Introduction to Colossians: Authorship, Date, Audience - Crain Home

Interpretation 1
fulness dwell;
Through the blood of Christ on the cross, reconciliation of things in earth
and in heaven has been effected; likewise, the work of Christ is reconciling
"all things unto himself," including those who been alienated formerly from
him and enemies in wicked work.
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his
cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I
say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
This reconciliation, Paul reminds them, came in the body of Christ's "flesh
through death" for the purpose that these people would present themselves
holy, unblamable, and unreprovable:
Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you
holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and
be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye
have heard, and which was preached to every creature which
is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
John Nelson Darby describes this reconciliation and its connection to the
later mystery revealed:
http://crain.english.mwsc.edu/colossians/interpretation_1.htm (16 of 20)6/17/2003 8:17:40 AM
It will be noticed also, that the apostle speaks of his gospel as
spread abroad in all the world. Grace had overstepped the
narrow limits of Judaism and the expectation of the Messiah,
in order to make known the testimony of the perfect love of
God in the whole creation under heaven, of which Paul was
the instrument as the apostle of the Gentiles. [12] Hitherto,
then, the Spirit of God has set before us the two preeminences
of Christ, that over creation and that over the assembly, and
the two reconciliations which answer to them, namely, first,
that of the things over which Christ is set as Head, that is, of
all things in heaven and earth; and second, that of Christians
themselves: the latter already accomplished, the former yet to
come. The ministry of the apostle had now the same double