2 Corinthians 4

==2 Corinthians 4:1-2==
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Because they have received mercy, a staying of destruction when they deserved it, and have instead received the gospel to obey and to preach to others, they do not grow weary in preaching it.
I believe verse two is a reference to the Judaizing influence within the church. Those who called themselves Christians, but demanded that Gentiles obey Moses first before they could become Christians. These folks twisted the Old Testament ("Word of God" here) and used it dishonestly. Paul says that he and the Corinthians have given up this kind of manipulation and rather preach clearly and boldly, let the gospel do the converting, and let God sort it out. This gives them a clear conscience.
==2 Corinthians 4:3-4==
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
This is why I believe this refers to Judaizers. Paul says that if their good news is hidden, its hidden from those who remain lost (willfully). "The god of this world" is Satan, to whom the Jews are often associated with and even called from time to time. Satan has blinded them so that they do not believe the gospel message. It is important to understand what this actually means. Satan has no power over men that men do not give him. He is able to blind because men want to be blinded.
We see this in the wealth and prestige gained by the Jewish state by its relationship with Rome. This is nothing new for the Jews. Throughout their history they wanted to be like the nations around them and looked to those nations for wealth and protection when they should have looked to God. They lusted after the physical things of the world which are temporary rather than desiring the spiritual things of God which are eternal.
==2 Corinthians 4:5==
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
The Jews were stuck on themselves. It was all about their blood, their physical descent from Abraham. They were a very selfish and bigoted group of people.
On the other hand, Christians preached Christ. They were humble, submitted to the will of God, and relied on His blood for salvation. A stark contrast indeed.
==2 Corinthians 4:6==
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Here is an explicit reference to light as the gospel. The knowledge of the glory of God, Jesus Christ, is the gospel. That light shines from the heart (mind) of Christians to all the world. "God commanded the light to shine out of darkness" is similar to John's words in John 1:5-11. Jesus was that light. He was born out of darkness, the Jews. This is a contrast between knowledge and ignorance, the gospel and the Jewish system, spiritual Israel (the church) and physical Israel (Judah).
==2 Corinthians 4:7==
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Human bodies are weak, temporary, and eventually pass away. However, God works through physical existence to communicate to His creation. The gospel then is lived by human lives, preached by human lips, and heard by human ears. Given the frailty and temporary nature of human existence, this puts the reliance on God rather than on self. A lesson many of the Jews failed to understand as they relied on the physical instead of spiritual.
==2 Corinthians 4:8-12==
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
Here Paul sets up a dichotomy between what the Jews were doing to them verses what God was doing for them. They suffered physical persecution at the hands of the Jews everywhere and always, yet because their trust was in God, they did not despair and were able to persevere and overcome. Like as Christ suffered at the hands of the Jews, so too did the Christians, but like as Christ overcame death in His resurrection (1 Cor. 15), they too would overcome.
They preached the resurrection through Jesus Christ. In that preaching, they showed that they did not fear physical death because as Christ was raised up, in the same manner, they would be returned to life. Of utmost importance here is that Paul speaks of this death and resurrection in terms of "mortal flesh". This indicates very clearly the nature of the final resurrection of men that all Christians look forward to and why they need not fear physical death.
==2 Corinthians 4:13==
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
Paul quotes David in Psalm 116:10. I recommend reading the whole Psalm as it has great context pertaining to Paul's time. Paul's faith was the same as David's. He believed God and that belief compels him to speak. David said that though death was all about him and he always in peril of it, he walked in the land of the living and did not fear death.
==2 Corinthians 4:14==
14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
Since we are then talking about physical death of individuals and we are talking about Jesus' physical resurrection, this then must be a reference back to 1 Corinthians 15 and the same kind of resurrection, a physical one that Christians looked forward to after death. It did not matter what the Jews could do to them, they could not do worse than what God could bless more.
==2 Corinthians 4:15-16==
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Abundant grace is the abundance of the preaching of the gospel which renews Christians daily who study, walk in it, and preach it to others. The Jews may persecute and kill, but that is insignificant to God who blesses and will return the faithful to life.
==2 Corinthians 4:17-18==
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Again, the persecution at the hands of the Jews is temporary and insignificant compared to what they would receive from God eternally. It is to this goal that Paul and the Corinthians strove.
In Truth and Love.
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Category:Apocalyptic