Observations From 2 Corinthians 5:13-15
By Jonathan Mitchell
(From "Paul to Corinth: Comments on 1 & 2 Corinthians")
The focus of this investigation is vss. 14-15, but we begin with Paul's ironic characterization of the new creation realm (cf 2 Cor. 5:17) in which he and his associates were living, and from which he was speaking. Let us begin:
13. For whether we are beside ourselves (standing without; = out of our minds), [it is] for God (in God; to God; by God; with God); or whether we remain sane (of sound mind; reasonable), [it is] for you (to you; with you) folks,
Regardless of Paul's or his friends' situations or conditions, it is all for (i.e., on behalf of) the community in Corinth (and of course it would be the same for all of his communities). And in this, it is also, of course, "for God." Observe, once more, the dative form of the term "God," and the pronoun, "you." Read, and contemplate, the parenthetical functions on offer: in, to, by, with. All of these make sense to these respective terms, as noted. The prepositions on offer in this phrase "for God (etc.)," represent the range of functions of the dative case in which the noun "God" is given in the text. It is God, all the way, and in every conceivable way.
This verse may be an example of Paul's irony.
14. for you see, Christ's love (urge toward accepting reunion; full giving of Himself to [us]) continuously holds us together. [We are] deciding (discerning and concluding; judging) this: that [some MSS add: since] One Person (or: Man) died over [the situation of] all people (or: for the sake of all humans); consequently, all people died (or: accordingly, then, all humans died). [cf Rom. 5:12, reversed]
This verse continues vs. 13, amplifying and defining the statement, "[it is] for God (etc.)." What "continuously holds [them] together" is "Christ's love" - even if they "stand without," that is, "outside of being accepted in the group," or are, "beside themselves." This applies to us, as well. "Christ's urge toward accepting reunion and full giving of Himself to [us]" is what constantly holds us together. Once again, the NEB offers an interpretation of this verb which suggests another insight: the situation described in vs. 13 is for the Corinthians, and so Paul is seen as saying that "the love of Christ leaves us no choice..." Although this may be true, the literal rendering, "holds us together" seems to give a better explanation of how Paul and his associates survive what he just described in vs. 13.
Paul now begins another teaching which continues on through vs. 19. We suggest that he is referring to both Adams, here, by alluding to the first Adam of which he wrote in Rom. 5:12, through whom the Death passed throughout the whole of humanity, but then here he is now pointing us to the Last, or "eschatos," Adam which he described as being the Second Humanity, in 1 Cor. 15:47, the One that "[is made] out of heaven (or: [is] from [the] atmosphere)." It is this Last One that reverses what the first one did.
He explained this reversal of humanity's situation in Rom. 5:15b,
"For you see, since (or: if) by (or: in) the effect of the fall to the side (the result of the stumbling aside and the offense) of the one THE MANY (= the mass of humanity) died, MUCH MORE (= infinitely greater) [is] the Grace of God (God's Grace; favor which is God), and the gift (or: gratuitous benefit) within Grace - a joy-producing act of Favor - by that of the One Man, Jesus Christ, surrounded (or: encircles) into encompassing superabundance (extraordinary surplus and excess) into THE MANY (= the mass of humanity)."
This Last One, the "eschatos" Adam, of course, is Christ, and now we read this astounding statement about what Paul "discerned, concluded, judged and decided":
"that One Person (or: Man) died over [the situation of] all people (or: for the sake of all humans); consequently, all people died (or: accordingly, then, all humans died)."
Don't read on, just yet. Read that statement again, and just contemplate its import! That "One Person (or: Man)" is Christ, as Rom. 5:15 explains.
ALL HUMANITY DIED... IN CHRIST! This is the key that unlocks the rest of what he informs us in 2 Cor. 5:15-19.
The symbol of immersion (baptism) gives us a physical picture and is an acted-out parable for what Paul tells us in Rom. 6:3-4,
"as many as are immersed into Christ Jesus are immersed into His death? We, then (or: consequently), were buried together in Him (or: by Him; with Him), through the immersion into the death, to the end that just as (or: in the same manner as) Christ was roused and raised forth from out of the midst of dead folks THROUGH (through means of) THE GLORY (the glorious manifestation of splendor which calls forth praise; the assumed appearance) of, from, and which is, The Father, thus also we can walk around (or: order our behavior) within newness of life."
