2 Corinthians 5:4 Commentary and Bible Study

Mortality is, of course, the susceptibility to death. That mortality will be swallowed up, ingested, by life. When we go to our heavenly home, the soul enters in to life. It is clothed with life. Paul doesn’t just want to die. He is not saying he doesn’t want to live anymore and he wants to give up. He is not saying that he cannot stand this present any longer, he just wants to go. No, he assures us that is not the case. He’d prefer to go, but he is going to serve the Lord while the Lord keeps him at his posting. He loves the people of God and he loves the gospel and he longs for new converts in great numbers, so he is not asking to be delivered. ‘Not for that we would be unclothed…’ We are not asking to give up the present life, but we do look forward to the day when we are clothed upon marvellously, and mortality – the present body which is affected by death – might be swallowed up of life.