Hope In Eternity: An Exegetical Analysis of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Publishing from my drafts on 11.20.25. Originally written for a grade during my M. Div program at Liberty University.

Introduction

In 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Paul writes to the Corinthians to inform them that there is hope they should cling to found in that which is unseen.[1] This models that the Christian lives by faith and not by sight which is common of Paul. The hope that the Christian is clinging to is an eternity spent united with God in heaven and later in the new heaven and earth. While Paul does speak of the Parousia in his eschatology literature, the focus of this passage is on life after death. Life after death for those who die before the rapture will be united with Christ in heaven which is a prelude to the new heaven and earth. This passage fits into the scheme we know well by Paul - the “already and not yet”.[2] This passage declares there is hope that the believer will leave their earthly body and earth behind and become a new creation in heaven while also not forgetting that judgment awaits once our time on earth has ended.

Hope in Eternity with God even while awaiting Judgement.

Hope is rampant within this passage of scripture, but Paul does not allow the Corinthians to forget about their awaiting judgement. It is pertinent that the Corinthians and all believers realize that there will be a day of judgement based upon life lived here on earth. While salvation and the Holy Spirit are a guarantor of life in heaven[3], believers will reap what they sow. Each believer still awaits divine judgement which will determine how they are acknowledged in heaven and further eternal schemes of eschatology.[4]

Paul writes this passage to make the Corinthians aware that there is another reality that the believer will discover in due time. This reality we face now is barely half of what is to be lived and discovered once united with Christ. Paul, of all people knows the struggles of our time spent on this earth. Paul expresses the things experienced while living in this tent through the actions of groaning and being burdened.[5] While Paul realizes the struggles of reality, he is able to still proclaim the good news with a calm and courageous nature because of his eternal hope.[6] In the midst of sufferings Paul keeps an eternal perspective realizing that the physical is fleeting compared to the spiritual and eternal life awaiting the believer.

Within this passage Paul recognizes the fragility and awaiting expiration date that comes with being human yet still clings to hope. For the believer (and Paul) this hope comes from knowing on judgment day when we are found in Christ, we will spend eternity in the “building” God created. The tent will be broken, but the believer has hope in the lasting building.

Tent vs. Building

Within this passage the temporal things of earth occur to the “tent” while the “building” experiences things that are eternal. Paul’s metaphorical use of the terms “tent” and “building” drive his point home that there is much more to be lived and experienced than that which we experience on earth. The believer goes form living in a tent to living in a building at with God and being properly clothed. This is a great transformation for the believer to look forward to.

When discussing the differences between the tent and the building there appears to be questions among scholars whether or not Paul is concerned with the Parousia or simply life after death. When reading through this passage and paying attention to the literary clues within this context, it can be determined Paul is speaking about immediate life after death.[7] There is not a waiting period to be reunited with God, but, yes, there is a waiting period for all of creation to be reconciled back to God. The tent is the temporary home for an individual’s soul. For the believer, we know that our eternal home is with God, the Father while the unbeliever awaits a different eternal home. This is why Paul stresses a judgement day for each individual. The believer lives in this tent living a life which would bring God the most glory and for that life he or she has lived they will receive their reward in heaven accordingly.[8]

Considering the dwelling place of the Spirit it is important that we look at the Greek terms for both “tent” and “building”. It is important to know that our English word is the same or closet to that of the Greek to be sure that we can understand this passage how Paul intended. Looking at both of these terms it is clear that Paul has hope in something with a much greater foundation than a flimsy tent.

In Greek, the word, tent is σκῆνος which was used in Pythagorean philosophy to convey the body as a temporary dwelling place.[9] In order to get his point across Paul used terms that those of his time would understand and since this was already of thought it would make sense in this context. In verb form we see this term as σκηνόω which means “I dwell as in a tent, I enamp”.[10] Again we see this as the proper term to suggest temporary dwelling because camping is not permanent, but rather means we are going to be staying at some place for a short while. The tent is in reference to a temporary home for the believer (and their soul).

After looking at the word tent, we can now look at the term, “building” or οἰκοδομὴν in Greek. While this term can be used to character development or actual piece of architecture it seems that “building” is rightly used to describe a piece of architectural work or type of structure.[11] In reference to the context of this passage we can be confident that “building” is referred to as a structure God is preparing for His children and a strong, permanent one at that. If this term alludes to strength one can assume that this “structure” is stronger than that of a tent and has a better foundation to stand on.

Whether the reader comprehends this to mean heaven, which according to this passage appears to be the correct interpretation, or the new heavenly body a believer will receive the message of hope in things unseen still reigns true. The tent which the believer now lives in will one day be destroyed by death or transformed at the time of the Parousia. When in the building we will be at home with the Lord which is better than being in a tent away from Him and the reward that awaits us in glory. It is because of this hope that Paul and all believers can be content with their death. Upon death the believer will be united with God in eternity.

