A PROFOUND
&
EMPOWERING
TRUTH

For (gar) is a term of explanation. Always stop and ask "What is being explained?" (Or "Why is it being explained?" or "When...?" or "To whom...?", in other words, interrogate the "for" with the 5W/H questions). Let's keep the context in mind and remember that Paul is defending his apostleship against false apostles and false teaching. Recall that Paul has just described being beside himself (2Co 5:13), which is another way of saying that the impression he gave many was that he had "lost his marbles" and was out of his mind. Mark records that Paul was in good company for Jesus' own family thought the same thing about Him...

And He came home, and the multitude gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. And when His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses (existemi)." (Mk 3:20, 21)

Paul Barnett says that...

The explanatory "For" relates back to Paul's selflessness in ministry, as in v. 13. If he has been "beside himself," it has been for God; and if he has been "self-controlled," it has been for the Corinthians. Nothing was for Paul. It is, he asserts, a life controlled by Christ's own love.

(Barnett adds the technical note that) "love of Christ" is capable of being interpreted either as an objective genitive ("love for Christ") or as a subjective genitive ("Christ's love [for us]" {Ed: NIV translates it as subjective genitive = "Christ's love for us"}), a love that was directed to both Paul and the Corinthians (cf. 2Co 4:11). The context indicates that the latter is uppermost in the writer's mind, and most grammarians and commentators take it as a subjective genitive (e.g., A. T. Robertson, Grammar, 539; Plummer, 173; but cf. Héring, 41-42). (NICNT: 2Corinthians)

A W Tozer described genuine followers (disciples, believers) of Christ as somewhat "out of step" ("out of their minds") with the rest of the world writing that...

A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feel supreme love for One Whom he has never seen. Talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see. He expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order that he might be full, admits he is wrong to he can be declared right, and goes down in order to get up. He is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and is happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, and gives away so he can keep. He sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passes knowledge.

G. Campbell Morgan told about a Christian woman who was struggling with being "beside herself" for Jesus.

The woman said to Morgan, “I know I will have to do all the things I most dislike, but I am determined to be a real Christian.” A year later, Morgan was visiting in her town and spoke with her again. “Do you recall,” she inquired, “What I said to you when I dedicated my life to Christ?” He told her he did. As she looked at him, the light of God appeared to be on her face. She exclaimed, “But it’s been so different, Dr. Morgan! I began to follow Christ, feeling that I would have to do all the things that were contrary to my desires, but now I do what I want every day because God has made me pleased with the things that please Him!”

KJV Bible Commentary...

Whether Paul appeared to be out of control or under control, Christ’s love for Paul held him in such a grip, that it constituted the compelling force in everything he did. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson or Logos)

New American Bible translation note says that...

These verses echo 2Cor 4:14 and resume the treatment of "life despite death" from 2Cor 4:7-5:10.

Chafin writes...

In verses 14 and 15 he opens his heart and reveals the secret that drove him to spend his life the way he did. These six words, “the love of Christ constrains us” (v. 14), say it all. This was the truth, and this was what above all else Paul wanted the Corinthians to believe about him. The primary focus was on Christ’s love for us and not our love for him. The belief that on the Cross Christ acted on behalf of the whole human race became the foundation of Paul’s thinking and action. When the implication of the statement, “He died for all” (v. 15), began to get hold of Paul, it changed permanently his feeling about every person in the world. The fact that every person he met was the object of God’s eternal love and was one for whom Christ died defined the nature of his ministry. This is why Paul’s evangelism never exploited or manipulated people. He had come to love them the way Christ did. (Chafin, K. L. Vol. 30: The Preacher's Commentary Series, 1, 2 Corinthians. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson)

Spurgeon on the love of Christ not as that which ought, but which must compel us...

The Gospel to the Christian is a thing of power. What is it that makes the young man devote himself as a missionary to the cause of God, to leave father and mother and go into distant lands? It is a thing of power that does it—the Gospel. What is it that constrains the minister in the midst of cholera to climb up that creaking staircase and stand by the bed of some dying creature who has that dire disease? It must be a thing of power which leads him to venture his life. It is love of the cross of Christ which bids him to do it. (Ed: Christ's love for us manifest on the Cross is the constraining power.) With some people, when they give Christ anything or do anything for Him, it is dreadfully forced work. They say, "The love of Christ ought to constrain us." I do not know that there is any such text in the Bible. I do remember one that runs thus: "The love of Christ constrains us." If it does not constrain us, it is because it is not in us. It is not merely a thing which ought to be; it must be. (Ed: Oh God, let it be true in my life and in the life of all who read these notes - constrained only by the love of Christ. Amen)

WHOSE LOVE COMPELS
YOUR LIFE CHOICES?

Here is a short insight into the incredible power of the compelling love of Christ on Henry Martyn, Christ's ambassador to India in the early 1800's (Glimpse) (Wikipedia)...

