How the Preaching of the Gospel Proceeds; the Love of Christ Constrains Us (2 Cor. 5:11–15)

A) God in Christ has reconciled the world to Himself and given us the word of reconciliation; we go about persuading all to be reconciled to God. And we also say to you, giving counsel: see, do not let pass the opportune time for salvation (2 Cor. 5:11–21, 6:1, 2). b) We do our work, being always concerned not to cause anyone to stumble, but on the contrary to turn all to faith (2 Cor. 6:3–10). c) Be concerned also to do your part – leaving all impiety and lawlessness, cleave to God, that you may be God’s (2 Cor. 6:11–18, 7:1).

God in Christ has reconciled the world to Himself: in this is the α) essence of the New Covenant (2 Cor. 5:11–18). And He has established preachers of this reconciliation and inviters to it: in this is β) the Apostleship, a necessary institution in the economy of salvation, (2 Cor. 5:19–21, 6:1, 2).

We are fallen and condemned to death. The Son of God, having been incarnate, died for all and saved us, satisfying the righteousness of God and imparting new life to us (2 Cor. 5:14–18). At the transition to the exposition of this subject, from the previous discourse on the universal judgment, the Apostle briefly indicates his sincerity in the work of preaching, (2 Cor. 5:11–13).

2 Cor. 5:11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest to God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

As a reflection from contemplating the future life, judgment and recompense according to deeds, the holy Apostle brings forth a sobering fear. We know, he says, the fear of the Lord, and, permeated by it, we persuade people, as those who must give account to God in every word and deed. We present the word of exhortation as those aware that God sees us. Here the Apostle expresses what he said before: “before God, in Christ we speak” (2 Cor. 2:17). God sees, he says, that there is in our word neither falsehood, nor craftiness, nor flattery. We are confident that you likewise understand us, for we are not known to you outwardly, but are plainly known by your own conscience itself.

“Knowing the fear,” not merely conceiving it in mind, but bearing it in our hearts. “We persuade men,” πειθομεν, – we convince. In what? – In what we are sent to convince, – that they believe, are sanctified by the mysteries and receive through them the grace-giving power for life according to God’s commandments, so that at the coming of the Lord we appear pure and spotless. This embraces all the content of apostolic exhortations. But often they were forced to deal with incidental questions that arose; especially often there was a need to assure believers in the truthfulness and sincerity of their word. Some ill-natured thoughts about the Apostles crept in among the believers and disturbed them. The working of faith in their souls thereby diminished or ceased altogether. The Apostles considered it their duty to dispel such thoughts, that they might give free scope to the working of faith. Our commentators understand under the word πειθομεν in this place precisely this. Theophylact writes: “We persuade men” – stands for: we heal scandals. “For even if you do nothing wrong, but if you give some occasion for suspicion and have the ability to dispel the scandal, do not dispel it, you are subject to condemnation.” The same Theodoret says: “We strive to correct those who have false opinions of us and to give them knowledge of what we truly are.” Thus also holy Chrysostom: “In this way, the holy Apostle says, knowing this, that is, that terrible judgment, we do everything so as not to give you any occasion even falsely to suspect us of insincerity in our action. Do you see the strict exactness in the fulfillment of duties and the care of a soul concerned for the good of others? For, he says, we are subject to condemnation not only when we actually do something wrong, but we are subjected to it also when, having done nothing wrong, we are suspected of wrong and, having the power to remove the suspicion, do not bother to do so.”

“Made manifest to God.” “God knows all; there is no need for us to assure Him of our sincerity” (Oecumenius). Before God we are open; He sees the manner of our action; and we should not offer Him any explanations, as if He had received something scandalous about us (Theophylact). The purpose of the Apostle in this word is not to present God’s omniscience and all-seeing nature, but to say that their conviction of God’s omniscience does not allow them to harbour anything insincere. We walk, speak and act with the consciousness of God’s presence, and this consciousness keeps us pure in all things, like the prophet David, who says: I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved (Ps. 16:8).

