2 Corinthians 4:1

Contextual Overview

¹Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.¹ Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ¹God has mercifully given us a spot on his outfit. He assigned us this work to do and we never give up. ¹ Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,¹Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, ¹ For this reason, because we have been made servants of this new order, through the mercy given to us, we are strong: ¹ Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not. ¹ Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. ¹ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don't faint. ¹ Therefore having this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not: But have renounced the hidden things of shame,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

seeing: 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Corinthians 3:12, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Ephesians 3:7, Ephesians 3:8

as: 1 Corinthians 7:25, 1 Timothy 1:13, 1 Peter 2:10

we faint not: 2 Corinthians 4:16, Isaiah 40:30, Galatians 6:9, Ephesians 3:13, Philippians 4:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, *marg. Hebrews 12:3, Revelation 2:3

Reciprocal: Job 4:5 - thou faintest Psalms 27:13 - fainted Proverbs 3:11 - neither Proverbs 24:10 - thou Isaiah 40:31 - not faint Jeremiah 45:3 - I fainted Hosea 2:1 - Ruhamah Zephaniah 3:16 - slack Matthew 5:7 - for Mark 12:14 - we know Acts 1:17 - this Acts 4:11 - you Acts 20:24 - none Acts 26:16 - a minister Romans 11:30 - obtained Romans 12:1 - by the 1 Corinthians 2:3 - General 2 Corinthians 3:11 - much 2 Corinthians 4:7 - this 2 Corinthians 5:11 - but Ephesians 4:12 - the work Philippians 1:16 - not sincerely Colossians 1:23 - whereof Colossians 4:4 - I may 1 Thessalonians 1:5 - what 1 Timothy 1:12 - who 1 Timothy 1:16 - I obtained 3 John 1:5 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmityBetween you and the woman,And between your seed and her seed;He shall bruise you on the head,And you shall bruise him on the heel."

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."

Genesis 3:15
I wyll also put enmitie betweene thee & the woman, betweene thy seede and her seede: and it shall treade downe thy head, and thou shalt treade vpon his heele.

Genesis 3:15
I will make you and the woman enemies to each other. Your children and her children will be enemies. You will bite her child's foot, but he will crush your head."

Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Genesis 3:15
Y schal sette enemytees bitwixe thee and the womman, and bitwixe thi seed and hir seed; sche schal breke thin heed, and thou schalt sette aspies to hir heele.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed and her seed: it shal bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heele.

Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore seeing we have this ministry,.... The apostle having largely insisted on the difference between the law and the Gospel, the ministration of the one and of the other, proceeds to give an account of his own conduct, and that of his fellow apostles and ministers: "we", says he, "faint not"; under all the reproaches cast upon us, persecutions raised against us, and tribulations that attend us; we do not sink in our spirits, or give out from the ministry; we go on cheerfully in our work, in the thee of all opposition, encouraged by the consideration of the excellency of the ministry, which they had from the Lord, were put into, and continued in; which was so valuable in itself, and so useful in its effects; being the ministration of the Spirit and of righteousness, having in it such an excelling glory to the law, and attended with so much light and liberty: to which he adds the consideration of the mercy of God they were partakers of,

as we have received mercy; which may refer either to the grace and mercy of God, which they had received in conversion; a sense of which abiding upon them, so influenced their minds, to hold forth the riches of abounding grace and mercy to poor sinners in the Gospel, that nothing could deter them from it; or to the grace, favour, and good will of God, in making, supporting, and continuing them as ministers of the word; all which, they were sensible, was owing not to men, but God; not to their merit, but to his mercy; not to their worthiness, parts, learning, &c. but to his free gift, favour, and grace, by which only they were what they were, as preachers of the Gospel.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore - Διὰ τοῦτο Dia touto. On account of this. That is, because the light of the gospel is so clear; because it reveals so glorious truths, and all obscurity is taken away, and we are permitted to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, 2 Corinthians 3:18. Since the glories of the gospel dispensation are so great, and its effects on the heart are so transforming and purifying. The object is, to show the “effect” of being entrusted with such a ministry, on the character of his preaching.

Seeing we have this ministry - The gospel ministry, so much more glorious than that of Moses 2 Corinthians 3:6; which is the ministry by which the Holy Spirit acts on the hearts of people 2 Corinthians 3:8; which is the ministry of that system by which people are justified 2 Corinthians 3:9; and which is the ministry of a system so pure and unclouded, 2 Corinthians 3:9-11, 2 Corinthians 3:18.

As we have received mercy - Tyndale renders this: “even as mercy is sure in us.” The idea is, that it was by the mere mercy and favor of God, that he had been entrusted with the ministry, and the object of Paul is doubtless to prevent the “appearance” of arrogance and self-confidence by stating that it was to be traced entirely to God that he was put into the ministry. He doubtless had his eye on the fact that he had been a persecutor and blasphemer; and that it was by the mere favor of God that he had been converted and entrusted with the ministry, 1 Timothy 1:13. Nothing will more effectually humble a minister, and prevent his assuming any arrogant and self-confident airs, than to look over his past life; especially if his life was one of blasphemy, vice, or infidelity; and to remember that it is by the mere mercy of God that he is entrusted with the high office of an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Paul never forgot to trace his hope, his appointment to the ministerial office, and his success, to the mere grace of God.

We faint not - This is one of the effects of being entrusted with such a ministry. The word used here (ἐκκακοῦμεν ekkakoumen) means, properly, to turn out a coward; to lose one’s courage; then to be fainthearted, to faint, to despond, in view of trial, difficulty, etc. - Robinson. Here it means, that by the mercy of God, he was not disheartened by the difficulties which he met; his faith and zeal did not flag; he was enabled to be faithful, and laborious, and his courage always kept up, and his mind was filled with cheerfulness; see note on 2 Corinthians 2:14. He was deterred by no difficulties; embarrassed by no opposition; driven from his purpose by no persecution; and his strength did not fail under any trials. The consciousness of being entrusted with “such” a ministry animated him; and the mercy and grace of God sustained him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV.

St. Paul shows the integrity with which he had preached the

Gospel of Christ, 1, 2.

And that, if it was unprofitable to any who had heard it, it

was because their unbelieving hearts were blinded, 3, 4.

How he preached, and how he was qualified for the work, 5-7.

The troubles and difficulties he met with in his labours, and

the hope and consolations by which he was supported, 8-15.

And the prospect he had of eternal blessedness, 16-18.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV.

Verse 2 Corinthians 4:1. Seeing we have this ministry — The Gospel, of which he gave that noble account which we read in the preceding chapter.

We faint not — We meet with many tribulations, but are supported in and through all by the grace of the Gospel. Instead of ουκ εκκακουμεν, we faint not, ουκ εγκακουμεν, we act not wickedly, is the reading of ADFG, and some others. Wakefield thinks it the genuine reading; it certainly makes a very good sense with what goes before and what follows. If we follow this reading the whole verse may be read thus: Wherefore, as we have obtained mercy, or been graciously intrusted, ηλεηθημην, with this ministry, we do not act wickedly, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, &c.