1 We know that when our earthly dwelling,
or rather our tent, is destroyed, we may count on a building from God, a
heavenly dwelling not built by human hands, that lasts forever.
2 Therefore we long and groan: Why may we not put on this heavenly dwelling
over that which we have?
3 (Indeed, are we sure that we shall still be wearing our earthly dwelling
and not be un clothed?)
4 As long as we are in the field-tent, we indeed moan our unbearable fate
for we do not want this clothing to be removed from us; we would rather put
the other over it, that the mortal body may be absorbed by true life.
5 This is God¡¯s purpose for us, and he has given us the Spirit as a pledge
of what we are to receive.
6 So we feel confident always. We know that while living in the body, we are
exiled from the Lord,
7 living by faith, without seeing;
8 but we dare to think that we would rather be away from the body to go and
live with the Lord.
9 So, whether we have to keep this house or lose it, we only wish to please
the Lord.
10 Anyway we all have to appear before the tribunal of Christ for each one
to receive what he deserves for his good or evil deeds in the present life.
We proclaim the message of reconciliation
11 So we know the fear of the Lord and we try to convince people while we
live openly be fore God. And I trust that you know in your conscience what
we truly are.
12 Once more, we do not try to win your esteem; we want to give you a reason
to feel proud of us, that you may respond to those who heed appearances and
not the real ity.
13 Now, if I have spoken foolishly, let God alone hear; if what I have said
makes sense, take it for yourselves.
14 Indeed the love of Christ holds us and we realize that if he died for
all, all have died.
15 He died for all so that those who live may live no longer for themselves,
but for him who died and rose again for them.
16 And so from now on, we do not regard anyone from a human point of view;
and even if we once knew Christ personally, we should now regard him in
another way.
17 For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him
the old things have passed away; a new world has come.
18 All this is the work of God who in Christ reconciled us to himself, and
who entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation.
19 Because in Christ God reconciled the world with himself, no longer taking
into account their trespasses and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation.
20 So we present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ, as if God
himself makes an appeal to you through us. Let God reconcile you; this we
ask you in the name of Christ.
21 He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin, so that in him we might
share the holiness of God.
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Comments 2 Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 5
• 5.11 There are many ways of understanding faith: for each one of us, one
or other aspect of Christian life makes more of an impact. What Paul sees in
Christ is the great messenger and artisan of reconciliation.
His first conviction is that, with the death of Christ, a new age has begun
for divided humanity. If he died for all, all have died (v. 14), namely, the
whole history and wisdom of people before him have been surpassed and now
God works among us in other ways.
We do not regard anyone from the human point of view (v. 16). Paul confides
something of his affective life. Those around him love him, even if they
make difficulties for him, and in the Church each one has his friends, those
on whom he may count. Paul loves them, but doubtless not all in the same
way. To begin with, he accepts persons with different criteria and is not
guided (as are many Corinthians) by the appearance of fine speakers (v. 12).
And his affec tiv ity has been renewed in the measure that he has been
possessed by Christ: he loves them as God loves them and as God would like
them to be.
Even if we once knew Christ personally¡ (v. 16). (Paul says: ¡°If we have
known him in the flesh¡± or, as he was in his humanity.) He no longer sees
Christ as a Galilean preacher, enclosed in the context of Jewish life, but
rather dominating history. Without a doubt he is also alluding to certain
adversaries who consider themselves superior to him because they have known
Jesus or belong to his family. He says to them: ¡°we must¡± (which means: you
must) see him differently: do not see him as your cousin!
The one who is in Christ is a new creature (v. 17): first because the
barriers that divide and separate people no longer exist for him (see Gal
3:27; Eph 2:14-16). Also because it is not human desires that guide him, but
the Spirit of God who recreates him at every instant (Gal 5:13-21).
In Christ God reconciled the world with himself (v. 19). Many people like to
say: Jesus is love. This is true, but let us not forget that this love is
his response to the love of the Father who wishes to reconcile us; we must
do away with the idea of an angry God whom Je sus tries to appease (Rom
3:25).
Who entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation (v. 18). Christians are
not satisfied with only singing the praises of God, and their supreme
aspiration is not to find a likeable community. They do their part in the
task of universal reconciliation that supposes a denunciation of injustice
and sin, and the effort to overcome them. Today the Church says a great deal
about this so that we may better understand our mission in the world and in
the conflicts and tensions that tear our nations apart.
We present ourselves as ambassadors in the name of Christ (v. 20). This is
not only true of the apostles and Paul. It is also meant for us when we go
to visit the sick or the needy; when, overcoming suspicion, we ap proach our
brother or sister to create an at mosphere of confidence, so that, shortly,
we may arrive at fraternal fellowship with others who have the same problems
but who, in spite of that, often remain locked in their selfishness.
He had no sin (v. 21). It is difficult to translate Paul¡¯s words: ¡°He made
sin him who did not know sin,¡± for obviously Paul here speaks according to
Hebrew culture where the same word denotes both the sin and the victim who
carries the sin. Paul recalls the mystery of the cross: reconciliation is
not achieved without voluntary victims who take on themselves the hatred and
the sin of humankind.