And (was pleased) through him to reconcile all things unto him (Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:13; Psalms 2:7, Psalms 2:8). Not "through Christ—unto the Father," as Meyer, Alford, Ellicott, Lightfoot contend. This involves reading "the Father" as subject of Colossians 1:19 (see note). There is nothing in the grammar of this verse to suggest a reference of the same pronoun to two different persons. And the analogy of Colossians 1:16 appears decisive (see note): "Through him and unto him all things were created and reconciled" (De Wette, Conybeare, Hofmann). So Chrysostom: "Lest thou shouldest think that he undertook the office of a minister only, he saith 'unto himself.' And yet he elsewhere says that he reconciled us 'to God.'" English idiom prefers the reflexive "himself" in such a sentence (so in Colossians 1:19); but it is not necessary in Greek. Elsewhere καταλλάσσω ("reconcile") is construed with πρὸς or simple dative; here with εἰς in correspondence with Colossians 1:16, and implying, in contrast with διὰ ("through"), the end for which rather than the person to whom one is reconciled (Colossians 1:18 b; also Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 3:23). Brought back again to peace with God, we are brought into the kingdom of his Son (Colossians 1:13, Colossians 1:14). The rebels are made to "kiss the Son." He wins back his kingdom in them. And so the design of creation as his dominion is answered at last. "Reconcile" ("reconciliation") in New Testament usage implies previous resentment in him to whom the offender is reconciled (see Cremer's 'Lexicon,' and Meyer on Romans 5:10). For such resentment in Christ, comp. Colossians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 8:12; Luke 19:27; Acts 26:14; Revelation 6:16; Psalms 2:12. καταλλάσσω is "to take into favour or allegiance," and, with ἀπό, "to take back into favour." This reconciliation to Christ the King concerns the "all things" of Psalms 2:10, restoring the broken unity of creation (see note on "the things in the heavens," below). And there is an actual reconciliation now being carried on by the Son from heaven (Philippians 3:20, Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:25), resting upon the potential reconciliation effected on the cross (compare the same double sense in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Having made peace through the blood of his cross (Colossians 2:13, Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:13-18; 2Co 5:18-6:1; Romans 3:25; Romans 5:10; Hebrews 9:11-14; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 5:9; Matthew 26:28). The apostle "glories" only "in the cross" Galatians 6:14), the sole means of salvation, viewed from whatever side (1 Corinthians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 1:24). Peace is made for those who were "alienated and enemies in wicked works" (verse 21), who were under the dominion of the enemy of God and his Christ (Galatians 6:13, Galatians 6:14). It begins as the peace of forgiveness (Galatians 6:14; Galatians 2:13; Galatians 3:13; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:1), and continues as an abiding fellowship with God through the Spirit, in obedience to Christ, the one Lord (Galatians 6:13; Colossians 2:6; Romans 5:1, Romans 5:2; Romans 8:5-9, Romans 8:28; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 10:4, 2 Corinthians 10:5; Acts 2:32-34). There can be peace only when he is Lord (1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 10:13; Revelation 19:11-16). In this all the present blessings of salvation are comprised (Galatians 6:2). "The blood of the cross" is the one all sufficient atonement which brings men into peace with God, and so puts them back into the kingdom of Christ, who is "Prince and Saviour, Priest and King" (Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26; Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Titus 2:14). Faith, the subjective condition of peace, appears in verse 23 (Romans 5:1; Romans 15:13). "Having made peace," as a single compound verb, occurs only here in the New Testament (comp. Matthew 5:10). The repeated through him is textually doubtful; copyists were more likely to omit than to insert it here. This emphatic repetition suitably introduces the bold and startling words, whether the things on the earth, or the things in the heavens (Galatians 6:16). The things "in the heavens," as in Galatians 6:16, include the whole creation, spiritual or material, other than "the things upon the earth." In Romans 8:19-21 we learned that the earthly creation shares man's fall and his redemption. But "sin entered" (Romans 5:12) here from outside, and how far its influence extends beyond our planet we cannot tell. St. Paul does not positively affirm that the reconciliation of the cross embraces other worlds than ours. He speaks hypothetically. Christ's death is in his eyes an event parallel only to creation in its magnitude, and he can set no limit to its potential efficacy. Its virtue is sufficient to" reconcile all things," wherever such reconciliation is needed and is possible (yet see Hebrews 2:16). The difficulty is not to be evaded by putting a milder sense on "reconcile" as applied to "the things in the heavens" (so Alford and others, referring to Ephesians 3:10); "the blood of the cross" forbids any thought but that of the propitiatory atonement (see Meyer). Nor does the text say anything of a reconciliation between "earth and heaven" (Erasmus), "men and angels" (Chrysostom, Bengel), "Jews and Gentiles," "secular and spiritual affairs," etc.; such glosses are opposed to St. Paul's strict use of the word "reconcile," and to the parallelism of Romans 8:16.
In Romans 8:21-23 the apostle descends, with characteristic boldness and suddenness, from the vast generalizations of Romans 8:15-20 to the closest personal application of his theme—from "all things in earth and heaven" to "you" (comp. Eph 1:22-2:1, Ephesians 2:2). With Lightfoot, we place only a comma, or a colon at most, after Romans 8:20.