Teks -- 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NET)

5:20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: 2Co 5:20 - We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ

We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ ( huper Christou oun presbeuomen ).

Old word from presbus , an old man, first to be an old man, then to be an ambassador (here and Eph 6:20 with en halusēi in a chain added), common in both senses in the Greek. "The proper term in the Greek East for the Emperor’ s Legate"(Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East , p. 374), in inscriptions and papyri. So Paul has a natural pride in using this dignified term for himself and all ministers. The ambassador has to be persona grata with both countries (the one that he represents and the one to which he goes). Paul was Christ’ s Legate to act in his behalf and in his stead.

Robertson: 2Co 5:20 - As though God were intreating by us

As though God were intreating by us ( hōs tou theou parakalountos di' hēmōn ).

Genitive absolute with hōs used with the participle as often to give the reason (apparent or real). Here God speaks through Christ’ s Legate.

Robertson: 2Co 5:20 - Be ye reconciled to God

Be ye reconciled to God ( katallagēte tōi theōi ).

Second aorist passive imperative of katallassō and used with the dative case. "Get reconciled to God,"and do it now. This is the ambassador’ s message as he bears it to men from God.

Vincent: 2Co 5:20 - We are ambassadors

We are ambassadors ( πρεσβεύομεν )

Only here and Eph 6:10.

Wesley: 2Co 5:20 - Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ

we beseech you in Christ's stead - Herein the apostle might appear to some "transported beyond himself." In general he uses a more calm, sedate kind of exhortation, as in the beginning of the next chapter. What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us, and, with the most tender importunity, solicits us, not to reject them.

JFB: 2Co 5:20 - for Christ . . . in Christ's stead

The Greek of both is the same: translate in both cases "on Christ's behalf."

JFB: 2Co 5:20 - beseech . . . pray

Rather, "entreat [plead with you] . . . beseech." Such "beseeching" is uncommon in the case of "ambassadors," who generally stand on their dignity (compare 2Co 10:2; 1Th 2:6-7).

JFB: 2Co 5:20 - be ye reconciled to God

English Version here inserts "ye," which is not in the original, and which gives the wrong impression, as if it were emphatic thus: God is reconciled to you, be ye reconciled to God. The Greek expresses rather, God was the RECONCILER in Christ . . . let this reconciliation then have its designed effect. Be reconciled to God, that is, let God reconcile you to Himself (2Co 5:18-19).

Clarke: 2Co 5:20 - We are ambassadors for Christ

We are ambassadors for Christ - Ὑπερ Χριστου - πρεσβευομεν . We execute the function of ambassadors in Christ’ s stead. He came from the Father to mankind on this important embassy. He has left the world, and appointed us in his place

Ambassador is a person sent from one sovereign power to another; and is supposed to represent the person of the sovereign by whom he is deputed. Christ while on earth represented the person of the Sovereign of the world; his apostles and their successors represent the person of Christ. Christ declared the will of the Father to mankind; apostles, etc., declare the will of Christ to the world. We are ambassadors for Christ

Clarke: 2Co 5:20 - As though God did beseech you by us

As though God did beseech you by us - What we say to you we say on the authority of God; our entreaties are his entreaties; our warm love to you, a faint reflection of his infinite love; we pray you to return to God, it is his will that you should do so; we promise you remission of sins, we are authorized to do so by God himself. In Christ’ s stead we pray you to lay aside your enmity and be reconciled to God; i.e. accept pardon, peace, holiness, and heaven; which are all procured for you by his blood, and offered to you on his own authority

"What unparalleled condescension and divinely tender mercies are displayed in this verse! Did the judge ever beseech a condemned criminal to accept of pardon? Does the creditor ever beseech a ruined debtor to receive an acquittance in full? Yet our almighty Lord, and our eternal Judge, not only vouchsafes to offer these blessings, but invites us, entreats us, and with the most tender importunity solicits us not to reject them."The Rev. J. Wesley’ s notes in loc

