Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 5:19
To 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.
19. to wit, that ] i.e. this is the tenor of our message.
God was in Christ reconciling ] Or ‘that God in Christ was reconciling.’ Either translation is grammatically and theologically admissible. The former translation, preferred by the Latin expositors, lays most stress upon the indwelling of God in Christ (cf. Joh 14:10; Joh 14:17). The latter, which has found most favour among the Greek commentators, indicates the fact, not merely that God reconciled the world, but that the process of reconciliation was carried on “in the Person and work of Christ.” Meyer.
the world unto himself ] It is frequently declared in Scripture that God’s purpose embraces all mankind (“the whole world,” Alford). Cf. Joh 1:29; Joh 3:16; Joh 4:42; Joh 6:33; 1Ti 2:4; 1Ti 4:10; 1Jn 2:2, &c.
not imputing their trespasses unto them ] , trespasses, literally, fallings aside from the path. The English word is derived from an old French word trespasser, which, like transgress, has a similar meaning to the Greek, namely, to pass over the boundary. This passage explains the nature of the process of reconciliation. It is a very simple one. It consists in the fact that in consequence of Christ’s mediatorial work, God no longer imputes sin to man, i.e. regards his sin as though it had not been committed. Cf. Rom 3:25; Rom 3:4; Rom 8:1. Why this is so, and how it comes to pass that God is both ‘just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus,’ the Apostle does not explain, nor is any complete explanation given in Holy Scripture, which has concerned itself on this point less with theory than with fact. See however 2Co 5:15-18; also Rom 5:8-11; Heb 9:12-14; Heb 9:28; Heb 10:10-14, &c. The word here translated imputed is translated indifferently by that word, and by reckoned and accounted in the A. V. It signifies (1) to consider (as in Rom 8:18), and hence (2) to consider a thing as having been done, to reckon or impute.
and hath committed unto us ] Literally, and placed in us ( puttid in us, Wiclif). It signifies more than a simple entrusting with, including (1) the reception of the reconciliation by the first preachers of the Gospel, and (2) their proclamation of it as well by their lives as by their teaching.
the word of reconciliation ] So Wiclif and the Rhemish Version. Tyndale, Cranmer and the Geneva Version render the preaching of the atonement. The Greek, which is here rendered by ‘word,’ signifies (1) the abstract reason of a thing, (2) the discourse which is held about it, and (3) the word which expresses it. The use of three distinct tenses in the three members of this sentence is not a little remarkable. The imperfect, used of God’s reconciling work in Christ, relates to the continuation of that work throughout the whole of His earthly ministry. The present, in the word ‘imputing’ signifies that this work of non-imputation is still going on. The aorist, used in the word translated ‘hath committed,’ relates to the moment when God ‘accounted’ St Paul ‘faithful, putting him into the ministry,’ 1Ti 1:12.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To wit – (Greek, Hos oti), namely This verse is designed further to state the nature of the plan of reconciliation, and of the message with which they were entrusted. It contains an abstract, or an epitome of the whole plan; and is one of those emphatic passages in which Paul compresses into a single sentence the substance of the whole plan of redemption.
That God was in Christ – That God was by Christ ( en Christo), by means of Christ; by the agency, or mediatorship of Christ. Or it may mean that God was united to Christ, and manifested himself by him. So Doddridge interprets it. Christ was the mediator by means of whom God designed to accomplish the great work of reconciliation.
Reconciling the world unto himself – The world here evidently means the human race generally, without distinction of nation, age, or rank. The whole world was alienated from him, and he sought to have it reconciled. This is one incidental proof that God designed that the plan of salvation should be adapted to all people; see the note on 2Co 5:14. It may be observed further, that God sought that the world should be reconciled. Man did not seek it. He had no plan for it, he did not desire it. He had no way to effect it. It was the offended party, not the offending, that sought to be reconciled; and this shows the strength of his love. It was love for enemies and alienated beings, and love evinced to them by a most earnest desire to become their friend, and to be at agreement with them; compare note on Rom 5:8. Tyndale renders this very accurately: For God was in Christ, and made agreement between the world and himself, and imputed not their sins unto them.
Not imputing their trespasses – Not reckoning their transgressions to them; that is, forgiving them, pardoning them. On the meaning of the word impute, see the note, Rom 4:3. The idea here is, that God did not charge on them with inexorable severity and stern justice their offences, but graciously provided a plan of pardon, and offered to remit their sins on the conditions of the gospel. The plan of reconciliation demonstrated that he was not disposed to impute their sins to them, as he might have done, and to punish them with unmitigated severity for their crimes, but was more disposed to pardon and forgive. And it may be here asked, if God was not disposed to charge with unrelenting severity their own sins to their account, but was rather disposed to pardon them, can we believe that he is disposed to charge on them the sin of another? If he does not charge on them with inexorable and unmitigated severity their own transgressions, will he charge on them with unrelenting severity – or at all – the sin of Adam? see the note on Rom 5:19. The sentiment here is, that God is not disposed or inclined to charge the transgressions of people upon them; he has no pleasure in doing it; and therefore he has provided a plan by which they may be pardoned. At the same time it is true that unless their sins are pardoned, justice will charge or impute their sins to them, and will exact punishment to the uttermost.
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation – Margin, put in us. Tyndale renders this: and hath committed unto us the preaching of the atonement. The meaning is, that the office of making known the nature of this plan, and the conditions on which God was willing to be reconciled to man, had been committed to the ministers of the gospel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. That God was in Christ] This is the doctrine which this ministry of reconciliation holds out, and the doctrine which it uses to bring about the reconciliation itself.
God was in Christ:
1. Christ is the same as Messiah, the Anointed One, who was to be prophet, priest, and king, to the human race; not to the Jews only, but also to the Gentiles. There had been prophets, priests, and kings, among the Jews and their ancestors; and some who had been priest and prophet, king and priest, and king and prophet; but none have ever sustained in his own person the threefold office except Christ; for none have ever ministered in reference to the whole world but he. The functions of all the others were restrained to the ancient people of God alone.