RECOMMENDATION: Take a few minutes to listen to a short message from Ravi Zacharias -- I pray you are as stirred (and "disturbed") in your spirit as deeply as I was by the life changing impact of the love of Christ on one man's life. May Henry Martyn's "tribe" increase to the praise and glory of God. Amen =  Youtube video on Henry Martyn

Love of Christ - The Greek text would allow this to be interpreted as either the love we have for Christ (so called "objective genitive") or the love that Christ has for us ("subjective genitive"), but without doubt the context favors the the latter. Remember that context is always "king" when it comes to accurate interpretation. What is it in context which favors this phrase as referring to the love of Christ as His love for us? Note that in context Paul says "one died for all" which clearly speaks of the Cross, the supreme manifestation of Christ's (and the Father's) love for sinners. God so loved us that He gave Christ, His only begotten Son, to die in our place, to die the death we deserved to die (Jn 3:16). There is no higher love for Jesus said...

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (Jn 15:13)

The apostle John adds that...

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1Jn 3:16)...We love, because He first loved us. (1Jn 4:19)

Comment: Notice that in 1Jn 3:16 Christ's love for us serves as a "constraining" or "motivating" influence to urge us onward as His followers to imitate Him and to demonstrate to others His love for us. Christ loving others through us is the beautiful picture, the incredible privilege for His followers!

James Denney (commenting on Ro 8:7):  The reason why the mind of the flesh terminates so fatally: it is hostility to God, the Fountain of life. Alienation from Him is necessarily fatal. It is the flesh which does not (for indeed it cannot) submit itself to God; as the seat of indwelling sin it is in permanent revolt.

And so we see that God demonstrated His love to us and for us even when we were sinners, men and women created in His image and yet now because of indwelling sin, having become those who hate Him, are hostile to Him and do not want to have any relationship with Him (Ro 5:8-note, Ro 5:10-note, Col 1:21-note, Ro 8:7-note). And then in 2Co 5:15, Paul again emphasizes Christ's death for us.

Stephen Olford writes that...

it is not our love to Christ that is in view here, but rather it is the love of Christ working in us—mastering, driving, and compelling us. It is the love of God “poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Ro 5:5). Such compelling love never flags, never falters, never fails. It is “the expulsive power of a new affection.” (Anointed Expository Preaching)

F B Meyer has an interesting thought on the love of Christ noting that...

As the sunlight strikes the moon, and is reflected from her to the earth, so the love we have to Christ, or to man, is the reflection of His love to us. All love in our cold and loveless hearts is the emanation and reflection of the Love which began in Him, was mediated to us in Calvary, and is reflected from us, as sunlight from a mirror (or the moon).  (cp 1Jn 4:19, 2Co 2:14, 15, 2Co 3:1,2,3-note)

In his letter to the saints at Ephesus Paul offers one of the great prayers of the Bible (Ep 3:14, 15-note, Ep 3:16, 17-note) asking that the saints might know this incredible love that Christ has for us asking God to make us...

able (exischuo = to be fully able = the strongest Greek word available to indicate strength or ability!) to comprehend (katalambano = to take eagerly, to seize, to possess and then to perceive, apprehend, in short to make this great truth --the love of Christ-- one's very own possession!) with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know (ginosko = know by having experienced this truth!) the love of Christ which surpasses (huperballo = Literally = throw beyond the usual mark, describes a degree which exceeds extraordinary. In the present tense = that it might continually surpass)  knowledge, that (purpose) you may be filled up (pleroo = completely filled, filled to the "brim") to all the fullness (pleroma = abundance) of God. (Eph 3:18, 19-note)

Comment by A W Pink: We do not agree with those who say that phrase is a paradox: rather it is a plain statement of fact. We may, we can, we do, know the love of Christ in the sense explained above (See Pink's notes on Ep 3:14-16; Ep 3:17). We believe it, we experience it, we enjoy it as a blessed and glorious reality. Yet our knowledge is inadequate and imperfect, for the infinite love of Christ can never be entirely compassed, explored, or exhausted by us. As Pierce pointed out, “All that is known of the love of Christ in and by all the saints on earth: all that is known and enjoyed of the love of Christ by all the saints in heaven, is far below what is contained in the person and love of Christ, as considered in His own heart towards us. I have under this view of the subject often said we shall never know anything of the love wherewith Christ hath loved us, either in time or eternity, but by its fruits and effects…The love of Christ surpasses the whole of His sufferings, as much as they surpass all our guilt and sin. His love was the cause, and His sufferings the effect of it.” As the cause excels the effect, as the tree is greater than its fruit, so the fountain of Christ’s love exceeds all the streams which flow from it to us.

The angels never can enter fully into the love of Christ for His Church and people. Also, the finite-minded saints can never fully understand the fullness of Christ’s love. Nevertheless it is important that the saint should make it his paramount concern to be more and more absorbed with the love of Christ, exercising his mind thereon, feeding his soul therefrom, delighting his heart therein, praying earnestly that he may more fully understand the love of God. He should attentively consider the revelation given of it in the Word of truth, meditating on its ineffable characteristics, contemplating its wondrous manifestations, and realizing that Christ’s love to His own is eternal, infinite, and unalterable—not only without cessation but without the least diminution. Such a subject is worthy of the saint’s best attention and constant pursuit. It will amply repay his best efforts and greatly enrich his spiritual life. Nothing will so much excite gratitude in his heart as a contemplation of the love of Christ to such an unlovely creature as he. Nothing will prompt so effectually to a life of self-denial. Nothing will make so pleasant and easy a walk of obedience to God. Nothing will so deaden the saint to the world. Nothing else can so fill him with peace, yes, and with joy, in a season of affliction or bereavement. (Prayer for Comprehension of God’s Love)

Puritan John Bunyan's booklet on The Saint's Knowledge of Christ's Love

Christ’s Love - NetHymnal - over 100 hymns - all midis

The only other use of the phrase love of Christ in the NAS is in Romans where Paul asks a rhetorical (for effect) question...

