Catholic Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (2 Corinthians 4:7)

The Light of the Gospel

Paul does not lose heart in his ministry because the mercy of God has given it to him. He has renounced secret and shameful ways, not using deception or distorting the word of God. If the Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. But God said let light shine out of darkness, and he has shone in Paul's heart to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. The creation of light in Genesis 1 is repeated in the new creation of conversion: the same God who spoke light into the void speaks light into the dark heart of the unbeliever.

Jars of Clay

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. The treasure is the Gospel, the light of the knowledge of God's glory. The jars of clay are the frail, weak, mortal bodies of the apostles and of every Christian. The deliberate contrast between the preciousness of the treasure and the fragility of the container is the theology of ministry in miniature: God chooses to convey his surpassing power through the most breakable vessels, so that no one can possibly mistake the power for human achievement. The Catechism identifies this as the principle of divine condescension that runs through the whole economy of salvation: God consistently uses the weak and the lowly as the instruments of his power (CCC 489).

Paul then lists the paradoxes of apostolic existence: pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in the body. Death is at work in Paul; life at work in the Corinthians. The outer self is wasting away, but the inner self is being renewed day by day. The present troubles are achieving for Paul an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, you are a jar of clay. Your frailty, your limitations, your cracks are not obstacles to God's power. They are the very design features that make the power visible. The surpassing power is from God, not from you. Stop apologising for being breakable. A jar that could not break would obscure the treasure. Your weakness is the proof that what people see in you is not you.

Prayer

Lord God, we have this treasure in jars of clay. We are pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down. But we are not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, not destroyed. The death of Jesus is at work in us so that his life may be revealed. Renew our inner self day by day, and fix our eyes on what is unseen and eternal. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

4
The Light of the Gospel
1 Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry,* 4:1 Literally Therefore, having this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
 
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”† 4:6 Genesis 1:3 made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.‡ 4:6 SBL, NE, and WH in the face of Christ
Treasure in Jars of Clay
(Romans 6:1–14)
 
7 Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
 
10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
 
13 And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,”§ 4:13 Psalms 116:10 (see also LXX) we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus * 4:14 SBL who raised Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may overflow in thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
 
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

*4:1 4:1 Literally Therefore, having this ministry, as we have received mercy,

†4:6 4:6 Genesis 1:3

‡4:6 4:6 SBL, NE, and WH in the face of Christ

§4:13 4:13 Psalms 116:10 (see also LXX)

*4:14 4:14 SBL who raised Jesus

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