and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
Truth to Learn
We are reconciled to God because of Jesus Christ’s death.
Behind the Words
“He might reconcile” is translated from the Greek verb apokatalassō. This is made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from,” kata, used as an intensifier, and allassō, meaning “to change.” The word katalassō (without apo added) implies the setting up of a relationship of peace that did not exist before. Apokatalassō, however, implies a restoration of a relationship which comes from a dramatic change. In other words, it refers to restoring harmony or fellowship (which existed previously) between two parties as a result of a dramatic change on the part of one of them.
Amphoteros is the Greek word that is translated “both.” It refers to “both of two,” that is, “both the one and the other.”
The word “body” is soma, which refers to “a body, either literally or figuratively.” In this case it refers to the physical body of Jesus Christ.
“Cross” is from the Greek noun stauros, which is derived from the base of the verb histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It refers to “a tree,” “a stake,” or “a cross” (something set upright) to which criminals were tied or nailed as a form of execution.
The expression “putting to death” comes from the verb apokteinō, which is composed of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and the verb kteinō, meaning “to slay.” Thus, apokteinō means “to kill” or “to put to death.”
Meaning Explained
This verse really focuses on the Greek word apokatalassō, the reconciliation of mankind to God. In other words, God has restored harmony and fellowship between us and Him as a result of a change in our status. That change is from a condition of us being a condemned sinner to the condition of us having the righteousness of Christ. But Paul makes a special point of declaring that both Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God. Jews needed reconciliation because they failed to keep the whole law. And Gentiles needed reconciliation as well because we were estranged from God and His blessing.
This reconciliation took place in the physical body of Jesus Christ. As the second person of the Godhead, Jesus is completely God. But, because He took on human form, that is, a physical human body just like you and I have, subject to pain, suffering, and death, He is also completely human. Because He became completely human and lived a life without sin, he was able to offer up His human life in that body, through the pain and suffering of the cross, as the payment for our sins.
At this point Paul employs one of his “play on words” for which he is noted. He tells us that because of the death of His body, Jesus put to death the enmity, the hatred and hostility between Jews and Gentiles. By His death, He reconciled both Jew and Gentile with God and put to death the hostility between us.
Application
In his letter to the Romans, Paul said:
For in that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in that He lives, He lives to God. So also you count yourselves to be truly dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:10-11)
If we are dead to sin then it cannot have mastery over us, and we can live our lives to God as a result of the bodily death of Jesus Christ. So, now the question we all have to ask ourselves is, “Do we consider ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God?” Think about that for a few minutes.
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved
