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Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 4:1-18
Chapters three and four of 2 Corinthians are different in nature. Chapter three is actually a chapter of doctrine. I realize that for many of us doctrine is not a positive word. Because of our background, a background of religion full of doctrine, we do not regard doctrine as something pleasant or tasteful. In giving a testimony in a church meeting, we would want to say, “What I want to share with you is not a doctrine. It is a real and precious experience.” We all appreciate the word experience, and whenever we have the opportunity, we would testify concerning our experience of the Lord or our experience in the Lord. We would hesitate to stand up and say, “What I am about to present to you is a doctrine.” Nevertheless, I have the boldness to say that chapter three of 2 Corinthians is a chapter on doctrine. Of course, as a rule, doctrine should involve experience. In like manner, any genuine spiritual experience involves doctrine. Therefore, we may say that 2 Corinthians 3 is a chapter on doctrine with some amount of experience.
Let me give my reasons for saying that 2 Corinthians 3 is concerned with doctrine. Verses 8 and 9 speak of the ministry of the Spirit and of the ministry of righteousness. Thus, the new covenant ministry is first a ministry of the Spirit and then a ministry of righteousness. Is this not a matter of doctrine? If we are fair and if we are not influenced by a negative concept regarding doctrine, we shall admit that this is in fact a matter of doctrine. Because the Bible is a book of doctrine, we cannot avoid doctrine or ignore it. In chapter three, in particular, we have the doctrine that the new covenant ministry is a ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness.
Chapter three, however, also contains some amount of experience. For instance, in verse 18 Paul says, “And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.” This verse contains both doctrine and experience. Although Paul speaks here from the standpoint of experience, at the same time his word includes doctrine.
If 2 Corinthians 3 is basically a chapter on doctrine, what is the nature of chapter four? Second Corinthians 4 is a chapter on experience. How do we know this? Verse 1 gives us an indication that this chapter is concerned with experience: “Therefore, having this ministry, as we received mercy we do not lose heart.” Here Paul refers to “having this ministry.” Even this is related to doctrine as well as to experience. But the matter of not losing heart is definitely a matter of experience.
Even in chapter four, a chapter on experience, we can find doctrine. Likewise, in chapter three, a chapter on doctrine, there is experience. We may say that 2 Corinthians 3 is experientially doctrinal and that 2 Corinthians 4 is doctrinally experiential. Having such an understanding of these two chapters is essential to grasping what we shall cover in this message.
What kind of experience do we find in chapter four? It is not the experience of salvation, justification, or forgiveness. Some may say that in this chapter we have the experience of the cross. However, this is to speak of the experience in chapter four in a way that is too negative. What we find here is the manifestation of life. This chapter is on the experience of the manifestation of life.
Christians may read 2 Corinthians 4 without realizing that this chapter is on the manifestation of life. Verses 10 and 11 say, “Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body. For we who live are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh.” In these verses Paul does not use the adjective manifest. Instead, he uses the verb “be manifested.” There is a difference between something that is manifest and something manifested. The word manifest does not involve experience or a process. But manifested involves a process, a procedure. In these verses Paul does not say that the life of Jesus may be manifest. If he had said this, no process or procedure would be involved. There would be no need for us to go through anything in our experience. But when Paul speaks of the life of Jesus being manifested in us, that involves a process. For the life of Jesus to be manifested requires a process, a procedure. In 4:10-12 we can definitely see the manifestation of life. This indicates that this chapter concerns the experience of the manifestation of life.
The manifestation of life comes through the killing of the cross. For this reason, the title of this message is “The Manifestation of Life through the Killing of the Cross.” Of course, in chapter four we cannot find the word cross. Nevertheless, the concept of the cross is implied. For example, the “putting to death of Jesus” in verse 10 surely implies the cross. The death of Jesus is not the same as the putting to death of Jesus. We should not think that putting to death is the same as death. No, there is at least some difference between them. The experience of the manifestation of life is related to the putting to death of Jesus.
After presenting the ministry of the new covenant in a somewhat doctrinal way in chapter three, Paul goes on in chapter four to present the experience of a new covenant minister. In doing so, why does he refer to the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus might be manifested? No doubt, Paul and the other apostles had many different kinds of experience. Why, then, does he present this particular experience in chapter four? The central focus of this chapter is nothing other than the manifestation of life through the killing of the cross. In chapter three Paul tells us what the new covenant ministry is. Then in chapter four he testifies of this ministry from his experience. In order to testify of the new covenant ministry, the ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness, it is necessary for Paul to present the experience of the manifestation of life through the killing of the cross.