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Ro 8:35-note)

Comment: The answer to Paul's rhetorical question is of course "Absolutely no one and no thing shall separate us from the love of Christ!" So not only is Christ's love "constraining" but it is also "retaining"! The love of Christ urges us and assures us. It helps us and holds us. It compels us and keeps us.

The love of Christ doth me constrain
To seek the wandering souls of men;
With cries, entreaties, tears, to save,
To snatch them from the gaping grave.
(Shall I, for Fear of Feeble Man)

Love (noun) (26) (agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (see note on fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22-note).

Agape - 23x in Corinthians - 1Cor 4:21; 8:1; 13:1 2 3 4 (3x), 1Co 13:8, 13 (2x); 1Co 14:1; 16:14, 24; 2Cor 2:4, 8; 5:14; 6:6; 8:7 8, 24; 13:11, 14

It is this love (agape) and none other, that shuts him in, confines him as between two walls (Ed: A good word picture of sunecho/synecho) to one purpose which may be summed up in the terms of the preceding verse as being to live selflessly "unto God" and, within the framework of that supreme allegiance, to his fellow-men ("unto you" - 2Co 5:13)....The constraining power of the divine love of Christ is the explanation of another famous statement of Paul's: "To me to live is Christ" (Php 1:21-note). (The constraining power of the divine love of Christ) is the logic which demands his willingness to suffer the loss of all things for Christ's sake and it is the reason for his overmastering ambition to win Christ, to be found in Christ, and to know Christ (Php 3:7, 8-note, Php 3:9, 10-note).

Jesus, may Thy love constrain us,
That from sin we may refrain us,
In Thy griefs may deeply grieve;
Thee our best affections giving,
To Thy glory ever living,
May we in Thy glory live.
(Near the Cross Was Mary Weeping)

The very spring of our actions is the love of Christ.

Comment: A beautiful picture of a man so in love with the God of the Word that His Word constrains and compels and impels and motivates him to solemnly speak it forth in power (cp his statement in 1Co 9:16). Might God so work in all of our hearts that we, like Paul, would be "constrained" by the Word of God, and thus would be impelled to give solemn testimony to the truth of that Word, of Jesus, the living Word, the long awaited Messiah and the soon to return King of kings, Who John even designates at His Second Coming as the Word of God (Rev 19:13-note, cp Jn 1:1, 1Jn 1:1, Rev 1:2)! Amen

TLNT: The sense (here is to) “devote oneself to, take care of,” as in this epitaph from Thermion in the imperial period: “I shall take care of (sunecho) her as of one of my own children”;...Paul at Corinth devotes himself entirely to preaching—he is absorbed, completely wrapped up in this ministry.

Stephen Olford draws an application from Paul's constrain to preach the Word: In like manner, we should be compelled by the love of Christ. If our reading of Scripture, as illumined and applied by the Spirit, does not release the compelling love of Christ in us and through us, then our hearts are not right with God, and our service constitutes nothing more than ashes upon a rusty altar! (Anointed Expository Preaching)
 

Comment: "Broken cisterns" birth broken people! These "cisterns" offer no soul satisfying living water! (cp Zec 14:8, Jn 4:10, 11, 13, 14, Jn 7:38) A sad, sad description, one I fear might be true of many churches in our age, for so many have jettisoned the pure milk of the Word of God (1Pe 2:2-note), substituting words of men, stories about men (contrast Paul's goal - 2Co 4:5-note) in a desire to "make" the Word of Truth more relevant or authentic! Beloved, the Word of Life is preeminently and forever the most relevant and authentic Word sinful hearts will ever hear and by them be healed (Ps 107:19, 20-note). May God's Spirit cause us to repent and return to the ancient paths,  that our sins may be wiped away and that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Amen (Jer 6:16, Jer 18:15 - you must read those two passages, Acts 3:19)

That driver's experience illustrates an important truth: Those who are in Christ are indeed new creations. They do things dif­ferently because they are not the same as before they trusted Jesus. This doesn't mean they will not fall into sin nor that they become mature overnight. But a miraculous transformation has taken place.

Theologian Lewis Sperry Chafer pointed out several changes that happen at conversion. We are joined with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Ro 6:3-note, Ro 6:4, 5-note, Ro 6:6-note); made alive (Ep 2:1-note, Ep 2:5-note); made children of God (1Jn 3:1-note, 1Jn 3:2-note, 1Jn 3:3-note); justified before God (Ro 5:1-note); forgiven (Col 1:14-note); delivered from the powers of darkness (Col 1:13-note); loved by God (Eph 2:4-note); indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1Co 6:19-note); and made the objects of Christ's intercession (Heb 7:25-note).

