Section 76
164Here and in v. 22 the verb rendered “reconcile” is ἀποϰαταλλάσσω, found also in Eph. 2:16 (see comment ad loc.) and nowhere else in the NT. It has been thought to be a Pauline coinage (cf. F. Büchsel, TDNT 1, p. 258, s.v. ἀλλάσσω); this is doubtful. It is evidently an intensified form of ϰαταλλάσσω, which appears in Rom. 5:10 (twice); 2 Cor. 5:18, 19, 20 (also in 1 Cor. 7:11, but not there in a theological sense); the corresponding noun ϰαταλλαγή is used in Rom. 5:11; 11:15; 2 Cor. 5:18-19. See J. Dupont, La réconciliation dans la théologie de saint Paul (Bruges/Paris, 1953); R. P. Martin, Reconciliation: A Study of Paul’s Theology (London, 1981), especially pp. 111-26.
165The rough breathing (αὑτóν = ἑαυτóν) is required by the context, although in most editions the smooth breathing (αὐτóν) is printed. “In Col. i.20, δɩ’ αὐτοῦἀποϰαταλλάξαɩ τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτóν, it is surprising that there appears to be no variant ἑαυτóν and that editors do not print αὐτóν, which seems to be required by the sense in order to distinguish Christ, referred to in δɩ’ αὐτοῦ, from God, to whom (probably) the reconciliation is made” (C. F. D. Moule, IBNTG, p. 119).
166Cf. 2 Cor. 5:19 (ϰóσμον ϰαταλλάσσων ἑαυτῷ); Rev. 5:13 (πᾶν ϰτίσμα).
167Eph. 1:10 is thus a commentary on Col. 1:16 (εἰς αὐτóν): everything was created with a view to Christ.