II Corinthians 4 · The Lantern

The Light of the Gospel

Because of this, having this ministry, just as we received mercy, we do not lose heart;

For what kind (of hypothesis) is it, that the very moment after making a largess of restoration to the privileges of ecclesiastical peace to an incestuous fornicator, he should forthwith have proceeded to accumulate exhortations about turning away from impurities, about pruning away of blemishes, about exhortations to deeds of sanctity, as if he had decreed nothing of a contrar…

Seeing he had uttered great things and had set himself and all the faithful before Moses, aware of the height and greatness of what he had said, observe how he moderates his tone again. For it was necessary on account of the false Apostles to exalt his hearers also, and again to calm down that swelling; yet not to do it away, since this would be a trifler's part.

Having shown the dignity of the New Testament ministry, the Apostle now discusses the exercise of this ministry. In regard to this he does two things. First, he shows that the exercise of this ministry should consist in doing good; secondly it should consist also in enduring evils patiently (v. 7). In regard to the first he does two things.

but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor falsifying the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every conscience of men before God.

But if indeed our gospel is concealed, it is concealed to those perishing,

in whom the god of this age has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, might not dawn on them.

For one and the same God [that blesses others] inflicts blindness upon those who do not believe, but who set Him at naught; just as the sun, which is a creature of His, [acts with regard] to those who, by reason of any weakness of the eyes cannot behold his light; but to those who believe in Him and follow Him, He grants a fuller and greater illumination of mind.

Every unbeliever is of this world. No one who has overcome it and been deemed worthy of the world to come is blinded in his understanding, for his eyes have been enlightened.

The cause of this concealment is not on the part of the Gospel, but on account of their own guilt and malice; and this is what he adds: in their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. This can be explained in three ways: in one way so that the god of this world, i.e.

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

In expressing himself humbly, Paul spoke in a way which was designed to show that he was not preaching the gospel for his own advantage but for the glory of the Lord Christ, to whom he is obedient.

"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." And what is the nature of the connexion there? What hath this in common with what has been said?

Then when he says, For what we preach is not ourselves, the Apostle settles a doubt. For some could say to the Apostle, contrary to what was said here: above you said that your Gospel was hidden; now you say that the Gospel of Christ enlightens. Therefore, if it is granted that the Gospel of Christ enlightens, it cannot follow that your Gospel is hidden.

Because it is God who said, “Out of darkness light will shine,” who shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Now he did not observe how much this clause of the sentence made against him: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to (give) the light of the knowledge (of His glory) in the face of (Jesus) Christ." Now who was it that said; "Let there be light?

Since the divine nature is invisible and always remains so, it is seen for what it is in the humanity of Jesus Christ which shines with divine light and sends out its rays.

Then when he says, For it is the God who said, he shows the source of his Gospel's power to enlighten. Here we should note the order of the Apostle's procedure. It is this: at one time, namely, before being converted to Christ, we were darkness, just as you and the others, upon whom the brightness of Christ's glory did not shine.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not of us:

This visible appearance cheats death and the devil; for the wealth within, the beauty, is unseen by them. And they rave about the carcase, which they despise as weak, being blind to the wealth within; knowing not what a "treasure in an earthen vessel" we bear, protected as it is by the power of God the Father, and the blood of God the Son, and the dew of the Holy Spirit.

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves." For seeing he had spoken many and great things of the unspeakable glory, lest any should say, 'And how enjoying so great a glory remain we in a mortal body?' he saith, that this very thing is indeed the chiefest marvel and a very great example of the…

Above, he discussed the use of the ministry of the New Testament in regard to doing good; here he discusses its use in regard to enduring evil. In regard to this he does two things: first, he points to the endurance of the evils they suffered; secondly, he explains this (v. 11).

afflicted in every way but not distressed; perplexed but not despairing;

...blessed then will he be, and truly proclaimed perfect, "that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us," as the apostle says.

"We are pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken." He still dwells upon proving that the whole work is to be ascribed to the power of God, repressing the highmindedness of those that glory in themselves.

Then when he says, we are afflicted in every way, he shows their patience in the things they suffer. In regard to this he does two things: first, he points out the evils they suffer in general; secondly, he mentions them in particular (v. 8b). He says, therefore: truly we have this treasure in earthen vessels, because we are afflicted in every way.

persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed;

God was with them, like a shepherd, when they were in need. He looked after their interests, so that their enemies would not get the better of them.

People persecute us, but God does not abandon us. For this is permitted so that we may be exercised in struggle, not so that we may fall. The adversaries, he says, strike us down in body and in outward things, but we do not perish; we are of good courage and enjoy steadfastness of spirit, and in this we preserve, with the help of God, the body itself.