Yes, to know Christ makes us brand new people. How does that difference show in our lives? J D Brannon (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

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John Owen's discourse on the Love of Christ - YOU have been minded of, and instructed in, the nature and benefit of our love to God; and I shall take occasion thence a little to mind you of the love of Christ unto us, the love, in an especial manner, which he showed in dying for us; which is that we are here gathered together to remember and celebrate; not barely the death of Christ, but that which is the life of that death,—the love of Christ in his death. And I would ground it on that which the apostle speaks in

Ro 5:5,—“The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.”

This is that which I know you all long for, and prize above life: “The loving-kindness of God is better than life.” Why so? “For,” says he, “when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”

An apprehension of the love of Christ, as dying for us ungodly creatures, is that which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Do not let your minds go upon uncertainties. When the Holy Ghost gives you a due apprehension of Christ’s love in dying for ungodly sinners, as we are, then is this love shed abroad in our hearts. The apostle there proceeds to show how great this love was, in that Christ died. He died, not for good men, and righteous men, and for friends; but he died for the ungodly, for sinners, and for enemies. This was great love, indeed. We are here to remember that love of Christ wherewith he gave himself to death for us when we were enemies, and would have continued so to eternity, had he not loved us, and given himself for us.

Brethren, if we barely remember the love of Christ in the way of an ordinance, and our hearts be not powerfully affected with it, we are in danger of being disadvantaged by our attendance. Pray remember it; you know how plainly I use to speak on these occasions: I say, we have frequent opportunities of remembering the love of Christ in dying for us, in this ordinance representing of it; but if our hearts be not powerfully influenced and affected by it, we shall be losers by the frequency of ordinances.

I will add one word more. According as our hearts are affected with the love of Christ, so will be our love to Christ, and no otherwise. And truly, even that faith which discovers too much selfishness is very dangerous. If we come here to act faith, to look for no other effect of it but what evidence and sense we have of the pardon of our own sins,—how our consciences may be quieted and cleared,—faith ends in self; it is dangerous, lest it should be only a branch from, and commensurate with, convictions. True faith, acting itself on Christ in this ordinance, will work by love unto Christ: I would not say, principally, or in the first place,—I know poor creatures are apt to look after themselves, and their own relief; but it will so work also. And truly, brethren, this it will not do, we shall not have faith working by love towards him, unless we have some sense of the love of Christ on our hearts.

How shall we know whether our hearts are under the powerful influence of the love of Christ in dying for us? Why, the love of Christ in dying for us has three properties with it, which will have an influence on our souls, if we are affected with it:—

1. It has a transforming power, property, and efficacy with it.

They are plain truths I am speaking, but of great concern to our souls, to know whether we are affected with the love of Christ or not. If we are rightly affected with it, I say, it will transform and change our whole souls in some measure into the likeness of Christ. How so? I will tell you in the most familiar manner I am able:—If you are affected with the love of Christ, it lays hold upon and possesses your affections; the affections being possessed, stir up many thoughts; thoughts are the very image of the soul, represent it, to show you what the soul is: and those things concerning which your thoughts do most abound, they carry the frame of the soul. Let a man profess what he will, if his thoughts are generally conversant about earthly and worldly things, he has an earthly and worldly mind; and if [his] thoughts are conversant about sensual things, he has a sensual and carnal mind: for, whatever he may outwardly say, as he thinks, so is he;—there is the image and likeness of the soul.

Now, if we are affected with the love of Christ, it will beget in our souls many thoughts of Christ,—in our lying down and in our rising up, in our beds, in our ways, on our occasions, as well as in ordinances. If, indeed, our hearts are affected with the love of Christ, our thoughts of Christ will abound; and those thoughts will work again on our affections, and conform our souls more and more unto the image of Jesus Christ. That man who thinks much of the earth, because affected with it, his soul is like the earth; and that man who thinks much on the love of Christ, because he is affected with it, Ins soul is like Christ.

If it has been thus with us, brethren, in our preparation for this ordinance, or at any time, that thoughts of Christ have not abounded, verily there has been a failing in us. Let us strive for the future to amend it, that we may find the love of Christ begetting in us many thoughts of him, working upon our affections, and, with a transforming power, changing the frame of our souls into his own likeness.

Again:

2. The love of Christ, if we are affected with it, has an attractive power:

John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

I cannot stay to show you the drawing power and efficacy there is in the love of Christ, when dying on the cross; but this I will say, it is that which converted the world of all that did believe. It was the love of Christ, set forth in his death as one crucified for them, that drew all men unto him. “When I am lifted up,—when I have accomplished, manifested, and evidenced the unspeakable love which I have for the sinful sons of men, in being lifted up for them,—I will draw them unto me.” If you have a true sense, brethren, of the love of Christ in dying for you, it will draw your souls unto him. Song 1:4, “Draw me, we will run after thee.” I do not now speak to you about the first drawing of Christ, which is as unto believing (I hope Christ has so drawn all our souls); but the following efficacy of the love of Christ to draw souls that do believe nearer unto him. Whoever is sensible of this attractive power of the death of Christ, it will have this efficacy upon him,—it will have adherence and delight,—it will cause him more to cleave to Christ. The soul will cleave to Christ with delight, that is affected with the attractive, drawing power of his loving-kindness in his death. There is a great deal in that word, “Cleave unto Christ with love and delight,” with the best of our affections and dearest of our valuations; to cleave to him with trust, and to him alone. I do but remind you of what you know, that you may reduce it into practice. Pray, in this ordinance, labour to have such a sense of the drawing power of the love of Christ in his death, that you may resolve to cleave unto him with full purpose of heart, to cleave unto this Christ who has thus loved us.

