Or, The Heart of TEC (Pt 3)
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
Date: July 24, 2022
Speaker: Sean Higgins
When we’re talking about the heart of TEC, that’s drawn from 2 Corinthians 4:1 and 4:16 where Paul says, “we do not lose heart.” The opposite of losing heart is having heart. These are paragraphs that explain the heart.
The heart is related to glory. Beholding the glory of the Lord we come to share in His glory (3:18). His glory keeps us going (4:4, 6), thanksgiving for grace spreads His glory (4:15), and our end is an eternal weight of glory (4:16). The context is glory, the truth is about glory, we are in a process of glorification. What requires attention is that all this glory this doesn’t feel glorious at all. This paragraph, verses 7-12, doesn’t use the word glory, but it’s all over it.
In this paragraph, we’ll learn about clay pot ministry by considering Ministry Reality (verses 7-10), Ministry Rationale (verse 11), and Ministry Result (verse 12).
Verses 7-10 form one sentence (in Greek), with one primary verb, making one main statement, followed by three subordinate phrases that flesh out the reality. The main statement is:
But we have this treasure in jars of clay
Things were exciting coming out of the last paragraph, specifically in verses 5 and 6: God shines light in hearts. God gives men knowledge of His glory. God brings men into direct fellowship with Himself in the person of Jesus. We proclaim Jesus and God makes that effective. That’s why we don’t lose heart.
We should be excited about that; we want to ride that crescendo to the top. But, the glorious work of a slave-herald does not make the slave-herald glorious.
Paul brings us back to earth in verse 7 with a clank. But we have this treasure in jars of clay .
What is the treasure ? One option is that the treasure is the gospel message (verse 3), the new-covenant news. Another option is that the treasure is the light of the gospel (verse 4), the light of the knowledge (verse 6), emphasizing the effect of the message. But I don’t think either of those options are sufficient. I think the treasure is the gospel ministry; the treasure is the work of getting out the message that has the effect of light-giving.
The rest of the paragraph, verses 7-12, emphasize not only a certain message, but a certain kind of life that bears the message. The treasure is not less than the gospel, but neither is it the gospel in proposition alone; it’s the good news embodied.
Still, the persons themselves are not precious. We are jars of clay (ESV), “earthen vessels” (KJV, NASB), pots made of baked dirt.
Clay pots were simple, common, inexpensive, and easily replaceable. They were made of baked earth, so it didn’t really matter how they were treated or if they got dinged up or even if they broke; you’d get another one. Clay pots might hold significant and important and unique things, but they were insignificant, unimportant, and normal.
The reality is that we are meant to be used, not meant to be admired.
Compared to the treasure, clay pots are cheap. Compared to God’s power, clay pots are weak. That’s good. God puts His treasure in unworthy pots for a reason.
to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
In God’s economy, a pot’s weakness is an asset, not a liability.
It’s not just “power” at work, it’s surpassing power (ESV), “the surpassing greatness of power” (NAS), the “excellence of power” (NJKV), the “all-surpassing power” (NIV). No other power is comparable to His extraordinary, superlative power. Causing light to shine in darkness, creating light, is some kind of power indeed.
If we elevate pots, if we depend on pots, if we think ministry is about proper pot placement, or about pot maintenance or pot polishing, we are working against God’s purpose for ministry.
What does it look like for a clay pot to carry the treasure of gospel ministry? Verses 8-9 show the process. The gospel ministry is more than directing someone down the Roman’s Road, it’s more than preaching sermons about Jesus from behind a pulpit. It is people, living among people, and suffering in gospel ways, filling up their own “catalog of hardships” (Harris).
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (verses 8–9)
Though every major English translation treats these as independent phrases, they are all participles (in Greek), indicating that they are dependent, and each one hangs on the primary verb “have” in verse 7. There are four pairs of “but not”s that reveal the severity of ongoing life for clay pot ministry.
Many commentators refer to these pairs as contrasts. They are not. Some see them as paradoxes. They are not. Verse 10 presents a gospel paradox, but we’ll treat that separately. Rather, verses 8-9 are breaking points. Clay pot ministry involves the pot of being used, abused, beaten, battered, and almost but not broken.
First, pots are pressed but not crushed. Paul says, ** [being] afflicted in every way, but not [being] crushed**. Being “afflicted” means being pressured or squeezed. Things start weighing on us. What things? “All things” or “in all ways.” There doesn’t seem to be a limitation on the nature of pressing things. However, we are not [being] crushed . It’s a play on words, but not a contrast. A contrast would be: we are pressed but we make progress. Instead, we’re brought right up to the point where any more pressure would crush us. We’ve been checked, but not yet at check mate.
Second, pots are confused but not clueless. Paul says, we are ** [being] perplexed, but not [being] driven to despair**. Being “perplexed” means being confused, at a loss. We don’t know what to do or how to fix it. We’re uncertain. But we’re not totally at a loss, “not despairing.” We’re not paralyzed by our confusion.
Third, pots are attacked but not abandoned. Paul says, we are [being] persecuted but not [being] forsaken . Being “persecuted” means being pursued, hunted, chased. We’re on the run, but not deserted or being forsaken . God doesn’t leave us when enemies come after us, whether with fists or false accusations, no matter what it feels like.
Fourth, pots are down but not out. Paul says we are [being] struck down, but not [being] destroyed . There could be physical elements to being knocked down, thrown down; Paul endured beatings and stonings. But the breaking point isn’t death, it’s ruin or loss. We are on the mat, the 10 count has started, but we get up to finish the round.
