The New Creation and the Dwelling of Christ

Having become a heavenly body, which is called a dwelling from heaven (2 Cor 5:2-4). For even if the aforementioned tent-dwelling is being destroyed, we are around it, passing from the tent into the heavenly dwelling; but indeed, while we are in it, we groan, desiring to be clothed, longing for the dwelling from heaven, which is this: that we, having laid aside the body, are then enriched from heaven when we have put on incorruption and immortality.

But even if we long for this dwelling, observe whether he who has clothed himself is altogether covered by it; for this is shown by the fact that, even if we have clothed ourselves, we shall not be found naked. Nor is the faithful and holy one found naked when he has clothed himself with the Lord Jesus and the weapons of light and the bowels of compassion before this; for the unbelieving and worthless one, even if he should happen to have the spiritual body which is called a dwelling from heaven, will be found naked, not having striven to have the garments of the inner man.

Because these things happen in such a way, we who are in the tent groan, being weighed down, especially since the earthly tent has been filled with a very prudent mind. However, even if we are weighed down by having it, we do not desire to cast it off, but to clothe ourselves with the dwelling from heaven, so that the mortal might be held down from below by life; for life does not make our tent disappear when we clothe ourselves with immortality, but rather it subdues it, as the quality of that which we are in mortality becomes more dominant.

Let those be reproved by you on these matters—he speaks concerning the false apostles (2 Cor 5:12)—but we do these things for your sake and through you; for even if, becoming outside of men, we stand outside to God, nevertheless we act with prudence toward you, having a divine ecstasy, not a madness (2 Cor 5:13). For one must not pay attention to those who say the apostles and prophets go into ecstasy so as to err; for they followed those whom they said and did, even if there were others. But the foolish were deceived by the similarity of names; for the voice that has gone into ecstasy signifies not only to err and to stumble, but also to be struck with amazement at a wonder. For in this way Isaac went into a great ecstasy, and some will go into ecstasy upon the Lord and upon His good things...

According to the prophet. If even other things are indicated by the voice, let the one encountering the scriptures take note.

The type of ecstasy which he undergoes is explained, saying: we are constrained by the much love having come to us of God (2 Cor 5:14), while marveling, testing, that if one Christ died for all, then all died; for he would not have died for all, unless all of us were responsible for death. Therefore, if for our sake and through us he died and rose, having risen with him we live, not for themselves, that is, humanly, but by the one having suffered and risen for our sake. Living with him, and according to him, all that we do, say, and think, as each has dared to say: my soul lives with him, and: I live no longer, but Christ lives in me (2 Cor 5:15).

Since we live by the one having died and risen for our sake, from when we began to be thus, we no longer know anyone according to the flesh (2 Cor 5:16), having surpassed the flesh and its sufferings, and even the shadowy teaching of the law. Even if we had known Christ according to the flesh, still wanting to Judaize and fall to the flesh through the exposition of the law, but now we no longer know him thus, but as the God-Word; for the Word having become flesh, he did not dwell, but tabernacled among us (John 1:14), so that after this we might behold his glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. For to dwell differs from to tabernacle, just as a house differs from a tent; for the house always remains immovably established, but the tent is a portable dwelling. Certainly those making progress tabernacle, but those having reached perfection dwell; for I shall travel in a place of wondrous tabernacling until the house of God.

He who is in Christ, becoming a participant in him, is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). The holy one, wishing such a thing to exist in his own heart, said: Create in me, O God, a clean heart (Psalm 51:10). According to this meaning, the Savior creates in him the two into one new man (2 Cor 5:17-19). So that this might exist, he submitted himself to be created in this way, saying: Lord, create me a beginning of ways for works. They do not clearly manifest the word 'to be created', as it has been shown in others through many examples. But of the new creation having become in Christ of the...