2 Corinthians 4: Components of an Authentic Ministry, Continued

Introduction

In the first portion of this chapter (4:1–6), Paul continues to answer the question he asked in 2:16 about who is qualified to preach the word and explain the works of God. At this point, however, he adds elements to his argument to answer charges made by his antagonists, especially their insistence that he has insincere motives in preaching the gospel. To make a defense of his integrity and to push his main argument further, the Apostle has his readers consider elements in the epistle that rest upon the solid foundation he has been laying since 2:14. In doing so, he forces them to focus on the striking pieces that showcase authentic ministry and illustrate his personal integrity in preaching the gospel.¹ This allows him to describe afresh the mission that Christ has given him. Before (3:4–18), he presented his labors in light of “the communication of the Spirit,” but now he emphasizes God’s saving work as he moves through the Apostle and his missionary companions to effect the broader mission to the world.²

In 4:1–6, Paul gives punch to the point he is making by employing an ancient literary technique known as “ring-composition,” in which “his closing thoughts revert to his earlier statements and complete the circle of ideas.”³ In doing so, he signals his readers that he is bringing this portion of his analysis and defense to a close. He does so by showcasing his integrity as a minister of Christ.

The Apostle, however, does more than simply build on the points he made against his adversaries in chapter 2 by adding another line of argument to answer their criticism of his ministry and message. The text suggests that some of his adversaries attacked him on the basis of a growing physical infirmity that manifested itself in increasing bodily weakness of some sort. From their point of view, this condition makes his message ineffectual (see 10:10). Paul’s pushback shows his challengers as groping in the darkness because of their insistence that his preaching lacks “the demonstrable signs of power” needed to convince them of its truth.⁴ In point of fact, he insists, his preaching cannot help them because they refuse to see it for what it is. As a result, “the god of this world” (4:4) has been able to blind their minds to the truth.⁵ He is not bothered by their blindness, for his ministry is ever before God. This knowledge explains his forthrightness in proclaiming the gospel as he does (3:12). With this argument, he concludes the defense he began in 2:14.

With 4:7, Paul opens a new argument in his defense. It does not come to a close in this chapter but runs through 5:10. The text suggests that the Apostle designed this argument in such a way as to gain further trust and acceptance from his readers by showing them the cost he and other missionaries have had to pay for the gospel’s sake. He begins by clearly stating the suffering his ministry has cost him (4:7–15) and then describes the perspective he has achieved from this suffering (4:16–18).

His writing in this section reveals Paul’s deliberate intent of further winning his readers to his side and away from the self-styled “apostle” (10:12–18) who has attacked both his integrity and doctrine. Quite a number of the Saints, unfortunately, had been won over by this person’s self-promotion. Paul must now win them back, but he is walking a tightrope. He “wants his converts neither to adore nor to ignore him, so he will praise himself in a way that is consistent with his own principle that the Christian boaster should boast in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:30–31). This means that he will boast of his own weakness and sufferings in order to show that his triumphs must result from God’s work through him.”⁶

Their response to his former letters has informed him that his target audience resonates best to both his ἦθος (ēthos; an appeal to character and proper past conduct)⁷ and πάθος (pathos; endured hardships and suffering for a cause).⁸ He, therefore, concentrates on both aspects in this chapter.

Paul’s Perseverance in the Ministry (4:1–6)

Greek Text

1 Διὰ τοῦτο, ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν, 2 ἀλλὰ ἀπειπάμεθα τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης, μὴ περιπατοῦντες ἐν πανουργίᾳ μηδὲ δολοῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῇ φανερώσει τῆς ἀληθείας συνιστάνοντες ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς πᾶσαν συνείδησιν ἀνθρώπων ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.3 εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστιν κεκαλυμμένον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις ἐστὶν κεκαλυμμένον,4 ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐτύφλωσεν τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων εἰς τὸ μὴ αὐγάσαι τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ.5 οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς κηρύσσομεν ἀλλὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν κύριον, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν.6 ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ὁ εἰπών· Ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ Χριστοῦ. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry / Therefore, since we have this ministry: The retrospective phrase,⁹ διὰ τοῠτο (dia touto), “therefore, because of this,” refers back to the ministry which Paul has been developing since 2:14, a ministry he has described as a “new covenant” (3:6) with its own glory that also comes with God’s liberating spirit. The noun διακονία (diakonia), “ministry,”¹⁰ refers to the new covenant that Paul and his companions had been mercifully granted (this is a favorite theme of Paul’s; see 1 Cor. 7:25; 1 Tim. 1:13, 16) and were now extending to others. His careful development of the nature and authenticity of his ministry (2:14–3:18) forms the foundation of his current defense against his detractors.¹¹

as we have received mercy / because we have been given mercy: The verb ἐλεέω (eleeō), “to have compassion, mercy, pity,”¹² is found here in the form of an aorist passive and means “to be given mercy.” The subordinate conjunction καθως (kathōs) carries a causative force, “because, since”; therefore we have translated καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν (kathōs ēleēthēmen) as “because we have been given mercy.”¹³ This is an example of a “divine passive” where God or Christ is the unnamed agent.¹⁴ The phrase may refer back to the grace-filled mercy Christ bestowed upon Paul at the time when he, as a young man, was fighting against the Church (Acts 9:1–9). Despite his misdirected and malicious intent, the Lord forgave him and called him to service in the new covenant.¹⁵

we faint not / we do not become discouraged: The verb ἐγκακέω (enkakeō) means, at best, “to lose enthusiasm, be discouraged, lose heart” and, at worst, “to giving up on something.”¹⁶ The verb also carries the nuance of “failing,” which includes moral failures such as acting wrongly. With the negative particle οὐκ (ouk), “not,” the phrase denotes never losing heart or determination for a cause.¹⁷ The nuance of “not failing” also links the idea here with Paul’s assertion of his personal integrity (4:2) as well as with his defense of the apostolic mission in the larger arena.¹⁸ He and his companions are determined to not fail. Thus, the missionaries, no matter what the opposition, neither lose enthusiasm nor become discouraged because they recognize that it is God, through his mercy, who has given them the divine ministry.¹⁹ To become discouraged in preaching the gospel would devalue both it and the divine mercy that generated it.

4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty / On the contrary, we have renounced the shameful hidden things: The conjunction ἀλλά (alla), “on the contrary, but,”²⁰ at the beginning of this verse plays an important role by effecting a sharp contrast with what has come before. It emphasizes those items the missionaries have given up.²¹ The verb ἀπεῖπον (apeipon) means to “disown, forbid, renounce.”²² This is the only occurrence of the word in the New Testament, and that makes it hard to be precise in capturing Paul’s intent. In noncanonical papyri fragments where the word is found, it means “to forbid.”²³ The meaning “to renounce” may therefore carry with it the thought of forbidding the approach of the things disowned. If that idea is at play here, then it suggests the willful distance that the missionaries keep from anything that would be shameful.

The noun αἰσχύνη (aischynē), “shame,” denotes a discreditable deed but carries the nuance of doing something that, if exposed, could bring upon one ignominy with its deep disgrace.²⁴ The adjective κρυπτός (kryptos) denotes what is hidden,²⁵ but in the plural phrase τὰ κρυπτά (ta krypta), it is nominalized as “the hidden things” and refers to all that is deliberately hidden. It describes both actions and intents that Paul feels are shameful or disgraceful²⁶ and likely refers, at least in part, to the methods of the false teachers who are making their way among the Saints (Philip. 3:18–19). For Paul, the noun can also refer to the condition of the heart that attempts to hide the motives that drive patterns of behavior.²⁷ All this gives the sense of the phrase not simply as that which is hidden out of a sense of shame²⁸ but as that which is hidden because of the fear that if the true motives were exposed, the person would suffer disgrace. Such a situation many in the Greco-Roman world would have found most repellent and therefore be very willing to use any means (except, unfortunately, being outright honest) to prevent exposure.

Paul’s meaning in his use of the phrase τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης (ta krypta tēs aischynēs), “hidden things of shame,” is unclear. The problem centers around the genitive noun αἰσχύνης (aischynēs), “of shame.” The case can be taken in various ways. It can refer to source (the hidden things yielding shame), possession (the hidden things that belong to shame), quality (the hidden things that consist of shame), and even epexegesis.²⁹ We treated it as a genitive of quality, a common construction in koine Greek that reflects a Hebrew influence, since Hebrew often uses a noun in a construct to compensate for its sparsity of adjectives.³⁰ Hence our translation, “shameful hidden things.”

not walking in craftiness / neither practicing deception: The noun πανουργία (panourgia) denotes “cunning, craftiness, trickery.”³¹ Its components, παν- (pan-, “all”) and ἐργ- (erg-, “work”), carry the idea of being adroit or shrewd due to a very discerning mind. It carries the very negative nuance of deliberate, carefully thought-out, unscrupulous behavior done to achieve one’s ends.³² The preposition ἐν (en), usually meaning “in,” can also be understood as denoting “means.” If that is the case, then the phrase ἐν πανουργίᾳ (en panourgia) would mean “by means of deceit or trickery.”³³

The verb περιπατέω (peripateō), found here as a present participle, means both “to walk around” and “to comport oneself,” the latter connoting a habit of conduct.³⁴ It is one of Paul’s favorite means of describing both immediate conduct and a broad pattern of life.³⁵ The idea it conveys in this clause is that of continual behavior or deliberate action and is likely meant to characterize the work of the Apostle’s adversaries, who, through the deliberate use of cunning and tricky speech, are able to garner a following.³⁶

nor handling the word of God deceitfully / nor distorting the word of God: The verb δολόω (doloō), found here as a present participle, denotes deliberately falsifying or distorting something.³⁷ A cognate, the noun δόλος (dolos), originally referred to fish bait, then to “any cunning contrivance for deceiving or catching,” and in an abstract sense it referred to “craft, cunning, treachery.”³⁸ This nuance gives the verb the force of the intentional adulteration of something as a means of catching someone through a falsehood. In this case, what is being distorted or adulterated is τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ (ton logon tou theou), “the word of the God.” Paul’s point seems to be that these crafty deceivers mix God’s word with wrong models to come up with false doctrines in order to snare their victims. Their intent is likely to bolster their position and influence in the Christian community, not to promote the ways of the Divine.³⁹

The phrase ton legon tou theou, “the word of the God” or the Father, refers to the gospel, as 4:3–4 make clear.

but by manifestation of the truth / but by the open proclamation of the truth: With this clause, Paul sets his ministry in stark contrast to that of those he calls “false brethren” (11:26). The noun φανέρωσις (phanerōsis), “open proclamation, manifestation,”⁴⁰ denotes “making something fully known by revealing [it] clearly and in some detail.”⁴¹ In the present context it likely refers to the gospel, for in Paul’s eyes, it contains the ultimate truth. The idea that stands behind the noun “truth” is more than a cognitive process, though it includes that, but it is larger than human cognition, often requiring revelation to both disclose and make it comprehensible.⁴²

commending ourselves to every man’s conscience / we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience: The verb συνίστημι (synistēmi), “commend, recommend,” carries the idea of providing evidence of personal character through some kind of action for the purpose of establishing a positive bond between parties.⁴³ In this case that action is not distorting the truth but setting it forth openly, accurately, and clearly. The noun συνείδησις (syneidēsis), “conscience,” in the present context, does not carry the usual connotation of the human faculty that distinguishes right from wrong and stings when one fails to do what is right. Rather, it refers to an awareness or consciousness of certain information with the ability to make a moral judgment about it.⁴⁴ In this case, the information is the missionaries’ clear declaration of truth that permits the willing listeners to understand the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 2:7) and thereby understand the Divine and their relationship thereto. The phrase πᾶσαν συνείδησιν ἀνθρώπων (pasan syneidēsin anthrōpōn), “every person’s conscience,” then refers to every possible variety of human conscience⁴⁵—that is, all levels of awareness, emphasizing the breadth of people the missionaries preach to.

in the sight of God: The preposition ἐνώπιον (enōpion), “before,” denotes something that is in view of another.⁴⁶ This phrase is small but very important, for it discloses Paul’s knowledge that God is always aware of what he is doing, and therefore he does it the best that he can.

