The Letters · New Testament
2 Corinthians 5
2 Corinthians 5: a house from heaven and the ministry of reconciliation
General context
Paul says that if the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved there is a building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He describes groaning in the present body, desiring to be clothed upon rather than unclothed, so that mortality is swallowed up of life, and says God has prepared him for this and given the earnest of the Spirit. Being at home in the body means being absent from the Lord, since the walk is by faith and not by sight, so he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Either way the aim is to be accepted, because everyone must appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive according to what was done in the body, good or bad. Knowing the terror of the Lord he persuades men, and says he is not commending himself but giving the readers an answer to those who glory in appearance and not in heart. Whether beside himself or sober, it is for God and for them. The love of Christ constrains him, on the judgment that one died for all and therefore all were dead, so the living should live for the one who died and rose. From now on he knows no one after the flesh; anyone in Christ is a new creature and old things have passed away. All of this, he says, is from God, who reconciled him through Jesus Christ and gave him the ministry and word of reconciliation, so he speaks as an ambassador and pleads with them to be reconciled to God.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:2, 2 Corinthians 5:3, 2 Corinthians 5:4, 2 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 5:7, 2 Corinthians 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:9, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:12, 2 Corinthians 5:13, 2 Corinthians 5:14, 2 Corinthians 5:15, 2 Corinthians 5:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21
2 Corinthians 5 (KJV)
1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4For 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.
5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10For 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 hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
13For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
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Historical context
No human being is named in this chapter apart from Jesus Christ, and no place, date or journey appears. The opponents are described only by manner, as them which glory in appearance, and not in heart, and are never identified. The chapter asserts a future appearance of all before the judgment seat of Christ but gives no time for it and no description of the setting. It says the Spirit has been given as an earnest, repeating a term used earlier in the letter, without explaining the transaction further. The sentence that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself is stated flatly and not argued from any quoted scripture; this chapter quotes none. Paul's remark that he has known Christ after the flesh is left without any account of when or how.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:12, 2 Corinthians 5:16, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21
Literary context
The chapter thinks in coverings. A tabernacle, a house, clothing and nakedness carry the first ten verses, and the wish is oddly precise: not to be unclothed, but clothed upon. That image gives way to a legal one at the judgment seat, and then to a diplomatic one, where Paul calls himself an ambassador speaking in Christ's stead. Confidence is stated twice in three verses, and the second time with an interjection, we are confident, I say, which marks the return. The middle of the chapter keeps pairing the personal and the public, so being beside himself and being sober are both accounted for. The last four verses tighten into short assertions with almost no images at all, and the final line sets two things against each other in one sentence, one made to be sin for others who himself knew no sin.
Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:2, 2 Corinthians 5:4, 2 Corinthians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 5:19, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21
Key moments
- A building not made with hands (2 Corinthians 5:1). Paul contrasts the dissolving earthly tent with an eternal house from God.
- Faith, not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). He states in an aside that the walk is by faith and not by sight.
- The judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). He says all must appear and receive according to what was done in the body.
- The love of Christ constrains (2 Corinthians 5:14). Paul gives his motive as the love of Christ and the judgment that one died for all.
- A new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). He says anyone in Christ is a new creature and old things have passed away.
- Be ye reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:20). Speaking as an ambassador, Paul pleads with the readers to be reconciled to God.
For reflection
Paul says that from now on he knows no man after the flesh, and calls anyone in Christ a new creature. Who are you still filing under an old description, and what would it take to stop?