In 4:1 Paul says, “Therefore, having this ministry, as we received mercy we do not lose heart.” Suppose Paul had composed this verse differently and had said this: “Therefore, having this service, as we have received abundant grace, we are comforted.” Would this kind of writing confirm what Paul says in chapter three? Certainly not. There would be no beauty or riches to correspond to the matters covered in chapter three. In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul covers some marvelous points: the ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of righteousness, transformation from glory to glory. In chapter four there is something that corresponds to each of these points, points that describe the wonderful new covenant ministry, a ministry of the Spirit, a ministry of righteousness, a ministry for transformation from glory to glory. This ministry, described in a doctrinal way in chapter three, needs to be confirmed. In chapter four Paul gives us an experiential confirmation of the points he has just made regarding the new covenant ministry.
Someone reading chapter three might say, “Paul, you have just told us what your ministry is. Your ministry is of the Spirit and of righteousness, and it is for our transformation from glory to glory. This is wonderful. But can you confirm to us this excellent ministry from your own experience? Will you give us some experience as a confirmation of your ministry?” Almost as if to anticipate such questions, Paul seems to say in this Epistle, “In the following chapter, chapter four, I shall tell you of my experience.” What Paul says in chapter four regarding his experience, therefore, must emphasize the crucial points covered in chapter three. This means he must emphasize something related to the Spirit, righteousness, transformation, and glory. As we read chapter four, we need to find what matters correspond to all these points in chapter three.
What in chapter four corresponds to the Spirit in chapter three? It would not be correct to say the “spirit of faith” mentioned in verse 13, for this refers to something else. The matter in chapter four that corresponds to the Spirit is life. Life in this chapter is a synonym of the Spirit. In a chapter concerning doctrine Paul speaks of the Spirit, but in a chapter concerning experience he speaks of life. Life in doctrine is the Spirit, and the Spirit in our experience is life.
We may use the difference between groceries and cooked food to illustrate the difference between the Spirit and life. Before we prepare a meal, what we have on hand is different kinds of groceries. But we do not eat these groceries; we eat cooked food prepared from groceries. Doctrine can be compared to groceries, and our spiritual experience, to the cooked food we eat. The Spirit in 2 Corinthians 3 is the “groceries,” but the life in chapter four is the “cooked food.” Thus, we may say that life is the Spirit “cooked” or processed for our experience. Furthermore, we are all cooks. Whenever we cook the Spirit, the Spirit becomes life to us. Therefore, we are now enjoying cooked food. This means that the life in chapter four is the processed Spirit. After the Spirit is processed, cooked, He becomes life to us in our experience.
For the time being, we shall not seek to find what element in chapter four corresponds to righteousness in chapter three. Instead, let us ask what corresponds to transformation. Just as life is synonymous with the Spirit, so being renewed is synonymous with being transformed. Paul speaks of renewing in verse 16 when he says that “our inward man is being renewed day by day.” Although transformation and renewal are synonyms, there is still a difference between them. Transformation involves a process. When the process of transformation takes place, it becomes renewing.
What is the synonym in chapter four for glory in chapter three? Actually, there is no synonym. No matter how much glory is processed, it remains glory. In both chapters three and four Paul speaks of glory. However, the glory in chapter three is not as weighty as that in chapter four. In 4:17 Paul speaks of “an eternal weight of glory.” The glory in chapter three is dispensationally weighty in this age, but the glory in chapter four is eternally weighty. In other words, in chapter three glory has a weight for this age, but in chapter four glory has a weight of eternity. We should remember that 3:18 speaks of being from one degree of glory to another degree. No doubt, the glory in chapter four is the most advanced degree. At least, it is at a higher level than the glory in chapter three.
In chapter three the matters of the Spirit, transformation, and glory are somewhat doctrinal. But in chapter four the synonymous points are experiential. As we have seen, the Spirit becomes life, transformation becomes renewing, and the dispensational glory becomes the eternal glory.
The manifestation of life is equal to the manifestation of the Spirit. In 3:8 Paul says that his ministry, the ministry of the new covenant, is a ministry of the Spirit. In chapter four he presents an experiential confirmation of this. In this chapter he seems to be saying, “Let me confirm for you that my ministry is a ministry of the Spirit. When I came to you, didn’t you see something manifested in me? What did you see? Jewish religion? Jewish practices, habits, and customs? No, you did not see any of these things. You Corinthians must admit that what you saw in me was the manifestation of life, not the manifestation of any Jewish religion, philosophy, custom, or practice.” The life manifested in Paul was the experienced Spirit, the processed Spirit, the Spirit that had been cooked.
