Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
That God was in Christ - This is the doctrine which this ministry of reconciliation holds out, and the doctrine which it uses to bring about the reconciliation itself.
God was in Christ:
1.Christ is the same as Messiah, the Anointed One, who was to be prophet, priest, and king, to the human race; not to the Jews only, but also to the Gentiles. There had been prophets, priests, and kings, among the Jews and their ancestors; and some who had been priest and prophet, king and priest, and king and prophet; but none have ever sustained in his own person the threefold office except Christ; for none have ever ministered in reference to the whole world but he. The functions of all the others were restrained to the ancient people of God alone.
2.Now all the others were appointed of God in reference to this Christ; and as his types, or representatives, till the fullness of the time should come.
3.And that this Christ might be adequate to the great work of reconciling the whole human race to God, by making atonement for their sins, God was in him. The man Jesus was the temple and shrine of the eternal Divinity; for in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9; and he made peace by the blood of his cross.
4.Christ, by his offering upon the cross, made atonement for the sins of the world; and therefore one important branch of the doctrine of this reconciliation was to show that God would not impute or account their trespasses to them, so as to exact the penalty, because this Jesus had died in their stead.
The whole of this important doctrine was short, simple, and plain. Let us consider it in all its connections:
1.You believe there is a God.
2.You know he has made you.
3.He requires you to love and serve him.
4.To show you how to do this he has given a revelation of himself, which is contained in his law, etc.
5.You have broken this law, and incurred the penalty, which is death.
6.Far from being able to undo your offenses, or make reparation to the offended majesty of God, your hearts, through the deceitfulness and influence of sin, are blinded, hardened, and filled with enmity, against your Father and your Judge.
7.To redeem you out of this most wretched and accursed state, God; in his endless love, has given his Son for you; who has assumed your nature, and died in your stead.
8.In consequence of this he has commanded repentance towards God, and remission of sins, to be published in his name in all the earth.
9.All who repent, and believe in Christ as having died for them as a sin-offering, (II Corinthians 5:21), shall receive remission of sins.
10.And if they abide in him they shall have an eternal inheritance among them that are sanctified.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Exodus 25:17
Exodus 39:43
Numbers 16:48
John 1:51
2 Corinthians 5:18
2 Corinthians 6:2
Colossians 1:20
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