7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
7 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
3 I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate - I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it -
3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
3 I came to you in weakness-timid and trembling.
(Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
Christ, in his person, and offices, and sufferings, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister's preaching, but not so as to leave out other parts of God's revealed truth and will. Paul preached the whole counsel of God. Few know the fear and trembling of faithful ministers, from a deep sense of their own weakness They know how insufficient they are, and are fearful for themselves. When nothing but Christ crucified is plainly preached, the success must be entirely from Divine power accompanying the word, and thus men are brought to believe, to the salvation of their souls.
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
4 and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it,
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
Christ, in his person, and offices, and sufferings, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a gospel minister's preaching, but not so as to leave out other parts of God's revealed truth and will. Paul preached the whole counsel of God. Few know the fear and trembling of faithful ministers, from a deep sense of their own weakness They know how insufficient they are, and are fearful for themselves. When nothing but Christ crucified is plainly preached, the success must be entirely from Divine power accompanying the word, and thus men are brought to believe, to the salvation of their souls.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:7
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:1-7
(Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-7)
The best of men would faint, if they did not receive mercy from God. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end. The apostles had no base and wicked designs, covered with fair and specious pretences. They did not try to make their ministry serve a turn. Sincerity or uprightness will keep the favourable opinion of wise and good men. Christ by his gospel makes a glorious discovery to the minds of men. But the design of the devil is, to keep men in ignorance; and when he cannot keep the light of the gospel of Christ out of the world, he spares no pains to keep men from the gospel, or to set them against it. The rejection of the gospel is here traced to the wilful blindness and wickedness of the human heart. Self was not the matter or the end of the apostles' preaching; they preached Christ as Jesus, the Saviour and Deliverer, who saves to the uttermost all that come to God through him. Ministers are servants to the souls of men; they must avoid becoming servants to the humours or the lusts of men. It is pleasant to behold the sun in the firmament; but it is more pleasant and profitable for the gospel to shine in the heart. As light was the beginning of the first creation; so, in the new creation, the light of the Spirit is his first work upon the soul. The treasure of gospel light and grace is put into earthen vessels. The ministers of the gospel are subject to the same passions and weaknesses as other men. God could have sent angels to make known the glorious doctrine of the gospel, or could have sent the most admired sons of men to teach the nations, but he chose humbler, weaker vessels, that his power might be more glorified in upholding them, and in the blessed change wrought by their ministry.