Mortality Swallowed Up of Life 2 Corinthians 5:4

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth he and his companions were, “earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked”, and in chapter five and verse four of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members he and his companions “groan” that “mortality might be swallowed up of life”, where we read:

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed,

but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

The verse begins, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: ” Paul began with the words, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “we that are” which means “Paul and his companions who exist and be” “in this tabernacle” or “living within this tent, hut or temporary dwelling” “do groan” which means “sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly and grudge”, “being burdened” or “weighed down and depressed”. While in their earthly “tent” or “bodies”, Paul and his companions “sighed and prayed inaudibly” because they were “weighed down” by their perishing “tents”.

The verse goes on to say, “not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” Paul continued with the words, “not for that we” which means “not when, since, after that, seeing that and forasmuch as Paul and his companions” “would be unclothed” or “willed, had in mind or intended to be stripped of their garments or raiment”, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “clothed upon” or “invested upon and put on over”, “that mortality” which means “so liability and subjectivity to death and mortality” “might be swallowed up” or “drunk down, devoured and destroyed” “of life” which refers to “the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God and through him”. Paul did not desire for his spirit to be without a “body”, but rather “clothed upon” with the “heavenly body” so “death” would be “devoured” by “eternal living”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we may understand why he “groaned” in the “earthly tent” in which his spirit resided. The “earthly” body is subject to pain, hurt, disease and death, and Paul knew his “spirit” needed a new “body”, a “heavenly body”, to “live eternally”. Jesus Christ came to give “everlasting life” to all who “believe in Him”, and though “mortality” or “death” is certain, it shall be “devoured” by the promise of a “new body” when “death” comes. Perhaps today there are some who consider the inevitability of certain death, and they wonder, “is there life after death?” Paul knew there is, and those who believe in Jesus shall know the same as “death” is “swallowed up of life”.

Next time Paul shares with the church members how, “God, … has given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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