This sentiment is farther expressed in the following beautiful poetic version of this place, by the Rev. Charles Wesley: -

"God, the offended God most high

Ambassadors to rebels sends

His messengers his place supply

And Jesus begs us to be friends

Us, in the stead of Christ, they pray

Us, in the stead of Christ, entreat

To cast our arms, our sins, away

And find forgiveness at his feet

Our God, in Christ, thine embass

And proffer’ d mercy we embrace

And, gladly reconciled to thee

Thy condescending mercy praise

Poor debtors, by our Lord’ s reques

A full acquittance we receive

And criminals, with pardon blest

We, at our Judge’ s instance, live."

Calvin: 2Co 5:20 - As if God did beseech you // We entreat you, in Christ’s stead // Be reconciled

20.As if God did beseech you This is of no small importance for giving authority to the embassy: nay more, it is absolutely necessary, for who would rest upon the testimony of men, in reference to his eternal salvation? It is a matter of too much importance, to allow of our resting contented with the promise of men, without feeling assured that they are ordained by God, and that God speaks to us by them. This is the design of those commendations, with which Christ himself signalizes his Apostles:

He that heareth you, heareth me, etc. (Luk 10:16.)

Whatsoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven, (Mat 18:18,)

and the like.

We entreat you, in Christ’s stead Hence we infer, with what propriety Isaiah exclaims,

How blessed are the feet of them that preach the Gospel!
(Isa 52:7.)

For that one thing, that is of itself sufficient for completing our felicity, and without which we are most miserable, is conferred upon us, only through means of the Gospel. If, however, this duty is enjoined upon all the ministers of the Church, in such a way, that he who does not discharge this embassy is not to be regarded either as an Apostle, or as a Pastor, we may very readily judge from this, as to the nature of the Pope’s entire hierarchy. They are desirous, indeed, to be looked upon as Apostles and Pastors; but as they are dumb idols, how will their boasting ⁵⁶¹ correspond with this passage of Paul’s writings. The word entreat is expressive of an unparalleled ⁵⁶² commendation of the grace of Christ, inasmuch as He stoops so low, that he does not disdain to entreat us. So much the less excusable is our depravity, if we do not, on meeting with such kindness, show ourselves teachable and compliant.

Be reconciled It is to be observed, that Paul is here addressing himself to believers. He declares, that he brings to them every day this embassy. Christ therefore, did not suffer, merely that he might once expiate our sins, nor was the gospel appointed merely with a view to the pardon of those sins which we committed previously to baptism, but that, as we daily sin, so we might, also, by a daily remission, be received by God into his favor. For this is a continued embassy, ⁵⁶³ which must be assiduously sounded forth in the Church, till the end of the world; and the gospel cannot be preached, unless remission of sins is promised.

We have here an express and suitable declaration for refuting the impious tenet of Papists, which calls upon us to seek the remission of sins after Baptism from some other source, than from the expiation that was effected through the death of Christ. Now this doctrine is commonly held in all the schools of Popery — that, after baptism, we merit the remission of sins by penitence, through means of the aid of the keys, ⁵⁶⁴ (Mat 16:19,) — as if baptism itself could confer this ⁵⁶⁵ upon us without penitence. By the term penitence, however, they mean satisfactions. But what does Paul say here? He calls us to go, not less after baptism, than before it, to the one expiation made by Christ, that we may know that we always obtain it gratuitously. Farther, all their prating as to the administration of the keys is to no purpose, inasmuch as they conceive of keys apart from the Gospel, while they are nothing else than that testimony of a gratuitous reconciliation, which is made to us in the Gospel.

Defender: 2Co 5:20 - reconciled to God

The marvelous truth is that God has already reconciled sinners to Himself by virtue of the sacrifice of His Son. The problem now is that sinners are not yet reconciled to Him. Therefore, He has committed to us "the ministry of reconciliation" and "the word of reconciliation" (2Co 5:18, 2Co 5:19), as His ambassadors, to beseech men to accept His Son and His great work of salvation. This is "the Great Commission.""

