2 Corinthians 5:12-16 meaning

In the previous section, Paul emphasized the importance of living with an eternal perspective. We should bear in mind that all we do in this life will be judged in the next. We will receive rewards for what we did in this life, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). We are living in temporary earthly dwellings that are our physical bodies. Our earthly bodies are like tents, in that they are temporary dwellings, and we are to look for a permanent dwelling in a resurrected body.

Meanwhile, while dwelling here on the earth, we should consider ourselves as “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7). This “treasure” is present within us because God has made us new creations, as Paul states in verse 17:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” 
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

The previous section ended with verses 10-11, where Paul says that he operates in the fear of the Lord, making his ministry manifest to God, and he hoped to their consciences, knowing that he is living in obedience to Christ. Now he asserts 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 (v 12).

Paul’s focus is on what God will judge: the heart. God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Paul appeals to the conscience of the Corinthians, their heart, not appearance. Paul is not commending ourselves to you in speaking of his living as unto the Lord, to please Him. He is, rather, giving instruction to the Corinthians so that they can answer those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.

The inference is that Paul’s critics are focusing on appearance before men rather than the heart, which is what God sees. Paul is giving factual data to his followers in Corinth so they can defend the heart of Paul to those whose focus is upon outward appearance. We get a hint of this criticism later in this letter, where Paul says:

“For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible’” (2 Corinthians 10:10), and

“You are looking at things as they are outwardly” (2 Corinthians 10:7a).

Paul is being criticized by rivals (men who are likely seeking to undermine his authority and replace it with their own) because he is personally unimpressive. But here Paul is speaking of the assertion he made in the last section (2 Corinthians 5:11) that “we are made manifest to God,” meaning that Paul believes his deeds will be approved by Jesus at His judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10).

This is a bold claim. But Paul repeats what he said in 2 Corinthians 3:1, “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?” when he says: We are not again commending ourselves to you. Paul desires that the church in Corinth sees who Paul really is and the pride (proud of us) comes from his obedience to and commitment to please Christ, and his love for the Corinthian church (2 Corinthians 2:4).

The appearance that apparently Paul’s critics take pride in is not described. We might presume that Paul’s opponents suffer from the same religious pride for which Jesus chastised the scribes and Pharisees, when He said:

“But they [religious leaders] do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.” 
(Matthew 23:5-8)

Jesus chastised these religious leaders for being false, seeking benefit for themselves by exploiting rather than serving those to whom they had been appointed as shepherds. Similarly, Paul calls out his critics for being “false apostles,” as later in this letter Paul says of his opponents:

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” 
(2 Corinthians 11:13)

Next, Paul makes a statement that might indicate that he had been accused by his critics of being mentally unsound: For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you (v13).

The Greek word translated Beside ourselves carries with it the idea of being “out of our mind” as contrasted with being of sound mind. The word is often translated “amazed” but is translated similarly in the book of Mark, when Jesus was being overwhelmed by crowds coming to him and his own family said, “He has lost His senses” (Mark 3:21).

This may have been a charge leveled against him by his Corinthian critics, so Paul appears to use this to clearly outline the focus of his ministry: it is for God and it is for you. This is regardless of Paul’s mental state. Paul is asserting that regardless of whether he is off kilter or of sound mind, his motivation is unchanged. Whatever Paul does he does to please God (for God). And Paul pleases God by working on behalf of the best welfare of the Corinthians believers (for you).

His entire life was being lived in Christ, defining his confidence, his urgency, his motivation, his perspective, his conviction, his message, his ministry, and his calling. That kind of life is certainly “other worldly” and is what led Paul to say, “For our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20) and in this chapter that he was “longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven” (2 Corinthians 5:2).

It is not surprising that some would say he is beside himself or not in his right mind since he was enduring such hostility without wavering. For Paul, though, and those who are in Christ, it was a sign of being of sound mind, understanding that our ultimate aim is to please Christ, and that it will be He who judges our deeds on the day of judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10).

To the extent that Paul’s mind is different, his explanation is this: For the love of Christ controls us (v. 14).

This would explain Paul’s other-worldly approach to life. He is living as unto the Lord (his citizenship being in heaven) while serving and ministering to the Corinthian believers (as he was appointed to do, and as he does to please God).

The Greek word translated controls is important for us to consider, particularly as it is used in this context. This word, controls, has elsewhere been translated “constrains” and “compels.” The Greek word carries with it the thought of domination. In this instance, Paul is declaring that it is the domination of the love of Christ in the light of Christ’s death on the cross that determines his motivation for living in Christ. One of Webster’s dictionary definitions of “control” is “to exercise restraining or directing influence over.”

This is certainly the direction in which Paul is moving as he states the love of Christ controls us. This love, demonstrated on the cross by Christ, has become the great conclusion—having concluded this (v.14b)—or conviction of Paul’s life. It is this conclusion and this conviction that directs Paul’s life and ministry, That one died for all, therefore all died (v 14c).

This phrase can be translated “if one died for all, then were all dead.” The idea seems to be that the reason Jesus had to die for everyone (one died) is because every human was born spiritually dead (all died, Romans 5:12). It is through Jesus’s death that all can live (Romans 6:4, 8:11).

