Matthew Poole and continuators on Colossians 1:20

20 And having made peace through the bloud of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself , by him , I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven .

Some from the Greek would (not have that clause we read in a Parenthesis to come next the copulative and, but) have it and by himself he should reconcile unto himself (in or to himself) all things (having made or obtain'd peace through the bloud of his Cross) I say, &c. But the reading of that sentence in the Parenthesis, after, or before the reconciliation of all things as we do because of the next following distribution, is not very material as to the sense of the thing, redemption, v. 12. or rather the manner or means of reconciliation unto God by Christ in whom the fulness of all divine and humane perfections was seated for the bringing of Heaven and Earth together.

God the Father for bringing enemies nigh unto himself in the Kingdom of his dear Son, v. 13, 19, 21, was in him, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. who having took on him the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.14. and because without shedding of bloud there could be no remission, or being brought nigh, Eph. 2.13. Heb. 9.12, 22, 23. according to his Fathers ordination and agreement with him for the expiation of sin, became obedient unto death, that cursed death of the Cross, Isa. 5[illegible: 1 letter].5. Gal. 3.13. Phil. 2.8. and by that bloudy sacrifice of himself, there once perfected, Heb. 9.14. & 10.10, 14. obtained peace. That by a figure being put to express his most perfect merit, as being the finishing of his obedience and passion, Rom. 3.35. & 5.10. c. 2.14. Eph. 2.16. Heb. 9.12.

Which alone could satisfie his offended Fathers demands; Angels could not shed bloud which was necessary to make peace and reconcile enemies: and though some false Apostles might seduce to the worshipping of them, their obedience could not be meritorious.

God designing an at[illegible: 1 letter]onement to himself. i. e. God the Father (and by consequent to the whole Trinity) did it by Christ in whom all fulness dwelling there was a proper fitness upon his Fathers call, Isa. 42.1, 4, 6. with Heb. c. 9. for so perfect a work as to take away the enmity of those alienated from God and to bring them into favour again. The great enquiry is about the extent of this reconciliation, because the Apostle mentions all things (rather than all persons) and then having emphatically repeated by him.

Viz. Christ as God-man and none other, Act. 4.12.

He adds a distribution of all things whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven? To answer which all things may be understood either (1.) Restrictively to the subject, the universal Church of which Christ is the head, so he doth not mean all things whatsoever illimitedly, but with respect to the subject matter, as, v. 21. all things which being alienated from God are reconciled to him, i. e. whatsoever things are reconciled, are by him reconciled, all relating to the subject matter of reconciliation (as all made to creation, v. 16.) all the real subjects of his Kingdom, whether gathered and gone to Heaven, before in hope of the Messiah to come, or now, and hereafter shall be gathered, Act. 15.11. Rom. 3.25. Eph. 3.15. Heb. 11.39, 40. & 12.23. yet this doth not altogether satisfie some by reason of the sublimity of the Apostles word in the distribution and ordinarily in scripture by things in Heaven are meant the Angels, whose natural seat it is (spirits of just men made perfect being advanc'd thither onely by God's gracious vouchsafement) or (2.) largely as comprehending the good Angels, especially if upon the foundation of reconciliation considered strictly, we take reconciliation here more generally (as the (Apostle doth in his Epistle to the Ephesians expatiating more upon this matter there, than he doth here, writing more concisely and contractly) for recapitulation, (or analogical reconciliation) bringing all under one head, the recomposing or reuniting of creatures terrestial, or celestial upon the attonement for Sinners by Christ, so that all his subjects, those that divide the State of his Kingdom are at an agreement amongst themselves, and with each other, God did so by Christ conjoyn miserable men with himself, that now also the holy Angels are conjoyn'd, they come under the same head Christ, c. 2.10. Eph. 1.21. whom they worship as at his first, so second coming, Luk. 2.13, 14. Heb. 1.9. as men cleave to him by faith so the Angels by vision, (1 Tim. 3.16.) look upon him their head, yet is he not their redeemer, v. 14. Eph. 1.3. not partaking of their nature, they are not his Members as believers are, (as God is the head of Christ, yet is not he a member of God, 1 Cor. 11.3.) Christ beareth a more special relation to them, than he doth unto these principalities and powers, Eph. 5.23, 30, 31. however they being under an Hypothetical possibility of falling, should seem to have need of a preventive kind of reconciliation, upon that account, if their standing is otherwise secured to them, they abiding in their purity could not be friends to impure creatures, Gen. 3.24. but upon the satisfaction of their Lord their distaste and dissatisfaction is remov'd, they being reduced into a corporation under Christ, with those whom he hath reconciled, Eph. 1.10. as they to the glory of the supream Majesty, rejoyc'd when Christ came to seek these lost ones, so these are Ministers to them that he hath made wil[illegible: 1 letter]ing, Heb. 1.14. they delight in the ministry of reconciliation, Eph. 3.10. 1 Pet. 1.12. attend the service with their brethren (in doing their office,) Rev. 19.10. & 22.9. further the work, Act. 8.26. rejoyce when it takes effect, Luk. 15.10. and carry those that are perfected to the place of their own residence, Luk. 16.22. to their own innumerable assembly in the heavenly Hierusalem, Heb. 12.22. waiting on Christ (according to the typical representatives, Exod. 25.19. &. 26.1. 1 King. 6.23.29.) with those that are with him, and made like to him at his th[illegible: 1 letter]one, Mat. 22.3[illegible: 1 letter]. Mark 12.25. where he [illegible: 1 letter]its as the Son of Man, and the holy Angels (as he saith) are continually ascending and descending upon him, Ioh. 1.51. he fills them as the rest of his subjects all in all, Eph. 1.21, 23. They have grace by way of participation, having it from him their head, who hath it of himself, Ioh. 5.26. so that upon the matter, this reconciliation of things in Heaven, seems most to accord with, Eph. 1.9.10. and is not much unlike that in Eph. 2.14, 16. that which is separately said there by his bloud, v. 13. and by his Cross, v. 16. is here conjoyn'd by the bloud of his Cross. There is making peace in one simple word, here (in the Greek) in a compounded one. There that he might reconcile both to God; here that he might reconcile all things to himself, i. e. God. There he speaks onely of men on earth being reconciled amongst themselves, because they had also been reconciled to God, if we take in Angels also under those all, we have an allowance from that forecited, Eph. 1.10. yea and in favour of the larger acceptation of reconciliation here, it may be considered that the whole creation which was put into disorder and subjected unto vanity is in earnest expectation of the fruits of this gracious reconciliation in being brought to a perfect harmony to the glory of him who is all in all, Rom. 8.19, to 24. with 1 Cor. 15.58.

Marginal references: Or, making peace.; 2 Cor. 5.18.