Each of these four “but not”s are normal pot ministry. Two observations before moving on.
First, if you’re trying to protect the pot, the pot probably isn’t doing much good. Being pressured, perplexed, persecuted, and pushed down are normal wear and tear for pots. If you never feel weighed down, if you think you’ve got it figured out, if everyone’s your friend, if you never hit the floor, you’re probably stuck on the shelf. Pots get used. They get banged around. They get dings. They get chipped. They get left out overnight. Ministry pots aren’t saved for special occasions; these pots are for every day use.
Second, pot ministry is primarily about being used up and worn out, not about being broken. For example, you can empty a pot that’s full of expensive oil in (at least) two ways: pour out the oil or smash the pot. There is something spectacular about smashing it; it can be quite a show with shards flying through the air.
God does break some of His pots in spectacular ways, but most of his pots are just worn out through daily use. It would actually be easier to be broken, or at least it would be quicker. But there is a divinely designed process of patiently pouring out, filling up, and pouring out again.
Verse 10 includes another dependent participle that sheds light on clay pot ministry, but I’ve separated it because it doesn’t follow the “but not” pairs and it includes a number of modifiers. In a way it summarizes verses 8-9.
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
The process described in verses 8-9 amounts to a life of dying. Dying is a shorthand reference to suffering.
It’s a paradox because it seems self-contradictory that carrying the dying of Jesus reveals the life of Jesus. This paradox dominates the rest of the paragraph, so we can’t skip it.
Note the instrument is the body , referenced twice. Our bodies carry the dying of Jesus, our bodies reveal the life of Jesus. That’s part of why I think the treasure is ministry, not merely a message. We rightly define and describe the gospel (Jesus died for sin and rose again), but clay pot ministry also demonstrates the gospel in real life.
I keep saying “dying” instead of “death” of Jesus because the word in verse 10 emphasizes the process, not the event. Our carrying is ongoing, it’s happening always (verse 10 and again in verse 11) not just at an end.
The paradox is that when clay pots are in the rotation so much that their usefulness is being used up, then they are most useful. The dying and the life bringing are happening at the same time.
When we die to our schedule (think: the good Samaritan), to our comfort, to our budget, to our convenience, to our privacy, then we’ll see life grow around us. When we are carrying about the death of Jesus in our bodies, we are at that time showing the life of Jesus in our bodies. No dying for Jesus is wasted. That’s the reality of clay pot ministry.
As if Paul anticipated that we might question the logic of weakness showing power, and of dying showing life, he provides an explanation in verse 11, For (γὰρ).
For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
We who live includes all those who are spiritually alive, and so it refers to all believers.
The living ones are always being given over , or, “delivered over” to death . “Given over” is an official term, as when a criminal is sentenced and handed over to the court for punishment or imprisonment. We’ve been sentenced to dying.
Two incentives. First, for Jesus’ sake (διὰ Ἰησοῦν). This is the same phrase as in verse 5. We’re slaves for Jesus’s sake. Now, we are being given over to death for Jesus’ sake.
Second, mortal, weak, dispensable flesh shows off the life of Jesus. The second half of verse 11 basically repeats the last part of verse 10, substituting “flesh” for “body” and adding mortal or merely human. Paul says essentially nothing new in verse 11 than he said in verse 10. The repetition of thought underlines the importance of the principle.
Paul summarizes the point of clay pot ministry.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
So (ὥστε) is bringing the point of the paragraph to the surface for one last look-see. The result of personal, painful, patient ministry is that death is at work working life. This is the actual outcome, this is what occurred, not what he hoped for. Death is at work in us, but life [is at work] in you . “Death” condenses all of the suffering, the life of difficulty, being exhausted, overwhelmed, hurting, almost lost. That brings life when done for Jesus’ sake. And “life” is more than breath, life is blessing.
Again, it isn’t our death, it is our dying. Death is at work , death is working. As we’re emptied out, others are filled up. There is no sarcasm on Paul’s part, only celebration. The result of dying is life giving. That is motivation.
A few final thoughts.
Difficulties in ministry are not necessarily barriers to ministry. Most of the time, ministry difficulties are occasions for ministry breakthroughs. The difference between a wall and a foundation is the angle. Obstacles become platforms with God’s surpassing power.
Also, a life of dying for sake of giving life is as much or more a practice as it is a profession. Embody the gospel, but because it atones for anyone’s sin, but because you’re to be like Christ. That is your glory.
Also, for believers, a difficult life is not a destroyed life. For unbelievers, a difficult life is difficult and the beginnings of destruction. Without Christ you are at the edge and you have no safety harness. Suffering leads to ministry for those who serve Christ; suffering is only misery for those who serve themselves.
Finally, be content to be worn out in His service. You may be spectacularly broken at some point, but probably not. Most of us will fall apart over a long, drawn out life of use rather than be smashed in a moment. Our testimonies will probably have more tears and sweat than prison and swords. The accumulation of aches and pains will get us before assassination attempts. Ours will be a death of a thousand little heart attacks instead of being burned at the stake. But the principle is no less effectual: when death is at work in us, life is also at work. When that happens, there’s no explanation except for God’s surpassing power.
That will result in grace extending, thanks increasing, and glory shining (verse 15).
Later in 2 Corinthians Paul pleaded with the Lord to fix his pot, and the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Paul’s response? “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Beloved, your breaking points are boasting points. May His grace make your clay pot useful, fruitful, blessed.
[May you be] strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:11-12, ESV)