4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost / But even if our gospel is hidden, it is only hidden to those who are perishing: The verb καλύπτω (kalyptō), found here as a perfect passive participle, means “to be hidden, concealed, covered over,” with the intent of actively keeping something from being known or found out.⁴⁷ The grammatical construction of the phrase εἰ . . . ἔστιν κεκαλυμμένον (ei . . . estin kekalymmenon), “if [it] is has been hidden,” shows that Paul is referring not to a possibility but to an actual situation.⁴⁸ The force of the perfect tense here suggests that the gospel, actively hidden by some in the past, continues to remain so.

The verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi), found here as a middle present participle, generally means “to be utterly destroyed,” but in the middle voice it means “to perish.” As such it does not refer to the annihilation of being, but of well-being. The word also carries the nuance of a failure to obtain something of value.⁴⁹ In this case it refers to the loss of salvation. The implication of the present tense is that those in this condition have not yet lost their redemption but are currently in the act of doing so.⁵⁰

4:4 the god of this world: The noun θεος (theos), “god,” is the general appellation of deities or divinities in the Greco-Roman world. The term also included anything that seemed to possess a divine quality, nature, or power. The “god of this world” is Satan.⁵¹ Referring to this evil being as a “god” is unique in scripture.⁵² Paul is not, however, attributing divine qualities to him, but rather inferring that his influence and power over this fallen world is causing people to yield, if ignorantly, to his ways.⁵³

The noun αἰών (aiōn), “world,” has a number of important nuances. It generally refers to an era or historical period, indicating the aggregate of things contained within that time frame.⁵⁴ It also carries the idea of a period of weakness, instability, impiety, and calamity with its resultant misery. More specifically it connotes both the age and the place where the devil rules the thoughts and deeds of people—thus, the current world.⁵⁵

hath blinded the minds of them which believe not / has blinded the minds of those who do not believe: The verb τυφλόω (typhloō), “to blind,”⁵⁶ is used here figuratively and indicates one of the chief methods Satan uses to seduce people to his ways. The noun νόημα (noēma), “mind,”⁵⁷ has two nuances. One refers to the intellectual process of thinking, thus denoting “thought,” the other to the faculty where such thinking takes place—that is, “the mind.”⁵⁸ It is the latter nuance that is used here. Both nuances, however, connote the idea of a careful consideration of an idea, action, or position. The point is that deriving a correct understanding takes accurate knowledge. When such is lacking, an outcome can be wrong, even disastrous. In the scriptures, the “mind” always carries a theological usage centered on understanding the divine will, especially in terms of salvation.

Paul refers to those whom Satan has been able to blind as ὁ ἄπιστος (ho apistos), “the unbeliever.”⁵⁹ The nuance the word carries is not that of simple disbelief but of active rejection.⁶⁰ It is a thought-out process. Thus, the objective for both Satan and God is capturing people’s minds. The noun generally denotes Gentiles but, in this case, could include those Jews who oppose the Christians and even those Christians who oppose Paul.

lest the light . . . should shine unto them / so that they do not discern the light: The phrase εἰς τὸ μή (eis to mē), “lest, so that not,” used with an infinitive refers to the result of an effort.⁶¹ In this case it describes Satan’s objective in spiritually blinding people. The verb αὐγάζω (augazō) means “to see, shine.”⁶² A more expanded definition would be “to cause to see clearly” and, by extension, “to illuminate, discern.”⁶³ The English word “discern,” referring as it does to “the power of deeply perceiving and of distinguishing or discriminating what the senses perceive,”⁶⁴ seems to best capture Paul’s intent.

The masculine noun φωτισμός (phōtismos), “light, enlightenment,”⁶⁵ refers to what is made fully known through clear and detailed revelation. The word, in a scriptural context, refers to “the illumination of the inner life”⁶⁶ and more specifically to the revealed truth concerning the nature and mission—that is, the “good news” (εὐαγγέλλιον, euangellion)—of Christ.⁶⁷

The phrase presents a translation challenge, since the grammatical construction makes it unclear whether the verb αὐγάζω (augazō) is transitive or intransitive. ⁶⁸ If it is intransitive, the subject of the verb is φωτισμός (phōtismos), “light,” and the translation would be “so that the light does not shine.”⁶⁹ If it is transitive, then the subject would be αὐτούς (autous), “they,” referring back to τῶν ἀπίστων (tōn apistōn), “those who do not believe,” which must be supplied since it is not in the text but is easily implied,⁷⁰ making the translation “so that they do not see clearly,” or “so that they do not discern the light.” Following most translators, we have taken the verb as intransitive.⁷¹ One reason we have done so is that disbelief does not stop light from shining, only from being seen or discerned.

the light of the glorious gospel of Christ: The noun εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), “gospel,” by New Testament times, denoted “good news.”⁷² The earliest Christian use of the word encapsulates the whole of the ministry of Christ, including his teachings, activities, death, and Resurrection. But undergirding the noun is the idea of the living power that infuses the message. The word connotes salvation history that is derived as a revelation from and of God as manifest in Christ.⁷³ The noun δόξα (doxa), “glory,” in the present context, carries the nuances of “splendor, magnificence, prestige.”⁷⁴

The noun χριστός (Christos), “Christ,” is a Greek translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ), both meaning “the anointed one.” The title is one of importance, for it was associated in Hebrew theology with kingly, prophetic and priestly rights and powers as derived directly from God himself. The anointing gave the individual the right to use his position, authority, and power to do God’s bidding and to be the administrator over his kingdom. Thus, the title fits the position of Jesus very well, for he was and is God’s “anointed one.” The term gradually took on the distinction of an actual name. This change was due to certain passages in which the term christos did not refer to the idea of a messiah in general but to a very specific Messiah—that is, Jesus himself.⁷⁵ Paul’s writings show that this transfer, however, had not yet taken place. For him, Jesus was the “anointed one” who performed always in that office.

This phrase τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou phōtismon tou euangeliou tēs doxēs tou Christou) presents a number of translation difficulties. A literal translation reads, “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,” and, as can be seen, stacks up three genitives. These offer several translation possibilities determined by how each one is construed.

The question is, What does the genitive phrase τῆς δόξης (tēs doxēs), “of the glory,” refer to? Is it the gospel or Christ? Some commentators see it as modifying Christ. In this case the genitive is one of content, marking the substance of the message preached—namely, Christ in his role as Savior.⁷⁶ Taking it that way, it would refer to “the display of the glory of Christ.”⁷⁷ In the same vein, some see the phrase as epexegetical⁷⁸ and thus translate it as “the gospel, that is, the light which is Christ’s glory.”⁷⁹ Other commentators see δόξα (doxa) as modifying “gospel.” In that case, it is either a genitive of source or origin, referring to “the light emanating from the gospel,”⁸⁰ or of quality, thus reading “the glorious light of the gospel,” referring to the gospel’s wonderful nature.⁸¹

Based on two conditions, the syntax of the phrase and the role of the genitive to limit or qualify the meaning of a noun,⁸² we see the two genitives, τῆς δόξης (tēs doxēs), “of the glory,” and τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou Christou), “of the Christ,” qualify τοῦ εὐαγγελίου (tou euangeliou), “of the gospel.” The imagery the phrase creates is that of light streaming from the gospel, whose subject is Christ, and who is himself a being of glory.⁸³ Since the genitive of quality, also known as an attributive or a Hebrew genitive, is found in a number of places in Paul’s writings, we have cautiously accepted that grammatical nuance for our Rendition, and since the best way to translate that into English is as an adjective, we have translated doxa as “glorious.”⁸⁴

who is the image of God: The noun εἰκών (eikōn), “image, likeness, form, appearance,”⁸⁵ denotes the object itself but as expressed through some means other than its actual presence. The term suggests an equality with the original as an authentic representation.⁸⁶ The wording Paul uses suggests the closeness he sees between the Father and the Son.⁸⁷ The Messiah holds the rank of God and acts in that capacity.

4:5 For we preach not ourselves, / For we do not proclaim ourselves: By introducing the new sentence with the explanatory γάρ (gar), “for,” Paul clues in his readers that he will now address his role in what he has previously said about the gospel. The verb κηρύσσω (kēryssō), “proclaim, preach,” denotes what is made public through an open and clear declaration. It carries two important nuances: that of being official and also of being divine.⁸⁸ The present tense of the verb, as used here, is important, reflecting as it does an ongoing practice repeated on a regular basis.⁸⁹ Its use stresses Paul’s point that the missionaries never put themselves before their message.

Though Paul uses the verb in the more general sense of a public declaration, it still holds a religious connotation.⁹⁰ Most often he uses it to identify his public work in proclaiming either the gospel or Christ. His proclamation consists of bearing witness, making exhortations, and giving warnings as well as encouragement, but all with the Messiah as center.

Christ Jesus the Lord / Christ Jesus as Lord: On the noun Χριστός (Christos), “Christ,” see Translation Notes for 4:4 above. Paul often placed this title before the Savior’s mortal name and thereby empathized his divine authority as the Messiah, or “anointed one” (for examples, see Rom. 8:1; 15:5; 1 Cor. 4:15; 15:31; 16:24; Gal. 3:26; 4:14). For more information, see Translation Notes and Analysis for 1:1. The noun κύριος (kyrios), “lord, master,” refers to one who acts in a capacity of authority due to possession or oversight.⁹¹ In the LXX, the term consistently refers to Jehovah. Its use by Paul continues to tie Christ to that being and strongly suggests that Jesus is God in his own right.⁹²

and ourselves your servants / and ourselves as your servants: The noun δοῦλος (doulos), “servant,” denotes a “slave.”⁹³ In the Greco-Roman world, the term did not carry the onerous nuance that it does in English.⁹⁴ Though it did refer to one who was under another person’s total control and considered to be her or his property, the nuance of the word also included those who gave themselves freely and fully to another. In such a case, they were never another’s property. The term “servant” best describes those in this condition, and that would include Paul. Thus, we translate it that way in our Rendition. The Apostle often described himself as the servant of God or Christ, showing that he had given himself to them and was theirs, and because of that, he sought to do their will. But there is another positive nuance at play here. In the Near East, to be the doulos of a king or an important official often carried with it some prestige due to the responsibility that fell to the person. Thus, the position held both weight and honor.⁹⁵ Those who followed the Apostle likely saw him in this light.⁹⁶ Those, however, who did not would have recoiled at the idea.

for Jesus’ sake: The preposition διά (dia) with the accusative acts as a marker of a cause, with varying shades of meaning such as “because of, on account of, by reason of, thanks to, by aid of,” etc.⁹⁷ A  number of manuscripts, including the early 𝔓⁴⁶, have Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou), “Jesus,” in the genitive case. In that case, dia with the genitive can be used as a marker of personal agency; thus διὰ Ἰησοῦ (dia Iēsou) would be translated “through (or by) Jesus.” The evidence is fairly balanced between the two readings, but the accusative case seems to be the better reading since the same prepositional phrase with the accusative is also found in 4:11 with no variant reading in the genitive.⁹⁸

4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness / For it is God who said, “Out of darkness light will shine”: The verb “is” is not in the text, but in Greek the copula is often not written, but understood.⁹⁹ The noun σκότος (skotos), “darkness,”¹⁰⁰ refers to the absence of light, the condition that reigned during the primordial chaos. The noun φῶς (phōs), “light,” denotes the power God called forth that pushed away the darkness as part of the creation process.¹⁰¹ The verb λάμπω (lampō), “to shine,”¹⁰² found here is a future indicative.

