κεφαλαιόω means summatim aolligere, ἀνακεφαλαιόω, summatim recolligere. In the New Testament it means either: 1. To reduce to one sum, i. 6. to sum up, to recapitulate. Rom. 18, 9: ‘ All the commands are summed up in, or under, one precept.’ 2. To unite under one head; or, 3. To renew. Many of the Fa- thers adopt the last signification in this place, and con- sider this passage as parallel with Rom. 8, 19-22. Through Christ God purposes to restore or renovate all things ; to effect a wadvyyevecia or regeneration of the universe, i. e. of the whole creation which now groans under the burden of corruption. This sense of the word however is remote. The first and second mean- .ings just mentioned differ but little. They both include the idea expressed in our version, that of regathering together in one, the force of ava, iterwm, being retained. Beza explains the word: partes disjectas et divulsas in unum corpus conjungere.—The purpose of God, which he has been pleased to reveal, and which was hidden for ages, is his intention to reunite all things as one harmonious whole under Jesus Christ.
The words τὰ πάντα, all things, are explained by the following clause: τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Kai τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, both which are in heaven and which are on earth. The totality here referred to includes every thing in heaven and on earth, which the nature of the subject spoken of admits of being comprehended. There is nothing to limit these comprehensive terms, but the nature of the union to which the apostle refers. As, therefore, the Scriptures speak of the whole uni-
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