The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 122

presses us, nnd thC'refore keeps us irresistibly larit:m for ~el catholicity. He regBt(lS to one objc-ct (Luke xii. 50). ThlLt if one Cl~mt, not m th~ light ()f earthly reh\tion- 'died for all, then were all dead. This is an ehip~ 1tnd conditiop8, but ee the risen 1 unfortunate mist.ronslation and wrong read- glonfied, eternal, universal Saviour. ing for (hat one died for all, tl,erefOf'e all died. Ver. 17.-Therefore. If even 11, human, What <'ompcls Paul to @R<'rifice himself to personal, external knowlcdgG of Ohrist is the "ork of God for his oonverts is the hencoforth of no significnnce, it follows that ('{111\·iction, which he former! once for all nt there must have been a total chango in all his conversion, that One, even Christ, died on rclntions towards him. The historic fact of bcholf of all men (Rom. v. 15-19) a redeem- such Q changed relationship is indicatml ing death (ver. 21); and that, consequently, clearly in J<;>hn ~x. 17. Mary Magdalene in that d~ath, nil pof,.,,tially died with him- was there lovmgly tanght that o. '!recognition died to t.bcir life of sin, and rose to the life of Christ after the fl.eeh," i.e. as metely e. ()f righteousness. The best comments ()D 7mman_frie~d, was~·~ o thing of the past. this bold aud concentrated phrase are-" I In Christ; ,.e. o Christian, For perfect faith died t.o the Law that I mi.trht live to Christ;" attnins to mystic union with Christ. A new "I have been cruc(fi.ed unth Ghrist" (Gal. ii. creature; rather, a ,ma creation (Gal. vi. 19. 20); and," Ye dietl,and your life has been 15). The pLrase is borrowed from the rabbis hidden with Christ in God" (Col. iii. 8). who used it t.o express tbe condition of ~ When Christ died, all humanity, of wliich he proselyte. But the meariing is not more was the federal Head, died potentially with Jewish arrogance and exclusiveness, but the him to sin ond selfishness, as he further shows deep trnth of spiritual regeneration o.nd the, in the next verso. new birth (John ill. 3; Eph. ii. 10; iv. 23, Ver. 15.-Unto themeelvea. That they 24; Col. iii. 3, etc.). Old things; literally, should live no longer the psychic, '.ie. the the ancient thing,, o.ll that belongs to the old animal, selfish, egotistic life, but t.o their Adam. Behold. The word expresses. the risen Saviour (Rom. xiv. 7-9; l Cor. vi. 19). writer's vivid realization of the truth·.he is· Ver. I 6.-Xnow no man after the 11.eah. It uttering. All things. The whole sphere of is a consequence of my death with Christ being, and therewith the whole aim -.e.nd ihat I have done with carnal, Bllperficial, choracter of1ife. The clause illustrates the earthly, external jndgments according to the "new creation." ' nppeamnce, and not according to the heart. Ver. 18.-Ancl all things are of God; Yea, though we have known Christ after the literally, but all things (in this "new crea- fl.esh. The word for " know " is different tion") are from God . . Who hath reconoiled from the one just used (o~ci, scio; r,,.,.,,,.., us; rather, who (by Christ's• one offering of cngnO'Ui), and may be rendered, "though we himself) -reconciled us to himM~f. W:e were have ta.ken note of." The whole phrase, his enemies (Rom. v.10; xi. 28), but, because which has been interpreted in multitudes of he was still our Friend and Father,he brought different ways, and ha.s led to many different us back to himself by.Christ. The ministry hypotheses, must be understood in accordance of reoonciliation. The ministry which with the cont.ext. St. Paul is saying that he teaches the reconciliation . which he h118 bas now renounced nll mere earthly o.nd effected for us. • human judgments; and he here implies that Ver. 19.-God was in Christ, ,reoonciling the day has been (whether-which is a very the world unto himeolf. Thie and the many nnlikely view-before his conversion, when other passages of Scripture· which always he looked on Christ as e. "deceiver," or just :represent the at.onement ne the work of the after hi.a conversion, when possibly he may blessed Trinity, and as bein~ the result of only have known him partially as the Jewish. the lot1e, not of the wrath, of God. ought to McsSULh) when be knew Christ ollly in this have been e. sufficient warning against the fleshly way; but henceforth he will know hideous extravagance . of those fo-rensic him so no more. Probably this "knowing statements of the atonement which have Christ after the fl.esh" is a rebuke to those disgraced almost 11, thousand years, of theo- members ()f the Christ party at Corinth logy (Rom. v. 10; I John iv. 10). That who may have boasted that they were God's purpose of mercy embraced o.ll man• superior to .all others because they had per- kind, end not an elect few, · is again and sollJl.lly seen or known Christ-a spirit which again stated in Scripture ·(see Col. i. 20). Christ himself not only discouraged (John Not imputing their trespasses unto them; xvi. 7) but even rebuked (Matt. xii. 50). To See this developed in Rom. xv. 5-8. Rath St. Paul Christ is now regarded 811 fur a1x?ve entrusted unto. u1; literally, who also de- all local, national, personal, and J-0w1sh posited in u, a.a though it were some sacred limitations, and as the principle of spiritual treasure. life in the heart of every Chri~tian. In the Ver. 20.-Now then. It is, then, on ChrisL'a \'iew which be took ()f his Lord St. Paul behalf that we a.re ambassadors. 'l'his ex- henceforth has banished BJ\ Jewish particu- cludes all secondary aims. Bt. Paul uses the  011 v. 1-21.] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 123