This phrase acts as a précis combining two scriptures.¹⁰³ The first is Genesis 1:3–4, where God commands that there be light and separates the light from the darkness. The other is LXX Isaiah 9:2, which states that those people who walk in darkness will see a great light; indeed, it promises that “a light will shine on [them].” The construction here indicates that Paul cast the words in the form of a quote. In his day, no one would have been bothered by that, since the idea did indeed come from inspired writings, and that was what counted.¹⁰⁴ The difference between the Apostle’s statement and the Old Testament scriptures is significant. Though both show that God is the author of the light that shines, the Apostle’s statement re-forms the idea as a future event and thereby makes it more prophetic than imperative.

hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God / who shined in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of God’s glory: This passage once again illustrates the translation challenge that some of Paul’s writing can present.

The verb λάμπω (lampō) “to shine,”¹⁰⁵ is in the aorist tense. The subject of the verb cannot be φῶς (phōs), “light,” because the noun phōs is neuter, and the relative pronoun ὅς (hos), “who,”¹⁰⁶ found here, is masculine singular; therefore it must refer back to ὁ θεός (ho theos), “God,” at the beginning of the verse.

The noun καρδία (kardia), “heart,”¹⁰⁷ is used here in its figurative capacity that connects the entire spectrum of mental and emotional activities, including all rational elements as well as the “hidden springs of the personal life.”¹⁰⁸ On the negative side, it points to “the seat of total depravity, the principle in the center of man’s inward life that defiles all he does” (see Matt. 15:19–20).¹⁰⁹ On the positive side, it is “the sphere of Divine influence.”¹¹⁰ As used here, the imagery connotes not simply emotions, as it does in English, but more especially the full spectrum of a person’s mental and emotional activities. Further, it points to the very depths of the soul, that which determines who and what a person is.¹¹¹

The noun φωτισμός (phōtismos), “light, enlightenment,”¹¹² generally means “illumination” in the physical sphere, but in the New Testament, it is used only figuratively with the sense of causing something to be fully known through revelation.¹¹³ It refers to an illumination of the inner self that makes clear the revelations about God. It can therefore denote “enlightenment,” but in the more active sense it means “bringing to light.” The noun refers broadly to God’s mastery over light in the Creation but is narrowed in the present context to the specific form of light that he gives in order for the Saints to have a personal comprehension—that is, a sure knowledge—of his glory.¹¹⁴

The preposition πρός (pros), “for,” indicates a conscious striving for a goal or the realization of a purpose.¹¹⁵ Thus, the phrase πρὸς φωτισμόν (pros phōtismon) means “for the purpose of enlightenment” or “toward light” and refers to the method through which God gives knowledge of himself to the righteous.

The noun δόξα (doxa), as noted in 4:4 above, has a wide range of meanings,¹¹⁶ but because it is associated with the light of God in the present context, it seems to carry such nuances as splendor, dignity, magnificence, power, and might. God’s glory is that portion of his nature that, at least to some degree, humankind can experience,¹¹⁷ but Paul’s meaning of the term is best understood through the lens of the next phrase.

in the face of Jesus Christ / in Christ’s face:¹¹⁸ The noun πρόσωπον (prosōpon), “face,” also refers to a person’s countenance and carries the nuance of outward appearance. By using the term, Paul moves his imagery from that of an internal conversion to an external reality.¹¹⁹ The noun Χριστός (Christos), “Christ,” is in the genitive case and can denote either the source or the subject. If it is taken as source, then Christ is the font of the knowledge of God’s glory. If the subject, then Christ is the being in whom God has placed his glory and through whom he makes it known.¹²⁰ Either way, a major role of the Savior is to bring to knowledge the glory of God.

Analysis and Summary

Paul has already alluded to the great difficulties his ministry has imposed upon him (1:4), most notably the near-death experience he had in the Roman Province of Asia, now the northwestern end of Turkey (1:8). But trials did not end there. He experienced additional problems evidenced in his strained relationship with various branches of the Church and especially with those in Corinth (2:1–10). These, coupled with his concern for his fellow missionaries (2:12–13), constantly pressed upon him. However, as he states in 4:1, despite all the hardships and suffering, he did not give up. Given all that he had endured, it is amazing that the temptation to ease up, pull back, or leave the mission never seems to have touched him. His forthrightness to Christ’s cause, therefore, evidences the powerful effect the shower of the Messiah’s mercy has had upon him. Due to the expression of such divine love and grace, he insists he cannot turn his back on his Savior or even slack in his work. Indeed not, for by fearlessly and indefatigably pushing forward, he expresses his thanks to his Lord (4:1). Thus, he gives continual diligence to spreading and defending God’s message. His conversion experience may have motivated him in an additional way. Due to the mercy he had received, he could hope that his converts would also receive the same.

As clearly shown in 4:2, Paul rests his defense on the openness and candor of his preaching. Based on the textual evidence, it is clear that suspicion has fallen upon him. Based on what he said earlier, the initial opposition rested on at least two factors: his refusal to receive support from certain Corinthians and his failure to visit the congregations when promised (1:15–22; 12:14–18). This section of his epistle suggests that his enemies have now opened up an additional line of attack, one that questions the authenticity of his claim that God is working through him. By taking this tack, his detractors are able to throw doubt on his insistence that he exercises the power of Christ. This line of attack, then, is not so much on Paul’s person as it is on his legitimacy as God’s spokesman. Paul knows that the question of his divine acceptability cannot be answered through human judgment (1 Cor. 4:1–5). However, his legitimacy stands on his integrity, and therefore he must, at all costs, defend that. Thus, his insistence that he and the other missionaries have “renounced the shameful hidden things” and have practiced neither deception nor distortion of the word of God (2 Cor. 4:2, NR).¹²¹

Paul’s concern is with those who are abusing God’s word (2:17). For him the gospel message is the standard of truth. In his view, truth includes not only a cognitive process but also one that is larger than what people are able to determine on their own. It requires revelation to disclose and make it comprehensible.¹²² That being the case, the Apostle is neither the originator nor the judge of truth but its proclaimer. It abides in Paul and is exposed not only in his integrity but in both the suffering that he has endured and his deliverance from it. His whole body and life manifest the gospel’s power to all who will see. Indeed, God’s truth has the power to expose error. Thus, “it is not the Corinthians who assess the truth. It is the truth that assesses them. Their ‘hidden things of shame,’ their darkness and lies, are exposed by it.”¹²³

In sum, Paul insists, with the other missionaries, that they carefully avoid the shameful deeds and actions that others use but hide. The Apostle likely has in mind those who, as he noted earlier, “peddle the word of God for profit” (2:17, NR) and, as a result, preach a misleading doctrine that takes people away from the truth. They must hide this tactic, however, lest through the exposure of their shifty dealing they lose their influence and position among the Saints. Paul fully rejects such shameful practices and insists that “authentic ministers (1) do not live by pedagogical tricks, (2) do not twist the word of God, but rather (3) live out a pattern of life and ministry that is commendable.”¹²⁴

That Paul uses the verb “commend” (συνίστημι, synistēmi) nine times in this epistle suggests its importance for his purpose in writing this letter.¹²⁵ The primary denotation of the word is that of building personal relationships through trust.¹²⁶ Paul’s personal commendation before God to the Saints is his public proclamation of gospel truths (4:2). He does nothing behind closed doors or through hiding the truth by twisting the word of God. In dealing with the idea of commendation, whether through one’s own efforts or that of another, Paul exposes his self-awareness of his authentic work as a servant (δοῦλος, doulos, literally “slave”) of Christ. His knowledge leaves him totally without concern or need for the commendation of others, either for the establishment or the retention of his reputation. Thus, he refuses to compare himself with them.¹²⁷

Even so, he does not shy away from commending himself and the other missionaries before God to the conscience of every person who will listen (4:2). In this instance, the Apostle disconnects the term “conscience” (συνείδησις, syneidēsis) from the idea of wounded feelings due to an acute awareness of ill behavior. He redefines it as the central self-consciousness within knowing and acting humankind that allows them to discern the difference between right and wrong and thus to make moral judgments.¹²⁸ It is his own conscience that allows him to commend himself and the other missionaries to any who will hear without prejudice. His desire is to continue in, if not increase, a positive relationship with the Corinthian Saints. In order to reach this goal, he spends time on how he and his coworkers have suffered and sacrificed for the sake of God’s people (4:8–9).¹²⁹

As noted above, Paul bases the purity and authenticity of his commendation on the way he and his colleagues preach the gospel, through open and clear pronouncements (φανέρωσις, phanerōsis)¹³⁰ that consist of the truth, declared fully, publicly, and without distortion. The word phanerōsis is important because it reveals the means by which the missionaries are able to bring those who will hear to Christ. By the power of the Spirit working through their open and very public witness, unbelievers become believers. His target audience is anyone who has a discerning conscience, or “the capacity for moral judgment” (συνείδησις, syneidēsis).¹³¹ Such people, he feels, can see the tangled false web spun by his adversaries when compared to the harmonious tapestry of light and truth woven by him and the other missionaries. These are the ones who present “a consistent picture of integrity before self, before others—whether a particular community or people in general—and before God.”¹³² All this he does, as he states, in the sight of God (ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ, enōpion tou theou). The statement not only reveals his deep sense of responsibility before the Divine¹³³ but also bears witness to his complete confidence in the authority and correctness of what he does and declares.

In 4:3, Paul centers his attention on the inhibiting effects of a spiritual veil that prevents people from seeing that which he calls “our gospel.” Paul’s reference to “our gospel” suggests he is separating the gospel he and his companions preach from another gospel (Gal. 1:6). It seems likely that his adversaries are claiming that the reason “his gospel” is not understood or more fully accepted can be largely laid at his feet. Their line of attack includes at least two possibilities: first, that his form of the gospel is either too obscure or foreign for anyone to really understand;¹³⁴ or second, that his personal bodily weakness and independent lifestyle hindered the message. If either of these is the case, then “his gospel” would certainly have stood in contrast to the “another gospel” his detractors are advocating (11:4).

Paul denies the charge that either his message or his person is responsible for people not understanding the gospel. For one reason, as his use of the phrase “our gospel” shows, he is not alone in preaching a given understanding of Jesus and his message. Thus, he can insist that he has laid and is laying bare before the consciences of the people and before God the truthfulness of the divine message. So why has it not been better received?

Paul supplies the answer in 4:3–4: because it is hidden. This concealment has been made possible by two circumstances: first, the spiritual condition of those who refuse his message and, second, the work of the “god of this world.” His point is that if either one of these is the case, he should not be blamed. The “god of this world,” though the primary agent who has the power to keep people blind to the gospel, does not work alone. As the Apostle will show (11:14–15), the evil one’s work is proclaimed and intensified by his servants—namely, Paul’s detractors.

The phrase reveals Paul’s understanding of Satan’s work but tacitly points to that of God as well. The evil one works by somehow blocking the light (φῶς, phōs) from coming into the unbelievers’ minds and by that means keeps them in spiritual darkness. As a result, they are unable to discern (αὐγάζω, augazō) the light (φωτισμός, phōtismos)—that is, the revealed truths of the gospel that discloses the way to salvation.

Paul’s use of the noun “mind” (νόημα, noēma) is important. Though the usual nuance of the word is “thought,” in the plural it denotes the place where thought takes place—that is, “the mind.”¹³⁵ In the scriptures, its cognate, “mind” (νοῦς, nous), always carries a theological nuance that centers on an understanding of the divine will, especially in terms of salvation. Unfortunately, the mind can be corrupted through blindness. As Paul clearly shows, one of the tools Satan uses to get people to distort, dismiss, or ignore God’s word is to blind them to its importance. When that happens, as Paul states, they are unable to perceive the gospel that discloses the glory of Christ.¹³⁶ The Apostle is well aware of how Satan works (2:11). This knowledge gives force and direction to Paul’s work, which is, as he makes clear, to destroy all satanic arguments and to put down every obstacle that stands in the way of the correct knowledge of God. But there is more to his apostolic work than that. He also desires to take every thought captive in an effort to get it to submit to the will of God (10:4–5). His words suggest that when he speaks of the “mind,” he means “the general faculty of judgment itself, which can make decisions and pronounce verdicts right or wrong, depending on the influence to which it is exposed.”¹³⁷ Thus, the work of both God and Satan is to capture the mind. That being the case, the Apostle works against the adversary by proclaiming publicly the truth of the gospel so that his hearers have the correct information they need to commit to Christ.