2. Now all the others were appointed of God in reference to this Christ; and as his types, or representatives, till the fulness of the time should come.
3. And that this Christ might be adequate to the great work of reconciling the whole human race to God, by making atonement for their sins, God was in him. The man Jesus was the temple and shrine of the eternal Divinity; for in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Col 2:9; and he made peace by the blood of his cross.
4. Christ, by his offering upon the cross, made atonement for the sins of the world; and therefore one important branch of the doctrine of this reconciliation was to show that God would not impute or account their trespasses to them, so as to exact the penalty, because this Jesus had died in their stead.
The whole of this important doctrine was short, simple, and plain. Let us consider it in all its connections:
1. You believe there is a God.
2. You know he has made you.
3. He requires you to love and serve him.
4. To show you how to do this he has given a revelation of himself, which is contained in his law, c.
5. You have broken this law, and incurred the penalty, which is death.
6. Far from being able to undo your offences, or make reparation to the offended majesty of God, your hearts, through the deceitfulness and influence of sin, are blinded, hardened, and filled with enmity, against your Father and your Judge.
7. To redeem you out of this most wretched and accursed state, God in his endless love, has given his Son for you; who has assumed your nature, and died in your stead.
8. In consequence of this he has commanded repentance towards God, and remission of sins, to be published in his name in all the earth.
9. All who repent, and believe in Christ as having died for them as a sin-offering, (2Cor 5:21,) shall receive remission of sins.
10. And if they abide in him they shall have an eternal inheritance among them that are sanctified.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself; by world, here, some would understand all mankind, and by reconciling, no more than making God reconcilable; but this proceedeth from an over fondness of their principle of Christs dying for all, and every man. For as it is manifest from a multitude of scriptures, that world is many times taken in a much more limited and restrained sense; so there is nothing here that guides us to interpret it in such a latitude; nay, that which followeth, doth manifestly so restrain it; for God was not in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, that is, every man and woman in the world, so as not to impute their sins to them. This the apostle here affirmeth; which makes it manifest, that by world here is meant many, some of all sorts, as well Gentiles as Jews; even so many as he pleaseth not to impute their sins unto.
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation: now, (saith the apostle), the dispensing and publishing that word, by which this reconciliation is made known to the children of men, God hath committed to us; to us, that are apostles, and so to the ministers of the gospel that shall succeed us in the work of the ministry. This mightily commendeth the gospel, and the preaching of it, that it is the word by which, as a means, souls are reconciled unto God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. God was in Christ,reconcilingthat is, God was BYChrist (in virtue of Christ’s intervention) reconciling,”c. Was reconciling” implies the time when the act ofreconciliation was being carried into effect (2Co5:21), namely, when “God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to besin for us.” The compound of “was” and the participle”reconciling,” instead of the imperfect (Greek), mayalso imply the continuous purpose of God, from before thefoundation of the world, to reconcile man to Himself, whose fall wasforeseen. The expression ” INChrist” for “by Christ” may be used to implyadditionally that God was INChrist (Joh 10:38 Joh 14:10),and so by Christ (the God-man) was reconciling . . . The Greekfor “by” or “through” Christ (the bestmanuscripts omit “Jesus”), 2Co5:18, is different. “In” must mean here in theperson of Christ. The Greek Katallasson implies “changing”or altering the judicial status from one of condemnation toone of justification. The atonement (at-one-ment), orreconciliation, is the removal of the bar to peace andacceptance with a holy God, which His righteousness interposedagainst our sin. The first step towards restoring peace between usand God was on God’s side (Joh3:16). The change therefore now to be effected mustbe on the part of offending man, God the offended One being alreadyreconciled. It is man, not God, who now needs to be reconciled, andto lay aside his enmity against God (Rom 5:10;Rom 5:11). (“We havereceived the atonement” [Greek, reconciliation],cannot mean “We have received the laying aside of our ownenmity”). Compare Rom 3:24;Rom 3:25.
the worldall men(Col 1:20; 1Jn 2:2).The manner of the reconciling is by His “not imputing tomen their trespasses,” but imputing them to Christ theSin-bearer. There is no incongruity that a father should be offendedwith that son whom he loveth, and at that time offended with him whenhe loveth him. So, though God loved men whom He created, yet He wasoffended with them when they sinned, and gave His Son to suffer forthem, that through that Son’s obedience He might be reconciled tothem (reconcile them to Himself, that is, restore them WITHJUSTICE to His favor) [BISHOPPEARSON, Exposition ofthe Creed].
