Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 141:564 (Oct 1984)
Article: Colossian Problems Part 4: Christ as Conqueror and Reconciler
Author: F. F. Bruce

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BSac 141:564 (Oct 84) p. 291

Colossian Problems
Part 4:
Christ as Conqueror and Reconciler

F. F. Bruce

[F. F. Bruce, Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester, Manchester, England]

[Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of four articles delivered by the author as the W. H. Griffith Thomas Memorial Lectures at Dallas Theological Seminary, November 1-4,1983.]

Cosmic Reconciliation

In the Christ hymn of Colossians 1:15–20 Christ is celebrated as the Agent of God in both creation and reconciliation. His agency in creation is attested by other New Testament writers, it is emphasized in the letter to the Colossians as part of the argument that those who have direct access to God through Christ and are united with Christ have no need to worship beings or forces, which, however powerful, are part of the created order which He brought into existence.

The idea of Christ’s being the Agent in reconciliation, however, is peculiar to Paul among the New Testament writers. Paul is the only one to mention reconciliation in the theological sense. It is God who has “reconciled us to Himself through Christ,” he told the Christians in Corinth (2 Cor 5:18).1 And he reminded those in Rome, “we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Rom 5:10). Paul speaks of himself and his colleagues as entrusted with “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). The gospel which they proclaim is “the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19) because in it the invitation is sounded on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). Those who respond in faith to the invitation have thereby “received the reconciliation” (Rom 5:11); they “have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).

In speaking of the ministry of reconciliation, Paul makes one statement which seems to envisage a much wider body than

BSac 141:564 (Oct 84) p. 292

believers as being embraced in God’s reconciling work: “God was in Christ reconciling a world to Himself” (2 Cor 5:19). The adverbial phrase “in Christ” modifies the periphrastic verb “was reconciling.” Though the instrumental ἐν is used (instead of διά to express agency), yet Chris...

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