When Paul states that, due to the adversary’s work, some are unable to “discern the light,” he does not use the normal word for “light” (φῶς, phōs) but rather one that includes the idea of “enlightenment” or “perspicacity” (φωτισμός, phōtismos). His choice of this word is telling. When speaking figuratively, the two nouns share an important connection. The noun “light” (φῶς, phōs) is directly associated with the Divine. Indeed, God is light and dwells in light (1 John 1:5, 7); Jesus is “the light of the world,” and to those who follow him he gives “the light of life” (John 8:12). On the human level, the term connotes what is ethically good and is associated with the illuminating power of scripture. To open one’s heart to the light is to experience God’s saving power. Receiving light, therefore, has a direct connection to redemption from evil.¹³⁸ Thus, an essential component of light is divine power that individuals can receive and that assists them in the salvation process.¹³⁹ The noun “enlightenment” (φωτισμός, phōtismos) denotes a keen knowledge and understanding of gospel truths that have been revealed in some detail.¹⁴⁰ In Paul’s case, it refers to the ability of people to discern the glory of gospel truths and more specifically the glory that belongs to Christ in his role as Savior.

Therefore, the gospel has a glorious aspect. By using the noun “glory” (δόξα, doxa), the Apostle “makes a direct relationship between the glory of the Christ and the person of God the Father,”¹⁴¹ which leads him to proclaim that Christ “is the image of God.” By using the noun “image” (εἰκών, eikōn), the Apostle reveals his understanding of the relationship between the Father and the Son. The Lord shares the power and glory of the Father, but more importantly, it is through the Messiah that God is made known to mortals (see John 14:7–11). That the Savior is the image of God suggests the perfection with which he is able to disclose God. Furthermore, Christ has become like and looks like the Father. That Paul uses the same imagery in some of his other writings suggests the importance of this idea to him (for example, see Philip. 2:6 and Col. 1:15; compare Heb. 1:3).¹⁴²

Satan, as Paul shows, blinds people to this aspect of Jesus. It is important to note that it is only a certain class of people who cannot see the gospel truths—namely, those who are in the process of perishing. By rejecting the message of Paul and the other missionaries, they have put themselves in a position of divine condemnation (2:15; 1 Cor. 10:10; 2 Thes. 2:10).¹⁴³ Paul calls these people “the unfaithful” (οἱ ἄπιστοι, hoi apistoi). The noun generally referred to Gentiles, but in Corinth and other places where there was Jewish opposition, it could also include Jews. The word also carries the idea not only of simple disbelief but also of active rejection,¹⁴⁴ so it could also include those antagonistic to Paul and his companions.

In 4:5, Paul briefly but powerfully explained what he and his companions were and were not about. At the heart of his declaration is his assurance to his readers that his purpose has never been to put himself or his fellow missionaries forward. Christ as Lord is the focus of all they do. For that reason, all ministers have to humbly take a back seat. As noted in the introduction of this volume, such a position flew in the face of certain attitudes and mores in the Greco-Roman world. This was a place where self-aggrandizement and self-promotion were all important, especially among those influenced by sophist philosophy. Those converted out of this philosophical environment may have continued to cling to old notions, believing that education and skill in oratory were prerequisites for Church position. The Jews were not exempt. Some pursued teaching positions not for the sake of promoting virtue and the betterment of society but because the position allowed them to either parade their superiority or act as a steppingstone to a higher, often religio-political, office.¹⁴⁵

Paul’s refusal to put himself forward, to hide his imperfections and bodily weaknesses, or to play rhetorical games, along with his insistence on paying his own way, drew the ire of many. His further practice of preaching the gospel in clear simplicity to all who would hear only exacerbated the antagonism of his enemies toward him. Yet Paul would not back down. Instead, he not only gloried in his weaknesses but also paraded them for all to see. The reason? It reinforced his insistence that the success of his work (which is quite remarkable) is not his own doing but belongs to the Divine. As for himself, he sees weakness as the means that God uses to reinforce the Apostle’s severe reliance on Christ (12:7–9), one that forces him to put the full brightness of the spotlight where it belongs.¹⁴⁶ Thus, the thrust of his message comes not only through the wholehearted giving of himself but also through his care to make sure the gospel light shines exclusively on the Messiah, specifically revealing his role as the crucified and risen God (1:19; 11:4; 1 Cor. 1:23; 15:12).

Paul sees himself as the Lord’s servant (δοῦλος, doulos, literally, “slave”), fully and completely. However, the Apostle’s service does not end there. Through Jesus, he is also the willing servant of the Corinthians until he is “spent” in their behalf (12:15). The preposition “through” (διά, dia) here has the sense of “because of” or “through the agency of” someone else.¹⁴⁷ In this case, the subject is Jesus, whose purpose is the salvation of humankind. Though Paul does not mention the way the Savior realizes this objective here, he did so in his earlier epistle. He shows that it is through love—the power behind the proper behavior of people, one toward the other (1 Cor. 13:1–8).¹⁴⁸ The Apostle appreciates this divine power because, among other reasons, it leads to “no schism in the body” of the Church. It results rather in members having “the same care one for another” (1 Cor. 12:25). It is to this end that Paul and his companions are willing “servants” to the Corinthian Saints (2 Cor. 4:5).

The phrase “through Jesus” also carries another important nuance. It subtly shows that Paul did not view the Corinthians as his masters. Indeed, he has but one, and that is Jesus.¹⁴⁹ Paul and his companions, thus, do all that they do for one Master, the exalted Lord through whom “they are constantly being transformed (3:17–18).”¹⁵⁰

Paul designs his teachings not only to give information and declare his formal allegiance to his Master but also to promote a faith in him that involves a trust so deep that it leads to self-surrender (1 Cor. 15:11). Such a proclamation required, as the Apostle fully understood, that its promulgators have legitimate and commissioned priesthood authority (Rom. 10:8–12, 15; compare Acts 13:3 and Isa. 52:7). The requirement is absolutely necessary because Christ has to be not only the message’s subject but also its object, having full authority over all its details. This situation is necessary for two reasons: first, because the Messiah had to be part of the conversion process, and second, the gospel hearers had to experience him through yielding to the demands of his word.

Paul’s brief statement in 4:5 is full of insight on the nature and manner of the Christian proclamation. As one scholar noted, “It would be hard to describe the Christian ministry more comprehensibly in so few words.”¹⁵¹ What Paul does is briefly identify the means, content, and manner that he and the other missionaries use to publish their message. The means the Apostle describes in terms of proclamation (φανέρωσις, phanerōsis)—that is, giving a public and clear declaration of the gospel that is preached in such a way that, for those who will hear, it develops their faith in the Savior. The content he summarizes as “Christ Jesus as Lord.”¹⁵² This very brief declaration is loaded with nuances. It looks not only at the position of Jesus as the “anointed one” (Christ, Messiah) and therefore the legitimate bearer of God’s word and power¹⁵³ but also as the one who, as Lord (κύριος, kyrios), holds divine power and authority in his own right.¹⁵⁴ Behind the phrase is the understanding of Jesus as the crucified one who, as the suffering servant, worked out the Atonement and, through the Resurrection, became the ruler of the world. The manner is that of a “servant (δοῦλος, doulos, literally “slave”) for Jesus’ sake”—that is, one who has voluntarily given himself over to Christ no matter the cost in order to better push the Messiah’s cause of salvation.¹⁵⁵ But the manner is also that of a “servant” to the Corinthians who is willing to give himself in full measure in serving them. In this, he follows the Lord’s own model, who described himself coming “not . . . to be served but to serve” and insisted that he who would “be first among you will be the slave of all” (Mark 10:45, 44, NR).¹⁵⁶ In this we see the “upside-down orientation of true Christian leadership. Instead of advancing the kingdom by power, true leaders advance God’s kingdom by sacrificial service.”¹⁵⁷

In 4:6, Paul shows that God can shine the saving, illuminating light “in our hearts.” The state of the heart is what is at issue. Indeed, much of humankind’s spiritual ability depends on the condition of the heart. If people are unable to see the light of the gospel, it is because a veil of darkness lies over their hearts (3:15; compare Rom. 1:21, 24; 2:5; and Eph. 4:18). It is here, at the very core of the individual, where “the god of this world” works to create darkness among the unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4). When the heart is dark, the things of God cannot be discerned. When they are not discerned, God remains unknown,¹⁵⁸ thus the necessity of God enlightening the heart in order to reveal his glory as expressed in the countenance (πρόσωπον, prosōpon) of Jesus. Further, it takes divine power to transform their hearts so that they are enabled to move both into and then forward in the new covenant (3:4–6).

Paul refers to this divine transforming power as “light” (φῶς, phōs, 4:6). As God allows light to shine in the hearts of the seeking and repentant, it brings them “enlightenment” (φωτισμός, phōtismos). The word refers to the ability not only to see and believe but also to accept the new covenant and allow it to become a part of them (Jer. 31:31–33; Heb. 8:7–13). This enlightenment has blessed Paul and his companions and many of his readers. Thus, he can appeal to their witness as to the truth of what he is saying. From Paul’s point of view, his detractors have yielded to the influence of the “god of this world” and thus remain in darkness. The inference for his readers is that they should neither follow nor listen to them.

To bolster his point, in 4:6 Paul appeals to scripture. He apparently joined the thoughts contained in two disparate verses, both, however, dealing with light. These are Genesis 1:3–4 (where God brings forth light and separates it from the darkness) and Isaiah 9:2 as found in the Septuagint (that promises that those who walk in darkness will not only see a great light but it will dwell within them).¹⁵⁹ Since both scriptures contain the idea of light shining forth, Paul could easily join them.¹⁶⁰ It may also have been the larger context of the Isaiah passage that drew Paul to it.¹⁶¹ The section in which the idea is located looks to the future of Israel after its captivity and speaks of the coming of a child named Immanuel, meaning “God with us” (Isa. 7:14), who would be a stumbling stone, causing many to fall (Isa. 8:14–15). It also promised the birth of a child who would hold the titles of “Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace,” and whose task it would be to bring in a renewed age dominated by the kingdom of God (Isa. 9:6–7).¹⁶² Standing behind these is also another point Isaiah makes that is relevant to Paul’s situation. Jehovah states that people can draw near him with their mouths and honor him with their lips while their hearts remain far from him (Isa. 29:13). That seems to have been the case with Paul’s enemies. They were proclaiming what appeared to be the things of God but were actually trying to bring glory to themselves. The Apostle understood that the only way to transform them was to get divine light into their lives. But the only way to do that was if they were willing to believe. Only then could they receive the light that enabled them to comprehend the “knowledge of God’s glory” (4:6, NR).¹⁶³

The noun “glory” (δόξα, doxa) denotes a manifestation of God’s nature and character that humankind can comprehend, at least to a degree. The term refers not only to his greatness, power, and majesty but also to his saving work. It is when people discern the latter that they find themselves drawn to him in thankfulness, reverence, and worship. Christians understand that God has revealed his glory perfectly though one person, Jesus Christ. Paul uses the image of Christ’s “countenance” (πρόσωπον, prosōpon, literally “face”) as the instrument through which the knowledge of God’s glory is made manifest. But the term, as used here, likely refers to the teaching, ministry, and saving work of the Messiah. This idea is confirmed by the Lord himself. His awareness of his responsibility to disclose the glory of God can be seen in his statement that “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). So careful and complete has he been in this assignment that he can say to Philip, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father,” and assure him that “I am in the Father, and the Father in me” and that “the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (John 14:9–10). Thus, as Paul states, it is in the “face of Jesus Christ” that people can see manifest the knowledge of God’s glory (4:6).

