In this chapter, Paul is discussing the fragility and commonness of our bodies and yet the amazing ministry and calling that God has given to us. Paul uses an interesting metaphore of having this "treasure in jars of clay" (v 7). If you think about it, we normally would put a treasure in a gloriously beautiful container - perhaps a gold and jewel encrusted case. Or perhaps we would put a treasure in a strong safe to greatly protect it from theft or harm. But to put a great treasure in a fragile, plain, somewhat rough or dirty container is quite odd. But that is what God has done. The clay is a reference back to Genesis 2 where God forms Adam out of the clay (or dust) of the earth (Genesis 2:7). Jesus and the rest of scripture also testify that our bodies are fragile (Matthew 26:41; 1 Peter 1:24).
But God in his wisdom has put his Spirit in our bodies, and caused his light to shine out from us (v 6) in our fragile, plain selves. The greatness of this is that it then is obvious to others (and hopefully to us as well :) ) that "this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (v 7).
Paul describes the struggles that he has gone through as well - hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down - but that in all of this, God was with him to give strength so that he is not crushed, not dispairing but hopeful, not abandoned but with Christ, not destroyed but protected. Remember that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8) where he spent much time (three years - Acts 20:31) but faced much opposition (Acts 20:19) and riots (Acts 19:23-41). Prior to that he had been beaten and imprisoned in Phillipi (Acts 16:16-40). In the Phillipian jail, after having been "severly flogged" (Acts 16:23), Paul and Silas were still able to be singing songs to Jesus and praying at midnight while locked in jail (Acts 16:25). This is an example of what he is saying. In the middle of being severely mistreated and beaten for the sake of Christ, Paul didn't give up, but instead knew that Jesus was with him and could sing to him. Lord help us to keep our eyes on you in our struggles and difficulties so that we do not give up, nor do we get angry or bitter at God, but rather that we can continue to trust in Jesus, knowing that he is with us, guiding us, providing for us and that he has promised never to leave nor forsake us (Dt 31:6, Heb 13:5) and always be with us (Matt 28:20).
Another important thing that Paul mentioned in the middle of this is that the "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (v 4). This is important to understand. 1st we see that Satan is actively working to blind people so that they cannot see the good news about Jesus. 2nd we see that Satan is referred to the "god of this age" because God has given him a time to be working on earth now - though God is still God and completely in control, Satan has some control of people at this point. 3rd we see that Satan has power over the minds of "unbelievers". This is interesting because it indicates that when we give in to unbelief, we are then vulnerable to the blinding and control of Satan. Lord I do believe! Help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24).
Paul ends with an encouragement for us to keep our eyes focused on Christ and the future that awaits us. Don't look at the current circumstances that seem hard or impossible at times, but focus our eyes on the glory that is to come, that though unseen now, is eternal and the hope that we have in Christ. He is always with us to help us in our difficulties. At times in our lives things will not always work out the way that we want and things may seem unfair, but Paul is reminding us that all these things in our lives now are just temporary! They are going to pass away! But life in Christ is eternal. The blessings of God are forever and being with him in heaven is a certainty and an excellence that will last forever and outweigh all of our temporary discomforts.
Lord Jesus, help us to have an eternal perspective in our lives, especially when things are difficult and hard to understand. Help us to remember your love and your promises that never fail!
In verse 4, Paul says that Satan 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." So, God allows Satan to blind people spiritually, but does this happen without any choice to reject Jesus Christ? Is this blindness a result of the idolatry of the fathers being put on the children? It's cool that Paul connects God's act of creating light in the universe to the act of opening our hearts to see the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is a creative act of God, and a miracle.
ReplyDeleteWhen Paul says in verse 11 that "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," is he referring to physical death or the denying of the flesh? He could be referring to both... What does is mean to always be given over to death for Jesus' sake? Why is this necessary for the life of Jesus to be manifested in the flesh?
Please pray for me to not be bogged down by the business of the day, or the vast amounts of homework or research to do. I want to instead view these as temporary and light burdens compared to eternity. I want to be prepared to spend eternity with God, and spend each day storing up treasure in heaven with him. How can we store up treasure in heaven? What sort of treasure is it?
In response to Jason's questions: The blindness is a result of unbelief - a choice that each person makes. Romans 1:19-20 says that the evidence of God's existance is plain in creation. God opens our eyes to this fact at various points and we have the choice to see or remain in unbelief.
ReplyDeletePaul was literally given over to death for Jesus' sake meaning that he almost died several times as he followed Christ. He also is referring to the death of dying to self and dying to flesh as you mention. "Manifested" simply means to be shown. That is that in our physical, weak and dying bodies, a life of Christ that is beyond us testifies to the fact of being made new in Christ and testifies to the future when we are given new bodies that are fully resurrected as Christ's was.
Jesus talks of storing up treasure in heaven in Matthew 6:20. The basic point is not to keep our money and wealth as a treasure here because we need to recognize that it will pass away and be gone. It is only temporary. When we give our selves, our time, our money in obedience to God and for his kingdom, we are storing up treasure in heaven. There is an actual future benefit to us, just as there was a benefit to Cornelius and the centurian who were generous to God's people. But our goal and focus should not so much be on just the future benefit, but rather on obeying Christ. It calls us to obey him and give to him and those in need with our money since it has no lasting value here.
I found this post very encouraging!! It's all too easy to get stuck into the things that are happening around us and lose sight of our end goal.
ReplyDelete