Reflections on 2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians 04 (Contemporary English Version)


1. God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. That's why we never give up.
2. We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don't try to fool anyone or twist God's message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure that we can be trusted.
3. If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost.
4. The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows what God is like.
5. We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants.
6. The Scriptures say, "God commanded light to shine in the dark." Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.
7. We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.
8. We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up.
9. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.
10. We face death every day because of Jesus. Our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us.
11. (SEE 4:10)
12. This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you.
13. In the Scriptures it says, "I spoke because I had faith." We have that same kind of faith. So we speak
14. because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. And just as God raised Jesus, he will also raise us to life. Then he will bring us into his presence together with you.
15. All of this has been done for you, so that more and more people will know how kind God is and will praise and honor him.
16. We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day.
17. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.
18. Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That's why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.
    
    

    ---

    
    Following a brief defense in chapter 3 of the new covenant that he preached, Paul turned back to defending himself against accusations made by false apostles in the church at Corinth. Another accusation was that the gospel Paul preached was "veiled." A claim that Paul was dealing in "secret things" as if he had a special knowledge no one else had. (4:2, 3) But Paul turned the accusation back on the accusers. It was not his gospel that was veiled, but their minds that were blinded. Satan, "the god of this age," had a hold on them and had "blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (4:4)
    
    Paul was not trying to commend himself through a message of secrets as if he had a special message from God. No, it was not himself he was proclaiming "but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus." (4:5) Since it was Christ as Lord he was proclaiming he didn't want it hidden in some veiled message but understood clearly. Neither was he trying to commend himself to the Corinthians but trying to be "your slaves because of Jesus." (4:5) False apostles sought to elevate themselves, which they did in part by attempting to dishonor Paul who was a true apostle. Paul, on the other hand, did not try to elevate himself but determined to be a slave of the Corinthian Christians. If the Corinthians were truly enlightened, this was a ploy they should be able to see through.
    
    No, the false apostles were not into serving, but into lording themselves over the congregation. Nor were they willing to suffer on their behalf. But suffering on behalf of the gospel, and those to whom he took it, was a plight that Paul had chosen. He was pressured in every way, persecuted, and carried the death of Jesus in his body. He had, in fact, given himself over to death because of Jesus. But he did it so the Corinthians, and others, might have life. The outcome was that "death works in us, but life in you." (4:12) Is this something he would do if he were a false apostle?
    
    One day God will raise all believers with Jesus. Not only will Paul be raised at that time but also the Corinthian Christians. This was the goal he sought for them. It was also why he was willing to endure suffering: "For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (4:17-18)