“We hope also,” ελπιζω, I hope; as it were waiting, and yet expresses his complete confidence, and by this confidence dispels any perplexity, if it were still lurking in them. He speaks as if: “You have no need of our assurances, knowing well what our aim is” (Theodoret). “What we are in fact, you know us, and you know us precisely, in a pure and clear conscience” (Oecumenius). “You know all about us well; we are open before you; and we have no need to dispel your scandals and suspicions” (Theophylact). Thus speaks the Apostle about the majority of them, about the body of the Corinthian Church; but that there were also some ill-disposed there, of this the Apostle speaks in the latter part of the epistle.

2 Cor. 5:12. For we commend not ourselves again to you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that you may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

“We commend not ourselves to you,” συνιστανομεν, we recommend, commend you ourselves. In this there is no necessity, because you know us fully. But we speak thus, we clarify the whole matter, we open before you our feelings and the disposition of our spirit with the purpose of giving you cause for glory on our behalf, so that you, knowing all how we act, may not be ashamed of your teachers, but on the contrary, may be able to boast of us when need requires. The Apostle does not mean that they should praise them without any cause, but that they should have at hand firm grounds to repel accusations against them from ill-wishers, and thereby, as they defended the truth, so they also secured their own conscience, for it is very important to preserve an unshaken conviction in the high and inviolable dignity of those who have taught the teaching of the Lord. Holy Chrysostom says: “See how he always forestalls suspicion of boasting, for nothing offends the ears of listeners as much as a recounting of something great and extraordinary about oneself. But since he was forced to say something of this sort about himself, he corrects himself, saying: we do this for you, not for ourselves, so that you may have something to boast of, not we; but you too would boast not without cause, but on account of false apostles. Not for this, he says, do we say this, so that you would praise us, but so that you might be able to speak freely for us, and not so that you would boast of us alone, but so that you would not be deceived anymore.”

Such understanding of the Apostle’s thought is fully justified by the following words: “that you may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.”

“That you may have,” – what shall you have? – “Something to boast of” (holy Chrysostom), “what to answer and what to say in defence of us” (Oecumenius), “so that you may learn how you must defend your teacher and refute the false words of opponents who wear a double mask, thinking one thing and saying another” (Theodoret). “Them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.” That you may have something to say to these who glory in outward appearance, but in their hearts do not have those virtues which they display for show. They appear to show both zeal for God and love toward the Corinthians and, as it were, self-denial; but in reality, in their soul, all this was not what it appeared. Holy Chrysostom says: “That you may have,” something to boast of “against them which glory in appearance.” And he commands them not to do this simply and without need, but when the false apostles are exalting themselves. And he says this not for his own glory, but to shut the mouths of false teachers, to the harm of the Corinthians glorying in their deeds, “glorying in appearance,” that is, in outward deeds done for show. And the false apostles were indeed such and did everything from love of honour; and being empty in soul, although they had the appearance of godliness and seemed worthy of respect, they were devoid of good works.

2 Cor. 5:13. Whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for you.

The Apostle calls “ecstasy” what he said about himself that was great, what in other places he calls “foolishness” (holy Chrysostom); and “sobriety” – humble speech about himself (Theodoret). These concepts are the same for all commentators; but in what relation the first is “to God” and the second “for you,” they understand differently; from which have arisen different paraphrases of this text. And holy Chrysostom brings them up to three, not showing which of them should be preferred. From this it is evident how difficult it is to point out the definite thought of this place.

“If we be beside ourselves,” if I seem to someone to be beside myself, speaking I know not what, because I speak of my special election, of the revelations I have received, of the signs of God which I have worked, and of other like things; then indeed, in speaking of this, I attribute nothing to myself, but refer all to God; I glorify not myself, but God, for I proclaim everywhere that “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10), and that although I have laboured more than all, yet it was not I that worked, but the grace of God. Thus, “whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God.” One might blame me, why do I speak, and in this sense: let those whom it concerns know of it by another way, not from your mouth. But I could not be silent; I must speak to all that I am God’s ambassador, and point out the signs of this, so that seeing my humiliation, they may not also humiliate and despise my preaching, may not reject it and perish (holy Chrysostom). This is why, although I know that I am being foolish, as it were beside myself in speaking thus of myself, I speak, nevertheless, because through this God is glorified, both by my word and by the salvation of others. Let them count me mad for this; I bear it joyfully for God’s sake. “If anyone counts us mad for this, let him know that we are mad for God” (holy Chrysostom).

