2 Corinthians 5 · Robertson's Word Pictures
1If--be dissolved (ean--kataluthe). Third class condition, ean and first aorist passive subjunctive. The very word used (kataluo) for striking down a tent.
The earthly house of our tabernacle (e epigeios emon oikia tou skenous). Rather, "If our earthly (see on 1Co 15:40 for epigeios) house of the tent (skenos, another form of skene, tent, from root ska, to cover)." Appositive genitive, the house (oikia) is the tent.
We have (echomen). Present indicative. We possess the title to it now by faith. "Faith is the title-deed (upostasis) to things hoped for" (Heb 11:7 ).
A building from God (oikodomen ek theou). This oikodome (found in Aristotle, Plutarch, LXX, etc., and papyri, though condemned by Atticists) is more substantial than the skenos.
Not made with hands (acheiropoieton). Found first in Mr 14:58 in charge against Jesus before the Sanhedrin (both the common verbal cheiropoieton and the newly made vernacular acheiropoieton, same verbal with a privative). Elsewhere only here and Col 2:11 . Spiritual, eternal home.
2To be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven (to oiketerion emon to ex ouranou ependusastha). First aorist middle infinitive of late verb ependuo, double compound (ep, en) to put upon oneself. Cf. ependutes for a fisherman's linen blouse or upper garment (Joh 21:7 ). Oiketerion is old word used here of the spiritual body as the abode of the spirit. It is a mixed metaphor (putting on as garment the dwelling-place).
3Being clothed (endusameno). First aorist middle participle, having put on the garment.
Naked (gumno). That is, disembodied spirits, "like the souls in Sheol, without form, and void of all power of activity" (Plummer).
4Not for that we would be unclothed (eph' o ou thelomen ekdusastha). Rather, "For that (eph' o) we do not wish to put off the clothing, but to put it on" (all' ependusastha). The transposition of the negative ou weakens the sense. Paul does not wish to be a mere disembodied spirit without his spiritual garment.
That what is mortal may be swallowed up of life (ina katapothe to thneton upo tes zoes). "Only what is mortal perishes; the personality, consisting of soul and body, survives," (Plummer). See on 1:22 for "the earnest of the spirit."
6At home in the body (endemountes en to somat). Rare verb endemeo from endemos (one among his own people as opposed to ekdemos, one away from home). Both ekdemeo (more common in the old Greek) and endemeo occur in the papyri with the contrast made by Paul here.
7By sight (dia eidous). Rather, by appearance.
8We are of good courage (tharroumen). Good word for cheer and same root as tharseo (Mt 9:2,22 ). Cheer up.
Are willing rather (eudokoumen). Rather, "We are well-pleased, we prefer" if left to ourselves. Cf. Php 1:21f . Same eudokeo used in Lu 3:22 .
To be at home with the Lord (endemesa pros ton Kurion). First aorist (ingressive) active infinitive, to attain that goal is bliss for Paul.
9We make it our aim (philotimoumetha). Old and common verb, present middle, from philotimos (philos, time, fond of honour), to act from love of honour, to be ambitious in the good sense (1Th 4:11; 2Co 5:9; Ro 15:20 ). The Latin ambitio has a bad sense from ambire, to go both ways to gain one's point.
To be well-pleasing to him (euaresto auto eina). Late adjective that shows Paul's loyalty to Christ, his Captain. Found in several inscriptions in the Koine period (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 214; Moulton and Milligan's Vocabulary).
10Before the judgment-seat of Christ (emprosthen tou bematos tou Christou). Old word bema, a step (from baino), a platform, the seat of the judge (Mt 27:19 ). Christ is Saviour, Lord, and Judge of us all (tous pantas, the all).
That each may receive (ina komiseta ekastos). Receive as his due, komizo means, old verb. See on Mt 25:27 .
Bad (phaulon). Old word, akin to German faul, worthless, of no account, base, wicked.
11The fear of the Lord (ton phobon tou Kuriou). Many today regard this a played-out motive, but not so Paul. He has in mind verse 10 with the picture of the judgment seat of Christ.
We persuade (peithomen). Conative present active, we try to persuade. It is always hard work.
Unto God (theo). Dative case. God understands whether men do or not.
