“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14, NKJV)

In this concluding exhortations and salutations (2 Corinthians 13:11-14), Paul exhibits a note of confidence.

He believes that Jesus is divine and that the Spirit is also a personal being like the Father and Son.

This benediction is Trinitarian in form and has ever since been part of Christian worship tradition. It serves to remind us that the mystery of the Holy Trinity is known to be true not through rational or philosophical explanation but through Christian experience, whereby the believer knows firsthand the grace, the love, and the fellowship that freely flow to him from the three Persons of the one Lord God.

We are confident of this, that the Father has exercised his love towards us, Christ in his grace has saved us, and the Spirit has given us true fellowship with God by coming and dwelling in us.

Sources:

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary. New Testament. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

MySword for Android. Riversoft Ministry, 2011-2019.

Olive Tree Bible Software, 1998-2020.

http://www.biblegateway.com

Zondervan NASB Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1999.

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