“Or whether we be sober, it is for you.” “If we speak anything humbly and with self-abasement, we do this for you, that you may learn sober-mindedness; or thus: if anyone counts us sober-minded, let him himself also learn sober-mindedness from us” (holy Chrysostom). “Both one and the other I do, he says, with right intention” (Theodoret).

2 Cor. 5:14. For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

He transitions to discourse on the essence of the New Covenant of grace. One can place this discourse in connection with the previous thus: although the definite thought of the Apostle in the previous text is not clear, one cannot fail to see that he wished to express his constant zeal to do all for God’s glory and the salvation of men. What inspired him to this? – Love. The blessed Theophylact and the word “we be beside ourselves” – come into ecstasy – he interprets as meaning that the Apostle was in ecstasy from the strength of his love to God; it caused him to forget himself, so that he knew no measure in the impulses of self-denial. And what nourished this love? – Contemplation of the death of Christ the Saviour for all men. At the thought of this, he says, the love of God encompasses my soul, I enter into the feeling of God’s love, am kindled and burn with love myself. But in the further interpretation of the Apostle’s words it is better not to place them in relationship with the previous discourse, because this can restrict his sublime teaching on the essence of the Covenant of grace. The previous is better recognised only as an occasion or transition to the exposition of this teaching.

“The love of God,” του Χριστου, the love of Christ, the love which Christ the Lord showed, being pleased to die for all, for he died by love alone. But as in the word: “love” “of God” is often understood God’s love, or God-like, so in the expression “love of Christ” is heard Christ-like love. To this the verb “constrains” συνεχει, seizes, embraces, also leads. For the love of Christ to seize and embrace us, it is necessary to receive it in feeling. Whoever receives with the full fullness of heart the love of Christ cannot but be set on fire with the same love, and it will combine both the warm feeling of gratitude to such a Benefactor, and self-denying readiness for Him in all things, and especially in the doing of all good to all, and because this pleases Christ the Lord above all else and by the feeling of brotherhood with them in Christ. Thus, the love of Christ, if it constrains someone, is undoubtedly also Christ-like.

This love constrains us, “having judged this,” having considered, weighed, embraced with mind, insofar as is possible. One cannot be kindled with the love of Christ without being conscious of it, without imagining its immeasurable vastness and greatness. Contemplation of the love of Christ, reflecting in the heart, kindles that heart also with love. Reflection on this love always brings this fruit. Judging here does not mean comprehension, but consciousness of the incomprehensible greatness of the love of Christ, and from that aspect especially to which the Apostle points here, namely on account of the death of Christ for all, which took away the power of death for all. “For what greater love is there than to die for the whole universe lying in evil?” – says holy Chrysostom. The blessed Theodoret writes: “We burn, says the Apostle, with love toward Christ, considering that when we were subject to death, He alone took death upon Himself for us, that life might be acquired for all.”

“If one died for all, then were all dead.” The force of the word: one died for all, means all died. It could not be said otherwise, that He died for all. His death alone encompassed the death of all. In His death all died. If this were not so, “if all did not die in Him, then neither did Christ die for all” (holy Chrysostom). In what sense this is, the Apostle does not explain here. In the epistle to the Hebrews he says that the Lord Jesus Christ “by the grace of God tasted death for every man” (Heb. 2:9); and in the epistle to Timothy he explains that this “grace” was given us from “eternal times” and that the Lord, having tasted death, “abolished death” (2 Tim. 1:9, 10). Understanding these words literally: “abolished death,” all “died in Him,” one would expect that after the death of the Lord no one should die. But since all do die, and God’s word is not false; one must understand that there is a sense in which death is indeed abolished by the death of Christ and all have already died in Him, and yet all must still die, as all do die. This leads us to a brief outline of the mystery of the whole economy of salvation.

