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1 Therefore, seeing we haue this ministery, as we haue receiued mercie wee faint not:
2 But haue renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftines, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the trueth, commending our selues to euery mans 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 beleeue not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine vnto them.
5 For we preach not our selues, but Christ Iesus the Lord, and our selues your seruants for Iesus sake.
6 For God who commaunded the light to shine out of darkenes, hath shined in our hearts, to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Iesus Christ.
7 But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellencie of the power may be of God, and not of vs.
8 Wee are troubled on euery side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despaire,
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but not destroyed.
10 Alwayes bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Iesus, that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our body.
11 For we which liue, are always deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake, that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our mortall flesh.
12 So then death worketh in vs, but life in you.
13 We hauing the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore haue I spoken: wee also beleeue, and therefore speake.
14 Knowing that hee which raised vp the Lord Iesus, shall raise vp vs also by Iesus, and shall present vs with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundāt grace might, through the thankesgiuing of many, redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a momēt, worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory,
18 While we looke not at the things which are seene, but at þe things which are not seene: for the things which are seene, are temporall, but the things which are not seene, are eternall.
The apostles laboured with much diligence, sincerity, and faithfulness. (1-7) Their sufferings for the gospel were great, yet with rich supports. (8-12) Prospects of eternal glory keep believers from fainting under troubles. (13-18)1-7 The best of men would faint, if they did not receive mercy from God. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end. The apostles had no base and wicked designs, covered with fair and specious pretences. They did not try to make their ministry serve a turn. Sincerity or uprightness will keep the favourable opinion of wise and good men. Christ by his gospel makes a glorious discovery to the minds of men. But the design of the devil is, to keep men in ignorance; and when he cannot keep the light of the gospel of Christ out of the world, he spares no pains to keep men from the gospel, or to set them against it. The rejection of the gospel is here traced to the wilful blindness and wickedness of the human heart. Self was not the matter or the end of the apostles' preaching; they preached Christ as Jesus, the Saviour and Deliverer, who saves to the uttermost all that come to God through him. Ministers are servants to the souls of men; they must avoid becoming servants to the humours or the lusts of men. It is pleasant to behold the sun in the firmament; but it is more pleasant and profitable for the gospel to shine in the heart. As light was the beginning of the first creation; so, in the new creation, the light of the Spirit is his first work upon the soul. The treasure of gospel light and grace is put into earthen vessels. The ministers of the gospel are subject to the same passions and weaknesses as other men. God could have sent angels to make known the glorious doctrine of the gospel, or could have sent the most admired sons of men to teach the nations, but he chose humbler, weaker vessels, that his power might be more glorified in upholding them, and in the blessed change wrought by their ministry.
8-12 The apostles were great sufferers, yet they met with wonderful support. Believers may be forsaken of their friends, as well as persecuted by enemies; but their God will never leave them nor forsake them. There may be fears within, as well as fightings without; yet we are not destroyed. The apostle speaks of their sufferings as a counterpart of the sufferings of Christ, that people might see the power of Christ's resurrection, and of grace in and from the living Jesus. In comparison with them, other Christians were, even at that time, in prosperous circumstances.
13-18 The grace of faith is an effectual remedy against fainting in times of trouble. They knew that Christ was raised, and that his resurrection was an earnest and assurance of theirs. The hope of this resurrection will encourage in a suffering day, and set us above the fear of death. Also, their sufferings were for the advantage of the church, and to God's glory. The sufferings of Christ's ministers, as well as their preaching and conversation, are for the good of the church and the glory of God. The prospect of eternal life and happiness was their support and comfort. What sense was ready to pronounce heavy and long, grievous and tedious, faith perceived to be light and short, and but for a moment. The weight of all temporal afflictions was lightness itself, while the glory to come was a substance, weighty, and lasting beyond description. If the apostle could call his heavy and long-continued trials light, and but for a moment, what must our trifling difficulties be! Faith enables to make this right judgment of things. There are unseen things, as well as things that are seen. And there is this vast difference between them; unseen things are eternal, seen things but temporal, or temporary only. Let us then look off from the things which are seen; let us cease to seek for worldly advantages, or to fear present distresses. Let us give diligence to make our future happiness sure.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.