Paul begins this chapter (this break in the text) by saying, “Therefore since we have this ministry…” To what “ministry” is he referring? He used the word “ministry” back in 2:7-11. He referred to the gospel as the “ministry of the Spirit” and the “ministry of righteousness.” The gospel is the “ministry” (or “service,” since that’s the definition) made available by the Spirit which brings about “righteousness.”
Since we have this ministry, Paul begins chapter 4, “we do not lose heart.” Remember back in chapter 1, he had referred to being “burdened excessively, beyond our strength, despair[ing] even of death.” But, he does not lose heart because he has this ministry which brings righteousness. As a part of that service, he has renounced hidden things which bring shame. He had commented that he, Silvanus and Timothy were not “peddlers of the word” (2:17). Here, he says they did not “adulterate” the word of God (ver. 2).
Instead, they manifested the truth, in their preaching, words, actions, and attitudes. Some might argue that the gospel is “veiled,” as Paul argued about the Law of Moses (3:12-17), but it would only be veiled to those who are perishing. The “god of this world” (Satan) has blinded the minds of those who are unbelieving. Notice that the choice to be an “unbeliever” comes before the blinding by Satan.
Ministers don’t preach themselves; they preach Christ Jesus as Lord (ver. 5). Ministers are simply servants of the Word, reflecting the light of the One who has shone in our hearts (ver. 6). We are an aroma of Christ, by spreading the knowledge of Christ (2:14) just as we shine His light by sharing knowledge of Him (4:6). The treasure of the gospel is in “earthen” (human) vessels (ver. 7).
God chose (chooses) to share His powerful gospel through weak humans so that the power to convert will be clearly and fairly attributed to the gospel of Christ, not to the human messengers. To illustrate, in verse 8, Paul writes that the ministers were afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, and carrying in his body the death of Jesus Christ (ver. 8-9).
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Persecution for the sake of the gospel was delivering the minsters over to death for the sake of Christ, but His power was evident in that work and brought life to those who heard the ministers’ preaching and responded to their message (ver. 12).
Faith is the driving, motivating force behind the Christians’ conviction in the power of the word of God. Thus, in fulfillment of Psalm 116:10: “I believe, therefore I speak;” Christians speak because they have faith in their message (ver. 13)! The message? The One who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us from the dead and present the converts along with the teachers, pure and holy, undefiled and saved (ver. 14). The more that are saved, the more thanksgiving is uttered and shown to God for His grace revealed through the gospel message (ver. 15).
Paul gives another “therefore” in verse 16. As he contrasts death in Christ with living for Christ, he encourages the Christians that we do not and cannot lose heart (ver. 16). While the outer man (the physical man) is being worn down and decays, the inward man (the spiritual man) is being renewed each day through our relationship with Christ. The light affliction (a word Paul used extensively in chapter 1) we endure here on earth is only momentary but it produces for us a weight of glory that is eternal, beyond all comparison (ver. 17).
This being true, we look longingly, not at the things which are visible (the earthly, physical, transient), but at the things which are not visible (the heavenly, spiritual, eternal). That should put the proper perspective on all we experience in this life!
Paul Holland