That we are made manifest (pephanerostha). Perfect passive infinitive of phaneroo in indirect discourse after elpizo. Stand manifested, state of completion.
12As giving you occasion of glorying (aphormen didontes umin kauchematos). An old Greek word (apo, orme, onset, rush), a base of operations, material with which to glory, as we say "a tip" only much more.
That ye may have wherewith to answer (ina echete pros). Literally, "That ye may have something against (for facing those, etc.)." Paul wishes his champions in Corinth to know the facts.
In appearance, and not in heart (en prosopo ka me en kardia). He means the Judaizers who were braggarts about their orthodox Judaism.
13Whether we are beside ourselves (eite exestemen). Second aorist active indicative of existem, old verb, here to stand out of oneself (intransitive) from ekstasis, ecstasy, comes as in Mr 5:42 . It is literary plural, for Paul is referring only to himself. See on 1:6 for eite--eite. It is a condition of the first class and Paul assumes as true the charge that he was crazy (if I was crazy) for the sake of argument. Festus made it later (Ac 26:24 ). He spoke with tongues (1Co 14:18 ) and had visions (2Co 12:1-6 ) which probably the Judaizers used against him. A like charge was made against Jesus (Mr 3:21 ). People often accuse those whom they dislike with being a bit off.
14The love of Christ (e agape tou Christou). Subjective genitive, Christ's love for Paul as shown by verse 15.
Constraineth us (suneche emas). Old and common verb, to hold together, to press the ears together (Ac 7:57 ), to press on every side (Lu 8:45 ), to hold fast (Lu 22:63 ), to hold oneself to (Ac 18:5 ), to be pressed (passive, Lu 12:50; Php 1:23 ). So here Paul's conception of Christ's love for him holds him together to his task whatever men think or say.
Judging this (krinantas touto). Having reached this conclusion, ever since his conversion (Ga 1:17f. ).
One died for all (eis uper panton apethanen). This is the central tenet in Paul's theology and Christology. Huper (over) here is used in the sense of substitution as in Joh 11:50; Ga 3:13 , death in behalf so that the rest will not have to die. This use of uper is common in the papyri (Robertson, Grammar, p. 631). In fact, uper in this sense is more usual in Greek than anti, pro or any other preposition.
Therefore all died (ara o pantes apethanon). Logical conclusion (ara, corresponding), the one died for the all and so the all died when he did, all the spiritual death possible for those for whom Christ died. This is Paul's gospel, clear-cut, our hope today.
15Should no longer live unto themselves (ina meket eautois zosin). The high doctrine of Christ's atoning death carries a correspondingly high obligation on the part of those who live because of him. Selfishness is ruled out by our duty to live "unto him who for their sakes died and rose again."
16Henceforth (apo tou nun). From the time that we gained this view of Christ's death for us.
After the flesh (kata sarka). According to the flesh, the fleshy way of looking at men. He, of course, knows men "in the flesh (en te sark), but Paul is not speaking of that. Worldly standards and distinctions of race, class, cut no figure now with Paul (Ga 3:28 ) as he looks at men from the standpoint of the Cross of Christ.
Even though we have known Christ after the flesh (e ka egnokamen kata sarka Christon). Concessive clause (e ka, if even or also) with perfect active indicative. Paul admits that he had once looked at Christ kata sarka, but now no longer does it. Obviously he uses kata sarka in precisely the same sense that he did in verse 15 about men. He had before his conversion known Christ kata sarka, according to the standards of the men of his time, the Sanhedrin and other Jewish leaders. He had led the persecution against Jesus till Jesus challenged and stopped him (Ac 9:4 ). That event turned Paul clean round and he no longer knows Christ in the old way kata sarka. Paul may or may not have seen Jesus in the flesh before his death, but he says absolutely nothing on that point here.
17A new creature (kaine ktisis). A fresh start is made (kaine). Ktisis is the old word for the act of creating (Ro 1:20 ), but in N.T. by metonymy it usually bears the notion of ktisma, the thing created or creature as here.
The old things are passed away (ta archaia parelthen). Did pass by, he means. Second aorist active of parerchoma, to go by. The ancient (archaia) way of looking at Christ among other things. And yet today there are scholars who are trying to revive the old prejudiced view of Jesus Christ as a mere man, a prophet, to give us "a reduced Christ." That was once Paul's view, but it passed by forever for him. It is a false view and leaves us no gospel and no Saviour.