hath committed unto usGreek,“hath put into our hands.” “Us,” that is,ministers.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,…. This expresses and explains the subject matter of the ministration of the Gospel, especially that part of it which concerns our reconciliation with God; and declares the scheme, the author, the subjects, the way, and means, and consequence of it. The phrase, “in Christ”, may be either joined with the word “God”, as in our version, “God was in Christ reconciling”; that is, he was in Christ drawing the scheme, fixing the method of reconciliation; his thoughts were employed about it, which were thoughts of peace; he called a council of peace, and entered into a covenant of peace with Christ, who was appointed and agreed to, to be the peacemaker. Or with the word “reconciling”, thus, God “was reconciling in Christ”; that is, by Christ; and so it denotes, as before, actual reconciliation by Christ. God, in pursuance of his purposes, council, and covenant, sent his Son to make peace; and laid our sins, and the chastisement of our peace upon him; this is the punishment of sin, whereby satisfaction was made for it, and so peace with God: or with the word “world”, thus, “God was reconciling the world in Christ”; by whom are meant, not all the individuals of mankind, for these are not all in Christ, nor all reconciled to God, multitudes dying in enmity to him, nor all interested in the blessing of non-imputation of sin; whereas each of these is said of the world: but the elect of God, who are chosen in Christ, whose peace Christ is, whose sins are not imputed to them, and against whom no charge of any avail can be laid; and particularly the people of God among the Gentiles are here designed, who are frequently called “the world” in Scripture; being the world which God loved, for whose sins Christ is the propitiation, and of the reconciling of which mention is particularly made, Joh 3:16. And this sense well agrees with the context, which signifies, that no man is regarded for his natural descent; it is no matter whether he is a Jew or a Gentile, provided he is but a new creature: for Gospel reconciliation, and the ministry of it, concern one as well as another. Moreover, this reconciliation must be considered, either as intentional, or actual, or as a publication of it in the ministry of the word; and taken either way it cannot be thought to extend to every individual person in the world: if it is to be understood intentionally, that God intended the reconciliation of the world to himself by Christ, and drew the scheme of it in him, his intentions cannot be frustrated; his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure; a scheme so wisely laid by him in his Son, cannot come to nothing, or only in part be executed; and yet this must be the case, if it was his design to reconcile every individual of mankind to himself, since a large number of them are not reconciled to him: and if the words are to be understood of an actual reconciliation of the world unto God by Christ, which sense agrees with the preceding verse, then it is out of all question, that the word “world” cannot be taken in so large a sense as to take in every man and woman in the world; since it is certain that there are many who are not reconciled to God, who die in their sins, whose peace is not made with him, nor are they reconciled to the way of salvation by Christ: and should it be admitted that the ministry of reconciliation is here designed, which is not an offer of reconciliation to the world, but a proclamation or declaration of peace and reconciliation made by the death of Christ; this is not sent to all men; multitudes were dead before the word of reconciliation was committed to the apostles; and since, there have been great numbers who have never so much as heard of it; and even in the times of the apostles it did not reach to everyone then living: besides, the text does not speak of what God did by the ministry of his apostles, but of what he himself had been doing in his Son, and which was antecedent, and gave rise unto and was the foundation of their ministry. There was a scheme of reconciliation drawn in the counsels of God before the world began, and an actual reconciliation by the death of Christ, which is published in the Gospel, which these words contain the sum and substance of: and this reconciliation, as before, is said to be “unto himself”; to his offended justice, and for the glory of his perfections, and the reconciling of them together in the affair of salvation:
not imputing their trespasses. This was what he resolved upon from all eternity, that inasmuch as Christ was become the surety and substitute of his people, he would not impute their sins to them, or look for satisfaction for them from them; but would reckon and place them to the account of their surety, and expect satisfaction from him; and accordingly he did, and accordingly he had it. And this will, not to impute sin to his people, or not to punish for it, which existed in God from everlasting, is no other than a justification of them; for to whom the Lord does not impute sin, he imputes righteousness, and such are properly justified.
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation; or put it in us, as a rich and valuable treasure; for such the doctrine of peace and reconciliation, by the blood of Christ, is; a sacred deposition, committed to the trust of faithful men, to be dispensed and disposed of for the use and purpose for which it is given them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To wit, that ( ). Latin puts it quoniam quidem. It is an unclassical idiom, but occurs in the papyri and inscriptions (Moulton, Prol., p. 212; Robertson, Grammar, p. 1033). It is in Es 4:14. See also 2Cor 11:21; 2Thess 2:2. It probably means “how that.”
Not reckoning ( ). What Jesus did (his death for us) stands to our credit (Ro 8:32) if we make our peace with God. This is our task, “the word of reconciliation,” that we may receive “the righteousness of God” and be adopted into the family of God.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
God. Emphatic. It was God, as in ver. 18.
Was – reconciling [ ] . These words are to be construed together; the participle with the finite verb marking the process of reconciliation. The emphasis is on the fact that God was reconciling, not on the fact that God was in Christ. God was all through and behind the process of reconciliation. The primary reference of the statement is, no doubt, to God ‘s reconciling manifestation in the incarnation and death of Christ; yet, as a fact, it includes much more. God was engaged in reconciling the world from the very beginning, and that in Christ. See on Joh 1:4, 5, 9, 10.
Hath given to us [ ] . Lit., lodged in us.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “To wit that God was in Christ,” (hos hoti theos en Christou) “To witness (certify) that God was in Christ” manifest in the mystery of godliness, 1Ti 3:16; Heb 1:3.
2) “Reconciling the world unto himself,” kosmon katallasso heauto) “Reconciling (restoring) the world, created universe, to himself” Col 1:20; 2Co 5:15. Not only did Christ provide a basis for pardon and forgiveness of sin but He also provided restoration of a sinners favor or friendship with God, Eph 1:7; Rom 4:13.
3) “Not imputing their trespasses unto them,” (me logizomenos autois ta paraptomata auton) “Not reckoning to them (fallen creatures of the universe) their trespasses,” Gal 3:16; Rom 3:24-25; Rom 4:5-8.
4) “And hath committed unto us,” (kai themenos en hemin) “and putting, placing, or setting in us,” committing to us, the church, Mat 28:18-20; Joh 20:21; Act 1:8; Eph 3:21.
5) “The word of reconciliation,” (ton logon tes katallages) “the word (committed message) of reconciliation,” Eph 3:8-11; Eph 3:21. The message by which reconciliation may be effected between God and lost men, 2Ti 4:1-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
19. God was in Christ. Some take this as meaning simply — God reconciled the world to himself in Christ; but the meaning is fuller and more comprehensive — first, that God was in Christ; and, secondly, that he reconciled the world to himself by his intercession. It is also of the Father that this is affirmed; for it were an improper expression, were you to understand it as meaning, that the divine nature of Christ was in him. (554) The Father, therefore, was in the Son, in accordance with that statement —
I am in the Father, and the Father in me. (Joh 10:38.)
Therefore he that hath the Son, hath the Father also. For Paul has made use of this expression with this view — that we may learn to be satisfied with Christ alone, because in him we find also God the Father, as he truly communicates himself to us by him. Hence the expression is equivalent to this — “Whereas God had withdrawn to a distance from us, he has drawn near to us in Christ, and thus Christ has become to us the true Emmanuel, and his coming is God’s drawing near to men.”
