2Corinthians 5:12-15 comments: beside ourselves

5:12 ¶  For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13  For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Paul is almost apologizing for defending his ministry. He wants now to give the Corinthians the opportunity to defend his and his associates’ ministry against those who were puffed up. They put on a good show of outward appearances but lacked a genuine sincerity. So, Paul declares that if he and his helpers were zealous, a little fanatical, the meaning of beside ourselves, it was God’s doing. But, when they were more calm and methodical it was to benefit the Corinthians. Again, he seems to be fighting those who would deny the physical resurrection, the essence of our faith. Without it there simply is no point. You live and then you cease to exist. Without the physical resurrection Christianity is just one more competing philosophy in the world.

Here is another use of a like phrase to beside ourselves.

Mark 3:21  And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

Paul must have been criticized for his zeal as he later will defend himself against charges of being overly zealous in chapters 11 and 12. It is there that he will come close to remarking on the Sophist style of preaching, accusing some of using preaching for financial gain and lacking in any sincerity, as we will see. Of the types of legitimate Christian preaching there is the exhorter, the one who inspires you to action and self-examination, who gets emotional and gets your attention, Paul’s beside ourselves preacher, and then there is the one who edifies and instructs the congregation in sound doctrine, opening up the Bible to them, soberly. The third type of Christian preaching, from the list in 14:3 is the comforter who reinforces the promises of God and the foundation of our faith, the resurrection. Paul has done the work of all three in his ministry.

In verse 15 Paul makes a call for the believer to live for Christ, who died for us and rose again, purchasing the church with His own blood. As John will write;

Revelation 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul will say to the Galatians;

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.