From: Bill Fiess
Sent: Apr 7, 2008 2:10 PM
To: Zane Hodges
Subject: 2 Cor. 5:14
Hi Zane,
I hope that you are having a good week. Here is a brief question concerning 2 Cor. 5:14. In this verse, Paul states: “The love of Christ compels us…“. My question is:
- Is Paul speaking of 1) our love for Christ [objective genitive] or 2) Christ’s love for us [subjective genitive]?
It seems to me that the following verse [15] suggests that he is thinking of meaning #1 – but I am not sure of how the statement “because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died” fits in with this.
Thanks for your help on this verse.
Bill
From: Zane Hodges
Date: 4/7/2008 11:19:03 PM
To: Bill Fiess
Subject: Re: 2 Cor. 5:14
Bill,
Without being too dogmatic(!), I think Paul means that Christ’s love for us constrains us to live for Him (vs. 15) in the light of our conclusion (=because we judge thus) that His death was a sunstitution for everyone (= all died) and that those who get life from this (believers) should live to the One who died and rose for them.
Take care,
Zane