Chapter 5
V1 The skenos/tabernacle is metaphorically described here as our epigeios/terrestrial bodies in which the soul dwells as in a tent, and which is taken down at death. It is sensual/soulish, corruptible and only temporary, paving way for the spiritual, eternal, incorruptible bodies which we shall receive at Yeshua’s second advent cf 1 Cor 15:50-54. The former being sensual, is susceptible to sin due to its brutish nature, whereas the latter being spiritual, is incapable of sinning, due to Satan’s host being unable to access it cf 1 Cor 2:14-15.
V2 Unfortunately the desires of most so-called Christians of today are earthly rather than heavenly. People focus to much on material gain, worldly fame and praise and self-centredness, rather than on living a life of humility that should hate the things of the world cf 1 Jn 2:15-17. Doing the will of the Father is contrary to the desires of this fleeting corrupt world, of which Satan is currently the prince of. This would explain why Paul felt as if he were in a quandary, due to this great desire for him to be with Messiah, than to live in this world lacking glory, yet desperately in need of salvation cf Phil 1:21-24.
V3 This clothing of the incorruptible spiritual body, which Paul so desired, was one of honour and majesty, as opposed to dishonour found in nakedness which is analogous to that of the damned cf Ps 104:1-2; Zeph 1:8. Only those who do the will of Elohim, which is following His commandments in no other place but the Torah, shall be clothed in the correct apparel. Those found naked i.e. lacking the apparel shall be cast into outer darkness. Matt 22:1-14 perfectly illustrates this.
V4 bareo translated ‘being burdened’, is better rendered being depressed. The Christian spiritual battle is no easy task, being more depressing and taxing than physical combat, as it is a never-ending battle until the day you die. Satan’s demonic forces unlike human enemies, attack 24-7 never resting in their quest for our souls. The persecution is in the more mature and active Christian soldier depressing, and leaves little wonder as to why completing the battle and being received in glory was something Paul groaned after. The fact that Paul mentions that he wished not to be unclothed, is proof that the Christian on earth is not in a state of nakedness awaiting clothing in heaven, as some commentators erroneously surmise.
Rather, we are clothed in Holy Spirit power once born-again, but progressively grow from strength to strength as our minds are renewed daily. This only occurs in active saints, who grow in spirit and truth, doing the will of the Father. However, although clothed by indwelling of the Holy Spirit within our hearts, our physical body is still corruptible. Paul hence desired for this perishable earthly body to be swallowed up by the imperishable, spiritual body which has life eternal. Every saint throughout the ages has hoped for the imminent return of Yeshua to transform us in the twinkling of an eye from mortal to immortal bodies. Paul would have had such great expectation too in his time.
V5 arrhabon translated ‘earnest’ would in our modern vernacular be translated ‘security, pledge or down-payment’. Elohim the Father has indeed already given us a pledge of the heavenly clothing that awaits us, by currently clothing us in His Holy Spirit which is of the Son Yeshua. If one is to lack the Holy Spirit at death or Yeshua’s return, then as outlined in the parable of the wedding feast of Matt ch 22, such an one shall be considered naked, and not deserving of the clothing of eternal life that swallows up mortality, but instead be cast into outer darkness.
V6 -7 With this thought and understanding in mind we, through faith, have every confidence in the pledge of the Holy Spirit clothing us on earth, ever keeping alive in our hearts the promise given to us, of inheritance unto eternal life when we meet up with the Lord one day cf Gal 3:13-14; Eph 1:13-14;2:18-22;4:30.Faith according to Heb 11:1 is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit but the evidence of Him exists in miracles, signs and creation itself. We cannot see electricity nor the wind, being limited by our mortal sensibilities, yet we see the evidence of these forces of nature. Just because something is not seen does not mean it is not there. Animals of various kinds tend to hear and see things that the human ear and eye cannot perceive. This is the realm of quantum physics where the classic laws of physics do not operate.
An example of this phenomenon lies in the law of entanglement where subatomic particles may be separated by a great distance of say 8 miles, and yet a relationship exists between them. Turning one particle one way causes the other distant one it is related to, to do the same in the same direction at the same time. A large colony of birds for instance of several thousand, migrating from the north pole to the south pole, turn in exactly the same direction at precisely the same time, multiple times, without any apparent command, and can only be due to this invisible law of entanglement. In humans, loved ones continents apart tend to think of each other and have similar thoughts at precisely the same time, even traversing time differences, due to entanglement, which some refer to loosely as telepathy.