Behold, they are become new (idou, gegone kaina). Perfect active indicative of ginoma, have become new (fresh, kaina) to stay so.
18Who reconciled us to himself through Christ (tou katallaxantos emas eauto dia Christou). Here Paul uses one of his great doctrinal words, katallasso, old word for exchanging coins. Diallasso, to change one's mind, to reconcile, occurs in N.T. only in Mt 5:24 though in papyri (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 187), and common in Attic. Katallasso is old verb, but more frequent in later writers. We find sunallasso in Ac 7:26 and apokatallasso in Col 1:20f.; Eph 2:16 and the substantive katallage in Ro 5:11; 11:15 as well as here. It is hard to discuss this great theme without apparent contradiction. God's love (Joh 3:16 ) provided the means and basis for man's reconciliation to God against whom he had sinned. It is all God's plan because of his love, but God's own sense of justice had to be satisfied (Ro 3:26 ) and so God gave his Son as a propitiation for our sins (Ro 3:25; Col 1:20; 1Jo 2:2; 4:10 ). The point made by Paul here is that God needs no reconciliation, but is engaged in the great business of reconciling us to himself. This has to be done on God's terms and is made possible through (dia) Christ.
And gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation (ka dontos emin ten diakonian tes katallages). It is a ministry marked by reconciliation, that consists in reconciliation. God has made possible through Christ our reconciliation to him, but in each case it has to be made effective by the attitude of each individual. The task of winning the unreconciled to God is committed to us. It is a high and holy one, but supremely difficult, because the offending party (the guilty) is the hardest to win over. We must be loyal to God and yet win sinful men to him.
19To wit, that (os ot). Latin puts it quoniam quidem. It is an unclassical idiom, but occurs in the papyri and inscriptions (Moulton, Prol., p. 212; Robertson, Grammar, p. 1033). It is in Es 4:14 . See also 2Co 11:21; 2Th 2:2 . It probably means "how that."
Not reckoning (me logizomenos). What Jesus did (his death for us) stands to our credit (Ro 8:32 ) if we make our peace with God. This is our task, "the word of reconciliation," that we may receive "the righteousness of God" and be adopted into the family of God.
20We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ (uper Christou oun presbeuomen). Old word from presbus, an old man, first to be an old man, then to be an ambassador (here and Eph 6:20 with en aluse in a chain added), common in both senses in the Greek. "The proper term in the Greek East for the Emperor's Legate" (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 374), in inscriptions and papyri. So Paul has a natural pride in using this dignified term for himself and all ministers. The ambassador has to be persona grata with both countries (the one that he represents and the one to which he goes). Paul was Christ's Legate to act in his behalf and in his stead.
As though God were intreating by us (os tou theou parakalountos di' emon). Genitive absolute with os used with the participle as often to give the reason (apparent or real). Here God speaks through Christ's Legate.
Be ye reconciled to God (katallagete to theo). Second aorist passive imperative of katallasso and used with the dative case. "Get reconciled to God," and do it now. This is the ambassador's message as he bears it to men from God.
21Him who knew no sin (ton me gnonta amartian). Definite claim by Paul that Jesus did not commit sin, had no personal acquaintance (me gnonta, second aorist active participle of ginosko) with it. Jesus made this claim for himself (Joh 8:46 ). This statement occurs also in 1Pe 2:22; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1Jo 3:5 . Christ was and is "a moral miracle" (Bernard) and so more than mere man.
He made to be sin (amartian epoiesen). The words "to be" are not in the Greek. "Sin" here is the substantive, not the verb. God "treated as sin" the one "who knew no sin." But he knew the contradiction of sinners (Heb 12:3 ). We may not dare to probe too far into the mystery of Christ's suffering on the Cross, but this fact throws some light on the tragic cry of Jesus just before he died: "My God, My God, why didst thou forsake me?" (Mt 27:46 ).
That we might become (ina emeis genometha). Note "become." This is God's purpose (ina) in what he did and in what Christ did. Thus alone can we obtain God's righteousness (Ro 1:17 ).
2 Corinthians 6