6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Corinthians 4:6-12
A rather longer passage than usual today - but I don’t apologise. (In fact, I would have liked to print out the whole of 2 Corinthians 4, but perhaps that would have been a bit much.)
Here’s a suggestion: some time when no-one’s in earshot (you don’t want your family or friends to think you’re going crazy), stand up and read this chapter in a big loud voice; pretend you’re an actor on the stage. Or a preacher in a pulpit - I suspect that nowhere in Paul do we come closer to Paul the preacher than in these verses. There is an almost poetic, rhetorical rhythm to his words - especially in those repeated “but not”s. This is powerful, dramatic stuff!
Strictly speaking, the “we” Paul is talking about here is himself and his fellow-apostles, not Christians in general - verse 12 makes that clear. But I think he would agree that the things he is spelling out can in fact be applied more generally to any Christian who is serious about sharing their faith - and that, I hope, includes you and me.
So... what are the things he is spelling out? I think we can sum it up under the word privilege. The Christian is privileged in all sorts of ways, of course; but in these verses two privileges in particular are highlighted.
First, the privilege of basking in the divine light of Jesus.
Verse 6 is all about light: God has “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God displayed in the face of Christ.”
It used sometimes to be said of a new convert that they had “seen the light.” If the person speaking was a cynical non-Christian that probably meant something like, “Oh no! - he’s become one of those religious nutters.” But never mind, it’s a good expression. In fact, the new believer hasn’t only “seen the light” but has received it - that light has “shone in our hearts”, it’s become part of our very inner being and identity.
Is this how you see yourself? - that you have moved from the darkness of sin, ignorance and superstition into the glorious light that comes through Jesus? You are a new, light-flooded person! Everything has changed!
If that isn’t a privilege, I don’t know what is.
Second, there is the privilege of sharing in the “dyingness” of Jesus.
Before you jump on me and shout "dyingness? What’s that! There’s no such word!” (well, there is now!), let me explain.
There is a common Greek word (thanatos) for “death”, and in his letters Paul uses it some forty-five times. But just twice, including here in verse 10, he uses a different word (nekrosis) which means not simply death as such, but the whole process of dying. So verse 10 could be translated “We always carry around in our body the dying of Jesus” - one commentator suggests “the killing of Jesus”, another “the deadness of Jesus”.
Sorry if that’s a bit technical, but it helps to explain what Paul means by that rather strange expression, “carrying around in our bodies the death of Jesus”.
The life Jesus lived was, from beginning to end, a dying life, geared towards death from the word go. Right at the start Herod set out to kill him; right at the end he hung upon a cross. And in between, it was marked by weakness, suffering, persecution and pain.
And, says Paul, that is the kind of life to which we also are called: Jesus has set a pattern for us, and while of course we are not called to suffer in precisely the same way, that pattern should be seen also in us. (We are called, after all, to “take up our cross” in order to follow him.)
That is why he says that the wonderful treasure we have received is contained “in jars of clay” - yes, our bodies are no more lasting than an old earthenware pot. And that is why he gives us that string of hardships before the “but not”s: “hard pressed..., but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
And the wonderful thing is that as we live out this kind of “dying life”, his life - beautiful, holy, divine - is “revealed in our mortal bodies.” Isn’t that too a privilege?
So... if you feel weak, feeble and ineffective, be encouraged! Jesus, remember, was “despised and rejected by men”; so why should it be any different for us? No “triumphalism”, please (ugh!). No “prosperity gospel” (ugh again!).
No: just the way of the cross - always confident that a glorious resurrection awaits us, as it did him.
Father God, thank you for the willing humiliation and suffering of Jesus, and for his wonderful submission to death on a cross. Help me to gladly accept that same pattern of life, so that one day I will share in his glorious resurrection. Amen.
A rather longer passage than usual today - but I don’t apologise. (In fact, I would have liked to print out the whole of 2 Corinthians 4, but perhaps that would have been a bit much.)
Here’s a suggestion: some time when no-one’s in earshot (you don’t want your family or friends to think you’re going crazy), stand up and read this chapter in a big loud voice; pretend you’re an actor on the stage. Or a preacher in a pulpit - I suspect that nowhere in Paul do we come closer to Paul the preacher than in these verses. There is an almost poetic, rhetorical rhythm to his words - especially in those repeated “but not”s. This is powerful, dramatic stuff!
Strictly speaking, the “we” Paul is talking about here is himself and his fellow-apostles, not Christians in general - verse 12 makes that clear. But I think he would agree that the things he is spelling out can in fact be applied more generally to any Christian who is serious about sharing their faith - and that, I hope, includes you and me.
So... what are the things he is spelling out? I think we can sum it up under the word privilege. The Christian is privileged in all sorts of ways, of course; but in these verses two privileges in particular are highlighted.
First, the privilege of basking in the divine light of Jesus.
Verse 6 is all about light: God has “made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God displayed in the face of Christ.”
It used sometimes to be said of a new convert that they had “seen the light.” If the person speaking was a cynical non-Christian that probably meant something like, “Oh no! - he’s become one of those religious nutters.” But never mind, it’s a good expression. In fact, the new believer hasn’t only “seen the light” but has received it - that light has “shone in our hearts”, it’s become part of our very inner being and identity.
Is this how you see yourself? - that you have moved from the darkness of sin, ignorance and superstition into the glorious light that comes through Jesus? You are a new, light-flooded person! Everything has changed!
If that isn’t a privilege, I don’t know what is.
Second, there is the privilege of sharing in the “dyingness” of Jesus.
Before you jump on me and shout "dyingness? What’s that! There’s no such word!” (well, there is now!), let me explain.
There is a common Greek word (thanatos) for “death”, and in his letters Paul uses it some forty-five times. But just twice, including here in verse 10, he uses a different word (nekrosis) which means not simply death as such, but the whole process of dying. So verse 10 could be translated “We always carry around in our body the dying of Jesus” - one commentator suggests “the killing of Jesus”, another “the deadness of Jesus”.
Sorry if that’s a bit technical, but it helps to explain what Paul means by that rather strange expression, “carrying around in our bodies the death of Jesus”.
The life Jesus lived was, from beginning to end, a dying life, geared towards death from the word go. Right at the start Herod set out to kill him; right at the end he hung upon a cross. And in between, it was marked by weakness, suffering, persecution and pain.
And, says Paul, that is the kind of life to which we also are called: Jesus has set a pattern for us, and while of course we are not called to suffer in precisely the same way, that pattern should be seen also in us. (We are called, after all, to “take up our cross” in order to follow him.)
That is why he says that the wonderful treasure we have received is contained “in jars of clay” - yes, our bodies are no more lasting than an old earthenware pot. And that is why he gives us that string of hardships before the “but not”s: “hard pressed..., but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
And the wonderful thing is that as we live out this kind of “dying life”, his life - beautiful, holy, divine - is “revealed in our mortal bodies.” Isn’t that too a privilege?
So... if you feel weak, feeble and ineffective, be encouraged! Jesus, remember, was “despised and rejected by men”; so why should it be any different for us? No “triumphalism”, please (ugh!). No “prosperity gospel” (ugh again!).
No: just the way of the cross - always confident that a glorious resurrection awaits us, as it did him.
Father God, thank you for the willing humiliation and suffering of Jesus, and for his wonderful submission to death on a cross. Help me to gladly accept that same pattern of life, so that one day I will share in his glorious resurrection. Amen.
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