The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 1:21 Explained

2 Corinthians 1:21

KJV: Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

YLT: and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, is God,

Darby: Now he that establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God,

ASV: Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ, and anointed us, is God;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  he which stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ,  and  hath anointed  us,  [is] God; 

What does 2 Corinthians 1:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 1:12-22 - Sincere Like His Master
The Apostle laid great emphasis on the witness of his conscience. See Acts 23:1; Acts 24:16. As we pass out of this life, and stand in the revealing dawn of eternity, it will be a blessed thing if we are able to say this much of ourselves.
Paul had thought of visiting Corinth on his way to Macedonia, and again on his return journey; but this purpose had been defeated. He was eager, however, that his friends should understand that the change was not due to vacillation on his part, for this would be unworthy of one who stood for the great certainties of the gospel.
Christ is God's attestation to His promises. All these have received their seal in the words, sufferings and resurrection of our Lord. In Jesus God says Yea to the yearnings and prayers of human hearts, and Amen (verily) to all the ten thousand promises of Scripture. He who rests on Christ stands in the focal point of certainty and assurance. Not one good thing shall fail him of all that has been promised.
2 Corinthians 1:21 is full of comfort. God alone can give us a settled and established position. He anoints us for service; seals us with His Spirit for safety, likeness, and authentication; and in this way gives us the earnest and foretaste of heaven, as the grapes of Eschol were the pledge and foretaste of Canaan. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 1

1  Paul salutes the Corinthians;
3  he encourages them against troubles,
5  by the comforts and deliverances which God had given him,
8  so particularly in his late danger in Asia
12  And calling both his own conscience and theirs,
15  he excuses his not coming to them, as proceeding not of lightness,
23  but of his care for them

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 1:21

Establishes [βεβαιων]
Present active participle from βεβαιος — bebaios firm. An apt metaphor in Corinth where confirmation of a bargain often took place (βεβαιωσις — bebaiōsis) as Deissmann shows (Bible Studies, p. 109) and as 2 Corinthians 1:22 makes plain. [source]
Anointed [χρισας]
From χριω — chriō to anoint, old verb, to consecrate, with the Holy Spirit here as in 1 John 2:20. [source]
Stablisheth - in Christ [βεβαιῶν - εἰς]
The present participle with εἰς intoindicates the work as it is in progress toward a final identification of the believers with Christ. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 1:21

John 11:2 Anointed [ἀλείψασα]
Three words for anointing are found in the New Testament: ἀλείφω, χρίω , and its compounds, and μυρίζω . The last is used but once, Mark 14:8, of anointing the Lord's body for burying. Between the two others the distinction is strictly maintained. Χρίω , which occurs five times, is used in every case but one of the anointing of the Son by the Father With the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9). In the remaining instance (2 Corinthians 1:21) of enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Thus the word is confined to sacred anointing. Ἁλείφω is used of all actual anointings. See Matthew 6:17; Mark 6:13; Luke 7:38; James 5:14. The same distinction is generally maintained in the Septuagint, though with a few exceptions, as Numbers 3:3. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 1:21 mean?

The [One] now establishing us with you unto Christ and having anointed [is] God
δὲ βεβαιῶν ἡμᾶς σὺν ὑμῖν εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ χρίσας Θεός

  The  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
βεβαιῶν  establishing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βεβαιόω  
Sense: to make firm, establish, confirm, make sure.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
εἰς  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
Χριστὸν  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
χρίσας  having  anointed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: χρίω  
Sense: to anoint.
Θεός  [is]  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.