A New Creation; the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:16–21)

2 Cor. 5:16. Wherefore from now on know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now know we him no more.

“Now,” – from what moment in time? – After the Lord Saviour died for all and rose. From that time, he says, “we know no man after the flesh.” Who is this “no man”? – Perhaps not a single man. As above under “those living” one can understand all men, so here under “we know no man” – not a single man. The Apostle views men according to an idea drawn from the economy of salvation. All men, he says, we now understand not as flesh and blood: born, lived and died – but as persons destined to receive into themselves the beginnings of divine life, as a pledge of resurrection and glorious life in incorruption. In this sense the blessed Theodoret writes: “Having learned that death was destroyed by the death of the Lord, we no longer recognize anyone of men as mortal; for although the Master Christ Himself had a body subject to suffering, yet after suffering He made it incorruptible and immortal.”

The work of life in Christ Jesus, or of spiritual quickening of humanity in Him, only began at the time of the Apostles; into the mass of humanity only leaven was placed and penetrated only the nearest layers, but as it was appointed to penetrate all, Saint Paul in this beginning of the quickening of humanity could contemplate all of it already quickened, as one who has placed leaven in a mass of flour can see it all already risen and reason about what will come from it. Of it he speaks, fixing his attention and confirming what he says about it, pointing to those already believing, freed from the flesh and beginning to shine with spiritual life through rebirth into it by the grace of the Holy Spirit. In this sense holy Chrysostom says: “If all have risen, risen by the laver of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit; then the Apostle rightly says that we know no one of the faithful after the flesh. For what if they still dwell in the flesh? But the former fleshly life has already ended, and we have been born anew from above by the Spirit, and have learned another citizenship and dwelling and life and order, namely heavenly.”

Or thus: no external considerations are precious now in our eyes: neither birth, nor wealth, nor learning, nor power. What matters is only the reception of new life in Christ Jesus by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The measure of the manifestation of such a life determines the significance and weight of this or that person, not something fleshly. However one is visible according to the flesh, he is nothing if there is not in him life from the Spirit. What someone is according to the flesh, that for us as if does not exist, and we do not look upon it; our gaze is wholly turned to who and what he is in Christ Jesus, not according to the flesh, but in the spirit. Whoever has the latter, only he exists for us; we know him; the rest as if do not exist.

“Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.” The Apostle takes the person of all the Apostles, or of all believers who were cleaving to the Lord during His earthly sojourn, and says that when Christ the Lord walked among us, then looking at Him as He appeared with all the infirmities of human nature, we knew Him according to the flesh, judged Him by this appearance; and although we understood Him highly, yet not as we should have, not as we understand now, when our minds are illumined by the light of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Now that appearance completely disappears from our eyes; we see in Him only the majesty of the incarnate God, the Restorer of fallen man, who raised him in His person to deification; we contemplate Him sitting at the right hand of the Father, clothed in the glory of incorruptibility and holding in His hands the reins of all world-governance. Saint Chrysostom says: “By application to us, ‘according to the flesh’ means the same as being in sins; and ‘not according to the flesh’ means the same as not being in sins. By application to Christ, ‘according to the flesh’ means nothing other than being partaker of the infirmities of human nature, such as: thirst, hunger, weariness, sleep, except sin; and ‘not according to the flesh’ means that He has now freed Himself from those infirmities of the flesh, not that He now exists without flesh. For with flesh, only now incapable of suffering and immortal, He will come to judge the universe.”

2 Cor. 5:17. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

“Here it speaks directly of believers. All, he says, are appointed to live not for themselves but for the Lord, all must live a spiritual life; but actually such are only those who are in Christ, that is, have believed in Him and, having been united with Him in the font of baptism, have begun to live new life, warmed by the grace of the Holy Spirit in them. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.’ ‘Whoever,’ he says, ‘has believed in the Lord has become a new creation, for such a one is born again from above by the Spirit. And therefore,’ he says, ‘we ought to live for Christ not only because ‘we are not our own’ (1 Cor. 6:19) or because He died for us and raised the first-fruits of our nature, but also because through Him we have passed into another life” (holy Chrysostom).

“That he might more explain what has been said and show how we become a new creature, he says: ‘old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.’ What then is old? – Either sins and various kinds of ungodliness (paganism), or all Jewish ordinances, or better both together. ‘All things are become new’ (holy Chrysostom). A new manner of viewing all that exists and comes to pass is imparted, new orders of life are introduced in all its manifestations; but the foundation of all is an essential renewal of life in its very sources, hidden in spirit and heart; there is born the hidden man of the heart, who begins to govern all things both in soul and in body and in external relations. To look at him – he appears the same man, the same powers of spirit, soul and body are in him, but his life is not the same. It is not an earthly plant, does not breathe with earthly air, is not nourished by earthly elements. Therefore he thinks on things above, not on things of the earth, and his life” is hid with Christ in God.

