“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
As Paul celebrates the wonder of 2 Corinthians 4:6 (For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ) he reminds the church at Corinth of the sustaining power of the living God poured in and through them.
“Just as wine cannot keep well in silver or gold vessels, but only in the lowliest of vessels-earthen ones-so the words of the Scripture do not keep well in one that considers himself to be the same as silver or gold vessels, but only in one who considers himself the same as the lowliest of vessels-earthen ones.” Sipre, Deuteronomy Commentary
The Stoic:
My resolve + mastery of circumstances = power
The Biblical View:
My weakness + God’s power = God’s power
The Four Paradoxes (v. 8-9)
1. Afflicted, but not crushed
2. Perplexed, but not driven to despair
“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give your love to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully ‘round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But, in that casket -safe, dark, motionless, airless- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
CS Lewis, The Four Loves, p 120-121
3. Persecuted, but not forsaken (Matthew 27:46,
Mark 15:34)
4. Struck down, but not destroyed (knocked down, but not out)
“Viewed as a whole, then, the hardships Paul lists in his catalog, have, as it were, caused cracks in him as an earthen vessel, but the vessel itself remains intact. The vessel is held together by the power of divine adhesive and the light that shines (vs. 4-6) through the cracks is none other than the light of the life of Jesus (vs. 4:10-11).” David E. Garland,
The New American Commentary, 2 Corinthians, p. 229
The Empowering Reality of Christ’s Life and Death
(v. 10-12)
1. We always carry about in our body the death of Jesus so that…
2. We are given over to death for Jesus sake so that…
3. (The conclusion:) Death is at work in us so that life can be seen in us.
QUESTIONS:
1. How does the reality of the gospel shine through the cracks of our lives (clay pots)?
2. Discuss the difference between the view of power by the Stoics, and by those that follow Christ.
3. What is wrong with this statement: "She is a powerful woman of God"?
4. Why will the believer never be "forsaken"?
5. How do the paradoxes underscore the importance of understanding our emotions and embracing them?
6. How do we always carry in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Christ may be manifested in our bodies?