The Earthly Tent and the Heavenly Dwelling (2 Cor. 5:2–10)

2 Cor. 5:2, 3. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

“Here is the reason why we sigh! It is that we desire to be clothed in our heavenly house, in the incorruptible and not-made-with-hands body. We know for certain that it exists and that it is incomparably better than the present body, or rather that it is the very body we ought to have; for this reason we yearn for it. – ‘Earnestly desiring,’ επιποθουντες, having a strong, irresistible desire. That is why we ‘groan,’ στεναζομεν, – we groan with sighing. The sighing answers to the strength of the desire. Holy Chrysostom says: ‘Tell me, into what house (do we desire to be clothed)? – Into an incorruptible body. Why then do we groan now? – Because that body is far superior.’ ‘Heavenly,’ το εξ ουρανου, he calls it on account of its incorruptibility, not because it will descend from heaven to us; from heaven it will receive only the life-giving grace (of incorruptibility) that quickens it.He did not say: to be clothed (ενδυσασθαι), but to be clothed upon (επενδυσασθαι), to change one’s raiment, because we shall not be clothed in another body, but this corruptible shall be clothed in incorruption.” (Theodoret). What sighing does the Apostle speak of here? – That which is common to all pious Christians, not living to please the flesh, but walking worthily in the name they bear, following the Lord with the cross of self-denial. All know that there will be another life, but not all desire it, for not all have complete self-denial. The labours of self-denial give boldness to desire that life, and the testimony of conscience supports it with assurance that they will find mercy from God there. All such both desire to depart and to be with Christ. This desire is intensified to longing with sighing by the felt and continuously felt heaviness of the body, and especially by the fact that the enemy often uses it for deception and enticement to the improper, or to place one in a state of unwanted weakness, drowsiness, weariness, immobility. Or is it not that sighing which Saint Paul means, which is heard in all men, that we are exiles on earth, and our true home is not here? Therefore all have a certain longing, as it were a homesickness. Outside of Christianity this longing remains vague, but in Christians it receives a precise and definite meaning.

“If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.” If “naked” is understood in relation to the body, that is, “not without a body,” then there is no thought in this verse at all. For what meaning would there be in saying: if we are clothed in a new body we shall not be without a body? If instead of “being clothed,” ενδυσαμενοι, it said “being stripped,” εκδυσαμενοι, then the thought would be: we desire to be clothed in a new body, and at the same time to be stripped of this one, that is, we desire to be stripped of it, but not in such a way that, having stripped ourselves of it, we should remain without a body, naked. Such a thought appears to have been held by holy Chrysostom, probably based on a reading he encountered – εκδυσαμενοι. He says: “That is, although we shall lay aside this body, we shall not be manifested without a body there, but with this same body, which will then become incorruptible.” But the reading εκδυσαμενοι is not supported, and everyone now accepts the reading ενδυσαμενοι. But reading “being clothed,” this text cannot have any other sense than that which our commentators give it, namely that “naked” means without good works and glory. For only under this condition is the clothing in the new, incorruptible body desirable; without this it is not only not good, but is the beginning of the utmost torment, and therefore cannot be desirable. The Apostle says: we groan in the desire to be clothed in the new, heavenly body, but surely with this proviso: if only, having been clothed in it, we shall not be found naked of glory, grace and God’s good pleasure.

The holy Chrysostom, after the opinion given above, continues: “Some, however, give a different sense to the words: ‘if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked,’ and very reasonably so; that is, so that believers, in hope of the resurrection, may not give themselves over to carelessness, the Apostle said: ‘if we be clothed,’ that is, in incorruption, and having received an incorruptible body, ‘we shall not be found naked’ (shall not be deprived) of glory and eternal salvation. For although resurrection is common to all, glory is not for all. Some shall rise to honour and some to shame; some for a kingdom and some for torment.” The same writes Theodoret: “Although every man shall be clothed in the garment of incorruption, yet not all shall be partakers of Divine glory. Therefore he calls naked those deprived of Divine glory, to which he counts himself as the Apostle, and the Corinthians, and all men, teaching thereby humility.”

This expresses that those destined to be condemned at the resurrection will feel themselves in naked shame, like those who are exposed to disgrace, standing naked before a numerous gathering of people. How natural this is, is evident in itself. Speaking of this, the Apostle wished to lay down an exhortation: strive then not to be found naked in that day, so eagerly desired for itself. This exhortation he expresses directly below: “we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him” (2 Cor. 5:9).

2 Cor. 5:4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

He explains in what sense we desire to shed this body and what moves us to do so. This body is heavy, he says, it requires much care for itself: feed it, give it drink, clothe it, give it a comfortable bed, and this every day, and sometimes several times a day provide it something; so that your whole life you labour for nothing but caring for the body. And meanwhile, for spiritual life it not only does not help, but on the contrary, serves as the chief obstacle to it, until the last breath. It happens that all enemies fall silent, but it keeps pulling downward. This is why those “in this tabernacle,” we “groan,” we groan while “being burdened” by it.