Holy Chrysostom under the following verse returns to this subject and says: “Now they (those in Christ) have even a new soul, for it is cleansed, and a new body, and new service, and new promises, and a covenant, and life, and table, and garment, and all in general new. Since instead of earthly Jerusalem we have received the heavenly throne-bearing city, instead of a sensible temple we have beheld a spiritual temple, instead of stone tablets we have received tablets of flesh, instead of circumcision – baptism, instead of manna – the Body of the Lord, instead of water from the rock – blood from the side, instead of the rod of Moses or Aaron – the cross, instead of the promised land – the kingdom of heaven. Presenting all these and like blessings, the Apostle said: ‘all things are become new.’ And all this from God through Jesus Christ and by His grace.”

2 Cor. 5:18. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

All these blessings are from God. Thus he was pleased to order it, establishing the economy of our salvation. All things are from God, in the Trinity of Persons worshipped, saving us “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:2). In the mystery of the Holy Trinity it was ordained from eternity for the Son to become incarnate and die on the cross, reconciling us with God. The Apostle here sets forth preeminently the reconciliation in Christ the Lord, who died for all, pointing to the good pleasure of God the Father and the grace of the Spirit working in the ministry of reconciliation through the Apostles.

“Saint Chrysostom says: ‘All things are from God.’ And nothing from us. For both the remission of sins, and adoption as sons, and incorruptible glory are given to us by Him. Thus he stirs up the Corinthians to virtue not only by future blessings, but also by present ones, which they have already received. See now how. He said: we shall rise someday, pass into incorruption and receive an eternal dwelling. But inasmuch as for the conviction of those who do not believe the future as much as they should, the present has more power, he shows them also that which they have received (in the present as a pledge of the future). ‘All things,’ he says, ‘are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ:’ because all blessings are given to us through Christ. He Who made us His friends is the author of all other blessings which God has given to His friends; for not leaving us as enemies, He rewarded us so much, but having made us friends to Himself. But when I (the Apostle gives to understand) call Christ the author of our salvation, I mean at the same time also the Father; and when I say that the Father has given it to us, I again mean also the Son. For ‘all things were made through Him’ (Jn. 1:3); consequently, He is the author of this action too. For it is not we who turned to God, but He Himself reconciled us to Himself. How? – By the death of Christ.” – The blessed Theodoret continues as if this discourse, saying: “The Apostle portrayed the ineffable mercy of God. Although He was offended by our transgression, yet (He was not wholly angered) was pleased to reconcile us to Himself, not using man as a mediator, but making His Only-Begotten Son the mediator of peace.”

“And He who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” When He says: “He has reconciled us,” by “us” He means all people; but when He says: “He who gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” by “us” He means the Apostles. “Here he points to the dignity of apostolic office, showing what a great work has been entrusted to them and how great is God’s love for us (in the establishment of the Apostolate).” (St. John Chrysostom). The work of reconciliation in the person of the Lord Saviour was accomplished completely; but the appropriation of reconciliation to saved humanity was to be accomplished not through imputation, not mechanically, not externally, but required certain moral changes in those being reconciled, as essential conditions for the spread of the power of reconciliation upon them. For this to happen, it was necessary to announce to people these conditions, to tell them what they must present of themselves for reconciliation to be established; it was also necessary, after they understood the conditions and showed readiness to fulfill them, to grant them the power for their fulfillment, because in their nature they could not obtain it. For this purpose the Apostolate was established, essentially necessary in the dispensation of human salvation. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit who came upon them, were to go throughout the world and proclaim to all God’s benevolent will concerning the reconciliation of all with God under the condition of repentance, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for all, and ready self-denial to walk steadfastly from that moment in God’s will, or in His commandments; to baptize those who yielded to this preaching in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and finally, through the laying on of hands, to bring down upon them the grace of the Holy Spirit. This is the essence of apostolic ministry, and in this way reconciliation with God was accomplished for each person. Through the establishment of the Apostolate was fulfilled what was foretold in the depiction of the deeds of Wisdom—how she, having built herself a house and prepared a table, sent her servants with great proclamation to call the foolish and the wise to her cup (Prov. 9:1-5), and what the Lord depicted in the parable of the marriage of the king’s son, saying that when all was ready, the king sent his servants to call all to the feast, first those to whom word had previously been given, and then those who knew nothing of it. And they went, He says, through the streets and squares, through the crossroads and highways, on the main and country roads—and called. This is what the Apostolate is: God’s servants go throughout the world and call. St. John Chrysostom points to a particular aspect of God’s purposes in establishing the Apostolate. He says: “After people did not listen to the Mediator who came, God neither rejected nor abandoned them, but continues to call them both Himself and through others. Who can sufficiently marvel at such longsuffering and God’s care for us! The Son came for reconciliation; the Son, closely related and only-begotten, was put to death; but the Father in this case did not reject those who killed Him and did not say: I sent My Son to accomplish My mission, but they not only did not want to listen to Him but also killed and crucified Him, therefore it is righteous to reject them. But He did the opposite: after the departure of His Son from us, He entrusted us with the work of reconciliation, for He says: ‘He who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.’”