The second part of the statement points out the office of Christ — his being our propitiation, (1Jo 2:2,) because out of Him, God is displeased with us all, inasmuch as we have revolted from righteousness. (555) For what purpose, then, has God appeared to men in Christ? For the purpose of reconciliation — that, hostilities being removed, those who were aliens, might be adopted as sons. Now, although Christ’s coming as our Redeemer originated in the fountain of Divine love towards us, yet until men perceive that God has been propitiated by the Mediator, there must of necessity be a variance remaining, with respect to them, which shuts them out from access to God. On this point we shall speak more fully ere long.
Not imputing to them. Mark, in what way men return into favor with God — when they are regarded as righteous, by obtaining the remission of their sins. For so long as God imputes to us our sins, He must of necessity regard us with abhorrence; for he cannot be friendly or propitious to sinners. But this statement may seem to be at variance with what is said elsewhere — that, we were loved by Him before the creation of the world, (Eph 1:4,) and still more with what he says, (Joh 3:16,) that the love, which he exercised towards us was the reason, why He expiated our sins by Christ, for the cause always goes before its effect. I answer, that we were loved before the creation of the world, but it was only in Christ In the mean time, however, I confess, that the love of God was first in point of time, and of order, too, as to God, but with respect to us, the commencement of his love has its foundation in the sacrifice of Christ. For when we contemplate God without a Mediator, we cannot conceive of Him otherwise than as angry with us: a Mediator interposed between us, makes us feel, that He is pacified towards us. As, however, this also is necessary to be known by us — that Christ came forth to us from the fountain of God’s free mercy, the Scripture explicitly teaches both — that the anger of the Father has been appeased by the sacrifice of the Son, and that the Son has been offered up for the expiation of the sins of men on this ground — because God, exercising compassion towards them, receives them, on the ground of such a pledge, into favor. (556)
The whole may be summed up thus: “Where sin is, there the anger of God is, and therefore God is not propitious to us without, or before, his blotting out our sins, by not imputing them. As our consciences cannot apprehend this benefit, (557) otherwise than through the intervention of Christ’s sacrifice, it is not without good reason, that Paul makes that the commencement and cause of reconciliation, with regard to us.
And hath committed to us. Again he repeats, that a commission has been given to the ministers of the gospel to communicate to us this grace. For it might be objected, “Where is Christ now, the peacemaker between God and us? At what a distance he resides from us!” He says, therefore, that as he has once suffered, (558) (1Pe 3:18,) so he daily presents to us the fruit of his suffering through means of the Gospel, which he designed, should be in the world, (559) as a sure and authentic register of the reconciliation, that has once been effected. It is the part of ministers, therefore, to apply to us, so to speak, the fruit of Christ’s death.
Lest, however, any one should dream of a magical application, such as Papists contrive, (560) we must carefully observe what he immediately subjoins — that it consists wholly in the preaching of the Gospel. For the Pope, along with his priests, makes use of this pretext for giving a color of warrant for the whole of that wicked and execrable system of merchandise, which they carry on, in connection with the salvation of souls. “The Lord,” say they, “has furnished us with a commission and authority to forgive sins.” This I acknowledge, provided they discharge that embassy, of which Paul here makes mention. The absolution, however, which they make use of in the Papacy, is entirely magical; and besides, they inclose pardon of sins in lead and parchment, or they connect it with fictitious and frivolous superstitions. What resemblance do all these things bear to the appointment of Christ? Hence the ministers of the Gospel restore us to the favor of God in a right and orderly manner, when they bear testimony to us by means of the Gospel as to the favor of God having been procured for us. Let this testimony be removed, and nothing remains but mere imposture. Beware, then, of placing even the smallest drop of your confidence on any thing apart from the Gospel.
I do not, indeed, deny, that the grace of Christ is applied to us in the sacraments, and that our reconciliation with God is then confirmed in our consciences; but, as the testimony of the Gospel is engraven upon the sacraments, they are not to be judged of separately by themselves, but must be taken in connection with the Gospel, of which they are appendages. In fine, the ministers of the Church are ambassadors, for testifying and proclaiming the benefit of reconciliation, only on this condition — that they speak from the Gospel, as from an authentic register.
(554) “ Car ce seroit improprement, de dire que la nature Diuine de Christ estoit en Christ;” — “For it were to speak improperly, to say that the Divine nature of Christ was in Christ.”
(555) “ De iustice et obeissance;” — “From righteousness and obedience.”
(556) “ C’est d’ autant que Dieu ayant compassion d’eux, a voulu que ceste mort fust le gage et le moyen par lequel il les receuroit en grace;” — “It is, because God, having compassion upon them, determined that this death should be the pledge and means, by which he would receive them into favor.”
(557) “ Et en estre participantes;” — “And be partakers of it.”
(558) “ Comme il a souffert la mort vne fois;” — “As he has suffered death once.”
(559) “ Lequel il a voulu estre gardé et publié au monde;” — “Which he designed, should be maintained and published in the world.”
(560) See Calvin on John, vol. 2, p. 272. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world.Better, perhaps, How that it was God who was reconciling in Christ a world unto Himself. Both God and world are, in the Greek, without the article. The English rendering is tenable grammatically, but the position of the words in the original suggests the construction given above. He seems to emphasise the greatness of the redeeming work by pointing at once to its author and its extent. The structure is the same as the was preaching of Luk. 4:44. All the English versions, however, from Wiclif downwards, adopt the same construction. Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Geneva version translate, making agreement between the world and Himself instead of reconciling to Himself. The world is, of course, the world of men, the all of 2Co. 5:15.
