A treasure in a clay jar? That doesn’t make sense. Diamond rings come in velvet covered, hinged boxes. Savings bonds are stowed in bank vaults. Irreplaceable family pictures are beautifully framed and prominently displayed. Everyone knows that the more precious the item, the more expensive the packaging.

And that’s why those who worship the god of this world (4:4) are blind to the light of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. For to all outward appearances, Jesus was just another victim of the powerful oppressors, a wandering rabbi who got caught up in the jealousies of the religious leaders of the day, and who ran afoul of the Roman authorities. Jesus was crucified as a threat to social stability and placed in a tomb. End of story.

And to those same worldly people, those who follow Jesus are just as pitiful and pointless. What sense does it make for anyone to allow himself to be afflicted or perplexed or persecuted out of loyalty to a dead loser (4:8-9)? And why would anyone choose to receive the same sort of treatment that Jesus got when it would be so easy to pursue worldly wealth and power instead? No, a clay pot is just that: there’s no reason to look inside it for anything valuable.

But as Paul points out, God is able to bring the greatest light out of the deepest darkness (4:6). And by dying on a cross, Jesus actually displayed the glory and the image of God, in all His faithful, self-sacrificial, unconditional love (4:4). And because Jesus walked out of His tomb on the third day, we can be certain that the One Who raised Him from the dead will do the same thing for all those who love and trust in Him (4:14).

So, no matter what the outward circumstances of our lives may be, we keep on looking not to the perishable things of this world that we can see, but to the eternal, precious truths and promises that are still unseen (4:18). For one day, the treasure will be taken out of the clay pot. The Christ we now cherish in our hearts will be revealed in all His glory, for all the unbelieving world to see. So, let’s keep on telling the good news, so that on that day, more people will have reason to give thanks to God for His forgiving grace (4:15).

II Corinthians 4:1-18 (NASB)

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,
2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;
8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore also we speak;
14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.