The work of the Apostolate is to call to reconciliation with God those who have turned away from God and provoked His anger, and after calling to bestow grace upon them. The Apostle says now: we do this, we call all: be reconciled with God, and we bestow grace upon all. Thus you also were called and made partakers of grace. And we beseech you not to receive in vain so great the grace of God.

2 Cor. 5:19. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and has placed in us the word of reconciliation.

He repeats what was said before on account of the importance of the subject, desiring to imprint it more fully and deeply. He only portrays more clearly the manner of reconciliation in Christ. Christ the Lord “bore all our sins” “on His body on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24); He took the bond of our sins from our midst and nailed it to the cross (Col 2:14), so that to God’s righteousness these sins and their bond are as if no longer in existence. It is fully satisfied. All that remains for people is to come under the shadow of the cross, so that God’s righteousness does not see their sins. This is what we now proclaim to all, persuading and entreating everyone: “be reconciled with God.” “Behold God’s love,” says St. John Chrysostom, “exceeding not only every word but every understanding! Who was first wronged? God. Who first came for reconciliation? He Himself. But you say, He sent His Son, not Himself? Yes, He sent His Son, but the Son alone did not call us; together with Him and through Him the Father also worked. Therefore the Apostle said: ‘for God was reconciling to Himself the world in Christ,’—that is, through Christ. He says as it were: do not think that we are the authors of this work; we are only servants: the author of all this is God, who reconciled the universe to Himself through His only-begotten Son. How did He reconcile? For it is wonderful not only that He became a friend, but even more so how He became a friend. How? By forgiving them their sins. For otherwise He could not be a friend. Therefore the Apostle said further: ‘not counting their’ transgressions ‘against them.’ And if He had wanted to demand payment for our sins, we would all perish. But with such multitude of our sins, He not only did not require punishment from us, but also reconciled Himself with us; not only forgave our sins, but also did not count them against us. ‘And has placed in us the word of reconciliation.’ For He says, we have not come now to proclaim something harsh and terrible, but to make all friends with God. Because they did not believe in Me, says the Lord, you do not cease to exhort them until you persuade them.”

2 Cor. 5:20. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were exhorting you through us; we beseech you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled with God.

“We are ambassadors for Christ” — υπερ Χριςου πρεσβευομεν,—we beseech in the name, or in the name of Christ. But in church language: πρεσβευε υπερ ημων, intercede for us. This turn of speech means, as it were, that the Apostles beseech all on behalf of Christ not to abandon His work, accomplished completely, so that it not prove fruitless or raised in vain. “As though God were exhorting you through us”; “exhorting” παρακαλουντος. As if God Himself through us earnestly begs and entreats you. For God has arranged for the forgiveness of sins through the death of Christ and has prepared all other blessings as a consequence; and having prepared all, He begs and entreats us to come and enjoy these blessings. Not only has God arranged all for our salvation out of mere kindness; but His love extends to us to such a degree that He counts it as a favor to Himself if anyone makes use of it for their own salvation. So it is when a kind householder, having prepared a feast, entreats guests to come to the feast, counting it a favor to himself if they consume all that has been prepared: otherwise it would be lost for nothing. So here God has prepared all in Christ Jesus and sent the Apostles to ask all to make use of these blessings for their own salvation. “So we are ambassadors for Christ” — υπερ Χριστου δεομεθα — we beseech in the name of Christ, or intercede on behalf of Christ, do Him a favor, or satisfaction, or honor—taste the blessings obtained for you by Him. What blessings? “Be reconciled with God.” God in Christ has reconciled you to Himself; now you must enter into this reconciliation. What is necessary for this? “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name” of the Lord “Jesus for the forgiveness of sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