But let no one think therefore that we desire to be rid of the body in order to be entirely without a body. No; we sigh for freedom from such a body, not from a body in general. To be with a body is appointed to man by the creating wisdom according to the order of creation, and it is unnatural for him to be without a body. Without it he cannot help but feel himself incomplete, impoverished, deprived, and therefore cannot taste complete joy of being, even with the assurance that it is a good existence. Therefore, in desiring to put off this body, we do not wish to be without a body, but only to change clothes. (“Clothed upon,” επενδυσασθαι, to change one’s raiment.) And how exactly? – “That mortality might be swallowed up of life.” There is what we desire! That from this body there be taken away death: corruption and passion, and in their place there should enter into it incorruptible, pure, most radiant, heavenly life; that this life should enter into it and swallow up that death, and completely transform it. “We groan, not desiring to be freed from the body, but having the desire to become free from its passions, for we do not desire to put off the body, but to be clothed in incorruption” (Theodoret). Holy Chrysostom says: “We do not groan, he says, in order to be freed from the body, for we do not wish entirely to lay aside the body, but we wish only to be freed from the corruption which is in it. That is why he says we wish not to be unclothed, but only to be clothed in the immortal. Then he himself explains how this is possible: ‘that mortality might be swallowed up of life.’ For many it might have seemed burdensome to put off the body, but contrary to the common voice he says: we groan because we desire to be freed from it. Another might say to this: if the soul suffers and grieves so much when separated from the body, how do you say that we groan because we cannot be freed from it for so long? Forestalling this objection, he says: and I do not say that we groan as if to lay aside the body, for no one lays it aside without sorrow; but we groan that we might clothe it in incorruption. We are burdened by the body, but not because we bear a body, but because we bear a corruptible and passionate body. This is what produces sorrow in us. But the coming life will destroy and annihilate corruption – corruption, not the body.” “As ascending light scatters darkness, so imperishable life destroys corruption” (Theodoret).

2 Cor. 5:5. Now he that has worked us for the selfsame thing is God, who also has given to us the earnest of the Spirit.

For such incorruptible life, he says, we were created in the beginning, but we fell and through sin were subjected to corruption. The Lord and Saviour destroyed corruption, trampling death by His resurrection. Mystically we become partakers of this resurrection in baptism, laying aside our old life in it and being clothed in the new. But this is only a pledge, a beginning and foundation for the future resurrection in glory, like the resurrection of the Lord. Here this is worked mystically through faith and grace in the spirit; but at the general resurrection we shall actually be clothed in incorruption. And that this shall indeed be so, may the goodness of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us assure everyone. He is the pledge of the inheritance of incorruptible life. Thus God has been pleased to order it.

Holy Chrysostom says: “The coming life will destroy corruption. Therefore he added: ‘who has also made us for this very purpose.’ By this he shows this was determined beforehand, for God revealed this not only now but in the beginning, when he fashioned us from the earth. Then to further assure them, he added: ‘And who has given us the Spirit as a deposit.’ For as then for this purpose he created man, so now through baptism he has recreated him for the same purpose, providing the important pledge of the Holy Spirit to assure us.”

For this reason we must make every effort to be pleasing to the Lord. I have said, he says, that we are burdened by life in this body and desire to shed it. Now I will show you why this is especially burdensome – it is because the body prevents us from seeing the Lord. And we long to be freed from it that we may be with the Lord. But if this is so, then while we live, we must strive to please the Lord, for those who have not pleased Him will not meet Him with joy, but only to hear a sentence of condemnation against themselves.

2 Cor. 5:6–8. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

“Confident,” and then “we are confident,” it seems, denotes here nothing other than the decisiveness of the mental action which is expressed by the verb that follows. Thus “being confident, knowing” denotes knowledge decisive, with conviction, admitting no doubt; “we are confident and willing” denotes desire decisive, admitting no wavering. Oecumenius paraphrases these words thus: “confident, knowing,” θαρρουντως ειδοτες, knowing boldly; and “we are confident and willing,” θαρρουντως ευδοκουμεν, – we are willing boldly. The Apostle therefore says: knowing with certainty that, living in this body, we are absent from the Lord, we strongly desire “to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” The words, “for we walk by faith, not by sight,” constitute an inserted proposition, explaining by experience that the body indeed distances us from the Lord. Theodoret thus expresses the general thought of these texts: “The Apostle does not say that we are alienated from the Lord, being still bound with this mortal body, but that now we do not see Him with bodily eyes, and then we shall both see Him and be with Him. For now, he says, we do not see the things expected, but we discern them only by faith. For this very reason we desire ‘to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’”

In saying: “boldly knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord,” the Apostle gives us to understand that such knowledge requires a bold mind. Likewise in the words: “we are boldly willing to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord,” he gives us to understand that such willing desire requires a courageous spirit. Indeed, to those suffering persecution for the Lord, revilement and constant dangers of death, outsiders could say: what are you doing? You suffer, and Him for whom you suffer you do not see. And similar thoughts could come to the sufferers themselves. To these thoughts of their own and the words of outsiders, bold, faith-winged thought could boldly answer: yes, we do not see; but nonetheless He exists and is near, we only do not see, but we feel. The reason we do not see is this body of ours. “While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.” “At home,” ενδημουντς, sojourning, as in a foreign land. “We are strangers and pilgrims in it” (Oecumenius). “He did not say: being, οντες, in the body, but ενδημουντες, because we are in it as strangers in a lodging house” (holy Chrysostom). In the body we sojourn, as in a foreign land; our true home is there, where the Lord is, or with the Lord. Thus, sojourning in the body, we have naturally been separated from our native home and from the Father Himself. “The body has become a wall between us and the Lord” (Oecumenius).