Treasures in Clay Jars (4:7–12)

At this point, Paul begins a new segment in his epistle which will run through 5:10. The major theme of this section relates to the suffering he and the other missionaries have had to endure for the sake of the ministry. He begins by noting the paradoxical fact that the glory and wonder of the new covenant moves out into the world through people he describes as jars of clay. He admits to their fragility and notes the suffering this condition imposes upon them as they carry out God’s work. The Apostle does not demur in describing the difficulties he and others have had to endure. This is because, as he shows, such suffering serves to advance the gospel’s spread throughout the entire area.¹⁶⁴ He is fully aware that, in other circumstances, such intense suffering could be devastating to the work at hand. But, as he well knew, “rather than being destroyed by the traumas faced in ministry, true Christian ministers experience renewal (4:16), and the suffering faced in ministry has a personal outcome: the building up of an eternal ‘tonnage of glory’ [4:17] that makes suffering pale by comparison.”¹⁶⁵

Greek Text

7 Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν· 8 ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι ἀλλʼ οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι, ἀπορούμενοι ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι,9 διωκόμενοι ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐγκαταλειπόμενοι, καταβαλλόμενοι ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀπολλύμενοι,10 πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν φανερωθῇ·11 ἀεὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες εἰς θάνατον παραδιδόμεθα διὰ Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φανερωθῇ ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν.12 ὥστε ὁ θάνατος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργεῖται, ἡ δὲ ζωὴ ἐν ὑμῖν. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels / But we have this treasure in clay jars: Paul’s metaphor draws upon the practices of the day, in which precious items where often placed in various clay vessels to keep them in one place, out of sight, and thus more secure.¹⁶⁶ The noun θησαυρός (thēsauros), “treasure,” denotes items of exceptional value that need to be safeguarded.¹⁶⁷ The term also carries a figurative nuance connoting spiritual or transcendent matters of eternal worth. In this context it most likely refers to the knowledge of God’s glory as manifest in the work, words, and ministry of Jesus, but it could also refer either to the gospel as a whole¹⁶⁸ or to its ministry.¹⁶⁹

The adjective ὀστράκινος (ostrakinos), “clay,” denotes anything made out of earthly materials, but primarily of clay,¹⁷⁰ while the noun σκεῦος (skeuos) refers to any type of vessel.¹⁷¹ The imagery in the phrase ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν (en ostrakinois skeusin), “in clay jars,” emphasizes the weak and fragile nature of the human body itself as well as that of the soul. Although pots are fragile, potsherds still can be useful and written upon by anyone, including God, as ancients wrote on fragments of clay pots or plates called ostraka. Humankind, in its fallen state, is weak but, like a pot, can physically deliver food, goods, or messages for God to bless others, even in a fragmentary state. Thus, the phrase shows the paradox of great spiritual treasures being housed within it.¹⁷²

that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us / to show that this extraordinary power comes from God and not from us: The conjunction ἵνα (hina), “to show that,” is a marker indicating purpose or aim.¹⁷³ It indicates why God places his treasure in mere humans. The noun ὑπερβολή (hyperbolē) denotes a state of exceeding excellence or greatness “beyond all measure or proportion.”¹⁷⁴ The noun δύναμις (dynamis), “power,” refers to that which has “might, capability, force,” but, within the biblical context, it often connotes the greatness of God’s “new and higher forces that have entered and are working in this lower world.”¹⁷⁵ These are generated by God working either directly or indirectly with or through humankind. In this case, “power” represents the might of this very personal God, by which he carries out his will, often through the use of an authorized agent.¹⁷⁶

The phrase μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν (mē ex hēmōn), “not from us,” explains why God has placed his glory in weak human beings. It is to demonstrate beyond reason that this “exceeding greatness of power” that nothing can withstand is his, not something derived from human will or effort.¹⁷⁷

4:8–9 With verse 8, Paul begins a list of the trials he and others suffer on account of the gospel and expresses the result due to the hope in Christ. To do so he strings together a series of present passive or middle participles. The tense suggests the ongoing nature of both the trials and the unconquerable spirit that faith in Christ produces. In the notes below, we have given the present active form of the verbs but translated them with the passive voice of the participles.¹⁷⁸

4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed / We are oppressed on every side but not crushed: The verb θλίβω (thlibō), “oppress, afflict,”¹⁷⁹ denotes strong discomfort coming from outside, pressing upon the soul.¹⁸⁰ We have followed the KJV in translating the prepositional phrase ἐν παντί (en panti), literally “in everything,” as “on every side.” The verb στενοχωρέω (stenochōreō), in the passive as here, denotes a circumstance in which there seems no way out.¹⁸¹ It carries much the same nuances as thlibō but enhanced such that “oppressed” becomes “crushed.”

we are perplexed, but not in despair / perplexed but not driven to despair: The verb ἀπορέω (aporeō), “to be perplexed, uncertain,” denotes being in a confused state of mind to the point of being out of one’s wits,¹⁸² the reason often being that the person sees no way out of a painful or dangerous situation.¹⁸³ The verb ἐξαπορέομαι (exaporeomai) is the previous verb ἀπορέω (aporeō) with the prefix ἐξ- (ex-), which adds the sense of “thoroughly, completely” to the simple verb.¹⁸⁴ Thus the meaning is “to be in despair,” with the idea of being in great difficulty, sometimes even losing hope of life.¹⁸⁵

4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken: The verb διώκω (diōkō), “to be persecuted,” has the strong nuance of being driven out and even pursued because of what one believes. The verb ἐγκαταλείπω (engkataleipō), “to be forsaken,” means “to be abandoned, deserted,” with the idea of being left helpless.¹⁸⁶

cast down, but not destroyed / struck down but not destroyed: The verb καταβάλλω (kataballō), “struck down, thrown down,” suggests receiving a blow that not only knocks a person down but also causes actual harm.¹⁸⁷ The verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) in the middle voice, as found here, means “to perish, be ruined,” and has the nuance of being ruined utterly so far as well-being is concerned.¹⁸⁸

4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus / We are always carrying around in our bodies the putting to death of Jesus: This verse further reveals the continual distress that Paul and his companions are in. The adverb πάντοτε (pantote), “always,”¹⁸⁹ coupled with the verb περιφέω (peripherō), found here as a present participle, “to carry about, around,”¹⁹⁰ stresses the unrelenting nature of the burden the missionaries carry. The phrase suggests that suffering is “the essential and continuing characteristic of apostolic service.”¹⁹¹

The noun νέκρωσις (nekrōsis), “dying, mortification,” does not refer to death itself but rather to the process, thus “dying.”¹⁹² It is not the word Paul most often uses for death (θάνατος, thanatos).¹⁹³ That he chose this one suggests that he wanted to give the imagery he creates here a special stress. The word nuances the idea of mortification¹⁹⁴—that is, the humiliation and shame caused by the wounding (or worse, the butchery) of a person’s reputation. The graphic imagery points to the suffering, perplexity, persecution, humiliation, and even the threat of death that Paul and the other Christians must endure constantly on account of their loyalty to Christ.¹⁹⁵ For the Lord, that ultimate humiliation and mortification culminated at his scandalous death on the cross. Paul’s phrase, “the dying of Jesus,” emphasizes the distressing and sometimes intense mortification the Lord experienced while in mortality as felt by the Saints.¹⁹⁶ In sum, “Paul regards the suffering to which he is constantly exposed in his work as the process in which the death of Jesus is effected in him as a continual mortifying or modification.”¹⁹⁷

that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body / so that the life of Jesus might also be revealed in our body: In the phrase ἵνα καί (hina kai), hina acts as a marker of purpose,¹⁹⁸ while kai functions adverbially with the sense “also.”¹⁹⁹ Together they give the reason why Paul and his companions must endure the heavy burdens their faith in Christ places upon them.

The phrase καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (hē zōē tou Iēsou), “the life of Jesus,” could refer to his life and ministry, but given the current context, it more likely points to his Resurrection, which not only brought to naught all the shame and humiliation crucifixion was designed to communicate but also held the promise of the quality of life promised to the Saints.²⁰⁰

The verb φανερόω (phaneroō), “reveal,” means “to cause something to be visible.”²⁰¹ It is found here as a subjunctive passive aorist, with the passive hinting at the work God does behind the scenes, revealed not only in the life of Jesus but also in the lives and actions of his servants.²⁰²

The noun σῶμα (sōma), “body,” refers to the physical nature of humankind, including a person’s natural desires.²⁰³ Paul appears to be using it to refer to the mortal condition under which he and his colleagues labor.

The point this verse makes is that “Paul’s sufferings are in keeping with the death of Christ, so that the (resurrection) life of Jesus might be more evident. And all of this is the theological background for the opening statement of [4:7],” dealing with God’s power being kept in “clay jars” (NR).²⁰⁴

4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake / For we who are alive are always being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake: This verse parallels the one above, and Paul likely adds it for emphasis and clarity. The introductory conjunction γάρ (gar), “for,” expresses the reason for an action. That action is in the last phrase of the previous verse. The verb ζάω (zaō), “to live,”²⁰⁵ is found here as a present participle. The tense conveys the idea of continually being in the mortal state.²⁰⁶ The adverb ἀεί (aei), “always,” expresses a continuously occurring action.²⁰⁷ Paul places it at the beginning of the sentence to stress the difficulty he and his companions constantly face.

The verb παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi), “to hand over, deliver up,” here in passive voice, denotes the delivering up of a person to the control of someone or something. It carries the nuance that this is because undue advantage has been taken of that person.²⁰⁸ The noun θάνατος (thanatos), “death,” in the present context, denotes the demise of the human body.²⁰⁹ On the preposition διά (dia), “for the sake of,” as a marker of cause,²¹⁰ see Translation Notes for 4:5.

The focus of the verse is on the central points of the gospel—namely, the “dying” and “life” of Jesus, the very means of salvation. But for Paul it seems to be more than an analogy. He sees what happened to the Lord as extended in time and evidenced in the missionaries’ suffering and then deliverance from those very sufferings. Paul clearly states that the reason he and others suffer both mental and physical stress, if not outright anguish (he refers to this state as “always being handed over to death” [NR]), is because they not only follow but also preach about Christ.

that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh / so that the life of Jesus might also be revealed in our mortal flesh: Paul repeats the phrase “so that the life of Jesus might also be revealed” found in the previous verse, but “in our bodies” is replaced with “in our mortal flesh” (see Translation Notes on 4:10). The noun ζωή (zōē), “life,” in the present context denotes the quality of transcendent life that the Savior received through the Resurrection.²¹¹ The phrase ἡ ζωὴ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (hē zōē tou Iēsou), “the life of Jesus,” refers to more than Jesus’ earthly ministry—to the life he now has as a resurrected being and which he promises to those who come under the new covenant with full purpose of heart.²¹²

On the verb φανερόω (phaneroō), “reveal,” meaning “to cause something to be visible,”²¹³ see comments on 4:10. The noun σάρξ (sarks), “flesh,” carries the nuance of the physical limitations imposed by mortality.²¹⁴ The phrase ἐν τῇ θνητῇ σαρκὶ ἡμῶν (en tē thnētē sarki hēmōn), “in our mortal flesh,” emphasizes the very human and weak condition under which Paul and the others labor. It is because of, not in spite of, their physical limitations that the glory of Christ’s Resurrection and the promise it holds for the believers are promulgated. The reason is that it proves that the great success that the missionaries have had comes from not human but divine strength.

4:12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you / Therefore death is at work in us, but life is at work in you: The conjunction ὥστε (hōste), “therefore, for this reason,”²¹⁵ signals the reader that Paul is now making his point. The noun θάνατος (thanatos), “death,” refers to all the sufferings the missionaries have endured and do endure that Paul has been referring to. The noun ζωή (zōē), “life,” refers to the promise of eternal life, which the gospel message has brought to the Corinthian Saints. The verb ἐνεργέω (energeō), “to work, operate,” refers to the immediate operative force that is functioning.²¹⁶ That force is “death” in the missionaries but “life” in the Saints. The sentence is one of contrast, emphasizing the difference between the conditions the missionaries endure and those the Corinthian Saints enjoy.

