David M. Williams |
| Reconciliation By David M. Williams (davidmwilliams@oocities.com) |
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INTRODUCTION
The Greek New Testament uses four words to express the concept of reconciliation - katalla<ssw, a]pokatalla<ssw, dialla<ssw and katallage. These are defined thusly,
Katalla<ssw
denotes a changing or exchanging, primarily of money. In the context of persons, it means a changing from enmity to friendship (Thayer, 1981, p. 333; Vine, 1981, p. 262; Zodhiates, 1992, p. 926). Paul uses this word about wives returning to harmony with their husbands in I Corinthians 7:11. This word is also used in Romans 5:10 and II Corinthians 5:18-19.A]pokatalla<ssw
means to reconcile completely. It is a stronger form of katalla<ssw, prefixed with apo (from). The essential meaning is to change from one condition to another, to remove all enmity and leave no impediment to unity and peace (Thayer, 1981, p. 63; Vine, 1981, p. 261). This word is used in Ephesians 2:16 and Colossians 1:20-21.Dialla<ssw
means to effect an alteration, to exchange and hence to reconcile in cases of mutual hostility yielding to mutual concession (Thayer, 1981, p. 139; Vine, 1981, p. 261). This word is found just once, in Matthew 5:24, concerning being reconciled with a brother before presenting an offering.Katallage<
is similar to katalla<ssw but emphasises the notion of exchange. It means a change on the part of one party, induced by an action on the part of another (Thayer, 1981, p. 333; Vine, 1981, p. 262; Zodhiates, 1992, p. 926). This is used in Romans 5:11; 11:15; II Corinthians 5:18-19.It may be seen that reconciliation properly applies not to good relations in general, but to the doing away of an enmity.
There are no equivalent terms in the Hebrew Scriptures. Vine (1981, p. 262) notes that passages containing "reconciliation" in the King James Version (Leviticus 8:15; Ezekiel 45:20, etc.) are more rightly translated "atonement".
By an examination of the contexts of the occurrences of these terms, an understanding of the Biblical concept of "reconciliation" is gained.
THE NEED FOR RECONCILIATION
The Bible is plain that an enmity exists between man and God (Ephesians 2:13-16). A wall of partition exists (Ephesians 2:14) and man is considered an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). By nature, man is a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). If man were to be held responsible for one’s sins, then death would follow (Psalm 130:3).
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and hence man is appointed for death (Romans 6:23), judgement (Hebrews 9:27) and in the natural state is without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:12). Stott (1989, p. 65) asserts that
The Bible everywhere views human death not as a natural but as a penal event. It is an alien intrusion into God’s good world, and not part of his original intention for mankind. . . Throughout Scripture, then, death (both physical and spiritual) is seen as a divine judgment on human disobedience.
However, God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4). There is no peace between man and God (Colossians 1:20) and this barrier must be removed through reconciliation.
THE DIRECTION OF RECONCILIATION
Not once is God said to be reconciled. The enmity is alone on the part of man. The Biblical authors never use
dialla<ssw in this context, but always katalla<ssw, which does not contain the connotation of mutual concession after mutual hostility. That is, the hostility is not mutual in man’s dealings with God but rather is solely directed from man to God. Hence, it is man who alone needs to be reconciled with God.Morris (1981, p. 1321) makes a case for reconciliation possessing effects man-ward, which is true but concerns solely the removal of God’s wrath; at no time need God be reconciled to man.
It is important to note that the removal of God’s wrath does not contradict His immutability. He acts in consistency with His righteousness and it is because He does not change that His relative attitude is able to change towards those who do change.
There is also a horizontal aspect to reconciliation for God has reconciled man to one another in His new community as well as to Himself. The focus of Ephesians 2:11-22 is primarily the healing of the breach between Jews and Gentiles. However, the basis for this is the prior mutual reconciliation of both parties to God. Nevertheless, knowing the mutual bitterness and contempt that Jews and Gentiles held for each other, this reconciliation was a miracle of God’s grace and power. A single, new, unified humanity has resulted (Stott, 1989, p. 194-195).
However, even this does not complete the reconciliation revealed in the Bible. Colossians 1:15-20 describes the reconciliation that God has achieved as having effect on "all things", further described as "things on earth or things in heaven". There exists debate as to precisely what Paul referred to here. If the "all things" reconciled are the same as the "all things" created (v. 16-17) then its reconciliation may refer to the "liberation from bondage to decay" described in Romans 8:21. Stott (1989, p. 196) however, sees the "all things" as more probably referring to the principalities and powers of Colossians 2, who have been reconciled in the sense that they have been disarmed, perhaps in conjunction with Philippians 2:9-11.
THE MEANS FOR RECONCILIATION
Paul explains, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5:10). This passage expresses man’s hostile attitude to God ("enemies"), and also signifies that until a change of attitude takes place men are under condemnation and exposed to God’s wrath. Further, the death of Christ is the means of removal of this condemnation.
This subject receives an unfolding in II Corinthians 5:18-19,
All these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
God is the author of reconciliation and He has taken the initiative to remove the wall of enmity between Himself and mankind. Christ is the agent of the reconciliation. Finally, man is called to be an ambassador of reconciliation.
Reconciliation is effected by God "not counting their trespasses" and by committing "to us the word of reconciliation", that is, by the exercise of divine forgiveness and the proclamation of the Gospel message intended to elicit a response of faith on the part of the hearers.
Pecota (1994, p. 347) defines
katalla<ssw as conveying the notion of "exchanging" or "reconciling" as one might reconcile books in accounting practices. He thus draws the analogy,In the New Testament the application is primarily to God and us. The reconciling work of Christ restores us to God’s favor because "the books have been balanced".
CONCLUSION
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. What God has done in the matter of reconciliation He has done in Christ and this is based upon the fact that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf; so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him".
Reconciliation is an act by which men are delivered from a condition of estrangement and restored to fellowship with God. This act is accomplished by the sacrificial death of Christ. On this ground, the command to men is "be reconciled to God" (II Corinthians 5:20-21).
WORKS CITED
Easton. nd. ‘Reconciliation’, in Easton’s Bible Dictionary, BibleWorks for Windows, Hermeneutika Computer Bible Research Software, Big Fork, Montana.
Morris, L. 1980. ‘Reconciliation’, in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester.
Pecota, D. 1994. ‘The Saving Work of Christ’, in Systematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective, ed. S. M. Horton, Logion Press, Springfield, Missouri.
Robinson, W. C. 1960. ‘Reconciliation’, in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, ed. E. F. Harrison, G. W. Bromiley and C. F. G. Henry, Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Stott, J. R. W. 1989. The Cross of Christ, 2d. ed., Inter-Varsity Press.
Taylor, F. J. 1950. ‘Reconciliation’ in A Theological Word Book of the Bible, ed. A. Richardson, Collier Books, New York.
Thayer, J. H. 1981. The new Thayer’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, Massachusetts.
Thiessen, H. C. 1979. Lectures in Systematic Theology, rev. ed., Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Vine, W. E. 1981. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, World Bible Publishers, Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Wright, D. F. 1968. In Understanding be Men, 6th. ed, Inter-Varsity Press.
Zodhiates, S. 1992. The Complete Word Study New Testament, 2d. ed., AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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David M. Williams |