TSK: 2Co 5:20 - ambassadors // as // in // be

ambassadors : 2Co 3:6; Job 33:23; Pro 13:17; Mal 2:7; Joh 20:21; Act 26:17, Act 26:18; Eph 6:20

as : 2Co 5:11, 2Co 6:1; 2Ki 17:13; 2Ch 36:15; Neh 9:29; Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Jer 44:4; Eze 18:31, Eze 18:32

in : Job 33:6; Luk 10:16; 1Co 4:4, 1Co 4:5; 1Th 4:8

be : Job 22:21; Pro 1:22-33; Isa 27:5; Jer 13:16, Jer 13:17, Jer 38:20; Luk 14:23

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 2Co 5:20 - are ambassadors for Christ

The apostle here giveth us a true notion, not only of apostles, which were the first and principal ministers of the gospel, but of all other ministers; teaching us what all ministers should be, and what all true ministers of the gospel are. They

are ambassadors for Christ There is by nature an enmity between the creature and God; he naturally hateth God, and God is angry with him. Those that were sometime alienated, and enemies in their minds by wicked works, Christ hath reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, Col 1:21,22 ; he hath purchased a reconciliation for them. But yet, till they have received Christ as their Lord and Saviour, they are not actually recovered to God by him. God does by men, as great princes do by such as they are at enmity with; he sends his ministers to them, who are his ambassadors; and as all ambassadors represent the person of him whose ambassadors they are, and speak in his name, and as in his stead, persuading to peace; so these speak as in Christ’ s name, and in God’ s stead; their business is to beseech men to be reconciled unto God, to lay down their arms, and to accept of the terms of the gospel for peace and reconciliation.

PBC: 2Co 5:20

People see Jesus through us. We are ambassadors for Christ.

An ambassador is a representative of a nation in a foreign country. This land is not my own. This is not my home. Heaven in immortal glory is my home.

I am simply an ambassador in a foreign land. This is a place where I will journey for a while. I’m here to represent my home -heaven. I’m a representative of that nation, living under the flag of Jesus Christ and the banner of my Lord as a representative of Him.

When an ambassador goes to another country, they see the nation the ambassador represents. When people look at you they see Jesus and heaven, our country through you.

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Haydock: 2Co 5:20

Be not deaf to this voice, harden not your hearts, suffer yourselves to be moved to the charity of God: it is immense, it is infinite. (Bible de Vence)

Gill: 2Co 5:20 - Now then we are ambassadors for Christ // as though God did beseech you by us // we pray you in Christ's stead // be ye reconciled to God

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,.... Since God has made reconciliation by Christ, and the ministry of it is committed to us, we are ambassadors for him; we come with full powers from him, not to propose terms of peace, to treat with men about it, to offer it to them, but to publish and proclaim it as made by him: we represent him, and God who made it by him,

as though God did beseech you by us; to regard this embassy and message of peace, which we bring from him; to consider from whence it takes its rise, what methods have been used to effect it, and how it is accomplished; which should oblige to say and sing with the angels, "glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good will towards men"; and to behave in peaceable manner to all men, and one another:

we pray you in Christ's stead; representing him as if he was present before you:

be ye reconciled to God; you, who are new creatures, for whom Christ has died, and peace is made; you, the members of the church at Corinth, who upon a profession of faith have been taken into such a relation; be ye reconciled to all the dispensations of divine Providence towards you; let your wills bow, and be resigned to his, since he is the God of peace to you; and as you are reconciled by Christ as a priest, be reconciled to him as your King, and your God; to all his ordinances and appointments; to all the orders and laws of his house; conform in all things to his will and pleasure, which we, as his ambassadors, in his name and stead, have made known unto you. You ought to be all obedience to him, and never dispute anything he says or orders.