V8-9 In our present age, we can only be in one of 2 states: Present with Messiah after death, or absent from Him if still alive on earth. There is no intermediate state, hence the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory, whereby one is held in limbo in some form of holding cell until Messiah comes, is pure heresy. Although the Holy Spirit of Yeshua is in us on earth as a pledge of that promise to be glorified at death, we are still subject to disease, sorrow, and pain due to our mortal corruptible bodies susceptible to demonic attacks through giving in to temptation, of which we wrestle with daily cf Jm 1:12-15.
Hence, we may be considered as saints to be clothed in righteousness through the Holy Spirit indwelt in our hearts, yet it is an inferior clothing as it is compromised by our carnal flesh, which at death releases us unto the prospect of more glorious clothing in heavenly bodies. It is hence imperative that whilst still on earth, we do not be idle with our limited time to prove to our heavenly Father that we are worthy of this clothing. It is with fear and trembling that we should conduct righteous lives, following the leading of the Holy Spirit to follow the Torah of YHVH Elohim the potentate cf Gal 1:10; Eph 6:6; 1 Jn 3:9.
V 10 ‘bema’ translated ‘judgement seat’ is a raised place mounted by steps. Every single deed done in our bodies between birth and death, shall be weighed in the balance, those deeds done after being born-again most likely being the most scrutinized, as they represent deeds done after our age of reckoning cf Acts 17:29-31. The once saved always saved heresy is shred to bits by this reality presented here. This appearance at the bema is for the righteous dead, not the damned, the latter of which shall be judged at the great white throne judgement cf Rev 20:11-15. The deeds of the saints on earth, will determine their rewards and status in heaven. Although safe from the lake of fire, bad deeds will suffer them loss, good deeds leading to gain cf 1 Cor 3:13-15;4:5; Rom 14:10-12.
V11 YHVH Elohim is full of great mercy and grace, is longsuffering and patient for us to repent and follow His laws to do His will. However, as evident throughout the pages of scripture His terror against the reprobate soul is limitless, not only as depicted in the Old Testament but also in the new. Ananias and Sapphira are a tragic example of post Messianic saints walking on the wrong side of YHVH’s law. Many pulpits of today are bereft of the preaching of YHVH’s terror upon wilful sinners, especially within the body of Messiah. We are to reveal this reality more often, to not only persuade men to repent and never seek sin again, but also to constantly remind the repentant, forgiven soul of the possibility of losing one’s hope of salvation. This would in this day and age sober up many who have slipped into a state of complacency and false security, blinded by the devices of the devil cf Col 1:28-29
V12 Note the word for glory used here is not doxa, which is restricted to being that of Elohim, but rather kauchema, which is Greek for boasting or revelling in one’s achievements. The Corinthians were a very carnal assembly as we discovered in our study of 1st Corinthians. They were terribly engrossed in keeping up appearances for the vain praises of man, of which Paul vehemently oppressed in his writings.
He never wanted to be accused as being swept up in this sin, and throughout this 2nd epistle to the Corinthians reiterated his innocence from such potential or apparent accusations hurled his way. It was abundantly clear that Paul had toiled ceaselessly to rehabilitate the Corinthian ecclesia which was entrenched in unspeakable sin. Yet instead of seeking acknowledgement and kudos from the congregation, Paul played along to their love for praise from men and actually gave the Corinthian ecclesia the go ahead to boast of their righteousness to those who judge by appearance and not the heart!
V13 existemi translated ‘besides ourselves’ in this context should be translated insane, and sophroneo which is translated ‘sober’ should be translated sane. This makes the verse more understandable. Paul was crazy for the gospel of Yeshua and considered himself mad for Elohim. His more sane attributes were reserved for the ecclesia, lest they were to fail to understand his deep love for Elohim, which in worldly eyes appeared as madness cf Acts 26:24-26. Festus, a non-believer found Paul’s passionate defence of the gospel of Messiah to be that of an unhinged mind.
V14 sunecho translated constraineth is better rendered to hold together i.e. to prevent falling apart. It is indeed the love of Yeshua that not only keeps together the body of Messiah represented by the saints, but also prevents our present world from total collapse brought about by the devil and his emissaries. Even the elements and celestial bodies are held in space by that love of their creator the Messiah Yeshua of Nazareth cf Col 1:16-17; Heb 1:3; Ps 75:3. Paul rightly observed that if one were to have died for all, then logic would explain the reason for doing so being to give to life that which is dead.
