Col 1:20-22 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 20. And having made peace . Marg., making . The Greek will bear either. The meaning is, that by his atonement he produces reconciliation between those who were alienated from each other. . It does not mean here that he had actually effected peace by his death, but that he had laid the foundation for it; he had done that which would secure it. Through the blood of his cross . By his blood shed on the cross. That blood, making atonement for sin, was the means of making reconciliation between God and man. On the meaning of the word blood , as used in this connexion, . By him to reconcile all things to himself . On the meaning of the word reconcile , . When it is said that "it pleased the Father by Christ to reconcile all things to himself," the declaration must be understood with some limitation. (1.) It relates only to those things which are in heaven and earth --for those only are specified. Nothing is said of the inhabitants of hell, whether fallen angels, or the spirits of wicked men who are there. (2.) It cannot mean that all things are actually reconciled for that never has been true. Multitudes on earth have remained alienated from God, and have lived and died his enemies. (3.) It can mean then, only, that he had executed a plan that was adapted to this; that if fairly and properly applied, the blood of the cross was fitted to secure entire reconciliation between heaven and earth. There was no enemy which it was not fitted to reconcile to God; there was no guilt, now producing alienation, which it could not wash away. Whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven . That is, to produce harmony between the things in heaven and in earth; so that all things shall be reconciled to him, or so that there shall be harmony between heaven and earth. The meaning is not that "the things in heaven " were alienated from God, but that there was alienation in the universe which affected heaven, and the object was to produce again universal concord and love. Substantially the same sentiment is found in . . Much has been written on the meaning of this expression, and a great variety of opinions have been entertained of it. It is best, always, unless necessity require a different interpretation, to take words in their usual signification. If that rule be adopted here, "things in heaven" will refer to God and the angels, and perhaps may include the principles of the Divine government. "Things on earth" will embrace men, and the various things on earth which are now at variance with God and with heaven. Between these, it is designed to produce harmony by the blood of the cross, or by the atonement. As in heaven nothing is wrong ; as it is not desirable that anything should be changed there, all the change that is to take place, in order to produce reconciliation, is to be on the part of men and the things of this world. The only effect of the blood of the atonement on the "things" of heaven, in effecting the reconciliation, is to render it consistent for God to be at peace with sinners. The effect on earth is to dispose the sinner to a willingness to be reconciled; to lead him to lay aside his enmity; to change his heart; and to effect a change in the views and principles prevailing on earth which are now at variance with God and his government. When this shall be done there will be harmony between heaven and earth, and an alienated world will be brought into conformity with the laws and government of the Creator. (1) "having made" "making" (a) "peace"

Colossians 1:20-22

Verse 20. And having made peace. Marg., making. The Greek will bear either. The meaning is, that by his atonement he produces reconciliation between those who were alienated from each other. Eph 2:14. It does not mean here that he had actually effected peace by his death, but that he had laid the foundation for it; he had done that which would secure it.

Through the blood of his cross. By his blood shed on the cross. That blood, making atonement for sin, was the means of making reconciliation between God and man. On the meaning of the word blood, as used in this connexion, Rom 3:25.

By him to reconcile all things to himself. On the meaning of the word reconcile, Mt 5:24, Rom 5:10, 2Cor 5:18. When it is said that "it pleased the Father by Christ to reconcile all things to himself," the declaration must be understood with some limitation.

(1.) It relates only to those things which are in heaven and earth --for those only are specified. Nothing is said of the inhabitants of hell, whether fallen angels, or the spirits of wicked men who are there.

(2.) It cannot mean that all things are actually reconciled for that never has been true. Multitudes on earth have remained alienated from God, and have lived and died his enemies.

(3.) It can mean then, only, that he had executed a plan that was adapted to this; that if fairly and properly applied, the blood of the cross was fitted to secure entire reconciliation between heaven and earth. There was no enemy which it was not fitted to reconcile to God; there was no guilt, now producing alienation, which it could not wash away.

Whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. That is, to produce harmony between the things in heaven and in earth; so that all things shall be reconciled to him, or so that there shall be harmony between heaven and earth. The meaning is not that "the things in heaven" were alienated from God, but that there was alienation in the universe which affected heaven, and the object was to produce again universal concord and love. Substantially the same sentiment is found in Eph 1:10. Eph 1:10. Much has been written on the meaning of this expression, and a great variety of opinions have been entertained of it. It is best, always, unless necessity require a different interpretation, to take words in their usual signification. If that rule be adopted here, "things in heaven" will refer to God and the angels, and perhaps may include the principles of the Divine government. "Things on earth" will embrace men, and the various things on earth which are now at variance with God and with heaven. Between these, it is designed to produce harmony by the blood of the cross, or by the atonement. As in heaven nothing is wrong; as it is not desirable that anything should be changed there, all the change that is to take place, in order to produce reconciliation, is to be on the part of men and the things of this world. The only effect of the blood of the atonement on the "things" of heaven, in effecting the reconciliation, is to render it consistent for God to be at peace with sinners. The effect on earth is to dispose the sinner to a willingness to be reconciled; to lead him to lay aside his enmity; to change his heart; and to effect a change in the views and principles prevailing on earth which are now at variance with God and his government. When this shall be done there will be harmony between heaven and earth, and an alienated world will be brought into conformity with the laws and government of the Creator.