When Paul was with the Corinthians, he was living and powerful, but he was also kind, humble, and forbearing. All these virtues were part of the manifestation of the Spirit experienced by him. His ministry was the ministry of the Spirit manifested in him as life. Therefore, Paul was full of life. Not only was life manifested upon him, but it also worked in the believers there at Corinth.
Life could be manifested in Paul because he experienced the killing of the cross. Suppose Paul did not have any problems, troubles, opposition, or persecution. Suppose he was also strong physically and never had any problems with his health. If such had been the case, it is not likely that there would have been the manifestation of life in Paul. But when Paul was with the Corinthians, he did have problems and difficulties, and he did encounter opposition and persecution. Sometimes even the saints in Corinth caused him trouble. Paul knew that if everything had been easy and comfortable, it would not have been possible to have the same manifestation of life.
When we are in a comfortable environment, there is less opportunity for life to be manifested. But when we are opposed, persecuted, and criticized, when we have problems with our health, and when we are troubled by the saints in the church, we are in a proper situation for the manifestation of life. When Paul was with the Corinthians, he was in that kind of situation. This afforded him an excellent opportunity to have the Spirit within him manifested as life.
In verses 8 and 9 Paul indicates the kind of difficult situation he was in. He says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not straitened; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” In these verses Paul mentions four things. First, he says that they were afflicted in every way, but not straitened. The Chinese version says that they were attacked in every way, attacked from four directions: the front, the rear, the right, and the left. Nevertheless, they were not straitened, cramped. This indicates life. Not to be straitened in such a situation is to have the manifestation of life.
Second, Paul says that they were perplexed, unable to find a way out, but not despairing. The apostles were shut up; they did not have a way out. However, they were not utterly lacking a way out. This part of verse 8 contains in Greek a play on words. First Paul speaks of being unable to find a way out, and then, of not being utterly unable to find a way out. Once again, this is life. Seemingly they were unable to find a way out. But because of the Spirit in them as life, they were not utterly unable to find a way out.
Third, Paul says that they were persecuted, but not forsaken. This means they were pursued by enemies, but they were not abandoned, deserted; that is, they were not left behind in an evil plight.
Finally, in verse 9 Paul says that they were cast down, but not destroyed. Although they were struck down, they did not perish.
Paul was afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down. All this provided an opportunity for life to be manifested. Life overcomes all these things. Even though he experienced affliction, perplexity, persecution, and being cast down, Paul was still very living. He was not straitened or despairing, and he was not forsaken or destroyed. Life certainly was manifested in him.
By presenting his own experience as a confirmation of his ministry, Paul indicated that he and his ministry were one. What Paul was and what he lived were his ministry. The ministry was what Paul was and not merely what he did or the work he accomplished. Paul lived in such a way that his living was a confirmation of his ministry. Paul’s ministry was a ministry of the Spirit, and his living was full of life. This means that his living was the manifestation of the processed Spirit, the cooked Spirit. Paul lived by the Spirit, and life came out of him. Life was manifested to the Corinthians and ministered to them. When this life entered into them, it immediately became the Spirit. Then when they lived out the Spirit, the Spirit became life to others. This was the confirmation of Paul’s new covenant ministry.
In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul seems to be telling the Corinthians, “Our living and our being are the confirmation of our ministry. We and the ministry are one. This means that we are the ministry. The ministry is our being, our person, our living. What we live is the confirmation of the ministry. I have told you that the ministry is the ministry of the Spirit. Now I confirm this claim by testifying to you of my experience of the manifestation of life in the midst of a difficult environment.”
Sometimes the Lord allows us to be in a situation where we are afflicted on every side. Do you feel happy when you are in such an environment? Sometimes it seems as if the Lord drops us into the midst of this kind of environment, an environment where we are attacked from the front and the rear, from the left and the right. We are afflicted in every way, that is, according to the meaning of the Greek, we are afflicted from every side. This is for the manifestation of life.
Perhaps you are wondering who the attackers are, who are those who cause affliction on every side. The ones who attack you the most may be those in your own family. Your husband or wife, your children, and your in-laws may make things difficult for you. If you cry out for the Lord to have mercy on you, He may indicate that the greatest mercy is for you to be in such a situation in order to have the manifestation of life.
Life, the cooked Spirit, is the expression of the Spirit. Therefore, because Paul manifested life, his living and his being were the confirmation of his ministry. He and the ministry of the Spirit were one.
In chapter three Paul indicates that the apostles were all one with their ministry. Then in chapter four he presents a life that confirms the claim that the new covenant ministers and the new covenant ministry are one. What they are and what they live is their ministry. They minister life to others not merely by speaking, but even more by living. Their living confirms their speaking and strengthens their ministry. Thus, the ministers and the Spirit are one.
