Chapter V.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) But we know that if our earthly house of this habitation is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven, if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 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. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst 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. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For he called this earthly body a house, because it is mortal: so that if we are dissolved from this, we will find a built house in the heavens, eternal. This house signifies an immortal body, in which, rising again, we will always be, whose form is already declared in the body of the Lord in heaven.
(Vers. 2, 3.)
(Vers. 2, 3.) For in this dwelling of ours we groan, desiring to put on our heavenly clothing; since when clothed, we are not found naked. Therefore, he says, we groan with prayers, so that the promised glory from heaven may be able to clothe those who rise again. Desiring this, they persist in prayers; lest when rising again, having received the body, they may be found naked, that is, distant from the promised glory. For this is necessary, that the soul, having put on the body, may be clothed with the judgment and glory of God, which is a transformation into clarity. For death is from the earth, but resurrection is truly from heaven; if indeed it is transformed into glory. Other codices have it this way: Indeed, stripped off, we are not found naked, that is, if we go forth from the body clothed with Christ; for whoever is baptized in Christ puts on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Therefore, if we remain in the form of baptism and tradition, stripped off from the body, we are not found naked; for Christ dwells in the inner man, and when we are clothed with Him, having received the Holy Spirit, we will be seen as worthy to be clothed with the promised heavenly glory. For in that light the promised clarity will be revealed, which will be seen as a sign of adoption.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) For when we are in this body, that is, mortal, we groan burdened; because we do not want to be unclothed, but rather clothed upon; that mortality may be swallowed up by life. The same sense is declared, for this reason he says that we are burdened by the passions of the body and the storms of the world, to direct our appeals to God, so that we may not be changed, conquered, and made unworthy; but that when our end arrives, persevering in faith, we may be found clothed in the Holy Spirit, who is Christ in substance. For then we will be able to put on the promised glory, if, having been stripped of the body, we have not been deprived by the Holy Spirit. Thus the mortal is swallowed up by life, that is to say, that rising again we may be clothed with immortality with glory; so that it may no longer be possible to die, or to be entangled by sufferings: and this is to be swallowed up by life; for he is not to be said to be swallowed up by life who rises for this purpose, that he may be punished.
(Vers. 5.)
(Ver. 5.) But He who perfects us in this very thing is God: who also has given us the pledge of the Spirit. That which we groan and long for, that is, not to be divested, but to be invested, we may merit, according to the aforementioned sense, He says to perfect in the day of judgment. For He has promised and He is faithful, giving us the pledge of the Spirit for the fulfillment of this matter; He Himself is the seal of our adoption.
(Vers. 6, 7.)
(Vers. 6, 7.) Therefore, always confident and knowing that while inhabiting this body, we are sojourners from the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by appearance. It is evident that we are with the Lord by faith, not by presence: and therefore we sojourn not by faith, but by appearance. And why, when he says the same thing in the Acts of the Apostles: For in him we live, and move, and are (Acts 17:28); does he say here that we sojourn from the Lord? If God is everywhere, how do we wander from Him when we are here? Without a doubt, God is everywhere, indeed all things are in God: but because the seat of God is in heaven and He is always seen there; therefore, when we are here, where He is not seen, we are said to wander from Him. For when we do not see Him, even though He is present, we are absent from Him.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) Therefore, we dare and consent to journey away from the body and be present with God. He rightly says, we dare; for we have confidence in the promise of God, and knowing that it is much better to be there than in the world, they consent and desire to depart from the body, so that they may rest until the day of resurrection under the altar of God.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And therefore we strive, whether present or traveling, to please Him. He says that this is to be done and that we should persist in good works, so that whether we are still in this life or present before the judgment seat of Christ, we may please Him. Therefore, if we observe discipline, we will please Him both here and there, because one who pleases Him here will not displease Him there.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. So, when Christ judges, each one of us will receive what he has done in the body, not without the body, whether good or evil. And he did not say 'deeds of the flesh', because the sins of the flesh are always punishable; but he said 'deeds of the body', since sometimes they operate spiritually, other times carnally.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I hope we are also well known in your consciences. For we are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) We are urging people, he says, to believe and to prepare so they do not incur and then repent when there is no fruit of repentance. But we are manifest to God; for this is what he preached, what God commanded; and God is said to know what is good. Finally, he says to those who do evil: I do not know you. But I hope that we are manifest in your consciences. Therefore it strikes their conscience, so that they themselves would be witnesses of the truth of their words.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) We do not commend ourselves to you again. Because above, testifying to his true preaching, he seemed to praise himself; therefore now he means the same thing, not saying this for his own praise, but for their glory; so that they may rejoice in having added to their preaching, with them as witnesses. But we provide you with an occasion to boast about us; so that you may have something against those who boast in appearance, and not in heart. He says this because many boasted in themselves about the apostles, claiming to have been taught by them, who have always been with the Lord. Therefore, he says here that he will give an account of himself, by which they themselves could boast against them, because he was an Apostle, from whom they had also learned. Hence, in another place he says: 'I have done no less than those who are considered apostles' (2 Corinthians 12:11). He says this under compulsion, so that his silence would not be a burden to them. Therefore, whoever boasts in their heart, suppresses pride, knowing that God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud (James 4:6); for the mind of the proud does not produce fruit worthy of God.