Year Two, October 14

We Are Afflicted in Every Way, but Not Crushed1

Paul wrote the Second Letter to the Corinthians from Macedonia. This was after Titus had returned from Corinth and informed him how the church in Corinth had responded to his first letter. The news was mixed and caused Paul both joy and sorrow. This seemed to have both troubled and perplexed the apostle. We will begin our reading with chapter four.

  

2 Corinthians 4

1Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (Paul condemned trickery and all deceitful methods. He said what he meant and meant what he said. If we cannot spread the truth by honest speech, we cannot spread it at all.) 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (If people do not understand the gospel we must take care that the fault does not lie in our words but entirely with their blinded worldly hearts.)

5For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give 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 the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. (When God uses the weakness of the preacher to accomplish such a great end, it shows his power. Never refuse to do good because your abilities are poor and few. Instead, give your weakness to the Lord so that he may use it for his own glory.) 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at work in us, but life in you. (Paul rejoiced that good came to them as a result of his sufferings. He loved them like a mother who takes off her own coat and exposes herself to the cold to keep her child warm.)

13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. (He was not afraid of death, because he expected to be resurrected.) 15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. (God’s glory was his ruling desire. It kept him going through sickness, depression, and persecution.) 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (See how small Paul thinks his suffering is compared to the glory that awaits him. He calls it light and momentary. But when it comes to future glory, he cannot find words to express himself. The way to live above trouble is to look up. We will grow dizzy if we look down on earthly things, because they are tossed to and fro like the waves of an ocean.)

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¹ 2 Corinthians 4:8