Reading for November 10th

Read 2 Corinthians 4.1-18
In 4.1-6: Ministering under God's light.
These remarks develop 2.17.
To stand in God's presence can cause one to lose heart.
In verse 2: Paul's language recalls ancient descriptions of false philosophers.
Ministry carried out before God in public view requires higher standards than those found among religious impostors.
In verse 3: Veiled: Paul admits his teaching can be difficult to understand (2 pet 3.15-16).
In verse 4: God of this world likely describes Satan (2.11; Jn 12.31).
Image of God: As God's image, Christ reflects God's dazzling brilliance (3.18; Heb 1.3).
In verse 5: The gospel is the message, ministers the messengers (Rom 10.9).
In verse 6: The quotation draws on gen 1.3 and Ps 112.4.
Creation has been reenacted in Christ (5.17).
In verses 7-12: Embodying Jesus' death and life. 
In verse 7: Treasure refers to the gospel (4.3-4).
Its source of power if God (Rom 1.16-17).
In verses 8-9: This list of hardships echoes the opening prayer (1.3-7; 1 Cor 4.9-13).
In verses 10-11: Paul's apostolic lifestyle models the message he preaches: he dies and rises with Christ (Rom 6.8).
In verse 12: Paul's experience with death enables him to transmit life to his churches.
In verses 13-18: Ministering in the spirit of faith.
In verse 13: Ps 115.1 in the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures).
Spirit of faith is the capacity to believe.
In verse 14: What Christ experienced in his resurrection, minister will experience along with their churches (Rom 8.11).
In verse 15: Grace is spread by those who speak the faith they believe (v. 13).
In verse 16: Outer nature and inner nature correspond to body and spirit ((1 Cor 5.3: 7.34).
Christ's spirit renews the believer's spirit (3.18).
In verse 17: Eternal weight of glory is the fullness of God's glory already revealed in Christ (3.18).
In verse 18: This summarizes Paul's understanding of hope (Rom 8.24-25; Heb 11.1-3).
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