SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:14
Porque la caridad del Cristo nos constrie, porque juzgamos así: Que si uno fue muerto por todos, luego todos son muertos;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 5:14
Verse 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us] We have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and this causes us to love God intensely, and to love and labour for the salvation of men. And it is the effect produced by this love which sunecei hmav, bears us away with itself, which causes us to love after the similitude of that love by which we are influenced; and as God so loved the world as to give his Son for it, and aa Christ so loved the world as to pour out his life for it, so we, influenced by the very same love, desire to spend and be spent for the glory of God, and the salvation of immortal souls. By the fear of God the apostles endeavoured to persuade and convince men, and the love of Christ constrained them so to act. If one died for all, then were all dead] The first position the apostle takes for granted; viz. that Jesus Christ died for ALL mankind. This no apostolic man nor primitive Christian ever did doubt or could doubt.
The second position he infers from the first, and justly too; for if all had not been guilty, and consigned to eternal death because of their sins there could have been no need of his death. Therefore, as he most certainly died for ALL, then all were dead, and needed his sacrifice, and the quickening power of his Spirit.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us , etc..] Or containeth us; holds and keeps us in our station and duty, as soldiers are held and kept together under a banner, or ensign displayed; to which the church refers, when she says, his banner over me was love, ( Song of Solomon 2:4).
Nothing more effectually keeps ministers, or other believers, in the work and service of their Lord, or more strongly obliges and constrains them to a cheerful discharge of their duty to him, and one another, than his love displayed in his covenant engagements, in his assumption of human nature, and particularly in his dying for them, which is the instance given in the text: because we thus judge ; having well weighed, and maturely considered the affair, that if one died for all, then were all dead ; or seeing one died for all; for it is rather an assertion than a supposition, upon which the apostle reasons.
The person designed, who died for all, is Jesus Christ, though not mentioned, and is to be supplied from the former clause. The doctrine of Christ's dying for men was well known, so that there was no need to mention his name; he is called one, in distinction to the all he died for, and as exclusive of all others, he being sufficient of himself to answer the ends of his death; and therefore is to be looked unto, and believed on, alone for salvation, and to have all the glory of it. The manner of his dying is for, or in the room and stead of all; so that he died not merely as a martyr, or by way of example, or only for their good, but as their substitute, in their room and stead, having all the sins of his people upon him, for which he made satisfaction; and this the nature of his death shows, which was a sacrifice, a ransom, a propitiation and atonement. The persons for whom Christ died are all; not every individual of mankind, but all his people, all his sheep, all the members of his church, or all the sons he, as the great Captain of salvation, brings to glory. Wherefore this text does not make for the doctrine of general redemption; for it should be observed, that it does not say that Christ died for all men, but for all; and so, agreeably to the Scriptures, may be understood of all the persons mentioned. Moreover, in the latter part of the text it is said, that those for whom Christ died, for them he rose again; he died for no more, nor for others, than those for whom he rose again: now those for whom he rose again, he rose for their justification; wherefore, if Christ rose for the justification of all men, all would be justified, or the end of Christ's resurrection would not be answered; but all men are not, nor will they be justified, some will be condemned; hence it follows, that Christ did not rise from the dead for all men, and consequently did not die for all men: besides, the all for whom Christ died, died with him, and through his death are dead both to the law and sin; and he died for them, that they might live, not to themselves, but to him; neither of which are true of all the individuals of mankind: to which may be added, that the context explains the all of such who are in Christ, are new creatures, are reconciled to God, whose trespasses are not imputed to them, for whom Christ was made sin, and who are made the righteousness of God in