Transient vs. Eternal

Now that we have discussed the temporary and eternal dwelling places for believers, we can look at what transient and eternal looks like in a little more detail. When addressing the transient and eternal realities within this passage we cannot ignore that this concept of restoration in eternity fulfils the biblical framework of restoration.[12] While we are still dwelling on this earth, we along with creation are not fully restored back to God. In death, the believer is reunited with God while the rest of creation still awaits a reunion in their groaning.

In this transient state on earth, we are “longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven”.[13] This concept builds from the previous chapter in 4:18 considering the things which are seen and those which are not seen, temporal versus eternal. Transient or temporal (πρόσκαιρος) contrasts greatly to the eternal (αἰώνιος).[14] The believer has faith in the eternal though all we can see is the temporal that surrounds us. The believer believes with “eyes of faith” which the Spirit living inside of us is a guarantor of the ternal reality that awaits us. The sufferings that occur while we are in this tent are fleeting which adds to the hope we have in eternity.

While discussing the topic of temporal versus eternal we must recognize that we will no longer be found “naked” but be properly “clothed” in eternity. Paul viewed this nakedness as a metaphor of being shunned from God’s presence and not being clothed by Him. Again, a believer is found to be living in the “now and not yet” because we are clothed in Christ with the Holy Spirit as our “deposit” of this assurance. We have a piece of clothing but are not yet completely clothed in the righteousness of Christ until we are united with Him in eternal glory.[15] Our clothing in Christ is what guarantees us a spot in this building in heave. Our forever is deposited into us the moment we accept salvation but is not complete until heaven. Thus, according to Paul we are found naked until we are united with Christ. In our temporal state we seek the transformation that comes in the eternal that will deem us fully clothed once united with Christ in eternity.

Conclusion

Within this passage Paul has made it clear that the believer has hope in what is to come in eternal life when we are reunited with God. While we have the Spirit as “heavenly insurance” we must live out our days in our tent in such a way that brings God glory because there will still be a judgement day for every individual including believers. Our reward in heaven is dependent upon what has been completed in our tent on earth.

While Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian church to give them hope in the midst of their groanings and burdens the same can be said for the believer today. Just as Paul and the Corinthian church endured sufferings and often groaned the church of today does the same. The message of hope of eternal life from this passage transcends the historical distance because no matter what year we live in, as long as we live in this earthly tent, we will endure suffering.

Jesus did not promise us easy but promised us He would be with us and send His comforter, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our promise of better things to come. This message delivered by God through the messenger of Paul is relevant now and for all the years to come before the time of Parousia. If the Parousia has not happened yet then we must rely on the truth and hope of an eternal building awaiting us in life after death.

[1] 2 Corinthians 5:7 [2] Aernie, Jeffrey W. “Faith, Judgment, and the Life of the Believer: A Reassessment of 2 Corinthians 5:6-10.” The Catholic Biblical quarterly. 79, no. 3 (2017): 438–454. [3] 2 Corinthians 5:5 [4] Aernie, Jeffrey W. “Faith, Judgment, and the Life of the Believer: A Reassessment of 2 Corinthians 5:6-10.” The Catholic Biblical quarterly. 79, no. 3 (2017): 438–454. [5] 2 Corinthians 5:2 [6] biblehub.com. “2 Corinthians 5 Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers.” Accessed July 1, 2023. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/2_corinthians/5.htm. [7] Verster, Pieter. “ABODE in HEAVEN: PAUL and LIFE after DEATH in 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-10.” Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Missiology 44, no. 1 (July 30, 2016): 19–33. https://missionalia.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/78/pdf. [8] biblehub.com. “2 Corinthians 5 Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers.” Accessed July 1, 2023. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/2_corinthians/5.htm. [9] A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament: “tent” from app.logos.com [10] IBID [11] Strong’s Concordance, G3619 [12] Hafemann, Scott. "Paul's use of the Old Testament in 2 Corinthians: A Journal of Bible and Theology." Interpretation 52, no. 3 (07, 1998): 246-57, https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/pauls-use-old-testament-2-corinthians/docview/202725861/se-2. [13] 2 Corinthians 5:2, NASB [14] A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament: eternal, accessed through app.logos.com [15] Verster, Pieter. “ABODE in HEAVEN: PAUL and LIFE after DEATH in 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-10.” Missionalia: Southern African Journal of Missiology 44, no. 1 (July 30, 2016): 19–33. https://missionalia.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/78/pdf.