The JST makes two changes in this verse. It reads, “So then it worketh death unto us, but life unto you” (the italics show the changes). The addition of the word “it” points back to Jesus’ earthly ministry and, on the one hand, suggests that the missionaries are following the same mortal path the Savior did, ever walking in the shadow of an early death. On the other hand, Jesus’ mortality ended in the Resurrection with its promise of eternal life for the faithful, and thus he works life unto them.

Analysis and Summary

The Apostle has effectively answered the question he asked in 2:16: Who is qualified to preach the stunning and holy gospel and proclaim the glorious wonders of God? He has shown that his detractors, who peddle the word of God (2:17) for their own profit and remain ever blinded by the god of this world (4:4), are not the ones who are so qualified. On the other hand, Paul and his associates, who have spoken with boldness, integrity, and reverence “in the sight of God,” are fully qualified (2:17; 4:1–2).

At this point, Paul takes another tack in his self-defense. This tack highlights the suffering he and his companions have had to endure on account of Jesus. This condition has resulted because they have become his disciples and preach his word. Paul’s primary focus is on the heavy, often painful, and sometimes frightening hardships he and his companions have had to endure. He again uses one of his favorite themes, that of equating mortal suffering with the suffering of Jesus in death. Though from a modern perspective this imagery may seem an overreach, given the very difficult and ofttimes life-threatening conditions under which the early missionaries and Apostles labored, the metaphor of dying with Christ on a daily basis really works. Their lives are one continual and grueling experience after another. These demanding and even exhausting episodes bring to the surface the weaknesses of those called to serve. Paul showcases these conditions even though his antagonists appear to have used his (and others’) manifest weaknesses against him. Boldly, he neither hides nor diminish them. Instead, he both embraces and magnifies them by referring to himself and others as “clay jars” (4:7, NR).

It was a common practice to store valuables, including gold and silver coins, in fragile and expendable earthen vessels. The Old Testament’s equating human beings with vessels of clay emphasizes a powerlessness and littleness in humankind in comparison with God. Vessels were made by potters according to their whim or design and took any shape they chose. These objects could be and were easily destroyed (Job 10:9; Isa. 30:14; Jer. 19:11; compare Rom. 9:20–22). Many of the earthenware vessels that Corinthian potters turned out were cheap and quite fragile. They made lamps in particular very thin to allow light to pass through the sides as well as the top.²¹⁷ This imagery would work well for Paul on two levels: first, the lamp is not the source of the light but its bearer, and such are missionaries, and second, their own fragility and weakness evidence that their success must actually be attributed to God. The problem is that people did not generally store treasure in lamps but in pots and jars.

Paul seems to be using “jar” (σκεῦος, skeuos) to denote the human body.²¹⁸ There seems to be an echo here to the formation of humankind out of “the dust” of the earth (Gen. 2:7; 3:19). Thus, the imagery is fitting because humans all too often prove themselves to be weak and untrustworthy. Despite this, God continues to entrust his greatest treasures to their safekeeping. Through this imagery, Paul ably deflects those blows struck at him on the basis of his and others’ bodily weaknesses.²¹⁹

Though his earthly jar, as he admits, has been greatly strained due to trials, abuse, and hardship, it is still intact and fully able to hold the treasure. His imagery suggests that the Apostle saw himself as ordinary at best, but more probably as inferior,²²⁰ since an earthen vessel is the storehouse that holds valuables, but of itself it can be quite unseemly.²²¹ Certainly Paul sees himself not as a piece of art but as something cheap, lowly, and expendable.²²² Even so, the imagery creates a bit of a paradox. While the earthen vessel may appear inferior, it contains something quite precious that gives it an importance beyond its own, at least as long as its contents remain in place. That is the apostolic position. These officers may be weak and lowly, but their message, testimony, and authority make them most valuable. They are without question the receptacle of God’s power.²²³

Paul’s imagery shows that he is fully aware that what is outside (ἔξω, exō) might be expendable and subject to change, but what is inside (έσω, esō) is a most precious and enduring gift. Paul’s very ministry proves that, though the jar itself may be neither strong nor beautiful, God strengthens it and makes it able to hold its precious treasure.²²⁴

The treasure, as Paul makes clear in 4:4, is the knowledge of God’s glory as revealed through the word, work, and person of Christ.²²⁵ The reason that God places his glory in weak human beings is so that no one can deny that “the exceeding greatness of power” as displayed through the missionaries belongs to God alone. It is derived from neither human will nor human effort.²²⁶

Paul’s words stress his awareness that the knowledge of God’s glory that his heart bears manifests itself not at all in his mortal condition. Indeed, his outward life suggests just the contrary, for it is on the surface quite inglorious.²²⁷ Although he and his companions labor to be righteous, ultimately their righteousness is because of the grace, power, and gift of God (4:7).²²⁸

In 4:8–9, Paul lists four paradoxes that constitute mainly his life but also that of all the faithful. For an analysis of each of these, see the Translation Notes above. Paul well understood that life is full of affliction, and the Apostle does not downplay this. Rather, he not only admits but also emphasizes them to make his point. His suffering, though great, shall not only be overcome but be made up more than fully through the comfort and deliverance that Christ through his power grants (compare Rev. 7:17; 21:4).²²⁹ These verses show God’s indomitable power as evidenced in Paul’s own life. “This is more than just having a positive mental attitude. Faith in God provides mental stability, knowing that he is ultimately in charge.”²³⁰ Thus, though suffering, even unfair suffering, is part of the human experience, the faithful find power through Christ to endure and benefit from it.

In 4:10–11, Paul reaches the climax of his antithesis: dying yet living. The idea is that Paul and his companions, and even the Saints, live under the constant threat of being killed like Jesus—that is, by violence.²³¹ As the Apostle sees it, the nature of the world in which he works demands Christlike suffering in order to advance the gospel. In short, in order for people to experience Jesus’ promised life, Paul and his companions have to experience his “dying”—that is, the continual suffering necessitated by the demands of their mission.²³² Paul seems to be saying that the often-threatened and sometimes abusive condition of his and his companions’ lives imitates the slow, painful dying of the Lord. That is, they live in a state of continual mortification (νέρωσις, nekrōsis). In saying this, Paul takes nothing away from Christ’s Atonement and the intense suffering he went through in order to achieve it (see D&C 19:18). He seems, rather, to be looking not at that portion of the spiritual and physical suffering that the Lord went through in Gethsemane and on Golgotha but rather at the stigma, the ignominy, indeed, the very depth of humiliation that was associated with crucifixion in the Greco-Roman world. To continually, patiently, and faithfully endure mortification for the gospel’s sake was, for Paul, the equivalent of dying as did Jesus.

This is one of Paul’s favorites themes. He connects being in hourly perils to dying daily (1 Cor. 15:30–31) and states that “for thy sake, we are killed all the day long” (Rom. 8:36). Christian suffering, when done in a Christlike manner, he avers, conforms to the Savior’s own death (Philip. 3:10). Paul, thus, sees “dying” (νέρωσις, nekrōsis) as the uniting force between Christ and Christian. They become as one in facing the world’s humiliating opposition but also in evidencing the hope of the coming triumph and glory of the resurrection (Rom. 8:17; compare Rom. 6:5, 8). In all this we see the paradox of the gospel expressed in the Lord’s declaration: “He who finds his life shall lose it: and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:39, our translation).²³³ Somehow the Saint, in order to achieve eternal life, must become united with Christ in death—that is, in a willingness to suffer mortification for the truth as he did.

The imagery is admittedly stark and awful, but it expresses well the idea that even in the severe moments of the Saints’ lives, they are being conformed to Christ’s image.²³⁴ The missionaries’ perpetual dying is more than an expression of the weakness and frailty of the “clay jars” (4:7, NR) that they are. The dying are lifted up and transformed according to divine purpose and power such that they become a precise vehicle “for the display of the life of Jesus in that same body which carries about the dying of Jesus.”²³⁵

With the brief sentence in 4:12, Paul summarizes his point. He tells his Corinthian brothers and sisters that he and his companions are dying while the Saints are living. Paul seems to be saying that through the “death” that works in the missionaries—that is, by their absorbing some of the messianic suffering—their converts do not have to endure them, and in doing so, the missionaries bring them life.²³⁶ His point is that the missionaries struggle under the throes of mortal life, including hardships, stresses, and even the threat of death—in Paul’s imagery, “dying daily”—so that the Saints may have the hope and power of divine life continually abiding in them.²³⁷

In sum, 4:10–12 shows that missionary service is the vehicle through which God proclaims the gospel to the world. The proclamation includes both the death and renewed life of Jesus. The suffering that Paul and his coworkers endure—which includes the very real threat of death—is in similitude of the suffering of the Savior himself. It was the Lord’s suffering that made the gospel (the good news of salvation in Christ) a reality; it is the missionaries’ suffering that spreads the message to all the world. This is the divine method by which the world learns of the death and resurrected life of Christ and what it means for those who accept him and follow his ways. The work, however, forces Paul and his companions to carry about in their mortal bodies the “dying of Jesus.” They do this in two ways: first, their labor is in similitude to that of the Lord who lived, suffered, and died for the cause of God, and second, they proclaim his death as the central message of the gospel mediated by weak humans, whom Paul describes as “clay jars” (4:7, NR).²³⁸

An Eternal Weight of Glory (4:13–15)

Paul again takes up his eschatological theme, focusing on the hope believers have in coming to divine glory (3:12). In part, this condition is already being realized in that the Saints are already being transformed into Christ’s image, from one degree of glory to a higher one, through the operation of the Lord’s divine power (3:18). The transformation, however, will only be fully realized at the time of the resurrection, when all, whether good or bad, will stand to be judged before the bar of Christ (4:14; 5:10).

Between 4:16 and 5:10, Paul describes both his and his readers’ future. Within these verses he sets out his overarching eschatological dualism, which contrasts the present transient visible world of suffering and grief with the immortal invisible world of glory, joy, and rest. The tension is between the temporal/transitory and the immortal/never-ending. He also sets out a corresponding anthropological dualism between the outer person (ὁ ἔξω . . . ἄνθρωπος, ho exō . . . anthrōpos), who belongs fully to this age and is constantly “wasting away,” and the inner person (ὁ ἔσω . . . ἄνθρωπος, ho esō . . . anthrōpos), who is striving for the age to come and is, therefore, renewed daily. “The contrast between the two ages, present and coming, and between the outer and inner person, is the source of powerful antitheses that characterize the majority of the verses in this passage. Whereas the eschatological dualism hinges on the general resurrection, the anthropological dualism is created by the eschatological Spirit, whom God gives now as a ‘deposit, guaranteeing what is to come’ (5:5). It is the Spirit who creates the sense that the ‘outer person’ is ‘wasting away’ and the ‘inner person’ is ‘being renewed.’”²³⁹

Paul declares that his motivation is spirit driven (4:13) but also based on his firm testimony of the reality of the coming resurrection and the reward judgment will bring (4:14). All these things, he witnesses, are to bring God glory.