Not imputing their trespasses unto them . . .The two participial clauses that follow describe the result of the reconciling work. The first is that God no longer charges their transgressions against men: the pronouns being used in the third person plural, as being more individualising than the world, and more appropriate than would have been the first person, which he had used in 2Co. 5:18, and which he wanted, in its narrower extension, for the clause which was to follow. The word for imputing, or reckoning, is specially prominent in the Epistles of this period, occurring, though in very varied shades of meaning, eight times in this Epistle and nineteen times in that to the Romans. The difficulty of maintaining a logical coherence of this truth with that of a judgment according to works does not present itself to the Apostles mind, and need not trouble us. (See Note on 2Co. 5:10.)
And hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.Literally, to maintain the participial construction, placing with (or in) us the word of reconciliation. Tyndale gives atonement here, as in Rom. 5:11.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. In Christ By indwelling and identification; so that what Christ does, as reconciler, God does through him. The reconciliation implies previous opposition on both sides. By it men who “were enemies” (Rom 5:10) have their enmity removed; and by it God, whose “wrath is revealed from heaven,” (Rom 1:18,) is enabled to cease imputing “their trespasses unto them.” Man’s enmity is the hostility of the criminal to righteousness; God’s enmity is the severity of righteousness against the unrighteous. Note on Rom 1:18. The enmity of wrong towards right is terrible; but the enmity of right towards wrong is infinitely more terrible, for it has Omnipotence as its supporter and executioner. The death of Christ, 2Co 5:14-15, the symbol and substitute for its executive infliction, is the token of God’s readiness to pardon; our consent to be reconciled to God, 2Co 5:20, and to receive not the grace of God in vain, are the condition of the appropriation of the power of that death in our individual behalf.
Imputing unto them Charging to men’s account and holding them liable for trespasses.
Word The divine proposal from God to man of reconciliation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Co 5:19. To wit, that God was in Christ, Namely, &c. Doddridge. For God was in Christ, &c. Heylin.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Co 5:19 . Confirmatory elucidation of the previous , . “I have reason for saying, from God , who has reconciled us, etc., because, indeed, God in Christ reconciled the world with Himself ,” etc. The recurrence of the same leading expressions , which were used in 2Co 5:18 , gives to this elucidation a solemn emphasis . The emphatically prefixed, however, looking back to in 2Co 5:18 , shows that the point is not a description of the (Camerarius, Wolf, Estius, Billroth, and others), or of the (Grotius, Rckert), but the divine self-activity in Christ’s reconciling work and in the bestowal of the office of reconciliation. The two participial clauses, . . . and . . ., stand related to . . . . argumentatively , so that the words . . ., which serve to elucidate . . ., 2Co 5:18 , are not co-ordinated to the (as one might expect from 2Co 5:18 ), but are subordinated to it, a change in the form of connecting the conceptions, which cannot surprise us in the case of Paul when we consider his free and lively variety in the mode of linking together his thought.
. . . ] because, indeed, God in Christ was reconciling the world with Himself . On , [238] utpote quod (to be analyzed: as it is the case, because ), see Winer, p. 574 [E. T. 771]. The should go together (see already Chrysostom), and is more emphatic than the simple imperfect. Paul wishes, namely, to affirm of God, not simply what He did ( ), but in what activity He was ; in the person and work of Christ ( ) God was in world-reconciling activity . The imperfect receives from the context the definite temporal reference: when Christ died the death of reconciliation , with which took place that very , 2Co 5:18 . See, especially, Rom 3:24 f., 2Co 5:10 . Ambrosiaster, Pelagius, Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Calovius, Bengel, and many others, including Rckert, Osiander, Neander, connect together: God was in Christ, while reconciling the world with Himself . This would only be possible in the event of the two following participial clauses expressing the mode of reconciliation , which, however, on account of the second clause ( . . .), cannot be the case; they must, on the contrary, contain the confirmation of . . . . According to their contents, however, they do not at all confirm the fact that God was in Christ, but the fact that God was in Christ reconciling the world ; hence it is at variance with the context to make the connection . Theodoret was right in denying expressly this connection. Hofmann, after abandoning his earlier (in the Schriftbew. II. 1, p. 326) misinterpretation (see in opposition to it my fourth edition, p. 147), now explains it by referring . . . merely to . . . . : because He was a God, who in Christ was reconciling to Himself a world in its sinful condition without imputation of its sins, and who had laid the word of reconciliation on him the apostle .” A new misinterpretation. For, first, the qualitative expression “a God,” which is held to be predicative, would not only have been quite superfluous (Paul would have had to write merely . . .), but also quite unsuitable, since there is no contrast with other gods; secondly, the relative tense must apply to the time in which what is said in . . . took place (in the sense, therefore: because he was at that time a God, who was reconciling), which would furnish an absurd thought, because, when Paul became an apostle, the reconciliation of the world had been long accomplished; thirdly, would be a participle logically incorrect, because what it affirms followed on the ; lastly, . cannot be taken in the sense of “ without imputation ,” since a reconciliation with imputation of sins is unthinkable .
] not a world, but the world, even without the article (Winer, p. 117 [E. T. 153]), as Gal 6:14 ; Rom 4:13 . It applies to the whole human race , not possibly (in opposition to Augustine, Lyra, Beza, Cajetanus, Estius) merely to those predestinated . The reconciliation of all men took place objectively through Christ’s death, although the subjective appropriation of it is conditioned by the faith of the individual. [239]
. . .] since He does not reckon (present) to them their sins, and has deposited (aorist) in us the word of reconciliation . The former is the altered judicial relation, into which God has entered and in which He stands to the sins of men; the latter is the measure adopted by God, by means of which the former is made known to men. From both it is evident that God in Christ reconciled the world with Himself; otherwise He would neither have left the sins of men without imputation, nor have imparted to the apostolic teachers the word of reconciliation that they might preach it. If, as is usually done, the participial definition is taken in the imperfect sense (Ewald takes it rightly in a present sense) as a more precise explanation of the modus of the reconciliation, there arises the insoluble difficulty that also would have to be so viewed, and to be taken consequently as an element of the reconciliation, which is impossible, since it expresses what God has done after the work of reconciliation, in order to appropriate it to men. , namely, cannot be connected with , against which the aorist participle is itself decisive; and it is quite arbitrary to assume (with Billroth and Olshausen) a deviation from the construction, so that Paul should have written instead of (comp. Vulgate, Calvin, and many others, who translate it without ceremony: et posuit ).
