2 Corinthians Part4 (Treasure in earthen vessels)

“Having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart” (ch4 v1)
Paul and the other apostles have the ministry of teaching about the new covenant described at the end of the chapter. He is about to explain why they are not disheartened by the afflictions which come to them as a result of their perseverance in this work.

They do not allow themselves to be discouraged from presenting the message frankly and openly. They do not adopt “disgraceful, under-handed ways”, or practice cunning or tamper with God’s word. I assume these were the faults of the Judaizing teachers or the “wisdom” party of Apollos. Instead, they make an open statement of the truth. That approach is their “letter of commendation”, which ought to be recognised by every man’s conscience.

Some people might accuse the gospel of being “veiled”, because they find it hard to understand. That is what he meant in 1 Corinthians ch1, when he said it was “folly to the Greeks”. In truth, it is “veiled” only in the experience of “those who are perishing”, the same people who experience the “aroma of Christ in God” as “a fragrance of death to death” (ch2 v15). “The god of this world” has blinded their minds so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (v4) This is another way of saying that “a veil lies over their minds” (ch3 v15), though he may now be talking about Gentiles as well as about Jews.

For they are not presenting themselves in the gospel message, but Christ as Lord. The same God who commanded light at the beginning of Creation has now given light in their own hearts, in a new work of creation. This is “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (v6). It shines in the face of Christ, implicitly replacing the light in the face of Moses (see ch3).

But this treasure (the light of Christ) is being carried in earthen vessels (the persons of the apostles). They are made visibly weak and vulnerable, to emphasise the point that the transcendent power does not come from themselves. They are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, without being utterly crushed. They are re-enacting in their bodily experience the death of Christ. I think that is what he means when he says elsewhere that he completes (or helps to complete) what is missing in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of the church (Colossians ch1 v24),

“Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (v10, The idea that we share and take part in the death of Christ in order to follow through and share in his resurrection life is very important in Paul’s thinking (Romans ch6, and Galatians passim). The thought is repeated in v11, the first half being re-worded as “we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake”. This is about the persecution at the hands of others.

In v13 he quotes “I believed and so I spoke” (Psalm 116 v10), and says he is following that example. In this case, the foundation belief is the knowledge that he who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will raise the apostles from the dead “with Jesus” and bring them together with the rest of the church into his own presence. This is what is really being taught in 1 Thessalonians ch4, now frequently distorted into “Rapture” teaching.

This brings us back to the Corinthians, for all this activity is really for their sake. The plan is that “as grace extends to more and more people, it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God” (v15).

a reply to: DISRAELI

It's good commentary. You are right that when we become Christian the world becomes a hostile place full of monsters. I am very hot. Every day and almost every minute I am trying to progress in experience and understanding. I get attacked so much I have to hide away. I have chosen the Paul/Daniel approach (in Paul's case forced "Remember my chains" isolation). My approach is actually quite monastic: I keep alone and will only let a person in to my life as far as they don't become a bad influence. I noticed that it wasn't me hurting my life, but everyone else. The only person I will presently let into my house is my autistic fisherman neighbour (I live with the fishermen by the boats just like Jesus did). He is nice. He has no faith and no interest, but he does not sabotage me because he is innocent to a large degree. He is more innocent than anyone else I live among.

It's incredible that you can hide in a cell on this earth and Satan will still find a way of getting at you. There really is no hiding place. I do feel miserable a lot having been so constantly attacked all my life. I am very tired of turning the other cheek. I will not pretend that God has made me all happy clappy. He has given me another life, but has ruined this one and I must exist in sackcloth and ashes.

How can one be happy once you see with eyes to see and hear with ears to hear? How can we feel happiness and contentment in a pit of darkness even though we are trying to carry a light?

I think God deals with us in different ways. He seems to be gentle on some and is like rough Master with others. He even blinded Paul and made Paul's life before be intolerable to the new person He had become, having to live and die for the very people he had once helped to slaughter. Imagine how he must have felt at times!

It must have been so hard for Paul to live having been so much an enemy to to then becoming being the best friend of Christ and His chosen to bring The Word of God to the gentiles. You see, I am dealing with all these more severe aspects. You are a very graceful person and reflect grace much better than I. I feel like a rough David compared to you, but we have to be who we are meant to be.

Look what His Father let happen to Him! It blows my mind. It can make me lose heart totally sometimes because I know He may well let that much happen to me too. I can't find much peace knowing I must walk in the shadow of the valley of death perhaps one day. I have to be prepared for that. Look at what is happening out there. Christians are in danger now, even in the U.S and UK.

Christ deliberately encouraged the authorities to take notice of Him. He deliberately taunted them with Truth. He tormented them with it. He deliberately encouraged them to get so angry at Him and so in their faces that they had Him executed, framing Him with a made up crime and a low criminal's death on full show to the Jews and Pagans gathered in Jerusalem just a few hours before Passover as a deterrent against any such notions of a Jewish King and Messiah.

I feel like I am wrestling in a mud pit a lot more than walking among the flowers in tranquil places. It requires a tough kind of faith to keep on going in all that.