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) Whether we surpass in mind, to God; or whether we perceive soundly, to you. He says this, because if he is considered to have spoken proudly or arrogantly, because he seemed to praise himself, but saying the truth, this should be forgiven by God. But if it is not understood as proud, but spoken for the glory of the listeners, he says he is beneficial to the Corinthians; so then it is said soundly to the listeners, if it is understood in this way, as it was said. But if it is considered to have been said boastfully, it should be forgiven by God as insane; for all pride is considered as insanity.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) For the love of Christ urges us, judging this, that if one died for all. Because Christ, loving the human race, gave himself up to death in order to redeem them; therefore the apostles, in order to repay him, exhort men in some way to his service: and in order to attract them, it is necessary for them to testify that they preach the truth, while others teach false things; nor should they remain silent about their own merit, in order to designate the punishment of wicked teachers. So these things were not done with a boastful mind, but so that the gift of Christ might be understood by all, and that those who are faithfully devoted to him might give thanks to him. Therefore, because of the love of Christ, which is the reason and extent of his gifts to those who love him, they do not remain silent: not for the sake of boasting, but to invite those who hear to devotion to him; so that the death of Christ may not appear fruitless, and so that the praise of the apostles may be acknowledged. For through the merit and glory of the apostles, the grace and beneficence of Christ and God are recognized.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) Therefore all are dead, and Christ died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who died and was raised for them. For it is necessary for all to die because of Adam, and Christ died for all, so that he might free them from the second death; and therefore those who live in the body, knowing that Christ died for them, should be subject to him, confessing him as Lord. For since his death benefits them, his resurrection testifies to it. Therefore, he does not live for himself, who is ready to do the will of his master.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) Therefore, from now on we know no one according to the flesh. Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, now we no longer know Him. Indeed, when Christ rose from the dead, the carnal birth ceases, the weakness of the body ceases, and the suffering of death ceases. Up to the cross, there was a suspicion of weakness in Christ. But afterwards, it appeared, what was not believed, as He Himself says: 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am' (John 8:28). Therefore, the Apostle mentions this in order to show with what devotion one must obey Christ. For the sake of human salvation, he was not only willing to be born as a human, but also to be mistreated and to die; so that those who understand how precious his death is may serve him more willingly, not as if they were repaying a debt to a human, but to God; for everyone must render obedience to him according to his person and merits.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! It is evident that through Christ, everything has been renewed, if one recognizes His dignity. For He becomes new to those who, previously, only seemed to be human, when it is understood that He is God. As weakness recedes, His divinity is recognized, and as the old error, which introduced the belief in many gods and led humanity away from the faith in the one true God, ceases, everything returns to the profession of simplicity, worshipping one God in the Trinity.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) But all things are from God. Although Christ has redeemed us, all things are still from God; for from Him is all fatherhood (Ephesians 3:15): therefore it is necessary to give preference to the person of the Father.
(Vers. 19, 20, 21.)
(Vers. 19, 20, 21.) He reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and putting the word of reconciliation in us for Christ, for whom we act as ambassadors, as God exhorts through us: praying for Christ to be reconciled to God. For He who did not know sin, He made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. The almighty God, the father of Christ (when all things that he had done through Christ had become perishable and transient, being forgotten by their creator) deigned to come down from his heavenly abode to earth as our Lord Christ, taking on a human form; so that he could be like a model for humans, making peace between themselves and their God, their creator. Therefore, God was in Christ. How? As if in a vicar or ambassador, as he was in the prophets, or in some other way? Is it not the case that just as it was in the prophets, it can be understood to have been in the Son as well? For the Son is naturally the ambassador of the Father. Hence, it is said: 'The Father is in me, and I am in the Father' (John 10:11); for the Father is understood to be in the Son, because their substance is one. For there is unity where there is no difference: and thus they are mutually together; for their image and likeness are one. So, seeing the Son, it is said to have seen the Father, just as the Lord Himself says: 'Whoever sees me, sees the Father' (John 10:9). Therefore, it is rightly said: God was in Christ; that is, the Father in the Son, reconciling the world to himself; not imputing their trespasses unto them; for the creature sinned against God, and did not repent, in order to return to him: God, unwilling that his work should perish, sent his Son, through whom he preached the remission of sins, to reconcile them unto himself through him, by whom he had created us. Therefore, whether by the Son or by his servants, God exhorts the people; for all authority must be referred to him, by whose will and providence Christ was incarnate to redeem mankind: who, when he desired to return to the Father, gave his disciples the commission received from the Father.
Praying for Christ, you are being reconciled to God. This is what I said, he who gave the apostles as vicars for Christ, so that they may preach to reconcile to God.
(Vers. 22.)
(Verse 22) He who did not know sin, for us he made sin. God says that the Father made his Son Christ sin, namely, he who did not know sin, that is, he who had not sinned; because being made flesh, he was not changed, but was made sin; just as one who becomes prefect does not lose what he was: but he certainly assumes what he was not. Therefore, Christ became man for the sake of sin, whom neither fate nor dignity touched in being born as a man. But because all flesh is under sin, therefore, being made flesh, it was also made sin. And since He was offered for sins, He is rightly called sin, because even the offering in the law, which was offered for sins, was called sin. That we might become the righteousness of God in Him, who knew no sin, as Isaiah says: He did not commit sin, and no guile was found in His mouth (Isaiah 53:9), as if a sinner was killed, so that sinners might be justified before God in Christ. For Satan suffered envy against the Savior, seeing Him teach men how to appease God, renouncing the devil; and for this reason he killed Him, not knowing what would happen against himself; for after the cross, Christ descended to the underworld, conquering death; for He who knew no sin could not be held by death; for death was made empty by sin, so that the death of the righteous might benefit sinners; so that henceforth death cannot hold those who bear the sign of the cross.