The Face of Christ (2 Cor 4:1-6)

What does your face reveal? Strong cheekbones? Handsome features? Nice smile? Sultry skin? Kindness? Playfulness? Seriousness? I want my face to not look like a wrinkled old man as I get older. Paul says that God's light shining in our hearts gives Christians "the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). Do you shine the face of Jesus?

Paul's ministry (4:1-6). The glorious ministry entrusted to Paul is a ministry of the Spirit that brings life, righteousness and transformation of character to those who believe the gospel (3:7-18). With such a great privilege of serving such a ministry, he lives and proclaims the gospel (4:1-6). The minds of some are still blind to this gospel (2 Cor 4:3-4). The essential content of his gospel is Christ is Lord (2 Cor 4:5) and the glory of God shines in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). Paul's own experience is reflected:

• He had been an unbeliever, blinded to the light of the gospel (2 Cor 4:4a). On the road to Damascus, however, Paul saw the glory of God in the face of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor 4:4b, 6). Having given him the ministry of the new covenant, God showed him mercy, illuminating his heart that he might give the light of the knowledge of God to others (2 Cor 4:1, 6). In proclaiming the word of God, the gospel of 'Jesus Christ as Lord,' Paul sets 'forth the truth' (2 Cor 4:2, 4, 5a) as their 'slave' for Jesus' sake (2 Cor 4:5b).

"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart" (2 Cor 4:1). This ministry is the ministry of the Spirit under the new covenant whose glory Paul depicted (3:7-18). Paul was very conscious that his ministry was only through God's mercy, for he never forgot that he was formerly a persecutor of the church of God (1 Cor 15:9-10; 1 Tim 1:12-16). The awareness of the great privilege and responsibility involved caused him not to lose heart, despite the many difficulties and sufferings he experienced in carrying out that ministry (2 Cor 11:23-28).

"Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways" (2 Cor 4:2a). 2 Cor 4:2b is how Paul renounces shameful (or disgraceful) ways. Negatively, "we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God" (2 Cor 4:2b). Deception (panourgia) [2 Cor 11:3: 'Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning.'] In Paul's preaching of the gospel there was no attempt to deceive by cunning or to distort the word of God. 'to distort' is found only here in the NT. Its relation to the adulteration of wine equates with the distortion of the word of God, by mingling it with alien ideas, or removing its offence so as to peddle it for personal gain (2 Cor 2:17). He's likely responding to criticisms of the way he conducts his ministry.

Positively: "On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor 4:2b). Contrast deception/setting forth the truth plainly and the word of God that has been distorted/the truth. The conscience is that human faculty by which people are able to approve or disapprove their actions (those intended as well as those already performed) and also the actions of others (2 Cor 1:12). Paul invites everyone, convinced that when they judge him in the light of their own consciences, they will acknowledge that he has acted with integrity. "...in the sight of God" shows that Paul was concerned ultimately to minister in a way that finds God's approval. He says, 'I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me' (1 Cor 4:3-4).

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing" (2 Cor 4:3; 3:14-16). Perhaps Paul was criticized because his gospel was rejected by many of his own people (Acts 13:44-45; 17:5-9; 18:5-6, 12-13; 19:8-9), which they entertained. His response is that the hiddenness of the gospel is due not to deficiencies in his ministry, but to them: it is veiled only to those who are perishing: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God . . . Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:18, 22-24).

In their case, "The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers" (2 Cor 4:4a). Satan is permitted a limited rule in the present age (Jn 12:31), which will be terminated with Christ's return. Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers to the truth of the gospel, which is why many rejected Paul's gospel. The veil over their minds prevented the Jews from understanding their own Scriptures (2 Cor 3:14-16). Satan is involved not only in the veiling of the minds of Jews, but of all unbelievers. The activity of Satan is also directed against believers as well, seeking to deceive them and to move them away from their devotion to Christ (2 Cor 2:11; 11:3, 14).

Satan is always seeking to hinder the work of God, but he can do so only with divine permission. The blindness of mind which he is allowed to impose can at any time be penetrated by a blaze of light if God so wills. This was Paul's own experience. In his blindness, he persecuted God's church until such time as it pleased God to reveal his Son to him (Acts 9:1-19; Gal 1:13-17).

"...so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" 2 Cor 4:4b). The god of this age blinds people's minds so that they cannot see the light--the light of the gospel, the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, described as the image of God. So when they hear the gospel they do not appreciate its truth--similar to the parable of the sower: ''Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved'' (Lk 8:12).

Paul says the gospel he preaches concerns 'Christ crucified' (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2; Gal 3:1), while here he describes the gospel as displaying the glory of Christ. But next he says that he preaches 'Jesus Christ as Lord' (2 Cor 4:5) Also, he describes the content of the gospel as 'Christ died for our sins . . . was buried . . . was raised' (1 Cor. 15:3-4). The gospel is that the crucified One is the Lord who was raised from the dead, which justifies describing the gospel as displaying the glory of Christ.

The gospel concerns "the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Cor 4:4b) alludes to the creation of man ['Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness' (Gen 1:26)], for Paul speaks of Christ as the 'last Adam', comparing (and contrasting) him with the 'first Adam' (1 Cor 15:45-49; Rom 5:12-19). [In Israel's wisdom literature Wisdom is personified and her glories celebrated: 'For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness' (Wis 7:26)]. Elsewhere Paul ascribes to Christ that role in creation which Israel's wisdom literature ascribes to Wisdom (Prov 8:22-31; Col 1:15-20). Thus, Christ is the image of God after the fashion of Adam as far as his humanity is concerned, and after the fashion of Wisdom as far as his transcendence is concerned.

