Twice Paul characterises Jesus’ death as
being ‘for all’ (υπερ παντων). The nature of the υπερ’s meaning has been
debated—it is more like αντι (‘instead of’) or ενεκα/δια (‘for the sake of’)?
While either reading would make sense here, the context points more towards the
latter reading. Against ‘instead of’, Christ does not die so that humans do not
have to die. Rather Christ’s death is inclusive: ‘he died for them, therefore (αρα) they all die’
(5.14). Substitution is not excluded because, as we will see in 4.21, Christ
dies in a way that believers will not. However, the emphasis here is upon
believers’ embodiment of the path of Christ. That is, they must experience this
death in themselves; otherwise, it will remain external to them. Therefore, the
objective accomplishment of salvation in Christ’s death meets the subjective
experience of believers as they follow him in death.
Just as believers die like Christ, they also live: those who died now
live for (υπερ) the one who died and was raised (5.15; cf. Rom 6.4). This use of υπερ must be ‘for the sake
of’ and thus coheres with our interpretation of 5.14. Christ’s motivation for action
was not his own benefit but that of others, and this same love compels Paul,
and even all believers, to live for Christ on behalf of others (cf. 4.13). This
‘living’ corresponds to proper conduct on behalf of Christ. Thus, with this
accent on moral living, the focus here is on the present experience of
believers. (Ben C. Blackwell, Christosis:
Engaging Paul’s Soteriology with His Patristic Interpreters [Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 2016], 220-21)
