DECEMBER 5, 2021
SUFFERING FOR SAKE OF THE GOSPEL
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul was made a minister of the New Covenant, and thus entrusted with the ministration of righteousness, of life, of power, and of glory. Such a ministry produces a most astounding effect. It frees from the curse and power of sin; it transforms into the image of Christ; it delivers from the power of the god of this world, and makes us partakers of eternal life. These effects infinitely transcend all human power to produce. Only the God of creation, Who commanded, “let there be light,” can shine into the human heart so that it sees His own glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Clearly, the gospel is indeed “the power of God unto salvation.” (Rom. 1:16)
2. This mighty Gospel, this marvelous treasure, God has put into earthen vessels; into fragile, uncomely clay pots. That is, He has placed this priceless treasure into the hands of weak, suffering, perishing men. This being so, the amazing success of the Gospel cannot be attributed to those who are made stewards of it. Whenever and wherever hearts are changed and lives are transformed, the power has to be of God, and not of man.
3. The truth of this claim is demonstrated in our present passage. In spite of the ministers’ exposure to persecution, suffering, and death, the life of Jesus was manifested, which worked for the benefit of the Corinthians.
I. PAUL’S PERSONAL WEAKNESS AND SUFFERING SERVED TO REVEAL MORE CLEARLY THE POWER OF GOD. (VERSES 7-15)
A. ALL MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL ARE BUT EARTHEN VESSELS INTO WHOSE TRUST THE GOSPEL HAS BEEN PLACED. (VERSE 7)
1. By treasure, the Apostle means either his ministry, which was more glorious than that of the Law; or else, that light of the knowledge of the glory of God.
2. By the earthen vessel, he means human ministers. Although the Gospel ministry is a holy calling of high honor, the vessels themselves are but clay pots, as it were, made of earth.
3. The glorious light which we have to show to the world is, like Gideon’s torches, carried in earthen pitchers. (Judges 7:16ff) As Paul will here show, when the vessel is broken, not only is the light not extinguished, it shines forth. Thus, the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us.
B. GOD SO ORDERED THE EVENTS OF HIS MINISTERS’ TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS AS TO MAKE HIS POWER APPARENT IN THEIR PRESERVATION AND EFFECTIVENESS. (VERSES 8-12)
1. He describes the continuous oppressions and extreme trials that he and those who labored with him faced on a daily basis. (Verses 8, 9)
a) “Troubled on every side.” Afflicted, or as in Ch. 1:4 suffering tribulation. They were being afflicted from every quarter, or in everything. Yet, they were “not in distress.” They were not “straitened in spirit.”
b) “Perplexed, but not in despair.” They were at a loss (perplexed), but not utterly at a loss (in despair). They were often at a loss of what to do, or which way to turn. Their human resources were overmatched. However, they were never utterly in despair, because God was their very present help. (Example of King Jehoshaphat.
II Chron. 20:12)
c) “Persecuted, but not forsaken.” Although God allowed men to persecute Paul, and to seek to destroy his life and usefulness, yet He never deserted him to his foes. (Heb. 13:5, 6)
d) “Cast down, but not destroyed.” Paul had been on occasion cast to the ground quite literally, but he had not been killed. He had figuratively been cast down, as in some lost battle, yet he had not been doomed to perishing. (Psa. 37:24)
2. In Paul’s sufferings, and his being exposed to death, the sufferings and death of Christ were constantly being reproduced. (Verse 10) “The death of Jesus” does not mean death on His account, but rather, such death as He suffered. (Compare Ch. 1:5)
a) It is not only the sufferings, but even the dying of Christ, of which His true followers partake. (Rom 8:36;
I Cor. 15:31; etc.)
b) Paul, who was “in deaths oft” (Ch. 11:23) was thus being made conformable unto Christ’s death. (Phil 11:10)
3. The design of God in allowing Paul to suffer, and bear in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus was, “that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest.” (Verse 10b)
a) Paul’s deliverances and the effects of them made it evident that Jesus lives.
b) The life of every believer is a manifestation of the life of Christ. (Gal. 2:20)
c) It seems from Verse 14 that Paul also includes the resurrection in the manifestation of the life of Jesus, of which he here speaks. (Rom.8:17; II Tim. 2:11; I Pet. 4:13, 14)
4. The Apostle confirms and explains what he just said. (Verse 11)
a) Though living, “we die daily.” Paul was always expecting death. (Ch. 1:9)
b) These words mark the peculiarity of Paul’s condition as living, although constantly delivered to death.
