love . App-135 . Compare Romans 8:35 . constraineth. Greek. sunecho. See Luke 4:38 ; Luke 8:45 (throng). because , &c. = judging ( App-122 .) this. if. Texts omit. for . App-104 . were, &c. all died. read more
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died.Love of Christ constraineth us ... Did Paul here refer to his own love of Christ, or to Christ's love of him? "It matters little whether this be interpreted as a subjective genitive, `Christ's love to men,' or as an objective genitive, `our love to Christ'; the two suppose and interfuse each other."[23]One died for all ... Here is the same "all" encountered in 2 Corinthians 5:10, and it... read more
2 Corinthians 5:14. Constraineth us;— "Bears us away, like a strong and resistless torrent." Thus much is implied by the original word συνεχει . See Philippians 1:23. read more
14. For—Accounting for his being "beside himself" with enthusiasm: the love of Christ towards us (in His death for us, the highest proof of it, :-), producing in turn love in us to Him, and not mere "terror" (2 Corinthians 5:11). constraineth us—with irresistible power limits us to the one great object to the exclusion of other considerations. The Greek implies to compress forcibly the energies into one channel. Love is jealous of any rival object engrossing the soul (2 Corinthians 5:11- :).... read more
The constraining love of Christ 5:11-15 read more
The primary reason Paul could not live for himself, however, was God’s love for him. The Greek construction is probably a subjective genitive. [Note: See Martin, p. 128.] God’s love extended to Jesus Christ dying on the cross. Jesus provided the example that all His disciples must follow. He gave His life for others. Yet Jesus’ death was much more than an example. Paul had come to appreciate the widespread effects of that death (as being "for all") and the essence of that death (as a... read more
5:14 died; (c-20) Or 'had died.' It is the aorist, and refers to the state Christ's death proved them to be in , in a state of nature. To make it a consequence of Christ's death is, I judge, an utter blunder. read more
The subject of 2 Corinthians 4 is continued. St. Paul has been pointing out that amid bodily weakness and decay he is encouraged by the thought that the temporal is transient, while the spiritual is eternal. He now goes on to speak more particularly of the great prospect that sustains him—the replacement of the earthly material body by an eternal heavenly one. He hopes to survive till Christ’s coming, and receive the heavenly body without passing through the experience of death: but, if it... read more
(14) For the love of Christ constraineth us.—The Greek, like the English, admits of two interpretations—Christ’s love for us, or our love for Christ. St. Paul’s uniform use of this and like phrases, however, elsewhere (Romans 5:5; Romans 8:35; 1 Corinthians 16:24; 2 Corinthians 13:14), is decisive in favour of the former. It was the Apostle’s sense of the love that Christ had shown to him and to all men that was acting as a constraining power, directing every act of every spiritual state to the... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
The power of love (5:11-6:13)Because Paul knows that he is accountable to Christ, he knows what it means to fear the Lord, and this makes him more diligent in his service. God knows that his motives are pure and he trusts that the Corinthians know also (11).In making these statements, Paul is not trying to write a recommendation for himself. He is trying to give his supporters reason to be bold in defending him against those who criticize him (12). They may have seen him display his feelings in... read more