Greek Text

13 Ἔχοντες δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πίστεως, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα, καὶ ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν, διὸ καὶ λαλοῦμεν, 14 εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἡμᾶς σὺν Ἰησοῦ ἐγερεῖ καὶ παραστήσει σὺν ὑμῖν.15 τὰ γὰρ πάντα διʼ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; / Now we have the same spirit of faith as written in the scriptures, “I believed, therefore I spoke”: To explain why the missionaries do what they do, Paul quotes from Psalm 116:10, noting that they are driven by the same “spirit of faith” as those of old. The verb ἔχω (echō), “to have,”²⁴⁰ found here as a present participle, plays two roles: first, it introduces the ground or cause for the missionaries’ willingness to speak (as Paul notes in the next phrase; see below), and second, taking as its grammatical object “the same spirit of faith,” it introduces the forceful role faith plays in the proclamation of the gospel.²⁴¹ It is the Apostle’s conviction that the Christians possess this divine spirit (πνευμα, pneuma) and that this separates them from all other people.²⁴² In the missionaries, it drives them to preach. The noun πίστις (pistis), “faith,” in the present context, denotes a belief strong enough to engender complete confidence, trust, and reliance in others, leading to a willingness to follow their example.²⁴³ In this case, it is the psalmist whose faith drove Paul to declare his message.

we also believe, and therefore speak / We also believe, therefore we also speak: The conjunction καί (kai), “also,” usually translated as “and,” in this case acts as a marker of an added relationship and therefore has the meaning of “also” or “likewise.”²⁴⁴ It references both the faith and the action of Paul and his companions that imitate that of the psalmist. The verb πιστεύω (pisteuō), “believe,” has the same nuance as the noun πίστις (pistis), “faith” (see above). The verb λαλέω (laleō), “to speak,” denotes expressing oneself out loud.²⁴⁵ In this case, it refers to the public declaration of the gospel message.

4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus / because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us together with Jesus: The verb οἶδα (oida), “to know,” is perfect in form but present in meaning.²⁴⁶ It is found here as a circumstantial participle with a causative sense, so we have translated it as “because we know.” The verb ἐγείρω (egeirō) means basically to rouse from sleep. Since many in the Greco-Roman world viewed death as a kind of sleep, the word came to carry a nuance meaning “to rise from death,” thereby connoting the resurrection.²⁴⁷ In the present context it denotes God raising both his Son and the Saints into eternal life (compare 1:9).

The preposition σύν (syn) means “with,”²⁴⁸ but Paul’s statement that God will raise up the faithful “with Christ” seems odd in that Jesus had already been resurrected. Further, Paul has stated already that by this “man [Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead” and that through him all of humanity will gain victory over death (1 Cor. 15:21, 57). Therefore, syn probably does not carry the sense of “at the same time as,” or “in the company of,” or “in union with.” Rather, the phrase syn Iēsou, “with Jesus,” seems to indicate the idea of “in the wake of Jesus’ resurrection,” or “by virtue of Jesus’ resurrection.”²⁴⁹

and shall present us with you / and bring us together with you into his presence: The verb παρίστημι (paristēmi) has the root sense “to cause to be present in any way.”²⁵⁰ In a general sense it meant to bring someone into another’s presence. It was also used as a legal technical term for bringing someone before a judge, which seems to be its use here.²⁵¹ The Greek phrase is rather compact: παραστήσει σὺν ὑμῖν (parastēsei syn hymin), “he [God] will cause [us] with you to be present.” The subject is ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν (ho egeiras ton kyrion Iēsoun), “the one who raised the Lord Jesus”—that is, God the Father—and is found at the beginning of the verse, and the direct object ἡμᾶς (hēmas), “us,” is carried over from the previous phrase. Finally, it is into God’s own presence where the Saints will be brought. Thus in our Rendition we have expanded this passage into “bring us together with you into his presence.”

4:15 For all things are for your sakes / For all these things are for your sake: The phrase τὰ γὰρ πάντα (ta gar panta), “for all these things,” refers back to the items Paul has noted from 4:7. This verse, thus, captures and reiterates ideas he has developed up to this point. The preposition διά (dia), “for the sake of,” in the present context, carries the idea of doing something to benefit another²⁵² and suggests Paul has his ministry to the Corinthians specifically in mind.²⁵³

The JST corrects this phrase to read, “For we bear all things for your sakes.” The change clarifies who is doing what for the good of the Saints. It is the missionaries who are shouldering the major administrative and missionary burdens so that the Saints will not have to.

that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God / so that the grace as it increases throughout more and more people may cause thanksgiving to abound to God’s glory: This clause is syntactically challenging. The verb πλεονάζω (pleonazō) is normally intransitive in the New Testament (“to become more, grow, increase”), the single certain transitive example being 1 Thes. 3:12, where the subject is God.²⁵⁴ It is found here as a circumstantial, aorist participle, ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα (hē charis pleonassa), “the grace, as it increases.” The comparative adjective πλείων (pleiōn) is used in an elative sense, “very many” or “more and more.”²⁵⁵ It is nominalized with the definite article and thus has the sense “more and more people.” The preposition διά (dia) used with the genitive case has the sense “through.”²⁵⁶ The verb περισσεύω (perisseuō) is here used in the transitive sense, “to cause to abound.”²⁵⁷ The object that is caused to abound is τὴν εὐχαριστίαν (tēn eucharistian), “thankfulness, gratitude,” or “reciprocity.”²⁵⁸

The noun δόξα (doxa), “glory,” in the present context refers to “honor, magnificence, respect, reputation.”²⁵⁹

Analysis and Summary

In this section of his epistle, Paul continues to explain why he does not lose heart even though the outer part of him, the “clay jar,” is wasting away. His faith points him toward the resurrection, which gives him hope even for the old “jar.”²⁶⁰ His words show that, for him, “the source of all comfort is Christ’s atonement.”²⁶¹

In 4:12, Paul signals his readers with the use of the conjunction “therefore” (ὥστε, hōste) that he is bringing his argument to a close. His statement at the end of the verse, however, seems to have redirected his thoughts from the missionaries to the Corinthians and the “life” that they have received due to missionary effort. As a result, he develops one more idea before moving on. Once again, his efforts seem to be directed at relieving any remaining tension over the nature of his apostolic ministry that exists between him and some of the members of the house churches.²⁶² Therefore, Paul takes a moment to stress again why he and his companions do what they do.²⁶³

He begins by appealing to the scriptures (Ps. 116:10) and thus shows that the missionaries follow the pattern laid down there. Like the psalmist, they are compelled by faith to declare openly what they know.²⁶⁴ In their case, this knowledge is the witness to the “life of Christ” that is at work in the Corinthian Saints. The Apostle’s insistence that he and his companions are speaking under the same divine influence that motivated the psalmist hearkens back to the first paragraph of his excursus on ministering the new covenant. There he contrasts his efforts to freely give the message with the efforts of those who “peddle the word of God” for profit (2:17). His declaration that, due to his God-given ministry, he refuses to become discouraged even in the face of opposition furthers his argument (4:1). Repeating this idea in 4:13 rounds out his discussion and bring the whole to an interim conclusion.²⁶⁵

The psalm Paul chose serves his purpose very well. It reads, “I believed, wherefore I have spoken; but I was greatly disparaged” (our translation).²⁶⁶ The quote certainly described the Apostle’s current condition, but its broader context may have been what drew him to it. It shows that the Lord “delivered [the psalmist’s] soul from death” and will also make him walk “in the land of the living” (Ps. 116:8–9, KJV). Further, the psalmist declares that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps. 116:15, KJV). As one scholar noted, the context of the whole contains rich reflections of the very themes Paul has been addressing: “deliverance from difficulties and death.” This scholar went on to state that “this section of the psalms must have been comforting to Paul, and here he also finds a deep resonance with the faith and the expression of faith portrayed by the psalmist.”²⁶⁷

In 4:14, Paul identifies the basis of his courageous and unflagging preaching—sure knowledge. Of what? The coming resurrection. Likely it is based on Paul’s own conversion experience when he met the resurrected Messiah (Acts 9:1–9). His understanding may also have derived from information he received when he was “taken up into paradise and he heard inexpressible words that are not proper for a person to speak” (12:4, NR). Certainly, on the road to Damascus, he learned personally and undeniably the reality of the Lord’s Resurrection. Based upon that sure knowledge, it would not have been hard for him to extrapolate that the same would happen to him and to all the faithful. His knowledge, like the psalmist’s belief, drove him to speak. But it did more: it also drove him to bear witness to the truth he knew. Though God had already rescued him from “a peril of death” (1:10, NR), continued to lead him in triumph (2:14), and sustains him in the suffering he endures for the ministry (4:7–11),²⁶⁸ that was not the end; God would also give him victory over physical death in the day of the Lord.

Though he carries the threat of death with him continually, he knows that he will, with the Saints, be raised into eternal life.²⁶⁹ Paul’s words show that he sees the resurrection as consisting of both the restoration of the body to life (but in perfected form; see 1 Cor. 15:20–25) and the presentation of the person before Christ in judgment. His witness is reflected in the Book of Mormon, which states “the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice” (Alma 42:23). But who is that God? The book makes this clear, stating that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Ne. 9:41). The book also is clear that “all [will] stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and . . . must be judged of [their] works, whether they be good or evil” (Morm. 3:20; see also 3 Ne. 27:14; Ether 12:38; and Moro. 8:21).²⁷⁰

The Greek in 4:15, as the Translation Notes show, presents a number of translation difficulties. Even so, Paul’s thought does come through. In that verse, he once again briefly outlines the purpose, means, and goal of his work that has been and continues to be so beneficial for the Saints. His purpose is so that grace may increase thankfulness. The means is through more and more people receiving that grace with thanksgiving. The goal is so that God will receive greater respect and honor (doxa). In Paul’s formula, it is God’s grace itself, as multiplied through many, that causes thanksgiving to overflow, resulting in an increase in appreciation, honor, respect, and reverence—in a word, glory (δόξα, doxa)—toward God.²⁷¹

In sum, Paul’s witness is that in spite of the hardships he and his fellow missionaries face, they carry out their ministry for the benefit of the Corinthian Saints. They rejoice as they see the gift of God, referring to Christ’s Atonement and other gifts, spread among and blessing more and more people as they gain a relationship with the Father by keeping commandments and covenants. As it makes its impact in transforming lives, there is an increase of thanksgiving that overflows to God’s glory.²⁷²

Renewal through Suffering (4:16–18)

Greek Text

16 Διὸ οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος διαφθείρεται, ἀλλʼ ὁ ἔσω ἡμῶν ἀνακαινοῦται ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ. 17 τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν,18 μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα, τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια. [SBLGNT]

Translation Notes and Comments

4:16 For which cause we faint not / Therefore, we do not lose heart: The conjunction διό (dio),²⁷³ “therefore” (translated as “for which cause” in the KJV), refers back to 4:15 and explains that the desire to bring God glory evermore drives the missionaries to work. The verb ἐγκακέω (engkakeō), “lose heart, become discouraged,” denotes “the loss of motivation in continuing desirable conduct or activity.”²⁷⁴

but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day / but even if our physical body is being destroyed, our soul is being renewed day by day: The phrase εἰ καί (ei kai), “even if,” introduces not a mere contingency but the fact that the “clay jar,” as Paul calls the body (4:7, NR), is in a state of continual decline. The adverb ἔξω (exō), “outside,” often acts as an adjective referring to the outer part of something, thus ὁ ἔξω . . . ἄνρωπος (ho exō . . . anthrōpos), literally “the outer human being,” refers to the human body.²⁷⁵ The verb διαφθείρω (diaphtheirō), found here in passive voice, means “to be destroyed, perish,” and carries such nuances as being spoiled, ruined, or disabled.²⁷⁶ The adverb ἔσω (esō), “inside,”²⁷⁷ is also used adjectivally, so that ὁ ἔσω . . . ἄθρωπος (ho es exō . . . anthrōpos), literally “the inner human being,” is used figuratively to denote the inner being of a person and can refer to her or his spiritual nature. We translate this as “soul” in our Rendition. The verb ἀνακαινόω (anakainoō), found here in passive voice, means “to be renewed” with the sense of reaching a previous, preferable state or, better, becoming superior to what one was before.²⁷⁸ Since the antonyms for “renew” are “deplete, exhaust, impoverish,” these may give a better nuance to Paul’s meaning in using diaphtherō. Given his penchant for vivid imagery, however, “being destroyed” fits his motif.