So then, what – should we not break down this wall violently and arbitrarily? – No. Such an order the Lord Himself was pleased to establish, that we should first live by faith and, having proved ourselves faithful to the Lord in all things by faith, should enter into such an order of life where we shall walk before the Lord in vision, remain with Him face to face. Now is such a period that “we walk by faith, not by sight.” For it does not happen that we, being first before the Lord, pass into the body as into a strange house. No; we are born to God by the way known to Him alone and, being already in the body, are made kin to the Lord through rebirth in the font of baptism, according to His image. Having become so akin to Him, we feel that the body cuts us off from Him, but we must remain in the body until the time appointed by the Lord, so that we may grow strong in this new life, grow up for another, and show our faithfulness to the Lord before Him when He remains hidden from us. Now we know Him by faith, approach Him by faith and are guided to remain in spiritual mystical communion with Him. Having endured ourselves as is fitting during this period of trial and education, under the guardianship of faith, we shall then enter into another, in which we shall remain with the Lord face to face.

Yet with all this, we cannot regard with indifference that blessed moment when we depart from the body and stand before the Lord. This moment is greatly desired. Therefore “knowing what it brings, to enter to the Lord, we boldly are willing to depart from the body, or with our whole soul yearn for this” (Oecumenius). – “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” We are willing boldly, he says, because such willing, eager and joyful desire requires a courageous spirit. Life in the body, and despite a keen sense of its inconveniences, has its attractions, drawing us to it. To stand in complete estrangement from it is impossible without a sharp break with oneself, and such a break cannot take place without bold determination. And to constantly maintain oneself in such a disposition means to be a soul inspired with courage. That is why the Apostle said: “we are confident and willing,” that is, boldly and courageously we yearn for this. Reading the history of martyrs, we cannot but see in them a vindication of the words of holy Paul. They yearned to depart to the Lord, and yearned with irresistible striving and courage. – Holy Chrysostom says on these words: “Do you see how the Apostle, passing over the unpleasant names ‘death and end,’ replaced them with the most desired name – ‘dwelling with the Lord’; and, on the contrary, bypassing the names of life that seem pleasant, he used an unpleasant one, calling this present life ‘distance from the Lord.’ And he did this so that no one not only might not delight in the present, but rather might be burdened by it; and so that no one, approaching death, might grieve, but rather might rejoice, because he passes into the enjoyment of better blessings.”

2 Cor. 5:9. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

“But whether there or here we are, he says, our only concern is to live in accordance with His will. For this is our chief obligation, so that after this you shall undoubtedly be an heir of the kingdom of heaven. But since even with the desire to enter to the Lord it is easy to deviate from the intended path, the Apostle points out what is most needful on this path. What is that? – To be pleasing to the Lord, for it is not simply good to depart from here, but to depart having pleased God; by this latter the former will also be good. Just as it is not simply difficult to”live here,“but difficult to live offending God. Therefore, do not think that for eternal life it is enough merely to depart from the body. Virtue is needed everywhere. Therefore, as in reasoning about the resurrection of bodies, he did not let them rest content with mere knowledge of it, saying –”if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked“: so likewise, in speaking of departure from the body, so that you should not think that this alone is sufficient for your salvation, he added that you must yet become pleasing to God” (holy Chrysostom).

2 Cor. 5:10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.

“Having aroused the zeal of the Corinthians with manifold blessings, the Apostle did not forget to impel them also with fear of threatening evils. For our blessedness consists both in the acquisition of goods and in the avoidance of evils, that is, in gaining the kingdom of heaven and avoiding hell. But fear of torments works more strongly upon us. For some might agree to be punished by deprivation from the inheritance of eternal goods, but few would agree to endure torments. Of course, the first ought to be counted as more intolerable, but for many, because of their weakness and attachment to earthly things, the latter appears more intolerable. – Therefore, since many are aroused not so much by promises of good as by threats of punishment, the Apostle thought it necessary to conclude his discourse thus:”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.“But again, having terrified and aroused the hearer with the reminder of that judgment, he did not leave sorrow without comfort here either, but mingled the bitter with the sweet, saying:”that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad.“Saying this, he strengthens the upright and the godly, although persecuted, with hope; and rouses the unrepentant and the careless with fear to repentance, and at the same time confirms his teaching on the resurrection of bodies. For, he says, the body, which served either virtue or vice, shall not be excluded from participation in the recompense; but together with the souls, some bodies will be delivered to torment, while others will be crowned with reward” (holy Chrysostom).