(1) "having made" "making" (a) "peace" Eph 2:14-16 Verse 21. And you, that were sometime alienated. In this work of reconciling heaven and earth, you at Colosse, who were once enemies of God, have been reached. The benefit of that great plan has been extended to you, and it has accomplished in you what it is designed to effect everywhere--to reconcile enemies to God. The word sometime here ποτε--means formerly. In common with all other men, they were, by nature, in a state of enmity against God. Eph 2:1-3.

In your mind. It was not merely by wicked works, or by an evil life; it was alienation seated in the mind, and leading to wicked works. It was deliberate and purposed enmity. It was not the result of passion and excitement; it had a deeper seat, and took hold of the intellectual. powers. The understanding was perverse and alienated from God, and all the powers of the soul were enlisted against him. It is this fact which renders reconciliation with God so difficult. Sin has corrupted and perverted alike the moral and the intellectual powers, and thus the whole man is arrayed against his Creator. Comp. Eph 4:18.

By wicked works. The alienation of the mind showed itself by wicked works, and those works were the public evidence of the alienation. Comp. Eph 2:1,2.

Yet now hath he reconciled. Harmony has been secured between you and God, and you are brought to friendship and love. Such a change has been produced in you as to bring your minds into friendship with that of God. All the change in producing this is on the part of man, for God cannot change, and there is no reason why he should, if he could. In the work of reconciliation man lays aside his hostility to his Maker, and thus becomes his friend. 2Cor 5:18.

(2) "in" "by" (3) "by" "in" Verse 22. In the body of his flesh through death. The death of his body, or his death in making an atonement, has been the means of producing this reconciliation. It

(1.) removed the obstacles to reconciliation on the part of God --vindicating his truth and justice, and maintaining the principles of his government as much as if the sinner had himself suffered the penalty of the law--thus rendering it consistent for God to indulge the benevolence of his nature in pardoning sinners; and

(2) it was the means of bringing the sinner himself to a willingness to be reconciled--furnishing the strongest possible appeal to him; leading him to reflect on the love of his Creator, and showing him his own guilt and danger. No means ever used to produce reconciliation between two alienated parties has had so much tenderness and power as those which God has adopted in the plan of salvation; and of the dying love of the Son of God fails to lead the sinner back to God, everything else will fail. The phrase "the body of his flesh" means, the body of flesh which he assumed in order to suffer in making an atonement. The reconciliation could not have been effected but by his assuming such a body, for his Divine nature could not so suffer as to make atonement for sins.

To present you. That is, Before God. The object of the atonement was to enable him to present the redeemed to God freed from sin, and made holy in his sight. The whole work had reference to the glories of that day when the Redeemed and the redeemed will stand before God, and he shall present them to his Father as completely recovered from the ruins of the fall.

Holy. Made holy, or made free from sin. Comp. Lk 20:36.

And unblameable. Not that in themselves they will not be deserving of blame, or will not be unworthy, but that they will be purified from their sins. The word here used αμωμος--means, properly, spotless, without blemish. Eph 1:4; Eph 5:27 Heb 9:14. It is applied to a lamb, 1Pet 1:19; to the Saviour, Heb 9:14; and to the church, Eph 1:4, 5:27; Jude 1:24, Rev 14:5. It does not elsewhere occur. When the redeemed enter heaven, all their sins will have been taken away; not a spot of the deep dye of iniquity will remain on their souls, Rev 1:15; Rev 7:14.

And unreproveable in his sight. There will be none to accuse them before God; or they will be free from all accusation. The law will not accuse them--for the death of their Redeemer has done as much to honour it as theft own punishment would have done; God will not accuse them--for he has freely forgiven them; their consciences will not accuse them--for theft sins will all have been taken away, and they will enjoy the favour of God as if they had not sinned; holy angels will not accuse them--for they will welcome them to their society; and even Satan will not accuse them--for he will have seen that their piety is sincere, and that they are truly what they profess to be. Comp. Rom 8:33,34.

(b) "present you holy" Jude 1:24