Before directly confronting the “super-apostles” who infiltrated the Corinthian church (11:5), Paul shows how real apostles live and conduct their ministry (2:14-7:4). Part of his ministry consists of refusing to be enamored with the old covenant, but instead, preaching the superior new covenant (3:1-18). Because the new covenant is so much better than the old, Paul is able to persevere in his proclamation of the gospel (4:1-6). 

Translation

1 Therefore, since we have received this ministry through God’s mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced shameful, secret things, not walking in craftingness or corrupting the word of God but instead commending ourselves to every person’s conscience with a manifestation of truth before God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot 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 Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants because of Jesus. 6 For the God who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 

Commentary

Because Paul has received his ministry of the new covenant through God’s mercy, he does not give up (4:1). Furthermore, he refuses to manipulate others but speaks plainly to prick the conscience of others (4:2). Although Paul speaks the truth plainly, not everyone believes it. Why? Because Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers from “seeing” Christ’s glory (4:3-4). Resuming his thought of 4:1-2, Paul explains further that an open statement of the truth involves preaching Christ, which is the means by which God saves sinners (4:5-6). 

1 Therefore, since we have received this ministry through God’s mercy, we do not lose heart.

Paul received his ministry to proclaim Christ solely by God’s mercy. Paul recounts God’s merciful action on his behalf in 1 Timothy: “Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). It’s precisely because Paul had received his commission by God’s grace that he can persevere in his ministry: he does not lose heart (Gal. 6:9; Eph. 3:13; 2 Thess. 3:13). 

 2 But we have renounced shameful, secret things, not walking in craftingness or corrupting the word of God but instead commending ourselves to every person’s conscience with a manifestation of truth before God. 

Not only does Paul endure in his ministry, but he also conducts himself with transparency, both in how he lives and how he speaks. The Corinthians had accused Paul of being underhanded and flippant towards them (1:12-17). But Paul, in reality, has no “secrets.” He doesn’t live in a duplicitous way, nor does he try to manipulate others for his own ends (“being crafty”). Paul may have also been accused of “corrupting” the word of God because he taught the abolishment of the old covenant. His opponents would have likely slandered Paul that he was soft on sin and didn’t care about morality when he claimed that the Law was done away with (cf. Rom. 3:8; 6:1-2). But Paul is not corrupting the word, but showing its true fulfillment in Christ. Paul also speaks “openly” with a clear statement of the truth. He doesn’t mince his words or speak vaguely. He straightforwardedly proclaims Christ (4:5). He speaks in a way that commends himself to the conscience of others, seeking to persuade sinners to accept Christ. Yet, when he is preaching the gospel, he is always conscious that he is doing so not solely to human beings, but also ministering in God’s very presence (2:17; 5:9-11; 7:12; 12:19). The Protestant Reformers spoke of living coram deo (before the face of God). Summarizing Paul’s teaching on doing ministry in God’s presence, the Reformers believed that ministers were accountable to God and do all things for his glory. 

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing.

If Paul speaks the truth of God plainly, why do some people refuse to accept it? It would be understandable for others to reject the gospel if Paul spoke in such a way that it made it difficult to understand the good news. But he does not. So what gives? Before Paul explains why some don’t believe the gospel, he mentions who won’t believe the gospel: “those who are perishing.” Earlier in the letter, Paul explained that his ministry is like the stench of death to those who are perishing (2:15). To “perish” means to eventually be eternally separated from God in hell. There are some in the world who will hear the gospel and not believe. They will be presented with the truth but it is “veiled” to them ( Isa. 6:9–10; John 12:40; 2 Cor. 3:14–15; Rom. 11:7–8). There is nothing deficient in the gospel or in Paul’s presentation of it. The blame lies with those who won’t accept it. 