3. Whenever we are affected with the love of Christ, it is accompanied with a constraining power,

2 Cor. 5:14, “The love of Christ constrains us;” and that constraint is unto obedience: it constrains us to judge that we ought to live to him who died for us. It is a blessed thing, brethren, to walk in our obedience under a sense of the constraining efficacy of the love of Christ. Take but this one word, to discover to you whether you walk in your obedience under a sense of the constraining power of Christ, it comprehends all others, 1 John 5:3, “His commandments are not grievous.” When a soul works out of love, what it doth is “not grievous.” And the inward and outward commands of Christ will be grievous to all that are not under the constraining power and efficacy of his love.

I have no more to say, but only to tell you that we should labour to have our hearts affected with the love of Christ in this ordinance. I have showed you the danger if it be otherwise; and given you some ways to examine your hearts, whether they are so affected or not. The Lord grant that where they are, it may be increased; and where they are not, that God would renew it by his Spirit in us.

HAVING CONCLUDED THIS, THAT ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEREFORE ALL DIED: krinantas (AAPMPA) touto, hoti eis huper panton apethanen; (3SAAI) ara oi pantes apethanon; (3PAAI): (Having concluded: Ro 2:2 1Co 2:14) (one: Isa 53:6 Mt 20:28 Jn 1:29 11:50-52 1Ti 2:6 Heb 2:9 1Jn 2:1,2) (Therefore: 2Co 3:7,9 Lk 15:24,32 Jn 5:25 11:25 Ro 5:15 14:7-9 Eph 2:1-5 Col 2:13 1Ti 5:6 Titus 3:3 1Jn 5:19)

Having concluded (2919) (krino) primarily means to distinguish, separate or discriminate and then, to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong, without necessarily passing an adverse sentence, though this is usually involved. Krino pictures one sifting out and analyzing of evidence and then passing judgment or in the present context coming to a conclusion after examining the evidence.

One died for all - Christ died on the Cross for those who believe in Him. He is not speaking of Christ's death for all humanity in this context. While there is not total agreement on this interpretation, I feel that the "all" that have died is those who have died with Christ vicariously as explained more fully below.

As noted the phrase "therefore all died" has received a variety of interpretations, but I feel  Dr. John MacArthur's has the best interpretation...

Christ’s love controlled Paul because he had concluded in a deep and profound way the reality of his identification with Christ. His confidence was that one died for all, therefore all died. Under the old covenant the deaths of countless thousands of sacrificial animals could not provide full and complete pardon for sin, “for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). There never was any efficacy in the death of an animal. All such deaths incessantly testified to the old covenant’s futility as a means of salvation. But in sharp contrast Jesus Christ, “by one offering … has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (He 10:14; cf. He 9:14, He 9:28; He 10:10, 12, He 10:19; He 13:12; Ro 3:24, 25; Ro 5:9; Ep 1:7; 1Pe 1:18,19; 1Jn 1:7; Rev 1:5). The preposition huper (for) could be translated “in behalf of,” or “for the benefit of,” but the best rendering seems to be “in the place of.” It introduces the essential and irreplaceable truth of the substitutionary atonement; that is, that

Christ died in the place of
all who put their faith in Him.

By His death He “redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13) because God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor 5:21).

It is crucial to understand the identity of the all for whom Christ died. The phrase one died for all, if it stood alone, could imply that Christ died for every person who ever lived. But Paul clarified his meaning by adding the phrase therefore all died. He did not say, “all were dead,” which would have described every sinner who ever lived, since all are dead in sin (Ep 2:1-note). He was not talking about a condition, however, but an event—believers’ union with Christ in His death. Together, the two phrases define the all for whom Christ died as the all who died in Him (cf. Ro 6:1, 2, 3-note, Ro 6:4-note) through faith in Him (Ro 3:24-note, Ro 3:25, 26-note). Just as all who are in Adam (the whole race) became sinners because of his sin, so also all who are in Christ (those who believe savingly) become righteous because of His death (Ro 5:19-note; 1Cor 15:21, 22).

He died for all - Christ died for all is not saying He died for all mankind, but for the "all" who would believe in Him which is most in keeping with the following phrase (Remember to always keep context "King" in order to arrive at the most accurate Interpretation). This next phrase describes those who no longer live for themselves which is clearly a reference to those who have been born again and are new creatures in Christ (2Co 5:17) who (indwelt by the Spirit of Christ) now possess a new desire and power (cp Php 2:13NLT-note) to live not for themselves but for others (cp Paul's charge to believers in Php 2:3-note). Non-believers live for self so the "all" that Jesus died for in this passage is "all" who believe in Him. Also note that when Paul says Jesus died for all, he is not saying all are saved.

