation; ‘by making peace,' rather than ‘having made peace.' The E. V. has transposed the clauses, probably to indicate that ‘the father' is the subject, which the original unmistakably indicates. ‘Through the blood of His cross,' i.e., by means of the blood shed upon the cross; comp. Romans 3:25.

Through him, I say. The phrase in Italics is needed even more when the clauses are placed in the correct order. The repetition of ‘through Him' gives emphasis to the Person of the Mediator, who by His death on the cross effected the work of reconciliation. Apart from His Person there is no efficacy in the shedding of blood.

Whether things on the earth, etc. The words are the same as in Colossians 1:16, but in reversed order with the article (hence the rendering, ‘things'), and probably because the death of Christ took place ‘on the earth. ‘All things' which are reconciled unto God are thus distinguished. The reconciliation is evidently not between these two parts, nor are the terms to be narrowed or spiritualized in sense. ‘The one Reconciler is the Head of these vast dominions, and in Him meet and merge the discordant elements which sin had introduced. The humanity of Jesus bringing all creatures around it, unites them to God in a bond which never before existed a bond which has its origin in the mystery of redemption. Thus all things in heaven and earth feel the effect of man's renovation' (Eadie). The reconciliation will not be complete until the coming of Christ.