Commentary - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, Paul continues his defense of the apostolic ministry, but he does so in a way that deflects all attention from himself and places it squarely on the object of his ministry: the gospel of the glory of Christ. Having just contrasted the fading glory of the old covenant with the surpassing, permanent glory of the new (2 Cor. 3), Paul now explains the practical ramifications for his ministry. Because the ministry is one of such glory, and because it is a sheer gift of mercy, he and his companions do not quit. They operate in the open, with no tricks, manifesting the plain truth.

The central issue of the passage is one of spiritual sight. If the gospel is a manifestation of plain truth, why do so many fail to see it? Paul's answer is unflinching. The problem is not with the light, but with the eyes of the hearers. They are perishing, and their minds have been actively blinded by a malevolent being, "the god of this age." The goal of this spiritual warfare is to prevent men from seeing the one thing that can save them: the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Paul concludes by grounding this spiritual illumination in the sovereign, creative power of God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness at the first creation, and who performs a similar miracle of new creation in the hearts of His people.

Outline

Commentary

Verse 1

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart...

The word "Therefore" anchors everything Paul is about to say to what he has just established in the previous chapter. What ministry is this? It is the ministry of the new covenant, a ministry of the Spirit, a ministry of righteousness, a ministry of surpassing and permanent glory. It is a ministry that brings life, not death. Understanding the sheer weight and glory of the ministry is the first key to endurance. But the second is just as crucial: as we received mercy. This was not a ministry they applied for, earned, or deserved. It was given to them as a pure gift of mercy. When a man knows he is laboring in a glorious task that he was mercifully given, he has no grounds for quitting. Discouragement and burnout come when we forget one or both of these truths. We either begin to think the ministry is about us and our performance, or we begin to think the results depend on us. Paul knew better. The glory belongs to God, and the calling was an act of mercy. The result is bulldog tenacity: we do not lose heart.

Verse 2

but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

A ministry of mercy results in a ministry of integrity. Paul contrasts his methods with those of the hucksters and false apostles who were troubling the Corinthian church. He renounces three things. First, the hidden things of shame. This is conduct that cannot bear the light of day, backroom deals, and shameful secrets. Second, not walking in craftiness. This is the use of clever tricks, manipulation, and rhetorical sleight of hand to win converts. Third, not adulterating the word of God. The word here means to water down, to corrupt, to add foreign ingredients to make it more palatable, like a dishonest winemaker adding water to his wine. The true minister refuses to tamper with the message.

In contrast, the apostolic method is one of radical openness: the manifestation of truth. They simply lay the truth out on the table for all to see. The appeal is not to the emotions, or to a desire for status, but to every man's conscience in the sight of God. This is a profound statement. The minister speaks the truth, and the Spirit of God uses that truth to press upon the conscience of the hearer. The ultimate audience is not the man in the pew, but God Himself. We do our work "coram Deo," before the face of God, and this reality straightens everything out.

Verses 3-4

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

This raises an obvious objection. If the truth is so plainly manifested, why is it not universally received? Is the gospel not clear enough? Paul's answer is sharp. The problem is not with the light, but with the eyes. If the gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The veil is on their end, not his. They are on the path to destruction, and their spiritual condition prevents them from seeing.

Then in verse 4, he identifies the agent behind this spiritual blindness. It is the god of this age. This is Satan, the ruler of the present evil world system. He is a "god" in the sense that unbelieving humanity serves and obeys him, whether they know it or not. His primary activity in this spiritual war is to blind the minds of the unbelieving. This is not a passive condition; it is an active assault. Satan wages war on the minds of men. And what is his strategic objective? It is precise: so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Satan is not afraid of religion, or morality, or good works. He is terrified of one thing: a human being seeing the unvarnished glory of Jesus Christ. For in that glory is light and life. And why is Christ's glory so potent? Because He is the very image of God. To see Christ in His glory is to see God.

Verse 5

For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus.

The content of the preaching is the direct counter-offensive to the devil's blinding work. Paul states what they do not preach: ourselves. The cult of personality, the branding of a ministry, the focus on the preacher's charisma, these are all temptations to preach ourselves. Paul rejects this entirely. The true message has one subject: Jesus Christ as Lord. Not Jesus as a helpful friend, not Jesus as a moral teacher, but Jesus as Kurios, the sovereign Master and Ruler of all creation. This is the message that shatters the darkness. And this message dictates the posture of the preacher: and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. Proclaiming a sovereign Lord necessarily makes you a humble servant. You cannot preach Christ's lordship while practicing your own. The minister is a slave to the congregation, not for their sake ultimately, but for Jesus' sake.

Verse 6

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

This is the glorious conclusion and the foundation for everything. How does anyone ever break free from the devil's blinding work? It is not through human effort or clever persuasion. It is a sovereign, divine, creative act. Paul reaches all the way back to Genesis 1:3. The same God who spoke primordial light into existence is the one who performs the miracle of new creation in salvation. He has shone in our hearts. This is regeneration. It is an instantaneous, divine act of illumination. And what does this light reveal? It gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. And where, precisely, is this glory to be seen? It is seen in the face of Christ. The infinite, invisible, unapproachable glory of God the Father is made visible, knowable, and personal in the face of His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the heart of the gospel. God shines into our darkness and enables us to see His glory in the face of His Son.

Application

The implications of this passage are immense. First, Christian ministry must be characterized by rugged endurance rooted in God's mercy, not our own strength. We press on because the new covenant is glorious and our calling to proclaim it is a gift.

Second, our methods must be as pure as our message. We are not in the business of marketing, manipulating, or "adulterating" the Word to make it more popular. We are called to a plain, honest, open manifestation of the truth, trusting God to work on the consciences of men.

Third, we must be fully aware that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. Unbelief is not primarily an intellectual problem; it is a spiritual blindness actively promoted by the devil. This should drive us to prayer, knowing that only a sovereign act of God can open blind eyes. We cannot argue someone into the kingdom.

Finally, our message and our lives must be relentlessly Christ-centered. The only message that has the power to dispel the darkness is the proclamation of "Jesus Christ as Lord." And the only life that can authentically carry that message is one of humble servanthood. The goal of it all is that people would stop looking at us and see what God has enabled us to see: the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.