2 CorinthiansSample

Jars of clay, pottery, or earthenware pots were common metaphors in the ancient world for human weakness. This verse reinforces the central point of the book of 2 Corinthians: God has the victory over human weakness as embodied by Jesus in his crucifixion. In addition, the Corinthians had been judging Paul by his public figure, speaking style, and the fact that he was weak and even close to death, concluding that there was nothing valuable about him.

The apostle shows them that they are missing the point: the treasure of the Gospel is one to be carried to all people, through all ages, as new creations reflecting God’s glory. Paul explicitly rejects the idea that the carriers of this message should become the focus; what matters is the content of the message! As humans, we are fragile, easily breakable, humble parts of the ecosystem of God’s creation, invited to partner with Him in the work of new creation.