Paul's reference to the
final tribunal of judgment also indicates that those who seek to limit the
plurals of 2 Cor 5:1-10 to the epistolary "we" are in error. The ημας patently refers to Paul's audience and
to all Christians in general. In that respect it is interesting that in Rom
2:1-16 all humanity is subject to God's ultimate judgment: ... on the day, when
according to my gospel, God will judge through Jesus Christ the secret thoughts
of people ( ... εν η ημερα κρινει
ο θεος τα
κρυπτα των ανθρωπων κατα εο ευαγγελιον μου δια ‘Ιησου Χριστου). Paul's word for evil or "low
grade, morally substandard, base" or "inferior in quality,
ordinary," palov, which is probably the original reading, occurs several
other times with the verb Joa660 (John 3:20, 5:29, Rom 9:11; cp. James 3:16
φαύλον πράγμα). BDAG has an interesting comment on the word's meaning in 2 Cor
5:10: "pertaining to being relatively inferior in quality, ordinary in
reference to the kinds of awards that are offered ... Yet, in this colloquially
arranged sentence, the idea of doing good or bad (see [sense] 1 above)
certainly plays a part." The word is opposed to "good" (αγαθος) occasionally in classical and
Hellenistic Greek. Xenophon, for example, uses it in his Symposium in a text in
which Hermogenes refers to the gods' omniscience and influence over human
affairs:
Second, it is likewise
manifest that we consider them able to work us good or ill; at all events,
everyone prays the gods to avert evil and grant blessings.
καί μήν
ότι νομίζομέν γε δύνασθαι αύτους καί εύ καί κακώς ποιεϊν καί τούτο σαφές. πάντες γούν
αίτούνται τούς θεούς τά μέν φαϋλα άποτρέπειν, τάγαθά δέ διδόναι.
Consequently, in the verse
(5:10) it is difficult to limit the term merely to the awards offered, since it
is so often associated with actions - human or divine. 2 Cor 5:10 with its
scene of judgment provides the logical foundation (γαρ) for seeking to please the Lord (5:9)
whether at home or away. (John Granger Cook, The Enspirited Body in 1
Corinthians 15 [Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament;
Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2025], 387-88)
To Support this Blog:
Email for Amazon Gift card: ScripturalMormonism@gmail.com
Email for Logos.com Gift Card: IrishLDS87@gmail.com
