66: Treasure in Clay Jars & Living by Faith — 2 Corinthians 4:1-5:10

4Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
⁶ For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. ¹¹ For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. 

¹³ But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
¹⁸ because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 

Living by faith

5For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— ³ if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 

⁶ So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is responsible for Paul’s ministry? How does this affect his attitude toward the work? How does it affect his presentation of the Gospel? How is this different than other speakers?

2. What image does Paul use for his message? Why is this an appropriate metaphor [see Notes]? How does this affect peoples’ response to the Gospel?

3. What image does Paul use for himself and other evangelists? Why is this an appropriate image? What does it show about God? About Paul? How does it affect Paul’s response to his current situation?

4. How does Paul describe his speaking? Who is really behind Paul’s message? What is Paul’s ultimate purpose in preaching? Why does Paul remain confident in his work? How does he view hardship and setbacks? 

5. What image does Paul use for his physical body? Why does he prefer the new body? Why is there sometimes confusion about which body we prefer [see Notes]?

Get Personal

How do you respond to “speed bumps” in your daily life? How do you deal with hardship in your walk with Christ? How does God help you understand and trust him for growth in your faith?

4:2. Shameful things . . . cunning . . . falsify — some professional orators were more concerned with the style of their speech than the substance. Paul declares (again) that he speaks only God’s truth about Jesus.
4:3. Veiled — Paul returns to the image in 3:12, referring to the Jews who still don’t realize who Jesus really is.
4:4. God of this world — Satan, who deceives people to seek money and power, not Christ.
4:5. We proclaim Jesus Christ — Jesus wants us to be witnesses to his glory, not to ourselves.
4:7. Clay jars — were inexpensive and easily replaced – it’s wet dust, after all. The great irony is the God has put the most valuable message of salvation in such a cheap and frail container: humans (we are dust, also).
4:8. We are . . . — Paul uses his own life as an example of God’s power: in spite of attacks he delivers God’s message, and God’s spirit produces believers, who have Jesus’ life [v. 12].
4:13. I believed, and so I spoke — Paul refers to Psalm 116:10: I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted,” as another example of witnessing even when it brings hardship and suffering to do so.
4:16. Outer nature . . . inner nature — many 

Greek philosophers distinguished between the physical body and its “wasting away,” and the soul with its permanence. Paul adapts this for his Greek believers to encourage living by faith. He continues this contrast with “this slight momentary affliction” and “an eternal weight of glory,” [v.17, also check Eph 3:16].
5:1. Earthly tent — Many cultures in the region called the body a tent, or vessel, or dwelling. Paul contrasts this earthly “tent” with a “building from God.” He expands this concept because the Greeks believed there was no physical resurrection – only the “soul” existed after death. He wants to strengthen the Corinthians’ confidence in God’s promise of a heavenly future [vv. 6-8].
5:7. Walk by faith, not by sight — in this world, with our limited earthly body, we cannot see (or touch or hear or smell) God – we experience God only spiritually, by faith. Paul implies that our resurrection body will be able to experience God.
5:10. Judgment seat of Christ — Paul uses the Old Testament image of judgment here. Even though believers have eternal life through God’s grace [Eph 2:8], Paul believed we are still accountable for our actions in this life: in his first letter he told the Corinthians, the work of each builder will become visible, [1 Cor 3:13].