2 Cor. 4:1-6

Aren’t these words thrilling?  This all began with Paul explaining why he had not come to Corinth as he had intended.  But Paul has used these mundane thoughts to take the reader into the glorious truths of the gospel of Christ.

Paul is a minister of the new covenant.  He has noted the blindness of the Jews, those who read Moses (3:15).  In today’s passage Paul goes further to note that there are many who are veiled so they do not receive the gospel of Christ.  They are blinded but it is not merely the blinding caused by the Law of Moses. 

The wicked one is constantly blinding people so that the light of the gospel will not shine on them.  He may use worldly philosophy, perhaps some atheistic or materialistic or hedonistic thoughts that keep people from such a simple truth as the gospel.  It may be a blindness caused by a person’s unwillingness to go against his peers or friends or family.  Thus they do not turn to Christ.

This is widespread in our day as it was in Paul’s day.  So one might wonder how Paul could continue to minister when the forces causing blindness were so strong against his ministry.  This passage reveals marvelous truth that helps the believer not to lose heart as he serves Christ in this sinful world.

o   v1: Paul does not lose heart because the One who gave him the ministry also gives him mercy to do the ministry.

o   v2: Paul does not water down or in any way change the gospel so more will listen to him and receive what he has to say.  As he warned Timothy (2 Tim. 4:3-4) many seek out teachers who will tickle their ears, who will tell them anything they want to hear.  Paul does not and will not do that!

o   v3-4a: Paul recognizes that it is Satan, the god of this age, who is blinding men to the gospel.  Some think that because of the death and resurrection of Christ that Satan has no power.  But this is not true, as is evident here: even after Christ’s resurrection Satan is still blinding men to the truth.

o   v4b,6: Paul is committed to preaching the gospel (something he already told the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 1:18-25).  The gospel reveals the glory of Christ (v4b).  Remember in the story of Moses that God revealed His glory on the mountain.  When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai the people could tell he had been with God in a special way.  Christ is the image of God (God come in the flesh, John 1:14).  In the gospel the glory of Christ shines on men.  Thus it is said that they have come to know the glory of God in the face of Christ.

o   v5: Paul does not, therefore, change his message.  He preaches Christ as Lord and tells the Corinthians that he will serve them for Christ’s sake.

Serving Christ has its difficulties.  But Paul will not change his message to make the ministry easier as that would only serve to join the god of this age and deny the Lord he serves.  Let us be careful that in our difficult times we do not change the message of the gospel.  Without it men cannot know God.