God created not death; it entered the world through sin. God said to our first parents that if they transgressed the commandment they would die. They transgressed and died. Death immediately came into effect. That they died spiritually was then manifest in their attempt to hide from God and in covering up sin and laying blame on one another. That they did not die bodily immediately is on account of the grace determined for us from eternal times. This grace entered into the plans of world-existence. Angels fell and were left in their fall, because of their utmost stubbornness in evil and in opposition to God. If all had fallen, this link would have been removed from the chain of creation and the system of world-existence would have been disrupted. But since not all fell, but part, their link remained and the harmony of the world remained unbroken. Man was created alone with woman, so that he might bring forth all the number of persons who were to constitute the human link in the system of world-existence. When he fell, this link was broken, and the world lost its order. As this link is necessary to the order of the world, it was necessary either, having consigned the fallen to death as decreed, to create new progenitors, or to provide a sure way to restore them to their first rank. Since the fall did not occur because, so to speak, the first creation had been unsuccessful, but because created freedom, especially the freedom of a spirit physically united with a body, contained the possibility of the fall, then in beginning to repeat creation, it would perhaps have to be repeated without end. Therefore God’s wisdom, guided by boundless goodness, judged it otherwise to ordain for the fallen a way to rise.

In arranging this way, the execution of the judgment of eternal righteousness had first to take place: “you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17); death, equal to the death of all men, had to come, so that by its force all might be accounted as already dead, or as having paid the debt of death, and thereby acquired the right and were made alive by hope for life. For this the Son of God and God had to take upon Himself human nature, with all its infirmities except sin, and die in it. This death, as the death of God in the flesh, had to have infinite worth and all-encompassing scope, and, as an innocent death, could be reckoned to others under sufficient conditions. In this is the grace determined for us from eternal times. This determination entered into the plans of world-existence and, where needful, appeared acting in providential power; but the time for its execution in reality was set apart. In the sixth thousand years from the fall, the Son of God came, was incarnate and died on the cross. God died in human nature, and in this one death actually combined the deaths of all men. One died – all died. Contemplating this, the Apostle exclaimed: “the love of Christ” “constrains us, having judged this.”

But if all died, is death then destroyed? – Yes, precisely: God, having died in human nature, abolished death (2 Tim. 1:10), for on the third day He rose in glorified humanity and from that moment dwells in this resurrection. Humanity has already tasted the glory and greatness of resurrection. If, when one died, all died; then also, when one rose, all rose. The power of the resurrection of Christ is indeed such that the foundation of the resurrection of all lies in it. This power does not pass to each through imputation, but will truly be tasted by each; each shall personally taste this power and shall rise. But there is set a time for this. As there was a time for the manifestation in the flesh of the Son of God, to die in it and rise, so a time is set for when all shall taste resurrection. When this is accomplished, then shall be fulfilled what is written: “O death, where is your sting? Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:55, 54).

But to rise, one must die; to die, one must be born mortal. Thus it was ordained, that the first parents should not die immediately after the fall, but should remain to live for a time, as mortals, so that they too should bear mortals. Hence into the order of world-existence entered a period of mortality and corruption, as a path to incorruptible and immortal life. People are born mortals each individually, but to rise in incorruption is appointed to all men together, so that all at once shall appear in their appointed glory. Angels were created all together; men, however, shall appear in a similar order all together already after resurrection. Since men do not all appear in the world at once, but are born, as God’s all-ruling wisdom determines for each, then each one, dying as a mortal, must wait for the general resurrection. Hence for each there is inevitable a period of existence in separation from the body in hope of resurrection. If we look on the surface, we see on earth reigning death and corruption; if in thought we penetrate into the hidden depths of being, we see human souls, in countless numbers, living as God has appointed for them, in hope of union with resurrected bodies incorruptible. They sigh, desiring to be clothed in a heavenly house. This is not complete human life. Living in the body, we cannot understand in what consists properly the diminishment or reduction of life without the body, but it must be and is, as was revealed to the Apostle, who said above: “not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon.” The sorrow of this deprivation is swallowed up by love, for all know that such a mode of being is both ordained and lasts so that all who are to be partakers of the resurrection in incorruption might be born. The law of self-denial penetrates all degrees of human existence. Although resurrection is still only awaited, it is so certain that it is as if already accomplished. All, by hope, so partake of the resurrection as if already risen. Let it not yet be; but it is already ours.