] The doctrine of reconciliation (comp. on the genitive, 1Co 1:18 ; Act 20:32 ) which is to be preached, is regarded as something deposited in the souls of the preachers for further communication: “sicut interpreti committitur quid loqui debeat,” Bengel. Comp. on , which is not to be taken as among us, the , , .
[238] In 2Co 11:21 , the in does not specify a reason, but introduces the contents of . In 2Th 2:2 , also, is like that . At our passage it is: in measure of the fact, that God was , etc., a more circumstantial and consequently more emphatic introduction of the ground than a simple or would have been. It makes us linger more over the confirmatory ground assigned.
[239] The question whether and how Paul regarded the reconciliation of those who died before the of Christ, and were not justified like Abraham, remains unanswered, since he nowhere explains himself on the point, and since the dead are not included in the notion of . Still, Rom 10:7 , Phi 2:10 presuppose the descent of Christ into Hades , which is the necessary correlative of the resurrection , and it is expressly taught by Paul in Eph 4:9 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 2022
THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION
2Co 5:19-20. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God.
NATURAL as well as revealed religion teaches us that God is the author and giver of all good things. He originally formed man out of the dust of the earth, and still brings us into existence in our successive generations. He appoints the time and place of our birth: he bestows the talents we severally possess: he preserves the health of our bodies, and the vigour of our minds: in him we altogether live, and move, and have our being. Nor is it less evident that redemption also is the work of his hands: for he formed the plan alone, and executed it without the creatures aid. He sent his Son; and qualified him for his office; and upheld him in it. He laid our iniquities on him; and accepted his vicarious sacrifice; and commissioned his Apostles to declare these tidings to the world. All this is plainly asserted in the passage before us; from which we shall,
I.
Shew what God has done to save us
There are two things particularly specified in the text:
1.
He has wrought salvation for us
[Man in innocence walked with God as a friend; but, as soon as he had fallen, shunned his presence, and fled from him as an enemy. Since that time the carnal and unrenewed mind has been in a state of enmity against God; and all the children of men have shewn themselves enemies to God in their minds by wicked works. To effect a reconciliation for themselves was impossible: but God, in his infinite mercy, opened a way for their restoration to his favour. He assumed our nature, and, in the person of Jesus Christ, became our substitute and surety; that, by his own obedience to the law which we had broken, and his enduring of the penalties which we had incurred, he might make satisfaction to his injured justice, and pardon us without any dishonour to himself. By this means he has reconciled the world unto himself; nor will he impute to any their trespasses, if they will accept the reconciliation which he offers them.]
2.
He has sent salvation to us
[God has in every age raised up men to whom he has committed the word of reconciliation, on purpose that they might publish it to their fellow-creatures. He has not committed it to angels, whose presence would confound us, and who, from their never having tasted the bitterness of sin, would probably be unable to sympathize with us: but he has appointed those to speak to us, who are encompassed with the same infirmities, and who need the same forgiveness, as ourselves. To these he has given the ministry of reconciliation. He sends them forth, not to tell men how to purchase his favour, or how (as the common expression is) to make their peace with God; but to inform them, that Christ is our peace, and that God, for Christs sake, is ready to forgive us all our trespasses. This is the sum and substance of the Gospel. This is the treasure which God hath put into us earthen vessels, for the enriching of the poor, and the saving of the lost. And, in having thus sent the tidings of salvation home to our own doors, he has done what will leave us without excuse for ever.]
That such grace may not be displayed in vain, let us,
II.
Urge you to accept salvation
The message we are commissioned to deliver to you, is, Be reconciled to God
[Acknowledge that you have indeed been enemies to God. Surely none of us can doubt whether such have been our state. Let us only look back upon our violations of his law, and they will bear ample testimony to this melancholy truth.
Being convinced of your enmity against God, be humbled for it in dust and ashes. It is not possible to bewail too deeply the guilt which you have contracted.
Be careful to seek reconciliation with God in the way which he has pointed out. Beware of attempting to make satisfaction, as it were, for your sins; for you owe ten thousand talents, and cannot pay one single mite. God in Christ has taken your debt upon himself; and he is willing frankly to forgive you all. Go to him then, and receive mercy at his hands without money, and without price [Note: Some have thought that because we are called upon to be reconciled to God, the enmity subsists only on our part. But not to mention a multitude of passages that represent God as angry with the wicked, the very term is used by our Lord himself as expressive of the offending party seeking pardon from the offended, Mat 5:24.].]
As ambassadors of Christ we would urge our suit with becoming earnestness
[Though we are neither inspired, nor empowered to work miracles, like the Apostles of old, yet are we truly ambassadors from Christ to a guilty world; and we come in his name and stead to treat with you respecting peace. We proclaim an eternal amnesty, if you return to your allegiance: and though, as Gods representatives, we might command, yet, after Christs example, we beseech you to be reconciled to God.
And is this an unreasonable request? Is it not, on the contrary, most reasonable that you should be reconciled to him, who never rendered any thing to you but good, in return for all the evil you have done against him? Is it not madness to continue in rebellion against him, who must prevail at last? And is it not better to bow to the sceptre of his grace, than to be broken in pieces with his rod of iron?
What would you reply, if God should entreat you by a voice from heaven? would you still refuse? Know then, that God himself beseeches you by us; and if you continue to pour contempt on this mercy, your punishment will be sore indeed.]