Paul goes on to say this last part, again, in Rom. 6:5b, "then certainly we will also continue existing [in and with the effects of the likeness] of The [or: His] Resurrection." David Bentley Hart's recent translation of the NT affirms the need of the inserted brackets, due to Paul's condensed Greek, here in Rom. 6. (cf his footnote "u" p 299)
So here we can recall how Paul put it so plainly in 1 Cor. 15:22,
"For just as within Adam all humans keep on (or: everyone continues) dying, in the same way, also, within the Christ, all humans will keep on being made alive (or: in union with the Anointed One, everyone will one-after-another be created and produced with Life)." [cf Rom. 5:18]
15. And further, He died over all people (over [the situation] of, and for the sake of, all humans) to the end that those living can (or: may; could; would) no longer live for themselves (to themselves; in themselves; by themselves), but rather for (or: in; by; to; with) the One dying and then being awakened and raised up over them (over their [situation]; for their sakes).
We find a parallel expression of this verse in Rom. 4:25,
"[He] who was handed over (or: transmitted; delivered; passed along; or: given to [our] side) through and because of the effects of our falls to the side (or: with a view to and for the sake of the results of our stumblings aside, transgressions and offenses), and yet was roused and raised up through and because of our eschatological deliverance, being placed in the Way pointed out and turned in the right direction or: for the benefit of our being made to be just; or: on behalf of our justifying, leading to freedom from guilt; or: for the purpose of our being brought into equity and right relationship: a rightwising of solidarity in covenant inclusion and participation)." cf Rom. 5:9; Gal. 2:17; Phil. 3:9]
His death made all this possible, for all of humanity. But as in 2 Cor. 4:18,
"[we are continuously looking at] those things not being constantly seen or repeatedly observed," and he explained this in 1 Cor. 15:23,"yet each person within the result of his or her own set position [in line] (or: effect of ordered placement; appointed class; arranged time and turn, or order of succession; = place in a harvest calendar, thus, due season of maturity)..."
We do not observe all people now living "for (or: in; by; to; with) the One dying and then being awakened and raised up over them," But we know that Christ is both the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (Rev. 1:11), of all humanity, and that each one, in his or her own time, will journey on "into the midst of Him" (Rom. 11:36).
Note AGAIN the dative case, without an expressed preposition, of "the One" - IN the One, FOR the One, BY the One, TO the One, and WITH the One. He is the sphere in which we live, the One for whom we live, the One by whom we live, the One to whom our lives are directed, and the One WITH whom we can now live our lives [cf Acts 17:28]. He is the Path which we all follow: dying and then being awakened and raised up. THIS is the Good News! THIS is the glory of God! THIS is our patterned destiny!
The dependent clause, "can (or: may; could; would) no longer live for themselves (to themselves; in themselves; by themselves)," should make us aware of our ontological oneness within this resurrected realm of the new creation (cf 2 Cor. 5:17). We no longer live by ourselves, we are joined into one body, in the One New Humanity (Eph. 2:15). This is the Peace - the Joining - that He has given to us.
1 Pet. 4:1-2 gives us another view of not living for ourselves:
verse 1. Christ, then, having undergone experiences and suffering IN FLESH (or: being physically and emotionally affected to the point of suffering) over us (or: over our [situation] and for our sakes), you folks also arm and equip yourselves with the same mental inclination (idea; thought; way of thinking; frame of mind; attitude), because the person [thus] suffering or going through physical or emotional experiences which affect him IN [the] FLESH has in and for himself put a stop to failures, errors and mistakes (or: sins) [or, with other MSS: has been caused to cease from sin],
[Comment: This is a word for the disciple, the follower of the Messiah. In Matt. 16:24-25 Jesus speaks of denying ourselves, taking up our execution stake and following Him. Peter here points to His suffering and then tells us to expect the same, but then goes on to give a reason for it: to put a stop to failures, errors and mistakes. This may refer to our own times of missing the target (as the other MSS state), or, as in laying down your life for another, we may by such experiences do the works that Christ did, and bring life to others. Paul said in 2 Cor. 4:
11. For we, ourselves - the continuously living ones - are ever being repeatedly handed over and committed into death (or: = continuously delivered into life-threatening experiences) - because of Jesus - to the end that the Life, also, of Jesus (or: so that also the life which comes from and is Jesus; or: so that Jesus' life) can (may; could; would) be set in clear light and manifested - within our mortal flesh!
12. So then (or: Consequently), the Death is repeatedly and progressively operating and inwardly working within us, yet that Life [is constantly operative] within you folks.
(an excerpt from Peter, Paul & Jacob, Jonathan Mitchell, Harper Brown Pub., 2012 p 27).]
1 Pet. 4:1-2 cont. [and comes] into the [condition or situation] to NO LONGER live out the additional remaining course [of his] time within [the] FLESH (= in the natural realm) in the midst of (or: in union with) [the] full passions (or: for [the] over-desires; to [the] rushings of emotions upon things) of humans (or: pertaining to or originating in mankind), but to the contrary, in God's will (or: for God's intent; to God's purpose).
Jonathan
(for further reading, go to: Thoughts from 2 Corinthians 5:16-19)
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