SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:11
Así que estando ciertos de aquel terror del Seor, persuadimos los hombres, mas a Dios somos manifiestos; y espero que tambin en vuestras conciencias seamos manifiestos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 5:11
Verse 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord] This, I think, is too harsh a translation of eidotev oun ton fobon tou kuriou, which should be rendered, knowing therefore the fear of the Lord; which, strange as it may at first appear, often signifies the worship of the Lord, or that religious reverence which we owe to him; Acts ix. 31; Rom. iii. 18; xiii. 7; 1 Pet. i. 17; ii. 18; iii. 2. As we know therefore what God requires of man, because we are favoured with his own revelation, we persuade men to become Christians, and to labour to be acceptable to him, because they must all stand before the judgment seat; and if they receive not the grace of the Gospel here, they must there give up their accounts with sorrow and not with joy. In short, a man who is not saved from his sin in this life, will be separated from God and the glory of his power in the world to come. This is a powerful motive to persuade men to accept the salvation provided for them by Christ Jesus. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; the terror of God confounds and overpowers the soul. We lead men to God through his fear and love, and with the fear of God the love of God is ever consistent; but where the terror of the Lord reigns there can neither be fear, faith, nor love; nay, nor hope either. Men who vindicate their constant declamations on hell and perdition by quoting this text, know little of its meaning; and, what is worse, seem to know but little of the nature of man, and perhaps less of the spirit of the Gospel of Christ.
Let them go and learn a lesson from Christ, sweeping over Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered you together, as a hen would her brood under her wings!" And another from his last words on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" But we are made manifest unto God] God, who searches the heart, knows that we are upright in our endeavours to please him; and because we are fully persuaded of the reality of eternal things, therefore we are fully in earnest to get sinners converted to him.
Manifest in your consciences.] We have reason to believe that you have had such proof of our integrity and disinterestedness, that your consciences must acquit us of every unworthy motive, and of every sinister view.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord , etc..] Or the fear of the Lord; by which is meant either the grace of the fear of the Lord, implanted in the hearts of the apostles, and in which they acted in their ministry, faithfully dispensing to men the mysteries of grace; from which they could by no means be moved, because the fear of God was before their eyes, and upon their hearts; or rather the terror of the Lord in the last judgment, which will be very great, considering the awfulness of the summons, arise ye dead, and come to judgment; the appearance of the Judge, which will be sudden, surprising, and glorious; the placing of the thrones, the opening of the books, the position of the wicked, the dreadful sentence pronounced on them, and the immediate execution of it; all which the ministers of the word know from the Scriptures of truth; they know the Judge, that there will be a general judgment, and that the day is fixed for it, though they know not the exact time: and therefore persuade men ; not that their state is good because of a little outside morality, nor to make their peace with God, or get an interest in Christ, or to convert themselves, neither of which are in the power of men to do; but they endeavour to persuade them by the best arguments they are masters of, taken from the word of God, and their own experience, that they are in a dangerous state and condition, walking in a way that leads to destruction; that they are liable to the curses of the law, the wrath of God, and everlasting ruin; that present duties of religion will not make amends for past sins, nor can their tears atone for their crimes, or any works of righteousness done by them justify them before God; and that salvation is only by Christ, who is both able and willing to save the chief of sinners: and they endeavour to persuade and encourage poor sensible sinners to venture on Christ, and believe in him to the saving of their souls. So the Arabic version reads it, we persuade men to believe; though when they have done all they can, these persuasions of theirs are ineffectual, without the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit of God; however, in so doing they discharge a good conscience, and act the faithful part to God and men: but we are made manifest unto God ; who searches the heart, and tries the reins, who knows all actions, and the secret springs of them; to him the sincerity of our hearts, and the integrity of our conduct, are fully manifest; we can appeal to him that it is his glory, and the good of souls, we have in view in all our ministrations: and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences ; that you also can bear witness to our faithfulness and honesty, to the unwearied pains we have taken, and the hearty concern we have shown for the welfare of the souls of men. One of Stephens's copies reads, and we trust; which agrees with the apostle's speaking in the first person plural in this, and the preceding verses.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-15 - The apostle quickens himself and others to acts of duty. Well-grounde hopes of heaven will not encourage sloth and sinful security. Let all consider the judgment to come, which is called, The terror of the Lord Knowing what terrible vengeance the Lord would execute upon the worker of iniquity, the apostle and his brethren used every argument an persuasion, to lead men to believe in the Lord Jesus, and to act as his disciples. Their zeal and diligence were for the glory of God and the good of the church. Christ's love to us will have a like effect upo us, if duly considered and rightly judged. All were lost and undone dead and ruined, slaves to sin, having no power to deliver themselves and must have remained thus miserable for ever, if Christ had not died We should not make ourselves, but Christ, the end of our living an actions. A Christian's life should be devoted to Christ. Alas, how man show the worthlessness of their professed faith and love, by living to themselves and to the world!
Greek Textus Receptus
ειδοτες 1492 5761 V-RAP-NPM ουν 3767 CONJ τον 3588 T-ASM φοβον 5401 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM ανθρωπους 444 N-APM πειθομεν 3982 5719 V-PAI-1P θεω 2316 N-DSM δε 1161 CONJ πεφανερωμεθα 5319 5769 V-RPI-1P ελπιζω 1679 5719 V-PAI-1S δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF συνειδησεσιν 4893 N-DPF υμων 5216 P-2GP πεφανερωσθαι 5319 5771 V-RPN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Terror of the Lord (fobon tou Kuriou). Rev., better, the fear of the Lord. Not that which is terrible in the Lord, but being conscious of fearing the Lord.We persuade (peiqomen). Convince of our integrity.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:11 {The fear of the Lord} (ton fobon tou kuriou). Many today regard this a played-out motive, but not so Paul. He has in mind verse #10 with the picture of the judgment seat of Christ. {We persuade} (peiqomen). Conative present active, we try to persuade. It is always hard work. {Unto God} (qewi). Dative case. God understands whether men do or not. {That we are made manifest} (pefanerwsqai). Perfect passive infinitive of fanerow in indirect discourse after elpizw. Stand manifested, state of completion.
