II CORINTHIANS 4

One can divide these verses into three paragraphs: vv. 7-12; 13-15; and 16-18. The major theme of this passage is clearly expressed in v. 7 – it is the tremendous contrast between our present imperfect physical and spiritual existence and the future glory waiting for us as believers. This is emphasized using various contrasting images in the first and third portions of the passage.

clay jars                                      treasure                                          (7a)

power from us                           power from God                              (7b)

the death of Jesus                      the life of Jesus                                (9)

given up to death                       we live                                             (11)

 death at work in us                   life at work in you                           (12)

outer nature wasting away        inner nature renewed                       (16)

momentary affliction                eternal weight of glory                     (17)

what can be seen                       what cannot be seen                        (18a)

the seen is temporary                the invisible is eternal                     (18b)

Language and concepts tying together the three sub-units include “afflicted” (8) / “affliction” (17), “for Jesus' sake” (11) / “for your sake” (15), “glory” (15, 17), and “visible” (10) / “what can be seen” (10, 18).

II Corinthians 4:7-12

verse 7 “Nothing is more conspicuous in excavations of ancient cities than the omnipresent ostraca, broken pieces of pottery...” (Inch and Bullock)

vv. 8-9 Compare this list of Paul's hardships with II Corinthians 6:4-10; 11:23-27; 12:10; Romans 8:35-39; I Corinthians 4:11-13; and Philippians 4:12.

“The Stoics used catalogs of hardship to demonstrate their indifference to adversity, but for Paul adversity demonstrates the unworthiness of the vessels, and the overcoming of adversity documents the surpassing power of God.” (Wan)

vv. 10-11 Stott explains that “he seems to be saying that now in our mortal bodies (which are doomed to die) there is being 'revealed' (twice repeated) the very 'life' of Jesus (also twice repeated). Even when we are feeling tired, sick and battered, we experience a vigour and vitality which are the life of the risen Jesus within us.” (Stott)

II Corinthians 4:13-15

In this central unit, Paul abandons most of the imagery found in the opening and closing sections and expresses his idea literally instead. It is prefaced with a quotation from Psalm 116:10: “I believed, and so I spoke.” Some of Bella's thoughts concerning Paul's use of the OT here are well worth repeating:

    1. Although only a short passage from the psalm is actually quoted, there are further allusions to the rest of Psalm 116. For example, verse 10 follows a recitation by the Psalmist of the dangers from which God had rescued him, just as II Corinthians 13-15 follows Paul's catalog of hardships in 4:8-9.

    2. Paul pointedly stops his quotation before the Psalmist tells what he had said, namely, “I am greatly afflicted.” By truncating the quotation, Paul is able to put a more positive spin on it to explain that he believed and thus he was able to share his witness with others. However, Paul is not being untrue to his OT source since Psalm 116 similarly ends on a very positive note.

    3. “It is of great significance that Paul uses a quotation from the OT in order to emphasize his faith is in line with the faith of his ancestors...However his faith is also faith in Jesus Christ.”

Inch and Bullock compare “I believed and so I spoke” to Descartes' famous pronouncement “I think, therefore I am.”

II Corinthians 4:16-18

verse 16 “So we do not lose heart” repeats his statement from v. 1.

verse 17 The phrase “weight of glory” may be a pun on the Hebrew word kabod, which can either have the meaning of “weight” or “glory.” It is also the title of a sermon delivered by C.S. Lewis at an Oxford church in 1941. Perhaps the most memorable words out of that talk are as follows:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or another of these destinations.”