4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment / For our present insignificant affliction: The adverb παραυτίκα (parautika), “present, immediate,” acts as an adjective in this phrase²⁷⁹ and usually denotes an immediate circumstance with emphasis on its temporary nature.²⁸⁰ It could denote a brief temporal affliction, but given the present context, it appears that Paul is comparing the state in which the Saints “now” exist—namely, mortality—to that when they are made immortal.²⁸¹ The adjective ἔλαφρον (elaphron) refers to something having little weight, thus “light” and by extension “insignificant.”²⁸² It is here converted into a neuter noun by the definite article τό (to), “lightweight, insignificant.” It is followed by the noun θλίψις (thlipsis), “affliction,” in the genitive case. This is another attributive genitive that Paul regularly uses, literally “insignificance of affliction,” which we translate “insignificant affliction.”²⁸³ It looks particularly at the kind of heavy pressure that burdens the spirit and thus can also denote “oppression.” Paul’s use of this mild adjective to modify the very heavy noun creates a strongly marked contrast that helps highlight his point.

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory / is producing for us an eternal fullness of glory beyond all measure and proportion: The verb κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai), “to bring about, produce, create,”²⁸⁴ is used here in the present tense. The dative case of the pronoun ὑμῖν (hymin) carries the sense of advantage and is therefore translated as “for us.” Once again Paul refers to δόξα (doxa), “glory,” but this time in association with what comes not to God but to the Saints. Even so, it carries more than a hint of the divine and points to the state of eternal well-being that results from becoming Christlike in virtue and power. He uses two words to describe the nature of the glory the Saints will receive. The first is the adjective αἰώνιος (aiōnios), “eternal,” which speaks to duration. The second is the noun βάρος (baros), which has a generic sense of “weight, burden,” but it came to indicate “a high point in a scale of evaluation, fullness.”²⁸⁵ In this case, it indicates a hefty weight or fullness of glory.²⁸⁶

The noun ὑπερβολή (hyperbolē) refers to something that exceeds expectations to an extraordinarily high degree.²⁸⁷ For emphasis, Paul repeats the word twice in the phrase καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν (kath’ hyperbolēn eis hyperbolēn), literally “excessively to excess,” which we have rendered “beyond all measure and proportion.”²⁸⁸ The phrase’s reference is to the “eternal fullness of glory” and points to the unimaginable blessed state in which celestial souls shall dwell.²⁸⁹

4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen / because we do not focus on the things that are visible: The verb σκοπέω (skopeō) means “pay careful attention to.” The phrase μή σκοπούτων ἡμῶν (mē skopountōn hēmōn) is a genitive absolute participial phrase and is grammatically unusual, since one would expect the participial phrase to be in the dative to agree with the possessive pronoun ἡμῖν (hēmin), “for us,” of the preceding verse. However, Paul may have chosen the genitive absolute to make the clause more independent of the previous clause and thus more forceful.²⁹⁰ He is plausibly giving the cause or explanation as to why he and his associates act the way they do. It is because their eyes are focused on the eternal. To put over this sense we have translated the phrase as “because we do not focus on.”²⁹¹ The plural, neuter definite article τὰ (ta) nominalizes the present passive participle βλεπόμενα (blepomena), “what is seen,”²⁹² and is therefore translated as “the things that are visible” in our Rendition. The context suggests that Paul has in mind the vicissitudes and trials of life faced not just by the missionaries but by the Saints in general.²⁹³ Again, the context suggests that the Apostle has in mind earthly negative experiences.

but at the things which are not seen / but on the things that are not visible: The invisible things, reaching back to what the Apostle stated earlier, include the resurrection with its promise of a full weight of eternal glory. They are invisible in the present because they have not yet been fully realized.

for the things which are seen are temporal / because the visible things are transient: The introductory conjunction γάρ (gar), “because, for,”²⁹⁴ acts as a marker of clarification identifying the problem, noted here, and the solution, noted in the next phrase. The adjective πρόσκαιρος (proskairos), “transient, temporary,”²⁹⁵ refers to something that passes quickly. In this case, it is the challenges and suffering that mortality presents.

but the things which are not seen are eternal / but the things that are not visible are eternal: The adjective αἰώνιος (aiōnios) in the New Testament can describe “a long period of time” or “a period of time without beginning or end, eternal.”²⁹⁶ The second sense is the more common, and that is how we have translated it.

Analysis and Summary

Paul’s forthright statement that “we do not lose heart” in discharging the duties of the ministry (4:16) is repeated from 4:1. Here he explains why that is the case: though the body continues to become ever weaker, it is offset by the renewing of the spirit through the power of divine grace. It is the present experience coupled with the hope for full renewal—even of the body—that is the reason Paul and the others “do not lose heart.”²⁹⁷

Paul’s writings in 4:16 reveal his understanding that there is a body/spirit dualism, but his view shows this dualism to be very soft as opposed to some of his contemporaries who saw it as very hard.²⁹⁸ The Apostle’s thoughts clearly reveal his understanding that there is a nonphysical, or spiritual, component of the human being. He expresses his view with the admission that though his outward form, the “clay jar” (4:7, NR) is being depleted day by day, his inner person is being renewed day by day (compare Rom. 7:14–25). In this way the “new creation”—that is, the spiritual being—finds continual strength to push forward. His words show that “the work of the Spirit is not a once-in-a-lifetime event but a daily experience for the apostle. Day after day, according to Paul’s need, he is ‘made new.’ God does not grant him strength in advance—lest, perhaps, he should trust in that strength—but removes him from trouble only as trouble comes to him. Comfort arrives only with the suffering of Christ, not beforehand.”²⁹⁹

Paul’s witness, as he instructs the Corinthians, is based on and determined by the mercy and grace extended to him through the personal appearance of and further instructions by the Messiah himself (Acts 9:1–9; Gal. 1:11–12). By this means, the light of the glory of Christ has been placed in Paul’s heart and shared by the other missionaries (2 Cor. 4:6). He and the others have been made new (4:16) due to the power of the Savior as revealed in the message they proclaim and authenticate by the power of the Spirit in their lives. However, for some their newness remains hidden under the afflictions and trials the Christian missionaries are going through. Though his life and teaching are beyond reproach, Paul admits that it is God’s will that the Apostle is not transformed outwardly. Rather, it is the divine will that he remains in weakness so that God’s power might be displayed through the Apostle’s work (4:7).³⁰⁰ The logic of his argument is that since he is admittedly weak, he can accomplish all that he does only and exclusively if God is with him.

Paul assures his readers in 4:17 that the present affliction brings about “for us” (ἡμῖν, hymin) a breathtaking and eternal mass (ὑπερβολή, hyperbolē) of glory, the same as that associated with the Divine. Perspective is all important. Suffering does not last forever, while glory does (compare D&C 121:7). Paul’s symbolic language really makes his point. To restate what he says in modern vernacular, the Saints’ few ounces of affliction cannot compare to the tonnage of glory that they will eventually receive (compare D&C 63:66).³⁰¹

Though it may appear that Paul is downplaying the hardship that he, his companions, and many of the Saints are experiencing, we must keep in mind that he is well aware of those hardships—even death threats—that he and others have already suffered (see Translation Notes at 1:8). Though admittedly the outer being suffers, the trials will yield an incomprehensible glory in the world to come. “Furthermore,” as Paul makes clear, “his labors and sufferings are not just the unfortunate cost of apostleship or occasions to demonstrate his faith, but they are at the heart of his witness.”³⁰² As one scholar noted, “All distress and affliction suffered by the Christians, which are caused by the pressure of the world on them, must always be understood in the light of their solidarity with Christ’s afflictions. Only so can they rightly be explained and endured” (compare Philip. 3:10 and 1 Pet. 4:13).³⁰³ “If persecution and death alone were sufficient to bring about [salvation], then when the wicked slay the wicked, . . . it would take them both to the kingdom of God” (2 Cor. 4:17).³⁰⁴ No, persecution and suffering are not in themselves sanctifying. Salvation requires enduring life’s difficulties and unfairness—and especially when one is persecuted for the gospel’s sake—in righteousness (Matt. 5:11–12). Thus, suffering has its purpose.

The reward for persistence in righteousness in face of oppression Paul describes as “glory” (δόξα, doxa). Though it is something that can be bestowed on humankind, the nuance of its divine property to empower individuals to move toward godhood remains. In his high priestly prayer, the Savior asked the Father to share with the disciples the same glory he had given the Son (John 17:22). Indeed, as Paul affirms, God has called his Saints to glory (1 Thes. 2:12), even to “obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes. 2:14), and has witnessed that they “are being transformed in the same [divine] image from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18, NR). Peter knows this to be true, for he was, as he says, a sharer in God’s glory (1 Pet. 5:1). Thus, John can confirm that when Christ shall appear, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

The point Paul strives to make is that such earthly—but divine—glory, even though marvelous and to be sought after, pales almost to nothingness when compared to the eternal weight of glory that God will give to the faithful in the resurrection.³⁰⁵ Such glory will be both eternal and full beyond all measure and proportion. Paul, at least to a degree, experienced this when he was “caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:4). Thus, Paul can witness to “that which neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into a person’s heart—all these things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9, NR). The Doctrine and Covenants witnesses that “the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with [Christ]” (D&C 88:107). Jesus himself promised that the Saints shall “receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father” (D&C 93:20).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie has stated in this connection that

mortal trials, persecution, suffering, even the laying down of one’s life for the Cause of Christ, are as nothing compared to the immortal glory reserved for those who endure all things well. All these things are part of the Lord’s program for testing his saints to the full. “I will try you and prove you herewith,” he says. “And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal. Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy. For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me.” (D. & C. 98:12–15.)³⁰⁶

In 4:18, Paul gives the reason why he and his companions focus as they do on the eternal rather than the temporal. In the visible but very temporary world, the Christians experience unhappiness, pain, trials, and even undeserved persecution. In the eternal world, as they are promised, there will be an unimaginable weight of glory with its associated joy, peace, concord, and amity.

The Apostle’s emphasis is on what the people are going through when compared to what they will receive for doing so in faith.³⁰⁷ One is transitory and therefore should command little attention. The other is eternal and should therefore command a great deal of attention. Paul echoes Hebrews 11:1 (see also Alma 32:21 and Ether 12:6), where faith is described as the power to see as a reality the future glory that one can obtain.

Thus Paul teaches that the present circumstances do have their value, for they prepare the Saint for the reception of an eternal weight of glory. As one scholar noted, “The coming age does not occur by a merely mechanical process through our ‘suffering’ in this age. Rather two activities of this age—the ‘suffering’ and ‘the [not] looking to things [not] seen’—must be regarded as inseparable.”³⁰⁸ Paul’s point seems to be that if the Saints concentrate too intently on their obvious earthly methods or objectives, they all too easily lose sight of their eternal goals (4:18).³⁰⁹

As this chapter shows, Paul’s description of the Apostolic ministry is one of multiple paradoxes: glory through shame, strength in weakness, riches through poverty, life through death. In creating these paradoxes, the Apostle shows that, in part, there are two opposing powers that operate in this world and struggle to possess the human soul—on the one hand, there is God as revealed in Christ, and on the other, there is the god of this world known as Satan. The latter not only afflicts both Christian and Apostle but also blinds the unfaithful so they are incapable of recognizing the truth.³¹⁰

The greatest of Paul’s paradoxes is that the power of God resides in humankind, more especially in Paul, as manifest through humility and weaknesses. From his point of view, where there is inappropriate boasting with its underpinning of arrogance, divine power cannot exist. This is because, as he well knows, the power to change humankind came into the world through the cross and is promulgated and affirmed through the modest, willing life and ministry of his servants. In this section, the Apostle declares his heartfelt belief that only in weakness does he find strength. Only when he is emptied of all but Christ does he become “a true and open vessel, a true conduit of power, light, and life in Christ.”³¹¹

Given the above, it is easy to see why some of the Apostle’s contemporaries would reject his proclamation. His startling doctrine flies against the demands of the social norms so important in Corinthian society and requires a new conceptual framework as the basis for what it means to be a man or woman “in Christ.” Some among the Corinthian Saints simply could not handle such strictures and therefore were unwilling to follow Paul and sought after another easier gospel (Gal. 1:6) that was more compatible with what they wanted to believe.³¹²