COMPANION
BIBLE. APPENDIX 196.
"RECONCILE", "RECONCILIATION".
- The word "reconcile", which our translators adopted from the Vulgate,
is simply the transliteration of the Latin reconcilio, to bring
together again, to reunite or re-connect. The verb to reconcile,
and its noun reconciliation, have , however, come to possess now
merely the idea of friendship after estrangement.
- The Greek words in the N.T. are as follow :
- allasso,
to change, to make other (allos) than it is. Occ. Acts 6:14.
Rom 1:23. 1Cor. 15:51, 52. Gal. 4:20. Heb. 1:12. Always
rendered "change".
- diallassomai
(passive), dia (Ap. 104. v) and allasso, to be changed or
altered mutually (the force of dia) from one condition to
another. Occ. Matt. 5:24.
- katallasso,
kata
(Ap. 104. x) and allasso, to change or exchange something (anything)
arbitrarily; not as (b) by mutual consent, but as proceeding
from one (the kata, implying from above). Occ. Rom.
5:10. 1Cor. 7:11. 2Cor. 5:18, 19, 20; and its noun.
katallage, is a change or exchange for something else. Occ.
Rom. 5:11 (atonement); 11:15.
2Cor. 5:18, 19.
- apokatallasso;
intensive form of katallasso, the apo (Ap. 104. iv) indicating
that whatever is intended by (c) is done completely and inviolably.
Occ. only in the Prison Epistles, Eph. 2:16. Col. 1:20, 21.
- hilaskomai.
Occ. Luke 18:13. Heb. 2:17 (see notes in
loc.) As this
word means to expiate, or make atonement for sins, and is confined to mediatorial
aspects and offerings, it need not here be discussed.
- We now refer to the occ. in the connection :
- diallassomai,
Matt. 5:24, where is found the basic explanation of the meaning usually
understood by "be reconciled", &c.; i.e. the change of feelings
and relationships of estranged relatives; a mutual change of feelings
between
equals (a man and his "brother").
- katallasso.
Rom. 5:10, &c. Here is the proper meaning of the Greek word,
as clothed in its correspondent Latin dress, viz. re-united or re-connected
to
God. Emphasized by the last clause, "having been reconciled" (re-connected).
Vital union restored by re-connection.
Rom. 11:15, "the reconciling".
The meaning is unmistakable; the re-connection
of "a world" is the antithesis to the "casting away" of Israel.
1Cor. 7:10, 11, "be reconciled";
i.e. connected again with her husband. Here also the antithesis
is plain.
2Cor. 5:18, 19, 20.
These verses paraphrased read, -- "... God, Who re-connected
(or re-united) us again to Himself, by means of Christ, and having given to us the
ministry of the re-connection (re-uniting) a world to Himself,
not reckoning (imputing) their transgressions to them; and having laid
upon us (the responsibility or burden of) the message of the
re-connection.
On Christ's behalf therefore we are ambassadors ... be ye re-connected
(united again) to God." We see here, revealed in simple majesty,
the sovereign grace of God in providing by virtue of "the precious blood
of Christ" a means whereby the rebellious creature can be restored to the
favor of the justly alienated Creator. It is not an entreaty to "forgive"
and "forget" everything on man's side, but a command to return to
God by means of the new connection, and by that means alone, viz. the new and
living Way which God Himself provided through the death and resurrection
of His Son (Acts 17:30, 31. Heb. 10:19, 20).
- apokatallasso.
Occ. Eph. 2:16. Col. 1:20, 21. In each case the force of apo
prefixed to katallasso suggests and emphasizes the perfection of
the re-connection. So that on God's side all is complete.
Here again the graciousness of God is manifest. Who MADE PEACE by virtue
of the blood of Christ, and thus gave access by means of Him "by one Spirit unto the
Father", to those who were far off and to those who were nigh.
(NOTE. In addition to the occ. of the Gr. words referred to in Section 2 above, the texts read sunalloasso in Acts 7.20 - see note there. This word is No. 2(a) above with Gr. sun (Ap. 104. xvi) and bears less forcible signification than does sunelauno in its primary meaning.)
Appendix List
|