In olden times cheap earthenware pots might contain the treasures of a large house. And many, many times precious, precious documents, biblical manuscripts, Dead Sea scrolls have been rescued from caves – and what were they held in? Cheap earthenware pots.
Do not over-admire the preacher. The moment a congregation begins to think it is the preacher that does this and wins souls, the Holy Spirit withdraws and there are no genuine conversions any more. No, says the apostle, we have to keep ourselves humble. We are to teach the people reliance on the great goodness and the mighty power of God, for ‘we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.’