LAB147 Seeing is believing
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
LAB147 To See Requires God's Extraordinary Power
#God
#power
Published January 23rd, 2017
Introduction
Main point summary
Arc
Study questions
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
Introduction
See LAB147 here : http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/seeing-is-believing Excerpt: Principle for Bible Reading APTAT We need God to open our eyes in Bible study. We are not smart enough, diligent enough, and don’t have enough commentaries to get us to understand how we need too. We need God’s Spirit to bless us with sight and transformation. A.P.T.A.T is a practical way to rely on God when your Bible is open before you: Admit that you need God’s help to focus and be engaged. It might be helpful to cast all present anxieties on him before you begin your study ( 1 Peter 5:6–7 ). Pray for help to not only understand God’s Word but to be obedient to it ( James 1:22 ). Trust a specific promise. In this case, Paul’s words to Timothy may be helpful: Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. ( 2 Timothy 2:7 ). Act by prayerfully reading, thinking, and meditating on truth. Thank God for his word and for meeting you whether you feel like it was especially rich or not.
notes
Main point summary
God's Power to Shine Light In Our Hearts
Arc
editing
NT
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
hcsb
mine
For God who said,
“Let light shine out of darkness,” *
has shone in our hearts
Pastor John draws a parallel between "shone in our hearts" here and having "this treasure in clay jars" in 7a,b below.
comparison
ideaexplanation
to give the light
there is a parallel between God shining light in creating the physical world in 6b, and here shining light of the knowledge of God's glory.
of the knowledge *
of God’s glory *
in the face of Jesus Christ.
actionmanner
actionpurpose
Now we have this treasure
This treasure would refer to the reference above, "the light of the knowledge of God's glory...".
in clay jars,
Pastor John sees the parallel (see 6c) pointing to the clay jars being our hearts - hearts that are prone to unbelief, unfaithfulness, idolatry, wavering allegiances.
locative
so that this extraordinary power
This power, understood within this context, refers to the power to shine 6d-g in our hearts.
* may be from God
and not from us.
negativepositive
discourse
Study questions
1. How might Satan be “blinding” unbelievers from seeing God’s glory ( 2 Corinthians 4:4–7 )? I can think of various ways Satan might be blinding us by distracting us by lesser good things than God's glory enticing us to make much of ourselves or each other accusing us that we are too weak, too ashamed to see God 2. How much power does it take for God to overcome this blindness? What does this tell us about our lostness? This passage seems to indicate that as much power as it took for God to create the world, to shine light into the darkness of the unformed world, that is how much power it takes for Him to overcome our blindness. This tells us that we are indeed that lost, that blind, that unable to see light unless this level of power to shine truth in our fragile hearts happens. 3. What is the treasure in 2 Corinthians 4:6–7 ? "This treasure" is what is stated before in v 6: the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ Jesus. LOOK UP Comparing Translations
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
na28
6 ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ὁ εἰπών• ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ [Ἰησοῦ] Χριστοῦ. 7 Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν, ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ᾖ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν•
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
esv
6 For God, who said, m “Let light shine out of darkness,” n has shone in our hearts to give o the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Treasure in Jars of Clay 7 But we have this treasure in p jars of clay, q to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
net
6 For God, who said “ Let light shine out of darkness ,” 12 is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge 13 of God in the face of Christ. 14 An Eternal Weight of Glory 7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power 15 belongs to God and does not come from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
6 For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” * has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge * of God’s glory * in the face of Jesus Christ. Treasure in Clay Jars 7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power * may be from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
niv
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” * made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of Godʼs glory displayed in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
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Comments
Jeannie Koh
Steven Long
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