As such, it is presented verbatim in its entirety below with the day’s title, highlighted words and phrases that touch my heart, my soul and/or raised questions in my consciousness.
With gratitude that the Spirit of the Living God is in our hearts!
Saint Paul at the beginning of this letter defends himself against the charges of inconstancy in the apostolate, of pride, and of selfish motives in his work. After a short appeal for a collection to help the poor in Jerusalem, he again refutes his enemies and vindicates his apostolic authority.
2 Corinthians Chapter 4:
How Paul exercises his ministry:
And if our gospel also is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this world has blinded their unbelieving minds, that they should not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves merely as your servants in Jesus.
For God, who commanded light to shine out of the darkness, has shone in our hearts, to give enlightenment concerning the knowledge of the glory of God, shining on the face of Christ Jesus.
Frailty of the ministers:
In all things we suffer tribulation, but we are not distressed, we are sore pressed, but we are not destitute; we endure persecution, but we are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we do not perish; always bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus, so that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodily frame.
For we the living are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Thus death is at work in us, but life in you. But since we have the same spirit of faith, as shown in that which is written—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believed, wherefore we also speak.
For we know that he who raised up Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will place us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that grace which abounds through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound, to the glory of God.
Hope of a glorious Resurrection:
Wherefore we do not lose heart. On the contrary, even though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For our present light affliction, which is for the moment, prepares for us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all measure; while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians Chapter 5:
God made us for immortality:
For we who are in this tent sigh under our burden, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but rather clothed over, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as its pledge.
We work to please Him:
Always full of courage, then, and knowing that while we are in the body we are exiled from the Lord—for we walk by faith and not by sight—we even have the courage to prefer to be exiled from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
And therefore we strive, whether in the body or out of it, to be pleasing to him. For all of us must be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has won through the body, according to his works, whether good or evil.
Paul writes out of his love of Christ:
For if we were out of our mind, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you.
For the love of Christ impels us, because we have come to the conclusion that, since one died for all, therefore all died; and that Christ died for all, in order that they who are alive may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.
Reconciliation to God through Christ:
And even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.
If then any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the former things have passed away; behold, they are made new!
But all things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
For God was truly in Christ, reconciling the world to himself by not reckoning against man their sins and by entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Ambassadors of Christ:
On behalf of Christ, therefore, we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing through us.
We exhort you, for Christ’s sake, to be reconciled with God. For our sakes he made him to be sin who knew nothing of sin, so that in him we might become the justice of God.
2 Corinthians Chapter 6:
A life of zeal:
For he says, “In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!
We give no offense to anyone, that our ministry may not be blamed.
On the contrary, let us conduct ourselves in all circumstances as God’s ministers, in much patience; in tribulations, in hardships, in distresses; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults; in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings; in innocence, in knowledge, in long-sufferings, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unaffected love; in the word of truth, in the power of God; with the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left; in honor and dishonor, in evil report and in good report; as deceivers and yet truthful, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold, we live, as chastised but not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet enriching many, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
Mutual love:
We are frank with you, O Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. In us there is no lack of room for you, but in your heart there is no room for us. Now as having a recompense in like kind—I speak as to my children—be you also open wide to us.
Avoid marriage with unbelievers:
For what has justice in common with iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what part has the believer with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God, as God says. “I will dwell and move among them, I will be their God and they shall be my people.”
Wherefore, “Come out from among them, be separated says the Lord, and touch not an unclean thing; and I will welcome you in, and will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord almighty.”
Day 162: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Making known the Truth about Life & Death…
Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Second Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, Chapters 4-6.
Bible Notes:
Saint Paul at the beginning of this letter defends himself against the charges of inconstancy in the apostolate, of pride, and of selfish motives in his work. After a short appeal for a collection to help the poor in Jerusalem, he again refutes his enemies and vindicates his apostolic authority.
2 Corinthians Chapter 4: How Paul exercises his ministry; Frailty of the ministers; Hope of a glorious Resurrection.
How Paul exercises his ministry:
Discharging therefore this ministry in accordance with the mercy shown us, we do not lose heart. On the contrary, we renounce those practices which shame conceals, we avoid unscrupulous conduct, we do not corrupt the word of God; but making known the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
And if our gospel also is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this world has blinded their unbelieving minds, that they should not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves merely as your servants in Jesus.