"For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus'sake" (2 Cor 4:5). This concisely describes Paul's ministry:

• his vocation--a preacher, 
• the content of his preaching--Jesus Christ as Lord, and 
• he ministers to people as their servant for Jesus ' sake.

The heart of the gospel: 'we preach Christ crucified' (1 Cor 1:23) and "we preach ... Jesus Christ as Lord" (2 Cor 4:5). The lordship of Christ calls people to give their allegiance to him, who is also the crucified One, the one who died for them and was then raised as Lord of all. These 2 elements of the gospel must be held together; if not, the gospel is distorted (2 Cor 4:2).

"...ourselves as servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor 4:5b) is contrary to Paul promoting his own authority and importance (2 Cor 1:24). Paul acknowledges only one Master, and it is in obedience to him that he serves his converts - for Jesus' sake. This could be understood as either apologetic or polemic, or both. It's apologetic if Paul were responding to criticism that in his preaching he puts himself forward (drawing attention to his own importance as an apostle than to proclaim the gospel). It would be polemic if Paul were implying that, unlike others who do put themselves forward in their preaching, he preaches the lordship of Christ.

"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 God's glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6; Gen 1:3). It's the gracious work of God in Paul's heart that motivates his preaching of the gospel. Paul likens the revelation to him of God's glory to the creative act of God to banish the darkness of the primeval world by the light. Conversion is depicted as illumination revealing the true nature of Christ whose displays face the glory of God, like Paul's own conversion (Gal 1:13-17; Acts 9:1-9). 'There is an outward as well as an inward aspect here. Outwardly, on the way to Damascus, Paul saw "the glory of God in the face of Christ"; inwardly, and as a consequence, "God has shone in our hearts" . . . Whereas God's outward revelation of his glory to Paul was unique, his inner enlightenment of the heart also describes the illumination of all who receive the gospel message.' [Barnett] Note two things. 

1. Very high view of the person of Christ: 'the image of God' (2 Cor 4:4) and 'God's glory displayed in the face of Christ' (2 Cor 4:6). Man was created in the image of God (Gen 1:26), but marred by sin and is now restored by grace (2 Cor 3:18). But it's much more than that, most clearly set out in Col 1:15-20: Christ is 'the image of the invisible God' (Col 1:15), God's agent in creation and providence (Col 1:16-17), the Lord of the church (Col 1:18) and the one in whom 'God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell' (Col 1:19). Such an similar exalted view of Christ in the NT is also in Jn 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-4.
2. All who minister in Christ's name have their ministry only by the mercy of God (2 Cor 4:1) who made his light shine into their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). Entrusted with such a treasure, they must: 
1. refuse to distort the gospel and must preach the truth plainly, commending themselves to people's consciences (2 Cor 2:2), if not their prejudices. 
2. preach Jesus Christ as Lord (2 Cor 4:5), and 
3. be willing to be servants of those to whom they minister for Jesus'sake. 
4. recognize that not all will accept their message, because their minds have been blinded, but need to remember that the God who made his light shine into their own hearts can do likewise for those to whom they preach.

2:14 - 4:6 on Paul's competence for ministry teaches the nature of authentic ministry, its validation and its conduct.

1. The 'aroma' of the knowledge of God spread everywhere through gospel preaching [the imagery of the Roman triumphal procession]. The gospel brings life to those who accept it, but death to those who reject it. Paul felt the heavy responsibility of this ministry because he refused to adulterate the gospel message to make it more acceptable, as 'some' did (2 Cor 2:14-17).
2. The validation of Paul's ministry is the very existence of a church in Corinth. It's his letter of recommendation--a letter whose 'author' was Christ, inscribed with the 'ink' of the Spirit in their hearts through Paul's own ministry (2 Cor 3:1-3).
3. Competency in ministry is not in himself but comes from God, who made Paul an able minister of the new covenant (2 Cor 3:4-6) . This is in response to the question, 'who is equal to such a task?' The new covenant is far more glorious than the old: it's a covenant of the Spirit--not one that brings death, it brings righteousness--not condemnation, and it lasts--not transitory (2 Cor 3:7-11). It's an immense privilege and a weighty responsibility to participate in such a ministry.
4. A veil that blinds. Criticisms that many of his fellow Jews don't accept his message was due, not to any deficiencies in the gospel or his ministry, but that a veil blinds their minds from seeing the truth. Only when they turn to the Lord is the veil removed. Then they can see the glory of the Lord displayed in the face of Christ and they in turn are transformed progressively into his image (2 Cor 3:12-18).
5. A ministry of integrity is when people refuse to use deception or to distort the word of God by proclaiming the truth clearly (2 Cor 4:1). Ministry is authentic when Christ is proclaimed as Lord, and when those who proclaim him see themselves as servants of those to whom they minister, for Jesus' sake (2 Cor 4:5).

Reference:

1. Charles Hodge. 1 & 2 Corinthians. A Geneva Series Commentary. The Banner of Truth Trust. 1857, 1859.
2. Colin Kruse. 2 Corinthians. Tyndale NT Commentaries. 1987, 2005.
3. Geoffrey Grogan. 2 Corinthians. The Glories & Responsibilities of Christian Service. 2007.
4. David Garland. 2 Corinthians. The New American Commentary. 1999.
5. Paul Barnett. The Message of 2 Corinthians. 1988.