Matthew Henry's Commentary on the
Epistle
(2 Corinthians 4:1-6)
Constancy and Sincerity of the Apostles; The Apostle's
Integrity.
A. D. 57.
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not
walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by
manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in
the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are
lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but
Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
The apostle had, in the foregoing chapter, been magnifying his
office, upon the consideration of the excellency or glory of that gospel
about which he did officiate; and now in this chapter his design is to
vindicate their ministry from the accusation of false teachers, who charged
them as deceitful workers, or endeavoured to prejudice the minds of the
people against them on account of their sufferings. He tells them,
therefore, how they believed, and how they showed their value for their
office as ministers of the gospel. They were not puffed up with pride, but
spurred on to great diligence: "Seeing we have this ministry, are so
much distinguished and dignified, we do not take state upon ourselves, nor
indulge in idleness, but are excited to the better performance of our duty."
I. Two things in general we have an account of:--Their constancy
and sincerity in their work and labour, concerning which observe, 1. Their
constancy and perseverance in their work are declared: "We faint not
(v.
1) under the difficulty of our work, nor do we desist from our labour."
And this their stedfastness was owing to the mercy of God. From the
same mercy and grace from which they received the apostleship (Rom.
i. 5), they received strength to persevere in the work of that office.
Note, As it is great mercy and grace to be called to be saints, and
especially to be counted faithful, and be put into the ministry (1
Tim. i. 12), so it is owing to the mercy and grace of God if we continue
faithful and persevere in our work with diligence. The best men in the world
would faint in their work, and under their burdens, if they did not receive
mercy from God. By the grace of God I am what I am, said this great
apostle in his former epistle to these Corinthians,
ch. xv. 10. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us
on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end. 2. Their
sincerity in their work is avouched (v.
2) in several expressions: We have renounced the hidden things of
dishonesty. The things of dishonesty are hidden things, that will not
bear the light; and those who practise them are, or should be, ashamed of
them, especially when they are known. Such things the apostle did not allow
of, but did renounce and avoid with indignation: Not walking in
craftiness, or in disguise, acting with art and cunning, but in great
simplicity, and with open freedom. They had no base and wicked designs
covered with fair and specious pretences of something that was good. Nor did
they in their preaching handle the word of God deceitfully; but, as
he said before, they used great plainness of speech, and did not make
their ministry serve a turn, or truckle to base designs. They had not
cheated the people with falsehood instead of truth. Some think the apostle
alludes to the deceit which treacherous gamesters use, or that of hucksters
in the market, who mix bad wares with good. The apostles acted not like such
persons, but they manifested the truth to every man's conscience,
declaring nothing but what in their own conscience they believed to be true,
and what might serve for the conviction of their consciences who heard them,
who were to judge for themselves, and to give an account for themselves. And
all this they did as in the sight of God, desirous thus to commend
themselves to God, and to the consciences of men, by their undisguised
sincerity. Note, A stedfast adherence to the truths of the gospel will
commend ministers and people; and sincerity or uprightness will preserve a
man's reputation, and the good opinion of wise and good men concerning him.
II. An objection is obviated, which might be thus formed: "If it be
thus, how then does it come to pass, that the gospel is hid, and proves
ineffectual, as to some who hear it?" To which the apostle answers, by
showing that this was not the fault of the gospel, nor of the preachers
thereof. But the true reasons of this are, 1. Those are lost souls to
whom the gospel is hid, or is ineffectual,
v.
3. Christ came to save that which was lost (Matt.
xvii. 11), and the gospel of Christ is sent to save such; and, if this
do not find and save them, they are lost for ever; they must never expect
any thing else to save them, for there is no other method or means of
salvation. The hiding of the gospel therefore from souls is both an evidence
and cause of their ruin. 2. The god of this world hath blinded their
minds,
v.
4. They are under the influence and power of the devil, who is here
called the god of this world, and elsewhere the prince of this
world, because of the great interest he has in this world, the homage
that is paid to him by multitudes in this world, and the great sway that, by
divine permission, he bears in the world, and in the hearts of his subjects,
or rather slaves. And as he is the prince of darkness, and ruler of the
darkness of this world, so he darkens the understandings of men, and
increases their prejudices, and supports his interest by keeping them in the
dark, blinding their minds with ignorance, and error, and prejudices, that
they should not behold the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God. Observe, (1.) Christ's design by his gospel is to make
a glorious discovery of God to the minds of men. Thus, as the image of God,
he demonstrates the power and wisdom of God, and the grace and mercy of God
for their salvation. But, (2.) The design of the devil is to keep men in
ignorance; and, when he cannot keep the light of the gospel out of the
world, he makes it his great business to keep it out of the hearts of men.
III. A proof of their integrity is given,
v.
5. They made it their business to preach Christ, and not themselves:
We preach not ourselves. Self was not the matter nor the end of the
apostles' preaching: they did not give their own notions and private
opinions, nor their passions and prejudices, for the word and will of God;
nor did they seek themselves, to advance their own secular interest or
glory. But they preached Christ Jesus the Lord; and thus it did
become them and behove them to do, as being Christ's servants. Their
business was to make their Master known to the world as the Messiah, or the
Christ of God, and as Jesus, the only Saviour of men, and as the rightful
Lord, and to advance his honour and glory. Note, All the lines of Christian
doctrine centre in Christ; and in preaching Christ we preach all we should
preach. "As to ourselves," says the apostle, "we preach, or
declare, that we are your servants for Jesus' sake." This was no
compliment, but a real profession of a readiness to do good to their souls,
and to promote their spiritual and eternal interest, and that for Jesus'
sake; not for their own sake or their own advantage, but for Christ's
sake, that they might imitate his great example, and advance his glory.
Note, Ministers should not be of proud spirits, lording it over God's
heritage, who are servants to the souls of men: yet, at the same time,
they must avoid the meanness of spirit implied in becoming the servants of
the humours or the lusts of men; if they should thus seek to please men,
they would not be the servants of Christ,
Gal.
i. 10. And there was good reason, 1. Why they should preach Christ. For
by gospel light we have the knowledge of the glory of God, which
shines in the face of Jesus Christ,
v.
6. And the light of this Sun of righteousness is more glorious
than that light which God commanded to shine out of darkness. It is a
pleasant thing for the eye to behold the sun in the firmament; but it is
more pleasant and profitable when the gospel shines in the heart. Note, As
light was the first-born of the first creation, so it is in the new
creation: the illumination of the Spirit is his first work upon the soul.
The grace of God created such a light in the soul that those who were
sometimes darkness are made light in the Lord,
Eph.
v. 8. 2. Why they should not preach themselves: because they were but
earthen vessels, things of little or no worth or value. Here seems to be an
allusion to the lamps which Gideon's soldiers carried in earthen pitchers,
Jud.
vii. 16. The treasure of gospel light and grace is put into earthen
vessels. The ministers of the gospel are weak and frail creatures, and
subject to like passions and infirmities as other men; they are mortal,
and soon broken in pieces. And God has so ordered it that the weaker the
vessels are the stronger his power may appear to be, that the treasure
itself should be valued the more. Note, There is an excellency of power in
the gospel of Christ, to enlighten the mind, to convince the conscience, to
convert the soul, and to rejoice the heart; but all this power is from God
the author, and not from men, who are but instruments, so that God in all
things must be glorified.
