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Endurance Is Possible 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 Power; Gospel

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Endurance Is Possible 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 Power; Gospel Endurance Is Possible 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 Power; Gospel; Perseverance; Trial; Persecution; Adversity; Affliction; Death; Life 4/19/20; Grace Church of Lockeford; 504 Introduction “No Christian should ever complain to God because of his lack of gifts or abilities, or because of his limitations or handicaps. Psalm 139:13–16 indicates that our very genetic structure is in the hands of God. Each of us must accept himself and be himself.”1 1. The Power Of Jesus v. 7 a. The demand for His power v. 7a “‘Earthen’ or ‘clay’ jars, as opposed to bronze ones, were readily discarded; because clay was always available, such containers were cheap and disposable if they were broken or incurred ceremonial impurity—an odd container for a rich treasure.”2 “Such vessels were regarded as fragile and as expendable because they were cheap and often unattractive.”3 “We are but earthen jars used of God for his purposes (Rom. 9:20ff.) and so fragile.”4 “The idea of light in earthen vessels is, however, best illustrated in the story of the lamps and pitchers of Gideon, Judges 7:16. In the very breaking of the vessel the light is revealed.”5 “Even though it is what dispels spiritual darkness God has deposited this precious gift in every clay Christian.”6 “It is precisely the Christian’s utter frailty which lays him open to the experience of the all- sufficiency of God’s grace, so that he is able even to rejoice because of his weakness (12:9f.)— something that astonishes and baffles the world, which thinks only in terms of human ability.”7 “That Paul is an “earthen vessel” in the first instance signifies his intrinsic lack of worth; earthenware pots were inexpensive, common, and impermanent. Power is perfected in weakness (12:9). God places the riches of his presence only in cheapware. Paul does not preach himself, but Jesus Christ as Lord (v. 5).”8 “The believer is simply a “jar of clay”; it is the treasure within the vessel that gives the vessel its value.”9 “God chose to store the glorious message in weak jars of clay so that those who are ministers of grace maintain a sense of their own unworthiness and weakness.”10 1 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 642. 2 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 2 Co 4:7. 3 Murray J. Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Milton Keynes, UK: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.; Paternoster Press, 2005), 340. 4 A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), 2 Co 4:7. 5 Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 312. 6 Tom Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), 2 Co 4:7. 7 Ibid, 2 Co 4:7. 8 Mark A. Seifrid, The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Second Letter to the Corinthians, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2014), 206. 9 Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1, 642. 10 Dwight L. Hunt, “The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 782. b. The display of His power v. 7b “although insignificant and weak in themselves, become God’s powerful instruments in communicating the treasure of the gospel.”11 Excellence - ὑπερβολή (hyperbolē) extraordinary degree. Extraordinary overabundance n. — the state of having extremely (even superlatively) more than is necessary. Noun (subject), nominative, singular, feminine. “God permits trials, God controls trials, and God uses trials for His own glory. God is glorified through weak vessels.”12 “God often allows the vessel to be chipped and broken, that the excellency of the treasure contained, and of the power which that treasure has, may be all His (2 Co 4:10, 11; Jn 3:30).”13 “It is precisely because the proclaimers of the gospel are in themselves frail and fragile (witness vv. 8–9!), relatively insignificant and unattractive, that people clearly recognize that the transforming power (δύναμις) of the gospel is God’s alone and that the strength (δύναμις) of its ministers to endure hardship comes from God alone.”14 “The contrast between the treasure and the earthen vessels which contain it is intended (hina) to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.”15 “A deepening sense of his own unworthiness, compared with the grandeur of his message, characterized Paul’s life (cf. Eph. 3:7–9). God intended this sharp contrast so that no one would question the source of the gospel and its all-surpassing power. Salvation is the work of God not men (cf. 1 Cor. 2:5; 3:7).”16 “The pottery lamps which could be bought for a copper or two in the Corinthian market-place provided a sufficient analogy; it did not matter how cheap or fragile they were so long as they showed the light.”17 “The important thing about a vessel is that it be clean, empty, and available for service. Each of us must seek to become “a vessel unto honor, sanctified [set apart], and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). We are vessels so that God might use us. We are earthen vessels so that we might depend on God’s power and not our own.”18 2. The Perseverance Of Jesus vv. 8-10 a. The effect of perseverance vv. 8-9 “The negated second element does not indicate a mere mitigation of the hardship; rather, it points to an actual divine deliverance (cf. 1:8–9); not simply a change of outlook on Paul’s part, but God’s intervention.”19 11 Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary, 340. 12 Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1, 642. 13 Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 306. 14 Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary, 340. 15 Colin G. Kruse, 2 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 106. 16 David K. Lowery, “2 Corinthians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 563. 17 Constable, Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible, 2 Co 4:7. 18 Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1, 642. 19 Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary, 342. “His life is full of afflictions, yet his afflictions are, or rather shall be, overcome by the comfort and deliverance granted him in Christ.”20 v. 8 Hard-pressed - θλίβω (thlibō) afflict; oppress. to be caused to be distressed v. — to be brought into difficulties or distress or suffering. Verb, present, passive, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. Crushed - στενοχωρέομαι (stenochōreomai) restrict; confine. To be distressed hopelessly v. — to be in a distressing situation without hope of escape, survival, or other positive outcomes; possibly conceived of as an extremely narrow area from which no physical escape can be found. Verb, present, active, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. Perplexed - ἀπορέω (aporeō) be perplexed; be at a loss. To be perplexed v. — to be or become filled with confusion resulting from failure to understand. Verb, present, middle, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. Despair - ἐξαπορέομαι (exaporeomai) be in doubt; be in despair. To fall apart v. — to lose one’s emotional or mental composure. Verb, present, either middle or passive, participle with indicative force, nominative, masculine. v. 9 Persecuted - διώκο (diōko) pursue; persecute. To be persecuted v. — to be or become subject to systematic harassment and attack due to one’s religious beliefs. Verb, present, passive, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. “So Paul’s statement means “we are persecuted by men, but never abandoned by God” (Barclay).”21 Forsaken - ἐγκαταλείπομαι (enkataleipomai) desert; forsake; abandon. To be left behind v. — to be or become forsaken or abandoned by someone at their departure (either intentionally or through neglect). Verb, present, passive, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. Struck down - καταβάλλο (kataballo) throw down; strike down. to be felled v. — to be or become fallen by or as if by receiving a blow. Verb, present, passive, participle with indicative force, plural, nominative, masculine. Destroyed - ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) destroy; perish; lose. To be destroyed v. — to be or become destroyed or damaged irreparably. Verb, present, either middle or passive, participle, plural, nominative, masculine. “When these four pairs of antitheses are read, as they might be, as illustrations of the thematic statement in v. 7, it is clear that in Paul’s estimation, this “hardship catalogue” demonstrates, not his virtuous character or his buoyant self-sufficiency or his steadfast courage amid adversity (as in the case, for example, of the Stoic sage), but his utter dependence as a frail human being on the superlative excellence (ὑπερβολή) of God’s power. Also, it was not a case of divine power 20 Seifrid, The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Second Letter to the Corinthians, 206. 21 Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary, 344.
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