This ever present reality of the love of Christ controlled and directed Paul to the following conclusion: 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 (v. 15).

For Paul, it was clear that to live by the conviction that Christ died for us is to be controlled or compelled by the love of Christ. That means we no longer live for ourselves. Here is another paradox. Paul has just admonished each person to live such that they gain approval from Christ at the judgement seat of Christ. Now he is saying that the way to gain what is best for us is to no longer live for ourselves. This is similar to the paradox Jesus taught during His ministry, that the way to gain the greatest possible life for ourselves is to lay our lives down (Matthew 16:24-26).

This conviction, belief, and love effectively focused Paul toward an eternal perspective. His message throughout this letter was an urgent cry and plea for the Corinthian believers to be similarly oriented and motivated. Paul desires to live for Him who died and rose again.

Paul lives with a constant view that his aim is to please God, the God who died and rose again that we might live. That is the same God who will judge Paul’s deeds and motives (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The Greek word translated love in the phrase the love of Christ controls us in verse 14 is “agape.” It is one of several Greek words translated to English as “love.” The word “agape” is a love of choice rather than of mere affection. Christ chose to suffer on our behalf, out of obedience to His Father (Philippians 2:5-9). He endured rejection and death in order to love us, for our benefit. And that is the nature of those who live in “agape” love; it is to no longer live for themselves.

Paul painted a word picture of “agape” love in his first letter to the Corinthians, saying that “agape” love is a series of actions oriented toward serving the best interest of others. Examples include:

•      “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4). By definition, patience is a choice. We can only exercise patience when we endure an annoyance.
•      “Love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Kindness is seeking the benefit for another without them being able to repay. Again, a choice that seeks good for others. 
•     “Love does not brag and is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4).

This kind of “agape” love is completely contrary to our fallen nature, which Paul calls the “flesh.” Paul typically uses the term “flesh” to refer to self-seeking behavior that extracts from and coerces others. Accordingly, he adds: Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh (v. 16a).

Paul lists the deeds or “fruit” of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21. These include “jealousy, outbursts of anger, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing” and similar behaviors that are self-indulgent and controlling. These are of the world, and have nothing to do with the “kingdom of God.”

The deeds or “fruit” of the Spirit which Paul sets forth in Galatians 5:22-23 begins with “agape” (love). These two ways of living are diametrically opposed. The flesh leads to death and separation. The Spirit leads to life and connectedness. Paul no longer desires to recognize anyone according to the flesh.

 The Greek word translated recognize is often translated “see.” The Therefore in verse 16 is connected to the prior verses which say:

•  “For the love of Christ controls us” (v 14), 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” (v 15)

It appears that Paul is declaring that he no longer sees or looks at people through the eyes of his flesh, which is to see them as useful objects. Rather, now he sees them through the eyes of the Spirit of Christ, the love of Christ, and the total conviction that Christ died for us. Paul has a new worldview—a new way to see and think about the world and all that is in it. Paul is choosing a godly perspective, a perspective rooted in faith that what God says is true.

Paul is choosing a perspective that looks at other people as fellow humans for whom Jesus died. As he said in verse 14, For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died—Paul now looks at other through the eyes of the love of Christ, because Jesus died for all.

This is a mindset Paul chose. Paul wrote the letter of Philippians with a theme of choosing the right perspective/worldview/attitude/mindset.

The Greek word “phroneo” (“attitude”) appears in some form ten times in that short letter. In Philippians 2:5, Paul writes “Have this attitude [“phroneo”] in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” “Phroneo” can also be translated as “mind” or “mindset,” and could potentially be translated “perspective.” It is apparent that a perspective/mindset/attitude is something to be chosen, and we can choose wisely or poorly.

As a result of this mindset Paul has chosen—that Christ died for all—he now asserts 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 (v 16).

If Jesus died for all then the rationale for bigotry and division among and between human social groups is done away with. Paul desires to no longer view people through eyes according to the flesh. Paul once hated Jesus and all His followers. Now he realizes how wrong that was. And since Jesus died for all, who are we to hate them?

Paul is now declaring that he is intent on no longer choosing a perspective/mindset/attitude toward others through fleshly eyes, but rather through spiritual eyes. He will not look at others as a means to an end (living for self) but rather as an object of Christ’s love. Those who choose wisely like this will no longer “live for themselves” (flesh) but will rather live the love of Christ toward others.

Paul admits that he once looked at Christ through fleshly eyes: even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer (v 16b).

When Paul first knew of Christ, he saw Him through the fleshly eyes of Paul the Pharisee, religious leader, and enemy of the church. With this worldview/perspective, Paul viewed the advent of Jews believing in Christ as a threat to him and his way of life. Accordingly, this fleshly perspective/mindset/attitude led him to begin to persecute Jesus by persecuting His followers. He admitted this in his first letter to Corinth, where he said:

“For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” 
(1 Corinthians 15:9)

Paul did not overcome this wrong mindset alone. He overcame this sinful past through God’s grace. He says in the next verse in 1 Corinthians:

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” 
(1 Corinthians 15:10)

Paul labored for Christ all the more, recognizing the past damage he had done.