5. Of this daily dying on the part of the Apostle, they (the Corinthians) were the beneficiaries. (Verse 12)
a) In Paul’s constant dying the life of Christ was manifested which brought good to them.
b) Through his physical suffering, the divine life (spiritual life) was made known to them.
C. THAT WHICH SUSTAINED PAUL IN HIS LIFE OF SUFFERING AND DYING WAS HIS FIRM FAITH AND THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION, (VERSES 13, 14)
1. He was not discouraged, but having the same spirit of faith which of old animated the Psalmist, he also as David did, proclaimed his confidence in God. (Verse 13; Psa. 116:10)
a) Hodge asserts that by “the spirit,” Paul means not merely David’s believing spirit, but the Holy Spirit. As He is the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), He is also the Spirit of faith.
b) The psalmist was greatly afflicted; the sorrows of death compassed him, etc. but he did not despair. David’s faith was of the same source as Paul’s was, that is, it was of the Holy Spirit. Therefore it did not fail. (See
Psa. 116:1-11)
c) As Paul’s faith was the same, so its effect was the same. As David’s faith made proclamation of the goodness of God, so Paul’s faith, in spite of his afflictions, emboldened him to proclaim the Gospel with full assurance of its truth, and of his own participation in its benefits.
2. That which enabled Paul to challenge death itself every day was his firm belief in the resurrection. (Verse 14)
a) We need not, as believers, to fear him who can destroy the physical body, but can do nothing beyond that. (Luke 12:4, 5)
b) Knowing that Christ is risen as the pledge of our resurrection, we can be bold, even in the face of death, knowing that He Who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies. (Rom. 8:11;
I Cor. 6:14; 15:19-22)
D. PAUL’S SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL’S SAKE WOULD RESULT IN A GREATER CHORUS OF PRAISES TO GOD. (VERSE 15)
1. All of the aforementioned sufferings were for their sakes.
a) Through his dying the life of Christ was manifested, as we have seen.
b) Also, because he was not prevented by persecution, they benefitted by receiving the Gospel.
2. They, therefore, must praise God for two reasons. One, because of the overcoming grace given to Paul so that he did not faint; and two, because of the grace of God which brought salvation to them through the Gospel that he preached.
3. “The abundant grace” is God’s doing, and therefore must redound to His glory.
a) The earthen vessel is not to receive the glory.
b) The believing soul is not to be praised.
c) God alone is to be glorified both for the means of grace, and for the grace itself.
II. PAUL GIVES THE REASONS WHY HE DID NOT FAINT UNDER SUCH TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES. (VERSES 16-18)
A. FIRST, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF BODILY SUFFERINGS, HE WAS BEING STRENGTHENED IN THE INNER MAN. (VERSE 16; EPH. 3:16; COL. 1:11)
1. “The outward man,” life in its human and corporeal state is subject to pain and death, whether by natural or unnatural causes. However, “the inward man,” the new man, the moral and spiritual being was being rejuvenated, i.e. “renewed after the image of him that created him.” (Col. 3:10)
2. Paul’s persecutors, in their efforts to hinder him, unwittingly became contributors to his increased strength.
(Ch. 12:9, 10; Isa. 40:29-31)
B. SECONDLY, HE KEPT HIS EYE ON THE ETERNAL PRIZE, WHICH BY COMPARISON MADE HIS SUFFERINGS SEEM MOMENTARY AND LIGHT. (VSE. 17; MATT. 5:11, 12; I PET. 5:10; ROM. 8:18)
1. Even though Paul’s sufferings were severe (Ch. 1:8), compared to the “weight of glory,” they were “lightness.” The word for glory in Hebrew is weight, thus the expression is very emphatic.
2. The fact that the weight of glory is eternal makes this present time of persecution and affliction seem very brief. The word “eternal” is the antithesis of “for a moment.”
C. THIRDLY, HE FIXED HIS GAZE ON THINGS UNSEEN, WHICH ARE ETERNAL, AND NOT ON THE THINGS OF THIS EARTH, WHICH ARE PASSING AWAY. (VERSE 18)
1. This means that he walked by faith, and not by sight. The eyes of faith can see things unseen, which are eternal. (Heb. 11:1) Faith particularly focuses on “He who is invisible.” (Heb. 11:27) This is especially true in times of affliction. (Acts 7:55)
2. There is a vast difference between seen things which are temporal, and unseen things which are eternal. By faith, we not only discern this great difference, but by it we also take our aim at the unseen things, and chiefly regard them.
3. Paul would not escape present evils in order to obtain present good, both of which are temporal and transitory. He would rather escape future evil, and obtain future good things, which, though unseen, are real and certain and eternal.
Speak Your Mind