Application
[What account now shall we give to him who sent us? Must we return and say, Lord, we have spoken to them; but they will not hear; we have invited; but they all begin with one consent to make excuse? O think with yourselves, how soon this day of acceptance and salvation may be passed; and how aggravated will be your condemnation, if you reject these overtures of mercy! Let not our embassy be unsuccessful; but be prevailed upon to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near. Remember however that, if you be restored to Gods favour, you must also be reconciled to his government: you must not assume a subjects name, and retain a rebels heart: if you name the name of Christ, you must depart from all iniquity.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
19 To 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.
Ver. 19. That God was in Christ, &c. ] As the salt waters of the sea, when they are strained through the earth, they are sweet in the rivers; so (saith one) the waters of majesty and justice in God, though terrible, yet being strained and derived through Christ, they are sweet and delightful.
Reconciling the world ] What the apostle meaneth by this, see his own exposition. See Trapp on “ Rom 11:15 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19. ] how that (the imports that the proposition following it, introduced by , is matter of indirect reference. So Xen. Hell. iii. 2. 14, . . . ., and argum. Isocr. Busir. p. 520 (cited by Winer, edn. 6, 65. 9), , ) God in Christ was reconciling the world to Himself ( not exactly = , any more than Luk 4:44 = : in both cases the habitual state is more emphatically implied than could be done by the imperfect merely: the shade of difference can, however, hardly be expressed in English.
cannot, as in Erasm., Luther, Calv., Beza, al., and E. V., belong to , ‘God was in Christ , reconciling’ &c., partly on account of the position of ., which would thus probably be before , but principally (Meyer) because of incoherence with . . .: for in that case the two latter clauses must express the manner of reconciliation by Christ, which the second of them does not.
, without the article, as governed words placed for emphasis before their verbs often are it would not be , but , the whole world , man, and man’s world, entire, with all that therein is , see Col 1:20 , but considered, cf. below, as summed up in man ), not reckoning to them their trespasses ( present : on the expression see reff.), and having placed in us ( past : not merely = ‘ committed to us ,’ but ‘ laid upon us ,’ as our office and charge, and, besides, ‘ empowered us for ,’ ‘ put in our souls by His Spirit .’ ‘ Us ,’ viz. Apostles and teachers) the word of the reconciliation (as , 1Co 1:18 ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Co 5:19 . . . .: viz., that God was reconciling the world, sc. the whole human race ( cf. Rom 4:13 ; Rom 11:12 , and note the absence of the article), to Himself in Christ ( cf. Gal 2:17 ). The pleonastic is not classical, but it is found in late authors (see reff.). The A.V., “God was in Christ, reconciling,” etc., is not accurate; goes with both and , with a participle being more emphatic than a simple imperfect ( cf. Luk 4:44 ). If we take with , we should have to treat . . . as a parallel clause to . . ., which it is not. . . .: not reckoning unto them their trespasses , a parenthetical sentence explanatory of ; cf. Rom 4:8 (Psa 32:2 ). . . .: and had placed in our hands ( cf. 1Th 5:9 , 1Ti 1:12 ; the verb is specially used of the Divine purposes) the Word of Reconciliation, i.e. , the Divine Message which speaks of reconciliation to God; cf. Act 13:26 , , 1Co 1:18 , , Phi 2:16 , , etc.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
world. App-129.
not. App-105.
imputing. See Rom 2:3; Rom 4:6.
trespasses. App-128.
hath committed unto = placed in (Greek. en). Compare 2Co 4:7.
word. App-121.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19.] how that (the imports that the proposition following it, introduced by , is matter of indirect reference. So Xen. Hell. iii. 2. 14, . …, and argum. Isocr. Busir. p. 520 (cited by Winer, edn. 6, 65. 9), , ) God in Christ was reconciling the world to Himself ( not exactly = , any more than Luk 4:44 = : in both cases the habitual state is more emphatically implied than could be done by the imperfect merely: the shade of difference can, however, hardly be expressed in English.
cannot, as in Erasm., Luther, Calv., Beza, al., and E. V., belong to , God was in Christ, reconciling &c.,-partly on account of the position of ., which would thus probably be before , but principally (Meyer) because of incoherence with …: for in that case the two latter clauses must express the manner of reconciliation by Christ, which the second of them does not.
,-without the article, as governed words placed for emphasis before their verbs often are-it would not be , but ,-the whole world,-man, and mans world, entire, with all that therein is, see Col 1:20, but considered, cf. below, as summed up in man),-not reckoning to them their trespasses (present: on the expression see reff.), and having placed in us (past:-not merely = committed to us, but laid upon us, as our office and charge, and, besides, empowered us for, put in our souls by His Spirit. Us, viz. Apostles and teachers) the word of the reconciliation (as , 1Co 1:18).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Co 5:19. ) Explanatory particles.- ) was reconciling, comp. 2Co 5:17, note. The time implied by the verb is shown, 2Co 5:21.[32]- , , in Christ, in us) These words correspond to one another.-, the world) which had been formerly hostile.- , reconciling, not imputing) The same thing is generally amplified by affirmative and negative words.- ) offences many and grave.-, having committed) as it is committed to an interpreter what he ought to say.
[32] viz. the time when God made Jesus to be Sin for us, etc.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Co 5:19
2Co 5:19
to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,-God through Christ has provided the way of salvation, hence he is willing and ready and able to save to the uttermost all who come unto him through Christ. (Heb 7:25). [Sinners are at enmity with God. The friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. (Jas 4:4). The world hates God and Christ and the church. (Joh 15:18-19). To become reconciled to God is to put away this enmity, to love God, to become obedient to him, to imbibe his spirit, and to live in harmony and unity with him. To influence and induce man to do this, God in his love sent Christ to be the propitiation of our sins.]
not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation.-God does not reckon unto men their trespasses, or hold their sins against them, in that he forgives their sins upon their obedience to Christ. (Heb 5:7-9).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
world kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield “Mat 4:8”).