Without the redemptive blood of Yeshua, we would all be destined for eternal death and be trapped in Hades as the saints who died before his advent were in Abraham’s bosom. This was the section of Hades where they were held which gave them refuge from the section of the damned who burned in hell cf Lk 16:22-26. These righteous souls in Abraham’s bosom were freed from captivity, when Yeshua rose from the dead, and were taken up to paradise, where the post Messianic saints go to after death, awaiting their new bodies at Yeshua’s second advent cf Eph 4:8-10; Rev 6:9-11;7:9,13-14.
V15 Having provided a means for us to be with Elohim the Father, after death, would it not be our duty to live our lives for that very being who gave up His life for us? Without His death and resurrection, the wages of our sins would have been eternal damnation cf Rom 6:23. It is a complete insult to Yeshua for anybody to deny Him as Lord, especially with the historical and spiritual evidence that is abundant. It also is equally selfish to live our lives as we please, willingly refusing to submit to His commandments of righteous living outlined in Torah. It will be impossible for anybody found wanting at the great white throne judgement to defend themselves from the judgement of the lake of fire awaiting all unrepentant evildoers.
V16 Once born-again, we should no longer lead a carnal life which is alien and antagonistic to the Torah of the Spirit. Even Yeshua who never committed a single sin in his fleshly body, died and rose again unto a spiritual body. We should be forever thankful for His death and resurrection for us, but not focus on His flesh but on His current and forever Spiritual life. It is a shame to see masses of Christians venerate questionable relics supposedly related to Yeshua such as the shroud of Turin, His purported tomb of burial and the like, which have no salvational basis, and at best carry demonic bondage. Rather we should be celebrating His resurrection life which defeated death and Hades, and guaranteed the promise of inheritance unto eternal life for His righteous believers cf Rom 8:1-13.
V17 cf Matt 9:16-17. ktisis/creature is better translated creation. We do not have to wait for the incorruptible body to become a new creation. Our new birth occurs at baptism by water and of the Holy Spirit, this being facilitated by the Holy Spirit inhabiting our hearts, which become transformed from stony and wicked to Torah-abiding hearts of flesh cf Jer 17:9; Eze 36:26-27; Jn 3:3. The devil and his demonic host operate through our members, the flesh, to hijack our soul in order for it to be subject to appetite and passion, that is psuchikos/sensuous and operating in its lower bestial nature. The Holy Spirit conversely operates through our nous/mind to perceive divine things, renovating our soul to a rational state, that is pneumatikos/spiritual which is the higher, renovated nature cf Eph 4:21-24.
V18 ek translated ‘are of’ is more accurately translated ‘out of’. Also, dia translated ‘by’ is better rendered ‘through’. This makes it easier to comprehend the verse. All things come out of the Father, who has allowed us to come near Him again, reconciled through His Son Yeshua whose blood that was shed, permitted this forgiveness of sins. Not only did Yeshua’s blood restore our broken relationship with the Father, but also a ministry of restoration to preach to the lost world was also given to the apostles by Yeshua. It was also subsequently passed on to us succeeding saints who have believed in this beautiful gospel of the promise unto eternal life.
V19 YHVH was in Messiah, who came in the flesh in order to restore His favour upon us. YHVH’s glory is in the face of Messiah cf 4:6. Had YHVH the Father come in the Spirit, He by His consuming fire would have destroyed all, as He is incapable of being in the presence of sin. Messiah became sin for us, and by His righteousness was victorious. This allowed fallen mankind to be reconciled to Elohim through Yeshua the righteous man, the second Adam who gives eternal life cf 1 Cor 15:45.
V20 As preachers of the gospel of Messiah, every saint is an ambassador of Yeshua, armed with the gospel to be preached to the lost, in the place of Yeshua who is in heaven. We are however, guided by the Holy Spirit of Yeshua in our hearts into bringing lost souls into the kingdom of Elohim, for reconciliation unto the Father. It is a massive privilege and a responsibility of great magnitude which cannot be taken lightly, for if the gospel is misrepresented, culminating in the misleading of potential converts unto doctrines of devils, then the ambassador so committing of treachery, would have the terror of Elohim to answer to. I pray that these commentaries so presented to you dear reader/listener are pure in truth and beseech the Holy Spirit for any falsehood ignorantly taught, to fail to find its way into your heart and mind Eph 6:18-20.
V21 Messiah was made sin for us on the cross, in order to be the curse for us for transgressing Torah. This is the mystery that Satan and his evil angelic horde failed to perceive. We are now free from the curse of the law that leads to death and alienation from the Father cf Gal 3:13-14.