him; which cannot be said of all men. The conclusion from hence is, then were all dead ; meaning, either that those for whom Christ died, were dead in Adam, dead in law, dead in trespasses and sins, which made it necessary for him to die for them; otherwise, there would have been no occasion for his death; yet it does not follow from hence, that Christ died for all that are in such a condition; only that those for whom Christ died were dead in this sense, admitting this to be the sense of the passage; though death in sin seems not to be intended, since that all men are dead in sin, would have been a truth, if Christ had died for none; and much less is this an effect, or what follows upon the death of Christ; nor does it capacitate, but renders men incapable of living to Christ: wherefore a mystical death in, and with Christ, seems rather to he meant; and so the Ethiopic version reads it, in whom everyone is dead. Christ died as the head and representative of his people, and they all died in him, were crucified with him, and through his death became dead to the law, as to its curse and condemnation; and to sin, as to its damning power, being acquitted, discharged, and justified from it; the consequence of which is a deliverance from the dominion of it, whereby they become capable of living to the glory of Christ. The sense of the passage is not, that Christ died for all that were dead, but that all were dead for whom he died; which is true of them, whether in the former, or in the latter sense: the article oi , is anaphorical or relative, as Beza and Piscator observe; and the meaning is, that if Christ died for all, then all those were dead for whom he died.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-15 - The apostle quickens himself and others to acts of duty. Well-grounde hopes of heaven will not encourage sloth and sinful security. Let all consider the judgment to come, which is called, The terror of the Lord Knowing what terrible vengeance the Lord would execute upon the worker of iniquity, the apostle and his brethren used every argument an persuasion, to lead men to believe in the Lord Jesus, and to act as his disciples. Their zeal and diligence were for the glory of God and the good of the church. Christ's love to us will have a like effect upo us, if duly considered and rightly judged. All were lost and undone dead and ruined, slaves to sin, having no power to deliver themselves and must have remained thus miserable for ever, if Christ had not died We should not make ourselves, but Christ, the end of our living an actions. A Christian's life should be devoted to Christ. Alas, how man show the worthlessness of their professed faith and love, by living to themselves and to the world!
Greek Textus Receptus
η 3588 T-NSF γαρ 1063 CONJ αγαπη 26 N-NSF του 3588 T-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM συνεχει 4912 5719 V-PAI-3S ημας 2248 P-1AP κριναντας 2919 5660 V-AAP-APM τουτο 5124 D-ASN οτι 3754 CONJ ει 1487 COND εις 1520 A-NSM υπερ 5228 PREP παντων 3956 A-GPM απεθανεν 599 5627 V-2AAI-3S αρα 686 PRT οι 3588 T-NPM παντες 3956 A-NPM απεθανον 599 5627 V-2AAI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. The love of Christ. Christ's love to men. See on 1 John ii. 5.Constraineth (sunecei). See on taken, Luke iv. 38; Acts xviii. 5. It is the word rendered I am in a strait, Philip. i. 23. Compare Luke xii. 50. The idea is not urging or driving, but shutting up to one line and purpose, as in a narrow, walled road.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:14 {The love of Christ} (he agape tou cristou). Subjective genitive, Christ's love for Paul as shown by verse #15. {Constraineth us} (sunecei hemas). Old and common verb, to hold together, to press the ears together (#Ac 7:57), to press on every side (#Lu 8:45), to hold fast (#Lu 22:63), to hold oneself to (#Ac 18:5), to be pressed (passive, #Lu 12:50; Php 1:23). So here Paul's conception of Christ's love for him holds him together to his task whatever men think or say. {Judging this } (krinantas touto). Having reached this conclusion, ever since his conversion (#Ga 1:17f.). {One died for all} (heis huper pantwn apeqanen). this is the central tenet in Paul's theology and Christology. huper (over) here is used in the sense of substitution as in #Joh 11:50; Ga 3:13, death in behalf so that the rest will not have to die. this use of huper is common in the papyri (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 631). In fact, huper in this sense is more usual in Greek than anti, pro or any other preposition. {Therefore all died} (ara hoi pantes apeqanon). Logical conclusion (ara, corresponding), the one died for the all and so the all died when he did, all the spiritual death possible for those for whom Christ died. this is Paul's gospel, clear-cut, our hope today.
