2 Corinthians 5:18

2 Corinthians 5:18

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

a. NLT: And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

b. NIV: All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

c. YLT: And the all things are of God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and did give to us the ministration of the reconciliation,

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].

e. Worrell Translation: But all things are of God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

f. Wuest Translation: But the aforementioned all things are from God as a source, the One who reconciled us to himself through the intermediate agency of Christ and gave to us the ministry whose work is that of proclaiming the message of this reconciliation.

1. “And all things are of God…”

a. And [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. all [things] [Strong: 3956 pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

c. [are] of [Strong: 1537 ek ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]

d. God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

1). The “all things” speak of all the benefits of the New Covenant, of everything that was accomplished for us by Christ Jesus.

2. “…who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…”

a. who [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

b. hath reconciled [Strong: 2644  katallasso kat-al-las'-so from 2596 and 236; to change mutually, i.e. (figuratively) to compound a difference:--reconcile.] [Thayer: to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value, to reconcile (those who are at variance), return to favour with, be reconciled to one, to receive one into favour.] [Merriam-Webster: to restore friendship and harmony, to settle and resolve differences.]

c. us [Strong: 2248 hemas hay-mas' accusative case plural of 1473; us:--our, us, we.]

d. [to] himself [Strong: 1438 heautou heh-ow-too' from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of 846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:--alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

e. by [Strong: 1223 dia dee-ah' a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ... fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.]

f. Jesus [Strong: 2424 Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

g. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

1). The glorious truth is that Christ Jesus reconciled all of mankind to God by his death and resurrection.

a). Romans 5:6-11 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

3.  “…and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. hath given [Strong: 1325 didomi did'-o-mee a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection):--adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.]

c. to us [Strong: 2254 hemin hay-meen' dative case plural of 1473; to (or for, with, by) us:--our, (for) us, we.]

d. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. ministry [Strong: 1248 diakonia dee-ak-on-ee'-ah from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate):--(ad-)minister(-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing).]  [Thayer:  service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others, of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men…][Strong: aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technically of the diaconate):--(ad-)minister(-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing).]

f. of reconciliation [Strong: 2643 katallage kat-al-lag-ay' from 2644; exchange (figuratively, adjustment), i.e. restoration to (the divine) favor:--atonement, reconciliation(-ing).  ] [Thayer: exchange, of the business of money changers, exchanging equivalent values,  adjustment of a difference, reconciliation, restoration to favour, in the NT of the restoration of the favour of God to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of Christ.]

1). When we got born again, not only were our spirits recreated in Christ and were restored in harmony with God, we were given the ministry of reconciliation. Our ministry now is share the good news to the rest of the world that they also have been restored to God and all they have to do is receive what God has done through Christ Jesus. In his last words spoken to the disciples he said almost that exact same thing.

a). Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

2). Jesus calls us to be fishers of men.

a). Matthew 4:17-22 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

4:20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

4:21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

4:22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.