2 Corinthians 4

Paul’s Perseverance in Ministry

4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged.

Believers have been given the greatest service in the world. They are given the privilege of sharing Christ with others. The Greek word for "discouraged" is ἐκκακέω (ekkakeo), meaning to lose courage in battle. Since God has expressed mercy on believers and given them the privilege of sharing Christ, then this will produce suffering. It is important that the believer does not lose courage in the face of the angelic battle.

4:2 But we have rejected shameful hidden deeds, not behaving with deceptiveness or distorting the word of God, but by open proclamation of the truth we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience before God.

The Judaizers accused Paul of performing shameful hidden deeds. They accused him of teaching a deceptive gospel and distorting the Word of God. Instead, Paul proclaimed the truth publicly so that all could hear. 

4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,

The Bible is a supernatural book. Only a believer, led by the Holy Spirit, can understand it. Unbelievers cannot understand it, unless the Holy Spirit opens their eyes.

4:4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

The Greek word for "age" is αἰών (aion), meaning a cycle of time. Many English translations mistranslate Satan as the god of this world. Satan is not the god of this world. Metaphorically, he is the god of this cycle of time, but his temporary rule will end at the Millennial Kingdom. Satan runs the United Nations, the Republican Party, the Democrat Party, the educational systems, the media, and everything else in-between. Even though Satan has vast control of everything during this age, according to the Book of Job, he still must receive permission from God to perform his tasks.

What exactly is evil? Satan has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot understand the Scriptures. Unless God the Holy Spirit removes this blindness, then every man, woman, and child on this planet will reject Christ and burn in the Lake of Fire for eternity.

4:5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.

The Judaizers accused Paul of teaching for selfish purposes. Paul answered that he was a bond-servant to Jesus. He gave Jesus the title of deity and Messianic King,  a title that many of his enemies rejected.

4:6 For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.

At creation, there was darkness, and then God created physical light. Man lives in the darkness of the Satanic world system, blinded by an enemy that he cannot see. If God leaves man alone, then he will reject Christ and burn in the Lake of Fire forever. Therefore, God must remove man's blindness and bring light into his soul which illuminates the Risen Christ. 

An Eternal Weight of Glory

4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

The Greek word for "clay jars" is ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν (ostrakinois skeuesin), meaning baked clay jars that usually contained trash or human excrement. Sometimes, these clay jars carried great treasure. Our human bodies are nothing but baked clay jars, but this clay jar carries a great treasure. The great treasure is the Holy Spirit, who enables us to understand the Scriptures and share this information with others.

4:8 We are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair;

The Greek word for "trouble" is θλίβω (thlibo), meaning crushing pressure. The Greek word for "perplexed" is ἀπορέω (aporeo), meaning to have no more resources. The Greek word for "despair" is ἐξαπορέομαι (exoporeomai), meaning to have no way out of the problem. Paul was living in Satan’s world, so he had to pay a horrible price for his evangelism and teaching ministry.

4:9 we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed,

Paul seemed to be fighting a losing battle. It seems that this man was very weak. Yet, in his weakness, he was strong. Paul was a small, crippled, weak, sick, and blinded Jew who stood up against the mighty Roman Empire, and brought it down. Even the secular historian Gibbon commented that the Roman Empire could not stand up against the preaching of the gospel of Christ. The gospel today can still topple empires.

Paul had enemies, but he had the right kind of enemies. A man is measured by the type of enemies he has.

4:10 always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body.

Since Jesus had ascended into heaven, Satan used his followers of the Satanic world system to persecute the followers of Jesus. 

4:11 For we who are alive are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our mortal body.

The marks on the body of Paul and other Christians gave testimony of the Risen Jesus. When we are at our weakest is when we are actually at our strongest.

4:12 As a result, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Paul was placing his life on the line for the Corinthians so that they could possess eternal life.

4:13 But since we have the same spirit of faith as that shown in what has been written, “I believed; therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak.

Paul quoted Psalm 116:10. Paul did not compromise his teaching when he was persecuted. He did not alter his message to appease his listeners.

4:14 We do so because we know that the one who raised up Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus and will bring us with you into his presence.

Paul is dead to the things of the world because he is joined to a living Christ. This makes him confident enough to share the gospel to a world that wants to destroy him.

4:15 For all these things are for your sake, so that the grace that is including more and more people may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.

Paul experienced suffering so that other Christians could benefit.

4:16 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day.

As we grow older, our physical body begins to decay, but with more study and Biblical knowledge, our inner person grows closer to God. As we physically age, we become more like Christ.

4:17 For our momentary light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison

Our suffering down here on earth seems long and unbearable, but it is just a drop in the bucket of eternity.

4:18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

Paul offered an amazing paradox. Believers are to look for what they cannot see.