THE KING’S BUSINESS
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language in which Paul and other inspired teachers gave out this truth which God revealed to them. This is entirely contrary to the plain meaning -of the context, and contradicts the plain teaching of Paul in his first epistle to these same Corinthians (1 Cor. 2:13, see American Revised Ver sion; cf. 1 Thess. 2:13). The reason why Paul and all Christian teachers carried this glorious light in a fragile vessel was “that (in order that) the exceeding greatness of the power” might be God’s and not from Paul himself (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4). Let us rejoice then in our physical weakness since it affords such an opportunity for God to display the exceeding greatness of His power (cf. ch. 12:9). Wednesday, February 6 . 2 Cor. 4 : 8 - 12 . In verses 8 to 11 we have six illustrations of the earthiness and fragility of the vessel, and also of the “exceeding greatness of the power” of God: (1) “We are hard pressed in every respect” (This is a more accurate translation than that of either the Author ized or Revised Version) ; in this we see the earthiness of the vessel. But though “hard pressed in every respect,” yet Paul was “not straitened” : in this we see the “exceeding greatness of the power” of God, giving deliverance. (2) “Perplexed” : here we see the earthly vessel. “Yet not utterly perplexed” (this translation brings out the relation of the Greek words better than the translation, “in despair,” or “unto despair”) : in this we see the deliverance by Divine power. (3) “Pursued” : the earthen vessel. “Yet not forsaken” : the sustaining power of God. God did not suffer Paul, nor does He suffer any servant, to go down so deep as His own Son went: He was forsaken (Matt. 27:46; cf. Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:21). (4) “Smitten down” (not merely pursued, but overtaken and struck down to the earth) : here we have the weak and helpless earthen vessel. “Yet not destroyed” : again the exceeding great ness of the sustaining power of God. (5) “Always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus” : here we have the earthen
vessel again. Paul in his experiences of exposure to death (cf. e.g., ch. 1 : 8 ), even being to all appearances dead (Acts 14:19), experiences doubtless more numerous than are recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, and bearing in his body the marks of these sufferings (Gal. 6:17), was bearing about in his body the putting to death of Jesus (cf. 1 Cor. 15:31), and so is every one who has been physically persecuted, or in peril for the tfuth’s sake. “That the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body” : here again we' have the exceeding greatness of God’s power imparting new vigor to the one about to die. • This resur rection life of Jesus was manifested in the body of Paul at Lystra (Acts 14:20), and in a less marked way on other occa sions. In many cases today the same resur rection life of Jesus is manifested in sus taining those whose physical power is taken from them by persecution, or over work in Jesus’ cause. But the full mani festation of this “life of Jesus in our body” will be in the resurrection (Rom. 8:11, 23)7 ( 6 ) “We which live (i. e., we who know experimentally the power of Christ’s life in our bodies as well as our spirit) are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake (cf. 1 Cor. 15:31; 2 Cor. 11:23-27) : here again we have the earthen vessel. “That the life also of Jesus may be mani fested in our mortal flesh” : here we have “the exceeding greatness of the power” of God. In Paul the death of Christ \was especially working in the many perils and sufferings to which he was exposed, but in the believers in Corinth the life of Christ was especially working. Paul was expe riencing the sufferings of Christ and they In spite of all these sufferings to which Paul was subjected, though death was con stantly working in him, Paul still had unwavering faith. He had the same spirit of faith as the Psalmist of old, who in the midst of his affliction said, “I believed, and therefore did I speak” (Ps. 116:10; cf. v: 8 the victories of Christ. Thursday, February 7 . 2 Cor. 4 : 13 , 14 .
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