2 Corinthians 4
4
The Light of the Gospel
1Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, # Mt 5:7; Mk 5:19; Lk 1:50 we do not give up. # 2Th 3:13 2Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking # 2Jn 6 in deceit or distorting God’s message, # 2Co 2:17; 2Tm 2:15; Heb 4:12 but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. # 2Co 5:11-12; 6:7; 7:14 3But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case, the god of this age # Lk 16:8 has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, # Or the gospel of the glorious Christ, or the glorious gospel of Christ # Mk 10:37 who is the image of God. # Gn 1:27 5For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, # Php 2:11 and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” # Gn 1:3; Mt 6:23 has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge # Php 3:8; 1Jn 4:8 of God’s glory # Mk 10:37; Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 in the face of Jesus Christ.
Treasure in Clay Jars
7Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power # Mk 5:30; Lk 1:35; 6:19; Ac 19:11; 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17 may be from God and not from us. 8We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 9we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 10We always carry the death of Jesus # Lk 9:23; Rm 5:6-8; 6:5-8; 8:34-36; Gl 6:17 in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who live are always given over to death # Mt 10:21; Jn 8:51; Php 3:10 because of Jesus, so that Jesus’ life may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you. 13And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke, # Ps 116:10 LXX # Ps 116:10 LXX we also believe, and therefore speak. 14We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus # 1Th 4:14 and present us with you. 15Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving # 2Co 9:11 to increase to God’s glory.
16Therefore we do not give up. # 2Th 3:13 Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person # Rm 7:22 is being renewed day by day. 17For our momentary light affliction # See note at 2Co 1:4. # Gl 6:2 is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. # Lk 24:26; 1Pt 5:1,4 18So we do not focus on what is seen, # Rm 8:24 but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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2 Corinthians 4
4
Integrity in the Ministry. 1#A ministry of this sort generates confidence and forthrightness; cf. 2 Cor 1:12–14; 2:17. Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy shown us, we are not discouraged. 2Rather, we have renounced shameful, hidden things; not acting deceitfully or falsifying the word of God, but by the open declaration of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.#2:17; 1 Thes 2:4–7. 3And even though our gospel is veiled,#Though our gospel is veiled: the final application of the image. Paul has been reproached either for obscurity in his preaching or for his manner of presenting the gospel. But he confidently asserts that there is no veil over his gospel. If some fail to perceive its light, that is because of unbelief. The veil lies over their eyes (2 Cor 3:14), a blindness induced by Satan, and a sign that they are headed for destruction (cf. 2 Cor 2:15). it is veiled for those who are perishing,#2:15–16; 2 Thes 2:10. 4in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.#Jn 12:31–36 / 1 Tm 1:11. 5For we do not preach ourselves#We do not preach ourselves: the light seen in his gospel is the glory of Christ (2 Cor 4:4). Far from preaching himself, the preacher should be a transparent medium through whom Jesus is perceived (cf. 2 Cor 4:10–11). Your slaves: Paul draws attention away from individuals as such and toward their role in relation to God, Christ, and the community; cf. 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 4:1. but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. 6#Autobiographical allusion to the episode at Damascus clarifies the origin and nature of Paul’s service; cf. Acts 9:1–19; 22:3–16; 26:2–18. “Let light shine out of darkness”: Paul seems to be thinking of Gn 1:3 and presenting his apostolic ministry as a new creation. There may also be an allusion to Is 9:1 suggesting his prophetic calling as servant of the Lord and light to the nations; cf. Is 42:6, 16; 49:6; 60:1–2, and the use of light imagery in Acts 26:13–23. To bring to light the knowledge: Paul’s role in the process of revelation, expressed at the beginning under the image of the odor and aroma (2 Cor 2:14–15), is restated now, at the end of this first moment of the development, in the imagery of light and glory (2 Cor 4:3–6). For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ.#Gn 1:3; Is 9:1; Acts 26:13–23; Gal 1:15–16 / Jn 8:12; Heb 1:3.
The Paradox of the Ministry. 7#4:7–5:10] Paul now confronts the difficulty that his present existence does not appear glorious at all; it is marked instead by suffering and death. He deals with this by developing the topic already announced in 2 Cor 3:3, 6, asserting his faith in the presence and ultimate triumph of life, in his own and every Christian existence, despite the experience of death. But we hold this treasure#This treasure: the glory that he preaches and into which they are being transformed. In earthen vessels: the instruments God uses are human and fragile; some imagine small terracotta lamps in which light is carried. in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. 8#A catalogue of his apostolic trials and afflictions. Yet in these the negative never completely prevails; there is always some experience of rescue, of salvation. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair;#6:4–10; 1 Cor 4:9–13. 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; 10#Both the negative and the positive sides of the experience are grounded christologically. The logic is similar to that of 2 Cor 1:3–11. His sufferings are connected with Christ’s, and his deliverance is a sign that he is to share in Jesus’ resurrection. #Col 1:24. always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.#Rom 8:36; 1 Cor 15:31.
12#His experience does not terminate in himself, but in others (12, 15; cf. 2 Cor 1:4–5). Ultimately, everything is ordered even beyond the community, toward God (2 Cor 4:15; cf. 2 Cor 1:11). So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13#Like the psalmist, Paul clearly proclaims his faith, affirming life within himself despite death (2 Cor 4:10–11) and the life-giving effect of his experience upon the church (2 Cor 4:12, 14–15). And place us with you in his presence: Paul imagines God presenting him and them to Jesus at the parousia and the judgment; cf. 2 Cor 11:2; Rom 14:10. Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we too believe and therefore speak,#Ps 116:10. 14knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence.#Rom 4:24–25; 8:11; 1 Cor 6:14; 1 Thes 4:14. 15Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.#1:11.
16#In a series of contrasts Paul explains the extent of his faith in life. Life is not only already present and revealing itself (2 Cor 4:8–11, 16) but will outlast his experience of affliction and dying: it is eternal (2 Cor 4:17–18). Therefore, we are not discouraged;#Not discouraged: i.e., despite the experience of death. Paul is still speaking of himself personally, but he assumes his faith and attitude will be shared by all Christians. Our outer self: the individual subject of ordinary perception and observation, in contrast to the interior and hidden self, which undergoes renewal. Is being renewed day by day: this suggests a process that has already begun; cf. 2 Cor 3:18. The renewal already taking place even in Paul’s dying is a share in the life of Jesus, but this is recognized only by faith (2 Cor 4:13, 18; 2 Cor 5:7). rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.#4:1. 17For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,#Mt 5:11–12; Rom 8:18. 18as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.#Rom 8:24–25; Heb 11:1.
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