The Earthen Vessel is the body – The treasure: 2 Cor. 4:4 "…. lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" 2Co 4:6 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.
4:7 ) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. The proof of God's Redemptive power is seen in our salvation; we are earthen vessel. that the excellency of the power may be of God = What is seen is the power of God: only the LORD could redeem us.
This Treasure has Power as seen in our body, 2Co 4:10 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. 2Co 4:11 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.
There is a story told about earthen vessels:
[1]In earthen vessels (?? ?st?a?????? s?e?es??). The adjective occurs only here and 2 Tim. 2:20. Herodotus says of the king of Persia: "The great king stores away the tribute which he receives after this fashion: he melts it down, and, while it is in a liquid state, runs it into earthen vessels, which are afterward removed, leaving the metal in a solid mass" (3:96). Stanley cites the story of a Rabbi who was taunted with his mean appearance by the emperor's daughter, and who replied by referring to the earthen vessels in which her father kept his wines. At her request the wine was shifted to silver vessels, whereupon it turned sour. Then the Rabbi observed that the humblest vessels contained the highest wisdom. The idea of light in earthen vessels is, however, best illustrated in the story of the lamps and pitchers of Gideon, Judges 7:16. In the very breaking of the vessel the light is revealed.
It is amazing that God would even think upon me a sinful man and include us in the Gift of Christ, 1 Cor. 1:30 - and not be ashamed to say, "brethren". Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Judges 7: 16-19, e.g. v 19) So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
He deposited the message of His Salvation in our earthen vessels (bodies) broken by sin. And that message is the salvation we have.: Jesus is the Light of the World, He is the Anchor of the Soul. Christ is the Living Bread – He said which I will give for the life of the World, John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. He did give His body, See 1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ( Paul is an Apostle – He saw Christ after Christ Resurrection and ascension )
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 1 Cor. 11:24 – He said I will give and the resurrection certifies He did give His body for our sins.
When He was Resurrected, He went back from whence He came, but look what had happened from the Incarnation to the Resurrection. He had every right to go back to heaven for He is the Son of God but He went back as the Resurrected Son of Man ( lest some would misunderstand = God/Man) and He had every right to go back as the Son of Man He came as the perfect Lamb of God and remained perfect in His Life and went to the Cross perfect, When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30
"It is finished…" He finished the task, He finished the race, He came as the Lamb of God – He had to be perfect and He had to earn that as the Son of Man. He was perfect at His birth, He remained perfect in His life and He was perfect at His death, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. He had no sin till He took our sin. Mat_27:46 "…….My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He was bearing our sin – dying alone. He was made sin by the Father!
He went back with the same body that He will give us. There is now in heaven The Son of man who was made liken unto us.
I want to share an interesting thought with you
If He was tempted in all points like as we are, Heb_4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Mat_4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. He was tempted and yet without sin. And He was tempted in all points like as we are.
- He did not have the sin nature. He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Ghost.
- We do have the sin nature, Romans 5:12 – thus showing temptation comes through the flesh and not the sin nature
- We died with Christ, 2 Cor, 5:14, Romans 6:5, Romans 6:11. (you can't count something true if it is not true). Heb. 2:11.
- It is not the sin nature we battle: it is the flesh; we are living in an unredeemed body. When we realize our victory through Him, the Word of God becomes more important to us. We understand we need it to live unto Him. Scriptures such as the beatitudes shape our attitude and vision. And the confession and forgiveness of our sins take on a new light. We don't want to linger out of fellowship with Christ. We have the power of choice. We need to live in the Power of our New life.
Hebrews 2:9-18
Christ is everything to us, Psalm 40:6 – Christ is woven into every fabric of life, Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist
[1] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 3, p. 312). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
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