In 2 Cor. 4:1 Paul refers to “this ministry.” He is speaking of himself as a minister “of the new covenant” (3:6) and calls it the “ministry of the Spirit” (3:8) and “the ministry of righteousness” (3:9). We want to do a rather simple study of who does what in this ministry, as revealed in the verbs of 4:1-6.
First, what has Paul done in his
ministry? In 4:1 he says “we do not lose
heart.” So that is something he has not
done, but tells us, of course, what he has done. The verb “lose” in Greek is in the active
voice meaning this is Paul’s part in the ministry. However, v1 also says it is because “we have
received mercy.” Thus, Paul’s part in
the ministry depends on the mercy of God.
Related to this, a second thing Paul did was
to “renounce the hidden things of shame” (4:2).
“Renounce” is middle voice indicating it is Paul’s action in connection with
someone else. The details of this are seen
in a series of participles: not walking in craftiness nor handling
the word of God deceitfully but commending ourselves to every man’s
conscience in the sight of God by openly speaking (manifesting) the truth.
One other thing about Paul is that “we do not
preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord” (4:5). “Preach” is also an active verb. This is the role of the preacher so that
those who hear can believe.
Now let us ask, what has Satan done? He, “the god of this age has blinded”
(active voice) the minds of those who are perishing. The ones who are perishing are those “who do
not believe.” “Believe” is not a verb
but is an adjective; it describes these people when they are blinded by
Satan. In the context of 2 Cor. 3-4
these people are the Jews, those who embrace “the ministry of death” and “condemnation”
(i.e. the Old Covenant, 3:7,9). If that
is the case, then Paul is talking about what Isaiah prophesied in Isa. 6:9-10 and
which was quoted in all 4 Gospels and Acts.
Isaiah said their hearts would be dull and their eyes shut “lest they
see with their eyes” and return and be healed.
That sounds like what Paul is saying: they are blinded “lest the light
of the gospel … should shine on them” (4:4).
What is interesting is that in Isaiah and in the Gospels and Acts it
sounds like God is doing this, though what it says is that God told Isaiah to
preach this “blindness.” Paul says it is
Satan who blinds those who don’t believe.
Now we must ask, what does God do in this
ministry? First, in Creation (Gen. 1:3)
God “commanded” light to shine out of darkness.
At least it sounds like what happened on day one of Creation. However, John 1:4-5 might also lead us to
think that God commanded His Son (the True Light) to shine out of
darkness. That fits the context here
better as Paul goes on to speak of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Let us summarize. God is responsible for sending His Son into
the world to bring salvation to the world.
He commanded the Light to shine.
Satan blinded the eyes of the Jewish nation, as the Lord told Isaiah, so
they could not see the Light. (Remember
John 1:11-12: He came unto His own, the Jews, who did not receive Him, although
the individuals who did receive Him were born again by the Spirit. Paul is one of those who received Christ
because he says God “has shone in our hearts.”)
The servants of Christ are to preach Christ Jesus as Lord, and have been
given mercy so as not to become discouraged or to use shameful methods. Simple?
Yes! But profound in its simplicity. Let us be faithful.
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