But this is not all, for along with this we are disquieted: persecuted, namely, from place to place: "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next" (Matt. 10:23), but not forsaken by God, because he offers help: "I will never fail you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5); "You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you" (Ps. 9:10).

always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be made manifest in our body.

That he uses these words with respect to the body of flesh, and to none other, he declares to the Corinthians manifestly, indubitably, and free from all ambiguity: "Always bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus Christ might be manifested in our body.

"Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body." And what is the "dying of the Lord Jesus," which they bare about? Their daily deaths by which also the resurrection was showed.

Then when he says, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, he gives the reason for this patience. Here it should be noted that in Christ the process was this: having from the beginning of his conception a flesh that could suffer, he both suffered and died, yet within he was leading a spiritual life.

For we who live are always being handed over to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

"For we which live are also delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in us in our mortal flesh." For every where when he has said any thing obscure, he interprets himself again. So he has done here also, giving a clear interpretation of this which I have cited.

Having mentioned the patience of the apostles in the midst of evils, and revealed the cause of their patience, the Apostle now explains them. First, he explains what he said about the hope of glory; secondly, what he said about his own patience (v. 16). In regard to the first he does two things.

So then death works in us, but life in you.

And having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak,

It is one and the same Spirit who is in the prophets and in the apostles. However, the Spirit dwelt in the prophets sporadically, whereas he abides in believers forever.

Those just men also were saved by their salutary faith in him as man and God. They, before he came in the flesh, believed that he was to come in the flesh. Our faith is the same as theirs, since they believed that this would be, while we believe that it has come to pass.

Then the Apostle shows how he acquired this hope of certainty. In regard to this he does two things. First, he states the cause of the certainty; secondly, he concludes to the certainty itself (v. 14). Now the cause of this certainty is the Spirit instilling faith into their hearts. First, therefore, he mentions this cause; secondly, he explains it with an example (v. 13b).

knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us with you.

For all things are for your sake, so that the grace, having abounded through the greater number, may make the thanksgiving abound to the glory of God.

God does not want anyone to be excluded from his gift. But because not everyone had received the word of faith, God's apostle, who knew God's will, was not afraid to suffer persecutions and perils as long as he could preach to everyone faithfully, so that more people might believe.

And hinting at the false apostles, who said that through their mediation the blessings of God were communicated to their disciples, he says: "all things are for your sakes," even the resurrection itself, and not for the sake of this one or that one.

And well can I say this with certainty, because all things are for your benefit. For all things, the sufferings we endure, the graces we receive from God, are for your sake, namely, that you be instructed by our example.

Therefore we do not lose heart; but even if our outer man is decaying, yet our inner is being renewed day by day.

He says, too, that "our outward man perishes," not meaning by an eternal perdition after death, but by labours and sufferings, in reference to which he previously said, "For which cause we will not faint.

"Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." How does it decay? Being scourged, being persecuted, suffering ten thousand extremities. "Yet the inward man is renewed day by day." How is it renewed? By faith, by hope, by a forward will, finally, by braving those extremities.

Having mentioned the patience which the Apostle showed in tribulations and manifested the reward they expected, he then treats of the cause of patience and the mode or reason for patience. In regard to this he does three things. First, he hints at the patience of the saints; secondly, the cause of patience (v. 16b); thirdly, the reward of patience (v. 17).

For our momentary lightness of affliction is producing for us, far beyond measure, an eternal weight of glory,

You may learn this, too, from the following passage, where the apostle says: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for as a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen," that is, our sufferings, "but at the things which are not seen," that is, our rewards: "for the things which are seen are temporal, but…

The human patience which is good, praiseworthy and deserving the name of virtue is said to be that by which we endure evils with equanimity so as not to abandon, through a lack of equanimity, the good through which we arrive at the better.

The third point, namely, the cause of this patience, is recognition of a reward. This recognition is most efficacious, because, according to Gregory, it lessens the force of a scourge. And this is what he says: For this present, slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

while we are not looking at the things seen but at the things not seen; for the things seen are temporary, but the things not seen are eternal.

Ye have never envied any one; ye have taught others. Now I desire that those things may be confirmed [by your conduct], which in your instructions ye enjoin [on others]. Only request in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not only speak, but [truly] will; and that I may not merely be called a Christian, but really be found to be one.

Do thou then, O disciple, make use of faith in its fair order, and turn it not into error; and believe by it in God and in His promises, and believe not in the world and in its delights therewith.

Hence he says, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. As if to say: although the things we hope for are still to come, and in the meantime our body is corrupted, nevertheless, we are renewed, because we do not pay attention to those temporal things, but to eternal. And this is what he says: it works in us a weight of glory.

II Corinthians4

The Light of the Gospel

Treasure in Jars of Clay