To state it another way, Christ died for all who died in Him (with Him on the Cross - while we cannot begin to plumb the depths of the mystery of our co-crucifixion with Christ, every believer can confidently state that when He died on the Cross, "I died with Him."

Died (599) (apothnesko from apo = marker of dissociation implying a rupture from a former association,  separation, departure, cessation + thnesko = die) is the aorist tense indicating a past completed action (Jesus' death is a historical event), the active voice (Jesus' made the volitional choice or choice of His own will to die for us) and the indicative mood is the mood, the mood of reality (Jesus really did die a physical death!). As in the previous verse, apothnesko describes His literal physical death (Ro 6:9-note) on the Cross.

So that (hina) is a conjunction which serves to introduce the purpose for a previous action or truth. In this case the purpose for the sinner's death with Christ on the Cross was that he or she would be buried with Him and raised with Him to walk in newness of life, a quality of life in which they no longer live just to please themselves, but now for Him (cp to please Him in 2Co 5:9)

Someone has said it this way...

Christ died our death for us
that we might live His life for Him.

Live (2198) (zao) describes natural physical life the quality that distinguishes a vital being from one that is dead. Both uses of the verb zao are in the present tense describing continuous action. The first use of live refers more to the literal physical life and the second use of live to a believer's "way of live" or manner of conduct. Living in the light of His death for us serves to motivate a daily life for Savior rather than for Self. "Christ died that we might live through Him and for Him, and that we might live with Him." (Wiersbe)

Themselves (1438) (heautou) himself, herself, itself. Webster's (1828) on "Himself" = Himself is used to express the proper character, or natural temper and disposition of a person, after or in opposition to wandering of mind, irregularity, or devious conduct from derangement, passion or extraneous influence. We say, a man has come to himself, after delirious or extravagant behavior. Let the man alone; let him act himself. By himself, alone; unaccompanied; sequestered. He sits or studies by himself.

Died...died - Paul encloses his charge to live for Christ in the bookends of Christ's willingness to die for us. That being true, why would we not be willing to live for Him rather than ourselves. In short, why would we want to live for self and time alone when we can live for eternity in this short time called life.

As Warren Wiersbe explains Christ's death so that we (believers) might live...

is the positive aspect of our identification with Christ: we not only died with Him, but we also were raised with Him that we might “walk in newness of life” (Ro 6:4). Because we have died with Christ, we can overcome sin; and because we live with Christ, we can bear fruit for God’s glory (Ro 7:4). He died that we might live through Him: “God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1Jn 4:9). This is our experience of salvation, eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. But He also died that we might live for Him, and not live unto ourselves (2Co 5:15). This is our experience of service. It has well been said, “Christ died our death for us that we might live His life for Him.” If a lost sinner has been to the cross and been saved, how can he spend the rest of his life in selfishness?

MacArthur explains that

in Christ believers experience not only death to sin but also resurrection to righteousness. As a result, they are no longer to live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf (cf. Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24).

The resurrection was confirmation of the Father’s acceptance of the Son’s substitutionary death (cf. 1Cor 15:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-notes). It is worth noting that all three persons of the Trinity were active in Christ’s resurrection: the Father—Acts 2:24; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 33, 34, 37; 17:31; the Spirit—Ro 8:11 and the Son—John 2:19, 20, 22; 10:17,18. The resurrection is the grand proof of His divine Sonship and thus Paul writes that Jesus

Christ's Resurrection is the guarantee of God’s power to carry out the rescue of those who are His and to judge those who are not, for as Luke recorded in Acts...

He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man Whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:31) (Note: The Scriptures generally attribute the resurrection of Jesus to the activity of the Father - Acts 2:24; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30,31; 10:40,41)

makes mention here of Christ’s resurrection, on which the hope of our resurrection is founded, for death everywhere besets us. Hence, unless we learn to look to Christ, our minds will give way at every turn. By the same consideration, he admonishes them that Christ is to be waited for from heaven, because we will find nothing in the world to bear us up, while there are innumerable trials to overwhelm us.

Illustration -  In 1858, Frances Ridley Havergal visited Dusseldorf, Germany where she saw a copy of Sternburg’s great painting "The Crucifixion" which depicts Christ, wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob. A which had a subtitle associated the picture asking...

“All this I did for thee;
what has thou done for Me?”

Inspired by this probing question, she wrote her famous poem, “I Gave My Life for Thee.” As the story goes Frances was not pleased with the poem but a strong downdraft blew the paper out of the fire and onto the hearth. Feeling that this might have been Providential, she took the slightly-scorched paper, folded it, and sent it to her father in England, who composed a tune to match the words and had it published. Years later by Phillip Bliss wrote the more familiar tune of this now great hymn...

I Gave My Life for Thee

I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou might’st ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou given for Me?

PAUL - A RESPECTER OF JESUS
NO LONGER A RESPECTER OF PERSONS!

Disclaimer: This is a difficult verse and has been subjected to a variety of interpretations which will not be addressed in these notes. Be a Berean even as you read these notes for they are not infallible! One author says that 2Co 5:16 "has prompted numerous scholarly articles, all of them seeking to unpack Paul’s compressed language."

