Katallasso In Ancient Greek Literature, With Reference To The Pauline Writings
This volume first provides a diachronic and a synchronic investigation of katallasso and its derived cognates in ancient Greek literature under four headings: Greek classical writers, Greek Hellenistic writers, Greek papyri and inscriptions, and Greek Church Fathers. Then after discussing non-theological usages of katallasso and related forms in the NT, it focuses on the uses of katallasso in 2 Cor 5:18-21 and Rom 5:8-11, and of apokatallasso in Col 1:20, 22, and Eph 2:16. Porter, author of Idioms of the Greek New Testament (1992), concludes that Paul was the first known writer to use katallasso in the active voice with the offended and hence angered party in a relationship (i.e. God) as (grammatical) subject taking the initiative in effecting reconciliation between himself and the offending party.