Colossians 1:22

ἀποκατήλλαξεν אACDcKL(P), Vulg. Syrr. Boh.; ἀποκατηλλάγητε B (17 ἀποκατηλλακηται) appy Hilary of Poitiers; ἀποκαταλλαγέντες D*FgrG, Irenint. Ambrst.

The participle is almost certainly due to the analogy of the preceding ἀπηλλοτριωμένους. But it is difficult to decide between the two finite verbs. Lightfoot thinks that ἀποκατήλλαξεν “is probably a grammatical correction to straighten the syntax” (add. note).

τῆς σαρκὸς, omitted by Marcion for theological reasons.

22. ἐν τῷ σώματι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. The exact phrase here only, but compare Colossians 2:11, ἐν τῇ�, and Sir 23:16 (23)†.

The addition of τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, “in the body which consisted in His flesh,” lays stress upon His body having passions and the capacity for suffering, “capacitatem patiendi ac passionem ipsam Ephesians 2:15” (Bengel), as all human bodies have. Compare Hebrews 2:14-15. The thought is so well suited to meet the opinions of the false teachers, who were inclined to include angels in the work of mediation, that probably the desire to distinguish this σῶμα from that of Colossians 1:18 had but a small share in his choice of the expression. Marcion naturally omitted τῆς σαρκός, but Tertullian rightly argues (without mentioning the true text) that σῶμα alone cannot here mean the Church (adv. Marc. Colossians 1:19).

ἐν refers to the sphere in which the act of reconciliation took place.

διὰ τοῦ θανάτου. διά expresses here, as in Colossians 1:20, the means of reconciliation. The article probably = “His.”

θανάτου. In view of the frequency of words and phrases in the N.T. suggesting the death of Christ as the means of our salvation it is curious how rarely the word θάνατος appears to be actually used of it. The following references seem to be complete: Romans 5:10; Hebrews 2:9-14; Hebrews 9:15; Philippians 2:8.

παραστῆσαι. Probably dependent on ἀποκατήλλαξεν (see note at beginning of Colossians 1:21), expressing the purpose and intent of the reconciliation.

In this word παρά has the meaning of coram, “before,” “in the presence of,” which it has in the Classics, Od. I. 154, ἤειδε παρὰ μνηστῆρσιν. So probably LXX., 1 Samuel 5:2, παρέστησαν αὐτὴν παρὰ Δαγών. But the meaning of definitely presenting, which the verb has here (so also Colossians 1:28; Ephesians 5:27; 2 Corinthians 11:2, cf. Luke 2:22), seems not to be found in the LXX. except as a varia lectio in Leviticus 16:7, καὶ λήμψεται τοὺς δύο χιμάρους καὶ στήσει (F. παραστήσει) αὐτοὺς ἔναντι Κυρίου.

Hence the word in itself has no connotation of “present as a sacrifice,” though of course it may be used for this (Romans 12:1).

If it has any special connotation here that of presenting before a judge is more probable. Compare for παρά alone Hdt. III. 160, παρὰ Δαρείῳ κριτῇ; Romans 2:13; and for the verb Acts 23:33; 2 Corinthians 4:14, and perhaps 2 Timothy 2:15.

It has been suggested that the presentation takes place at conversion, or even repeatedly, but the time of the final Judgment appears to be much more probable. See also Colossians 1:28.

ὑμᾶς. Probably taken up from καὶ ὑμᾶς in Colossians 1:21. See note there.

ἁγίους. See Colossians 1:2 note. Does it here refer to (1) consecration, Christian standing with its potential possibilities, as in Colossians 1:2, implying the recognised position, from the very first, of all believers; or to (2) actual holiness? Is it, in other words, said of justification, or of ethical effect the result of sanctification?

Probably St Paul made no such sharp distinction in his use of the word. Compare Colossians 3:12. Those who are presented as “holy” at the Judgment Day (vide supra) will be consecrated both potentially and in ethical fact.

καὶ�. An interesting word, illustrative of the tendency of translators to give to a foreign term the connotation of a native word of similar sound.

In Herodotus and Aeschylus it = “without blame,” derived, doubtless, from the root of μωμάομαι “blame,” μῶμος “blame,” “disgrace.” But in Deuteronomy 17:1, “Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God an ox, or a sheep, wherein is a blemish (mûm),” the LXX. reads, οὐ θύσεις Κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου μόσχον ἢ πρόβατον ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῷ μῶμος. Hence in LXX. ἄμωμος frequently translates tamim “perfect” in the sense of “having no blemish” (e.g. Exodus 29:1) as Well as in its purely ethical meaning (e.g. Psalms 14(15):2). So in Philo, de Agric. 29 § 130, Wendland (I. 320) μωμοσκόπος = “looking for blemishes” in sacrificial victims, and μωμοσκοπεῖν is used by Clem. Rom. § 41 in a similar meaning. So also Daniel 1:4, “youths in whom there was no blemish (mûm), but well favoured,” etc., is in Theod., νεανίσκους οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς μῶμος, and in LXX. νεανίσκους�.

In the N.T. ἄμωμος = “without blemish” in probably every passage in which it occurs, Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 5:27; Philippians 2:5; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; Jude 1:24; Revelation 14:5†, and in two of these has a distinctly sacrificial reference: Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19. The other passages appear to have no direct reference to sacrifice.

Thus the history of ἄμωμος is (1) blameless, (2) without blemish, (a) literally, of an animal for sacrifice, (b) metaphorically, of Christ the true sacrifice, (c) solely metaphorically, without any connotation of sacrifice. Both our passage and the very similar Ephesians 5:27 appear to come under this last heading, even though in each the sacrificial reference may appear to be strengthened by the additional presence of παραστήσῃ and ἅγιος.

καὶ�, “and unimpeachable.” The thought appears to be that they cannot be challenged, or pleaded against, cf. Romans 8:33; Acts 19:38. And so 1 Corinthians 1:8, where the impleading denied is expressly referred to the last Judgment. So probably here.

κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ, “before him.” κατενώπιον does not appear to be found in secular Greek, though κατενῶπα occurs in Il. XV. 320 = “right over against.” Certainly to be taken with παραστῆσαι and not with the three adjectives or the last only. For in the LXX. its construction with the verb is indubitable in every case, as also in Jude 1:24. Even in Ephesians 1:4 it is probably to be taken with εἷναι.