For God, who commanded light to shine out of the darkness, has shone in our hearts, to give enlightenment concerning the knowledge of the glory of God, shining on the face of Christ Jesus.
Frailty of the ministers:
But we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, to show that the abundance of the power is God’s and not ours.
In all things we suffer tribulation, but we are not distressed, we are sore pressed, but we are not destitute; we endure persecution, but we are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we do not perish; always bearing about in our body the dying of Jesus, so that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodily frame.
For we the living are constantly being handed over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
Thus death is at work in us, but life in you. But since we have the same spirit of faith, as shown in that which is written—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believed, wherefore we also speak.
For we know that he who raised up Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and will place us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that grace which abounds through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound, to the glory of God.
Hope of a glorious Resurrection:
Wherefore we do not lose heart. On the contrary, even though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For our present light affliction, which is for the moment, prepares for us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all measure; while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians Chapter 5: God made us for immortality; We work to please Him; Paul writes out of his love of Christ; Reconciliation to God through Christ; Ambassadors of Christ.
God made us for immortality:
For we know that if the earthly house in which we dwell be destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made by human hands, eternal in the heavens. And indeed, in this present state we groan, yearning to be clothed over with that dwelling of ours which is from heaven, if indeed we shall be found clothed, and not naked.
For we who are in this tent sigh under our burden, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but rather clothed over, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as its pledge.
We work to please Him:
Always full of courage, then, and knowing that while we are in the body we are exiled from the Lord—for we walk by faith and not by sight—we even have the courage to prefer to be exiled from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
And therefore we strive, whether in the body or out of it, to be pleasing to him. For all of us must be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one may receive what he has won through the body, according to his works, whether good or evil.
Paul writes out of his love of Christ:
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade men; but to God we are manifest. And I hope also that in your consciences we are manifest. We are not again commending ourselves to you; but we are giving you occasion to boast about us, that you may have an answer for them who glory in appearances and not in heart.
For if we were out of our mind, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you.
For the love of Christ impels us, because we have come to the conclusion that, since one died for all, therefore all died; and that Christ died for all, in order that they who are alive may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again.
Reconciliation to God through Christ:
So that henceforth we know no one according to the flesh.
And even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer.
If then any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the former things have passed away; behold, they are made new!
But all things are from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
For God was truly in Christ, reconciling the world to himself by not reckoning against man their sins and by entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Ambassadors of Christ:
On behalf of Christ, therefore, we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing through us.
We exhort you, for Christ’s sake, to be reconciled with God. For our sakes he made him to be sin who knew nothing of sin, so that in him we might become the justice of God.
2 Corinthians Chapter 6: A life of zeal; Mutual love; Avoid marriage with unbelievers.
A life of zeal:
Zeal—fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor.
Yes, working together with him we entreat you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says, “In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!
We give no offense to anyone, that our ministry may not be blamed.
On the contrary, let us conduct ourselves in all circumstances as God’s ministers, in much patience; in tribulations, in hardships, in distresses; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults; in labors, in sleepless nights, in fastings; in innocence, in knowledge, in long-sufferings, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unaffected love; in the word of truth, in the power of God; with the armor of justice on the right hand and on the left; in honor and dishonor, in evil report and in good report; as deceivers and yet truthful, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold, we live, as chastised but not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet enriching many, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
Mutual love:
We are frank with you, O Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. In us there is no lack of room for you, but in your heart there is no room for us. Now as having a recompense in like kind—I speak as to my children—be you also open wide to us.
Avoid marriage with unbelievers:
Do not bear the yoke with unbelievers.
For what has justice in common with iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what part has the believer with the unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God, as God says. “I will dwell and move among them, I will be their God and they shall be my people.”
Wherefore, “Come out from among them, be separated says the Lord, and touch not an unclean thing; and I will welcome you in, and will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord almighty.”
Speak Your Mind