Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
terror of the Lord—the coming judgment, so full of terrors to unbelievers [ESTIUS]. ELLICOTT and ALFORD, after GROTIUS and BENGEL, translate, "The fear of the Lord" (II Corinthians 7:1; Ecclesiastes 12:13; Acts 9:31; Romans 3:18; Ephesians 5:21).
persuade—Ministers should use the terrors of the Lord to persuade men, not to rouse their enmity (Judges 1:23). BENGEL, ESTIUS, and ALFORD explain: "Persuade men" (by our whole lives, II Corinthians 5:13), namely, of our integrity as ministers. But this would have been expressed after "persuade," had it been the sense. The connection seems as follows: He had been accused of seeking to please and win men, he therefore says (compare Galatians 1:10), "It is as knowing the terror (or fear) of the Lord that we persuade men; but (whether men who hear our preaching recognize our sincerity or not) we are made manifest unto God as acting on such motives (II Corinthians 4:2); and I trust also in your consciences." Those so "manifested" need have no "terror" as to their being "manifested (English Version, 'appear') before the judgment-seat" (II Corinthians 5:10).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 2 Corinthians 5:11:
2 Corinthians 4:2
2 Corinthians 5:14
2 Corinthians 6:9
2 Corinthians 7:1
2 Corinthians 13:3
Ephesians 5:21
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.