2 Corinthians 4:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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2 Corinthians 4:1

Comments

‘Therefore seeing we have this ministry‘, the ministry of the New Testament; the ministry of the Spirit; the ministry of righteousness. Now, what does he need to sustain him in the ministry? A view of the privilege of this ministry of the Spirit. He feels so privileged to see the transforming, productive nature of this ministry. It has eternal results, people truly converted and totally changed. When he looks upon this ministry and the privilege he has, he does not faint. There are two motives here for utter dedication to the ministry of the gospel. Seeing we have such a ministry as this, so superior, so glorious, so significant. If you are given a tremendously valuable gift you are motivated and indebted to look after it and to value it. There is also a second reason – ‘as we have received mercy.’ Not only seeing we have received this ministry but he thinks of the mercy he personally has received. ‘Why, I was such a pitiful individual,’ says the apostle, as we all were. ‘I was such a wretched creature, without God, without hope. I was a persecutor,’ he says elsewhere; ‘I was a Pharisee, trusting in ceremonial performance and righteousness. I did not understand, I did not know, I had no forgiveness. I didn’t even know I was a lost individual and I came to a glorious experience of Christ, to know him and to know his love.’ As the old saying goes– we neither thought it, nor sought it, nor bought it. We did not through our own wisdom see the way of salvation, we never desired God. We were brought to know him by his mercy and his kindness.

Application

Well, we do faint, it is so easy. The modern translations, I think, greatly weaken the translation. They say, we do not lose heart, or we are not discouraged and the old version is better here, ‘we faint not’ because the original does not have in mind simply losing heart, or being discouraged, it is talking about failing or fading or giving up. We are under great pressure sometimes to fade and to fail and to leave off testimony and witness because of coldness, distraction into worldly things, or cowardice, but we will not allow ourselves to fade or fail, if we keep in mind the privilege, which is ours. There is no greater ministry than that in which we are all involved, corporately as a church and as individuals in our testimony. If you find yourself growing cold, if you find the world taking over, priorities becoming unbalanced, enthusiasm falling, well, here is your two-fold remedy.

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2 Corinthians 4:1 Commentary and Bible Study