Tradicio-historical problems on 'reconciliation' in PaulIn a short Afrikaans essay Breytenbach summerizes the findings of a recent investigation on the background of Paul's use of katallage (cf Cilliers Breytenbach, KATALLAGE: Eine Studie zur paulinischen Soteriologie , to appear in WMANT Neukirchener Verlag). liie Pauline usage has its roots in the diplomatic language of the Hellenistic era. Paul the legatus or presbeús (2 Cor 5:20) uses this concept to explain his function of mediating God's message of reconciliation to man (2 Cor 5:18f). True to his general presuppositions, Paul re-interprets the profane concept of katallage by stating that the death of Christ 'for us' (2 Cor 5:14) made reconciliation possible (2 Cor 5:19; Rm 5:9f)