tresspasses Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
God: Mat 1:23, Joh 14:10, Joh 14:11, Joh 14:20, Joh 17:23, 1Ti 3:16
reconciling: Rom 3:24-26, Rom 11:15, 1Jo 2:1, 1Jo 2:2, 1Jo 4:10
not: Psa 32:1, Psa 32:2, Isa 43:25, Isa 44:22, Rom 4:6-8
committed: or, put in us
the word: 2Co 5:18
Reciprocal: Gen 15:6 – he counted Exo 15:2 – an habitation Exo 33:22 – in a clift Exo 40:36 – when Lev 3:8 – sprinkle Lev 5:19 – trespassed Lev 16:20 – reconciling Lev 25:9 – of the jubilee to sound Num 7:17 – peace Num 9:16 – General Num 23:21 – hath not Deu 12:14 – General 2Sa 19:19 – Let not Job 23:3 – where Psa 72:3 – by righteousness Psa 130:4 – But there Pro 8:4 – General Isa 9:6 – The Prince of Peace Isa 27:5 – and he Isa 42:21 – well Eze 45:15 – to make Hos 14:4 – for Joh 3:16 – God Joh 4:42 – and know Joh 5:23 – all men Joh 6:51 – the life Act 13:26 – to you Act 15:4 – all Rom 4:8 – to whom Rom 5:10 – when Rom 5:11 – atonement Rom 15:33 – the God 2Co 5:17 – be Gal 2:16 – but Gal 3:6 – accounted Phi 4:9 – the God Col 1:5 – the word Col 1:20 – having made peace Col 2:9 – in Col 2:13 – having Col 3:15 – the peace 1Th 5:23 – God 2Th 3:16 – the Lord of 2Ti 1:14 – good
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Co 5:19. To wit is an explanatory term, connecting the preceding verse with the present one. The Englishman’s Greek New Testament renders this place, “How. that God was in Christ,” etc. God accomplishes his work for the salvation of the world through the Son. (See Joh 14:6.) Reconciling is from KATALLASSO, which Thayer defines, “to receive one into his favor.” It should be noted in which direction the reconciling is to be done, namely, from man to God. Man is the guilty party while God is the offended one. He has done nothing that needs to be made right, but man has separated himself from Him by his life of sin. However, God loves the creatures of His great wisdom and power, and desires to have them brought back into a life of righteousness. For this purpose the invitation is given for man to come into Christ by obedience to the Gospel. If he will do this, all his sins will be forgiven or not be imputed, which means they will not be longer held against him. The word by which the work is accomplished has been committed unto the apostles.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Co 5:19. to wit(to be more particular)that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses. This shews conclusively, as already said, that the reconciliation of the preceding verse means the removal on Gods part of His just ground of offence against us
His not reckoning to men their trespasses. This is here said to take place in Christ; though in what sense, is reserved for the last verse, But a noteworthy change is made in the form of expression. In 2Co 5:18 it was that God reconciled us, meaning, once for all by that propitiatory death of His Son, in which He received righteous satisfaction for our trespasses (see Rom 5:10; Heb 9:26): here, it is God is in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, expressing the continued reconciliation of individual souls to Himself, as each successively welcomes this reconciliation, made once for all on the cross, as the appointed way of his personal reconciliation to God,
and having committed unto us the word of reconciliationthe glad tidings to proclaim to men.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
In these words the apostle gives us a short but full account of the grand doctrine of a sinner’s reconciliation unto God by the death of Christ, which is the principal subject and substantial part of the gospel.
Where observe, 1. The privilege itself, reconciliation; this is two-fold; fundamental, in the death of Christ, he is our peace: God laid the foundation of our peace and reconciliation with himself in the death of his Son: actual, in the application of it, on our part, by faith. The death of Christ rendered God reconcileable. Faith renders him actually reconciled.
Observe, 2. The Author of this reconciliation, God the Father: he was the Person wronged by sin, declaring his anger against the sinner: hence we are said to have access to the Father through Christ, and by the Spirit. The Son brings us to the Father, and the Spirit directs us to the Son; Christ takes away God’s enmity against us, and the Spirit takes away our enmity against God.
Observe, 3. The medium or mean by which we become reconciled to God, Jesus Christ; Christ was the meritorious cause of this privilege; Christ is the centre of that agreement between the justice of God and the mercy of God.
Observe, 4. The parties at variance, and made one by reconciliation: God and the world, God and mankind. Almighty God, in consideration of Christ’s death, did so far reconcile and forgive the offending world, as to offer them pardon of sin, and salvation by a Redeemer, upon a conditon of their believing acceptance: but none are actually reconciled but believers, who actually accept the terms and conditions of peace and reconciliation by faith, which is a necessary receptive qualification.
Learn hence, That there is an happy peace and reconciliation made in and by Jesus Christ, between an offended God and an offending world.
Reconciliation is a repairing of decayed friendship, or the making up of a breach between two that were formerly friends, but now at variance. The reconciliation is mutual, because the enmity is such; yet the scripture speaks more of our being reconciled to God, than of God’s being reconciled tu us, because we are in the fault, and not God; we the cause of the breach, we offended God, not God us; and because we have the benefit of this reconciliation, and not God, ’tis no profit to him that we are at peace with him; and because all the difficulty of being reconciled lies on our part, and not God’s.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 19 God gave us a means of having our sins forgotten and re-establishing our friendship with him. In turn, he wants us to tell others the terms of becoming God’s friends.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [Christ’s love, I say, constrains me to sacrifice for men, and to persuade them when they grossly misconstrue me, and to seek reconciliation with them when they fight against me. For the whole dispensation under which I work is from God, and is an effort on his part to reconcile his human enemies unto himself. When I myself was such an enemy God reconciled me, and gave to me the work or ministry of reconciling others; so that I am obliged, both by a sense of duty and of gratitude, to proclaim to man that God sent Christ to reconcile the world to him through the forgiveness of those trespasses which made them fear and hate him; and that I may not fail in this sacred office I am likewise obliged to persuade men that this ministry of reconciliation is committed to me.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath {p} committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(p) Used our labour and travail.