2 Corinthians 4:10–12

2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 4.

The Gospel-Message of Light and Life. 2 Corinthians 4, 1–18

Paul’s bodily weakness: ... v.10. always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. V.11. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

V.12. So, then, death worketh in us, but life in you.

And now the apostle reaches the climax of this burst of eloquence: Always bearing about the dying of Jesus in the body, in order that the life of Christ may also be manifested in our bodies; for always we that are living are delivered into death for the sake of Jesus, in order that the life of Jesus also might be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Because they preached the gospel because they distributed the treasure of the gospel, the messengers of the Lord were always subject to the sufferings which Christ also endured, for the disciple is not above his Master.

To be delivered to death daily, hourly, for His sake, 1 Cor. 15, 31, to be killed all the day long, Rom. 8, 36, that is the privilege of the men that have devoted their life to the Lord and His work. For only by such absolute denial of self in His service does it become possible for the true life of Christ, with the fullness of His strength, to show itself in the ministers of Christ, Phil. 3, 10; Col. 1, 24.

Their flesh may be mortal, subject to death and decay, but in their spirit lives the undying, almighty power of the Ruler of the Kingdom of Power, of the King of Grace, and therefore they go forward from strength to strength, preaching the gospel, building up the Kingdom, seeking God’s glory only, without thought of self.

And the result, so far as their hearers are concerned, is: So that death is operative, active, in us, but life in you. Death was working in the apostle, because he was always exposed to death and desired nothing more; that was a necessary concomitant of his work for the Lord, he expected nothing more.

This satisfied him, moreover, because, incidentally, life, true, spiritual life, was active in them through his ministry, as the effect of his preaching. It was the life of the risen Christ, which had its beginning here on earth, and would be fully accomplished in the realm of glory. Such is the example of Paul’s sacrifice for his Lord.