2 Corinthians 4:7
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
Some Bible passages, like John 3:16, sum up the Gospel and God’s kingdom very nicely, and I believe 2 Corinthians 4:7 falls into this category. Let’s look at the verse from both broad and narrow perspectives.
First, the broad view.
Paul wrote several letters to the church at Corinth. In the New Testament canon (list), we only see 1 and 2 Corinthians; however, in 1 Corinthians 5:9 Paul writes, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people…”, implying an earlier letter written but not included in the final New Testament canon. Some theologians also believe there was a fourth letter—known as the “severe” or “sorrowful” letter, referred to by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:4 and 7:8-9.
What we know for certain is that the church at Corinth needed correction and seems not to have responded well to Paul’s initial admonitions.
The general context of 2 Corinthians includes Paul’s defense of his apostolic ministry—a service forged and affirmed through suffering. He recounts his humility toward the church, despite their criticisms of him, as a template for their own need to forgive each other and walk in unity. Paul also reminds them in 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 that the ultimate role model of this is, of course, Christ Himself.
And this is the foundation for our specific verse (2 Corinthians 4:7)—we can do nothing except by the power and grace of God.
Now, a closer look.
Paul writes, “we have this treasure…” (from the Greek thēsaurós, meaning, “a storehouse of precious things”—from where we get the word thesaurus). To what treasure, what “precious thing,” does he refer? The verse immediately preceding 2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us:
“For 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.” (v. 6)
The “treasure” we possess in abundance is the light and Spirit of God. Jesus Himself affirmed this:
“We have the gospel in its fulness. We are continually being warned to walk by the light of the gospel, living and teaching it to all the world; and the Lord has said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
This light dispels darkness, deception, discouragement, and despair. It offers a pathway of hope through the tumult of the world. It is, of course, Jesus Himself:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
And this light of the gospel also brings unity among believers—a point Paul makes often in his letters to the Corinthians. In affirmation of this point, the Apostle John writes:
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Paul then writes, “…but we have this treasure in jars of clay…”. From the Greek ostrakinos skeuos, in context it means, “frail humans.”Paul reminds those at Corinth that they, despite their humanity, remain storehouses of God’s light and Spirit. We see this explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19:
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
In other words, Paul reminds (or admonishes) the believers in Corinth not to let their “earthen vessels” (humanity) get in the way of God’s light—instead to walk in unity with one another and thereby express to the world around them they are true followers of Christ. As Jesus said:
“By this everyone will know that You are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Then comes the kicker at the end of 2 Corinthians 4:7, harkening back to an aspect of 1 Corinthians 6:19 in which Paul writes, “…that you are not your own.” Being repositories of God’s light and Spirit, walking in humility and unity as believers, is not about us—it’s about GOD. It’s…
“…to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
Recall my statement, “And this is the foundation for 2 Corinthians 4:7—we can do nothing except by the power and grace of God”? Upon accepting our role as vessels of the gospel, by His Spirit and inclined to express that treasure the best we can, we still need and should rejoice in God’s grace.
Paul exhorts those in Corinth, as God’s word through him continues to do for us, that we must not sully the treasure house of God’s light and Spirit with wanton sin; rather, we should partake of that treasure and share it with others. For we can be both earthen vessels and vessels that carry a perfect Gospel without contradiction—as long as we remain moored to His word.
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Email Me: richardaallenjr@pondering.blog
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