Therefore (5620) (hoste) usually means so that, and serves as a marker of result, thus Barclay begins his sentence with the phrase "the result is that." In other words, in view of the death and resurrection of Christ, Paul says "we" (see below) no longer estimate or regard or judge or evaluate anyone by the world's standards, from a purely human point of view, from external standards or based on their outward lives. Stated another way, because of the radical effect that the love of Christ has had on him, Paul has ceased making superficial personal judgments on people based on their external appearance (including ethnicity, sex, social status, etc)

Mattoon writes that...

God's grip on Paul changed his outlook on life and his view of men. The word "wherefore" points back to 2Cor 5:14, 15, which describe salvation. (Treasures from 2 Corinthians, Volume 1)

We - Throughout this section Paul has used plural pronoun, which I interpret as an "editorial we", but some feel this refers to Paul and his companions and others feel it refers to all Christians.

John MacArthur explains 2Co 5:16, 17...

These two verses define when Paul’s burden for the lost began. The conjunction hōste (therefore) points back to 2Cor 5:14, 15, which describe salvation. After his conversion, the way Paul viewed people changed radically. From then on, he did not recognize (oida; lit. “know,” or “perceive”) anyone according to the flesh; he no longer evaluated people based on external, worldly standards, as the false teachers did (cf. 2Co 5:12; Gal. 6:12). The proud Pharisee, who once scorned Gentiles, and even those Jews outside of his group (cf. Jn 7:49), now looked beyond mere outward appearances. His prejudice and hatred gave way to a love for all, including “Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman” (Col 3:11). (MacArthur, J: 2Corinthians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos or Wordsearch)

From now on - "Since the great event, the Death of Christ." (Alford) "From the time that we gained this view of Christ’s death for us." (A T Robertson) "From the time that the love of Christ has engaged [has pre-occupied] our minds." (Bengel) For Paul the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ has forever obliterated all human distinctions. Now that he sees everyone with "Jesus vision" so to speak, with eyes fixed on eternity, that future time which will separate every soul either into the presence of God or away from His glorious presence (2Th 1:7, 8, 9).

Garland explains that...

What Paul finds crucially important in this section is what Christ’s death means for how he must evaluate others and how they should evaluate him. As others now misread Paul, so he once misread Christ....

The phrase “from now on” however, has eschatological overtones and therefore refers to something beyond the point of Paul’s conversion when he surrendered all his evaluations and decisions to the wisdom of the cross. Christ’s death is the turning of the ages. It reveals that this world is passing away and shows that all attachments to it are unimportant and vain. (Garland, D. E. Vol. 29: 2 Corinthians The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers)

Recognize (1492)(eido) means in general to know by perception and is often distinguished from ginosko (epiginosko, epignosis - the other major NT word group for knowing) because ginosko generally refers to knowledge obtained by experience or "experiential knowledge". On the other hand, eido/oida often refers more to an intuitive knowledge, although this distinction is not always clear cut. Eido/oida is not so much that which is known by experience as an intuitive insight that is drilled into one's heart. Eido/oida is a perception, a being aware of, an understanding, an intuitive knowledge which in the case of believers can only be given by the Holy Spirit.

Plummer says that eido is used here in the same sense as it is used in 1Th 5:12 where it conveys the sense of "we appreciate, we value." There is a similar sense in 1Co 16:18. As Plummer goes on to say...

'We value no one because of his external attributes.’ The differences between king and clown, rich and poor, master and slave, genius and dunce, do not come into the estimate; what counts is the person’s character as a Christian. (2 Corinthians 5 Commentary)

No one (3762) (oudeis) is an adjective which means not even one. When Christ takes over your life, He jettisons fleshly prejudice toward other people.

ARE YOU IMPRESSED BY THE...
EXTERNAL or INTERNAL?
VISIBLE or INVISIBLE?
TEMPORAL or ETERNAL?

According to the flesh - "According to external distinctions, by what he is in the flesh" (Plummer). As a mere human being, by usual human measures or standards, from a human point of view, based on "externals". The love of Christ, His death and His resurrection has inaugurated a new age so to speak for Paul (and for all believers) so that now everything (and everyone) is viewed a different light (cp Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11), ultimately the light of eternity.

R Kent Hughes refers to...

Paul’s piercing declaration of gospel disregard (that is, the disregard of superficial evaluation that stems from our death in Christ on the cross)... Because of the gospel, Paul and all believers are to be done with their shallow, external, carnal regard of Christ and others—and especially those who are of the household of faith...Gospel disregard! Paul’s declaration collides with the spirit of our age, a spirit that revels in superficial, fleshly regard.... Looks, externals, dominate our existence.... People evaluate one another externally according to their wealth, their position, their connectedness, and their fame or infamy (either of which is to be coveted)....As Christians we must be done with such carnal distinctions....How Pauline, how Christlike, how Christian, how loving, how liberating, how empowering, how potent it is when “we regard no one according to the flesh.”

Reformation Study Bible...

Paul emphasizes spiritual judgment and spiritual insight into people’s lives and situations. Our experience of Christ’s love moves us to stop viewing others according to worldly standards and to learn how to view them from the standpoint of God’s great act of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Guzik comments...