Thus all died in Christ and all still die; and all rose in Him, and yet remain not risen. It remains to be seen why this temporary life exists. – For this reason: so that in this short time the spirit may be quickened. The first parents, having fallen, died spiritually. This is evident from the fact that they thought to hide from God after the fall and that they laid the blame for the transgression on one another. The strict judgment of righteousness struck them, but the promise of the Deliverer quickened their spirit. Therefore after exile they wept and were sorrowful, but were not swallowed up in despair. The hope of deliverance quickened and revived their spirit. This quickening of spirit they received, being dead both spiritually and bodily. But, having been quickened by hope of deliverance in the spirit, they themselves thereby drew upon themselves the power of the all-encompassing death of the Deliverer and became partakers of the resurrection in incorruption. They became mortals, so that in their time they might receive resurrection in incorruption. And this was on account of the quickening of the spirit through the promise of the Deliverer. Such as they then became, such were born from them all men: born mortals bodily and dead spiritually, with the aim that, being quickened in spirit like them, they might have hope of resurrection in incorruption, despite death. All the business of this life, therefore, is the quickening of the spirit in the order of promised deliverance. Saint Paul describes this as follows:

2 Cor. 5:15. And that he died for all, that they which live should not from now on live to themselves, but to him which died for them, and rose again.

The quickening of the spirit in the order of promised deliverance, as the goal of life, is essentially the same, but in form has not been the same in its manifestation: it was worked differently before the Law, differently under the Law, differently began to be worked under grace. The Apostle speaks of the last. One has already died for all and risen. And all in Him died and rose; but both the one and the other in the order of the economy, according to which they too must die in their time, and then wait for the resurrection in incorruption that is to be in its time. Consequently they live still in the ordinary order of life. The question arises, how are they to live? – Those living now must not live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. In this lies the goal of life, in this the quickening of the spirit, which from the beginning became the goal of life. The Apostle means not only believers, but all men living in every time. All should live for the one Lord. If they do not live thus, it is their fault. To what extent ignorance excuses anyone, God will judge; but it is an inviolable law that, after the Lord died for all and rose again, all should live for Him. In this is the norm of human life.

The fact that we have this temporary life with the means of quickening the spirit is because the Lord died for all; and the fact that after death, remaining in separation from the body, we shall live by hope of resurrection in an incorruptible body is because He rose in our nature. If, therefore, all that is essential in our life is from Him, then the law of righteousness bids us not live for ourselves, but for Him alone. The holy Chrysostom says: “The Apostle said that we must not live for ourselves, and presents an evident reason why we should so act: that is, if we live by Him who died for us, we should also live for Him by whom we live. And although what he said seems to contain but one reason, yet if we examine carefully, we shall find the following two: the first is that we live only by the Lord; the second is that He died for us. And each of them, taken separately, is sufficient to make us obedient to Him. How much, then, should we be indebted to Him when we unite both together? But yet a third reason lies hidden in his words, namely this: for you the Lord rose and ascended to heaven the first-fruits of our nature; therefore He added:” “Him which died for them, and rose again.”

What is required by the obligation to live not for ourselves, the Lord determined thus: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and” follow “Me” (Mk. 8:34). What is required by the obligation to live for the Lord, concerning this the Lord said: “The one who loves Me will keep My commandments.” (Jn 14:21). The blessed Theodoret writes: “We recognize it as just to live for Him and to lead a life according to His commandments, because this duty toward Him obligates us to do so.”

But such requirements are evidently only fulfilable for those who have known the Lord, believed in Him and cleaved to Him with their whole soul. Therefore, although the Apostle said that all the living are obliged to live not for themselves but for the Lord – he expressed himself after the idea; but he intended especially to fix the attention of the believers on this point, those to whom he wrote, and through them all. For if all men are obliged to this, then all the more are believers obliged, for they, having undertaken the obligation, have also received the powers for its fulfilment in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Believers in the Lord, approaching Him, renounce impiety and worldly lusts, first in intention, desire and determination of will; but when in the font of baptism they are born again to new life, they receive the grace-giving power that actually severs them from impiety and lusts and directs them toward chaste, righteous and godly life. Thus, to live not to ourselves, that is, not according to the selfish strivings of the flesh, but to the Lord, that is, according to His will, holy, well-pleasing and righteous, is an inalienable attribute of truly believing Christians. With respect to them the word of the Apostle means: so this must be, and it cannot be otherwise when you are such as you ought to be.