St. John Chrysostom says regarding this passage: “See how high he elevated his discourse, bringing in Christ Himself beseeching on this, and not only Christ, but even God the Father Himself. For the meaning of his words is this: The Father sent His Son to exhort people and to fulfill the mission from His name to mankind. But since He, having been put to death, departed from here, this mission is now entrusted to us, therefore we beseech you on behalf of Christ and His Father. The human race is so dear to Him that He gave His Son for it, knowing beforehand that He would be put to death, and made us Apostles for you. ‘So we are ambassadors for Christ,’ that is, instead of and on behalf of Christ, for we have been given His office. If this seems to you exaggerated, listen further: further on he says that they do this not only instead of Him, that is, Christ, but also instead of the Father, for he adds: ‘as though God were exhorting you through us.’ ‘Through us,’ for God does not call people through the Son alone but also through us, to whom His work has been entrusted. Therefore, do not think, he says, that we are beseeching you; Christ Himself beseeches you through us, and even the Father of Jesus Christ Himself. What grace can be greater than this grace? So ungrateful and insulted despite innumerable benefits from Him, He not only did not condemn us, but gave His Son to reconcile us to Himself; and when those to whom He came not only did not reconcile but killed Him, He sent other messengers to call, and through them He Himself beseeches. What does He beseech? ‘Be reconciled with God.’ He did not say: reconcile God with yourselves; because God is not hostile toward us, but we are hostile toward Him. God was never hostile.”

2 Cor. 5:21. For our sake He made Him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

See how much God spent in preparing a feast of faith and love, justification and holiness, for those called. The Apostle says as it were: there is reason for you to take the trouble and come! See what has been prepared? The spotless Lamb has been slain; come, taste and be satisfied with righteousness. Or thus: all is already ready; your sins have been taken away and lifted by another; all that remains for you is to approach and, receiving forgiveness of sins, obtain righteousness. In general, by these words the Apostle wishes to express that from God’s side all has been done for your salvation. It remains for you to approach.

The Apostle calls the work of salvation reconciliation. He said before that God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself. Here he shows how He did this. “For our sake He made Him who knew no sin” – he says – “to be sin.” “Who knew no sin,” not only did not commit and did not think what was sinful, but did not even know what sin is, did not experience the temptations of sin that require struggle. For the unclean does not adhere to the pure. Such a Most Pure One God made sin for us, that is, treated Him as a sinner, as if He Himself had committed all those sins of which all people collectively are guilty. Only in this way could God’s righteousness be satisfied. And it was satisfied, and God was reconciled with people. But this is only half of the economy of salvation. People still must appropriate to themselves this reconciliation of God and taste of its fruits. But this cannot happen without the participation of people. That God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself—He did this without people. But for people to become partakers of reconciliation, their corresponding action is necessary. For this reason, he says, we call out to all: “be reconciled with God.” For the economy of salvation lies not only in the fact that God “made Him who knew no sin” “to be sin” and thereby reconciled the world to Himself, but also in the fact that we become “the righteousness of God in Him.” God does not wish to produce this by the power of His might. Here the participation of people’s free will is necessary. This is what our prayer means: “be reconciled with God.” Do what lies in your power, enter into the covenant of peace, assume the conditions of reconciliation, and immediately you will become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. That is, repent, believe in the Gospel, give your word to live blamelessly, approach holy baptism, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When all this is accomplished in you and upon you, you will become “the righteousness of God,” that is, you will become inwardly righteous, not outwardly, but will possess inner righteousness, or rightness of spirit and holiness, the righteousness of God or God-like.

St. John Chrysostom says regarding this passage: “For our sake He made Him who knew no sin to be sin.” Even if He had done nothing else but this alone, think about it—what is this itself, that He gave His Son for those who offended Him? And He did many other benefits for us and, besides, condemned the One who did no wrong to suffering on behalf of the unrighteous. But the Apostle, passing over all other benefits, mentioned only this one, far greater and more important than all, that the One “who knew no sin,” He who is self-existing righteousness, “He made sin,” that is, allowed Him to be condemned as if a sinner, and to die as if cursed, because “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deut 21:23). For to die on a tree meant much more than to die simply, to which, pointing in another place, he says: “obedient even to death, death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Such a death was reckoned not only as punishment but also as dishonor. Therefore, consider how much God has granted you. For it is a great thing when even a sinner dies for someone; but when a righteous one suffers in such a manner and dies for sinners, and does not simply die but dies as a criminal; and not only is reckoned among criminals but through His death grants us great blessings, which we did not even expect, for He says: “so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God,” then what word, what mind can adequately embrace and depict this? For God made the Righteous One a sinner, he says, so that He might make sinners righteous. But He did not say even that, but much more: for He set this Righteous One not only side by side with sinners but even with sin itself, for He said: not a sinner, but “sin” He made “Him”; and not only one who had not sinned but “who knew no sin, so that” we “might become,” He did not say righteous but “righteousness,” and “the righteousness of God.” And indeed, this righteousness is God’s, when we are justified not by works but by grace, which alone destroys all sin. And this at once guards us from pride, when all is granted to us by God, and shows the whole importance of what is granted to us. For the first righteousness is from the law and works; but this latter is “the righteousness of God.”