We regard no one according to the flesh: Why? Because we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (2Corinthians 4:18). Because our earthly tent will be destroyed, but we will have a new body, eternal in the heavens (2Corinthians 5:1). Because we walk by faith, not by sight (2Corinthians 5:7). Because we do not glory in appearance, but we glory in heart (2Corinthians 5:12). For all these reasons, we don’t look to the image and appearance of the flesh, but to the substance of the heart. (2 Corinthians 5 Commentary)

CALVARY'S
CONTROLLING LOVE

Practically this passage says to us as believers we (like Paul) should have a new view of every person (soul) we encounter. As believers (who should be being) controlled by the love of Christ, we need to see lost people as sinners for whom Christ died. In other words we should no longer see them as friends or enemies, rich or poor, black or white, etc, but the way Christ sees them, as lost sheep who need a shepherd (cp Luke 15:4, 5, 6, 7). When we are truly controlled by the love of Christ, we will want to share Calvary's love with others.

Calvary's Love will sail forever
Bright and shining, strong and free
Like an ark of peace and safety
On the sea of human need.

So desire to tell His story
Of a love that loved enough to die
Burns away all other passions
And fed by Calvary's love becomes a fire!
(Play Steve Green's powerful vocal)

A T Robertson...

According to the flesh, the fleshy way of looking at men. He, of course, knows men “in the flesh”, but Paul is not speaking of that. Worldly standards and distinctions of race, class, cut no figure now with Paul (Gal. 3:28) as he looks at men from the standpoint of the Cross of Christ.

When Jesus comes into our life and in fact now even becomes our life according to Colossians 3:4-note, He changes every aspect of the way we evaluate people, so that now human standards are no longer adequate for judging others. When we come to know Christ, He changes everything about us.

We see this "divine vision" regarding people also alluded to in a number of other passages...

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1Sa 16:7).

And He (referring to Messiah ruling and reigning on earth from Jerusalem in the Millennium) will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what His eyes see  (Isa 11:3).

(Jesus declared) “Do not judge (present imperative with a negative = stop doing this, implying they were judging others this way and "implies that they were guilty of wrong judgment and urges them to mend their ways" [Leon Morris]) according to appearance, but judge (aorist imperative = Jesus use of this command conveys a sense of urgency.) with righteous judgment.”  (Jn 7:24).

NLT paraphrase: Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.

Williams paraphrase: Stop judging superficially.

You (Jesus addressing the Pharisees complaint in Jn 8:13) judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.  (Jn 8:15)

Comment: Recall that before his conversion, Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees (Acts 23:6, 26:5, Php 3:5-note), constantly judging men according to the flesh, but now in Christ, controlled by the radical love of Christ which was made possible by His co-crucifixion and co-resurrection with Christ, he counted that manner of living as loss for the sake of Christ (Php 3:7-note), even considering such thinking and living as rubbish in order that he might gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of (his) own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith (Php 3:8, 9-note).

The ancient writer Chrysostom commented that...

Even if believers are still in their earthly bodies, we do not relate to them in that way, because the life according to the flesh has been transcended. We have been born again by the Spirit and have learned a different kind of behavior, which is that of heaven. It is Christ who has brought about this change.  (Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians)

Paul is using flesh in a negative way - flesh as opposed to Spirit; flesh that sees things only from human thoughts but fails to understand anything transcendent, majestic, eternal. (Ref)

To know Christ "according to the flesh" means to know Him only as a human being in history, but not to know him as Savior and Lord.

Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh- Paul admits that at one time (Saul the Pharisee) in the past (before his conversion), he viewed Christ in this way and he sought to persecute His followers (Acts 9:1, 2, Acts 26:9, 10, 11), but no longer (Paul the Apostle) views Him according to the standards men judge other men.

We no longer look at life the way we used to. To know Christ “after the flesh” means to evaluate Him from a human point of view. But “the days of His flesh” are ended (Heb 5:7-note) because He has ascended to heaven and is now glorified at the Father’s right hand. Adam was the head of the old creation, and Christ (the Last Adam, 1Co 15:45) is the Head of the new creation. The old creation was plunged into sin and condemnation because of the disobedience of Adam. The new creation means righteousness and salvation because of the obedience of Jesus Christ. (See Ro 5:12-21-note for the explanation of the “two Adams.”) Because we are a part of the new creation, everything has become new. For one thing, we have a new view of Christ. It is unfortunate that too great an emphasis is given in music and art on Christ “after the flesh.” The facts about the earthly life of Jesus are important, because the Christian message is grounded in history. But we must interpret the manger by the throne. We do not worship a Babe in a manger; we worship a glorified Saviour on the throne. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament. 1989. Victor or Logos or Wordsearch)

No longer (3765) (ouketi) is an adverb which negates an extension of time, so that it extends up to a certain point but not beyond that point = no more, no longer, no further. One of the saddest uses of ouketi is found in John 6:66 where the "disciples" that had followed Jesus part of the way were not willing to go all the way and thus "were not walking with Him anymore." (Jn 6:66) A well known use is found in Gal 2:20 where Paul states that it is "no longer" (ouketi) he who lives, but Christ lives in him. Oh, that this would be true in more and more of the lives of God's children for the glory of His Name. Amen. In Ep 2:19 Paul says the Gentiles (most of you reading this) are no longer (ouketi) strangers! Hallelujah!