 4 In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Now Paul explicitly states why some don’t believe the gospel: they are blinded by Satan. According to Paul, the devil actively works to keep people from accepting the truth of the gospel. Other Scriptures speak of Satan tempting people (Gen. 3:1-7), deceiving people (2 Thess. 2:9-10; Rev. 12:9) and ruling over them (1 John 5:19). But Satan is not literally blinding people. According to Scripture, seeing is hearing. In other words, “seeing Christ” in the New Testament is a metaphor for hearing, understanding, and accepting the gospel. Jesus explicitly affirms this understanding of seeing and hearing: “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me” (John 12:44-45). Jesus does not speak of literal eyesight but about hearing and believing the good news. 

Satan keeps people from understanding the glorious good news: “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Paul defines the light as the gospel. The content of the gospel is Christ’s glory. It’s easy to misunderstand what the New Testament means by “Christ’s glory” because of our warped sense of glory based on human achievement. When we think of glory, we often will go directly toward those who are applauded and receive awards for what they have done. But Christ’s glory is most clearly manifested in death on the cross (John 12:23-24, 27-28; 13:31-32; 17:1, 4-5). Moreover, Jesus received the exaltation of the Father only through his death on the cross (Phil. 2:8-11; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 5:9-12). The cross glorifies Jesus because it was the means by which he redeemed the world; there would be no salvation without it. And, in a very real sense, Jesus did do all the work for our salvation and so he must get all the acclaim. The gospel, then, reveals the glory of Christ because it is the message of his crucifixion by which we are forgiven. 

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants because of Jesus.

After a brief aside explaining why some don’t believe, Paul elucidates what a “manifestation of the truth” looks like: preaching Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23; 2:1-2; Gal. 1:11-12). Specifically, Paul preaches “Jesus Christ as Lord” (Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9; Phil. 2:11). N.T. Wright defines the gospel this way: 

“The gospel is the royal announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures, has been enthroned as the true Lord of the world. When this gospel is preached, God calls people to salvation, out of sheer grace, leading them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord.” (source)

In other words, it is incredibly good news that Jesus Christ is Lord and no other ruler is. Jesus is our Lord and Savior, or better yet, our Savior-Lord because you cannot separate Jesus’ exaltation from his crucifixion. Jesus is the Lord of the world who laid aside his eternal privileges to humble himself to live a life of poverty and disgrace and willingly die in order to redeem us. That is a Lord worth worshipping! 

The content of his preaching is Christ, but the mode of his ministry is to be a bond-servant of the Corinthians. Earlier in the letter, Paul assures the Corinthians that he was never intending to dominate over them but serve them to bring them joy (1:24). Paul is willingly giving up his privileges and prerogatives of an apostle for their good (1 Cor. 9:12, 15; 2 Cor. 11:7-9; 12:13-15). Real ministry is done with a servant’s heart which reflects the heart of Jesus, for “The Son of Man did not come be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). 

6 For the God who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 

Paul can continue to preach Christ because of God’s saving power working in his life. Paul links God’s work in creation with God’s work in the gospel to bring about new creation (cf. 5:17). The God who spoke light into existence at creation (Gen. 1:3) is the same God who shines his light into the heart of those who believe (Eph. 1:17-18; Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9). Again, the shining of his light is not literal but a metaphor for bringing new spiritual life to people. But even the idea of spiritual life is more a relational reality than a biological one. The New Testament defines those who are alive and those are dead based upon whether they have a relationship with God (Eph. 2:1-15). Adam and Eve “died” the day they sinned because they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden which severed their relationship with God (Gen. 2:1; 3:24). Through the gospel, however, God brings people into right relationship with himself. What brings new life to sinners is “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Knowing God and his glory is one way that the Scriptures define salvation (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14; John 17:3; Col. 2:2; 2 Peter 1:2-3). Yet, true knowledge of God comes meditated through the “face” of Christ. The New Testament indicates that “seeing” Christ means “seeing” God” (John 1:14; 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). In other words, understanding the gospel message about Christ is what enables people to have a relationship with God. Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:13; 1 Tim. 2:5). 

When Paul references the “face” of Christ, he may also be alluding to Exodus 34:29-25 where Moses veiled his face before the Israelites but would unveil his face when he entered the presence of the Lord. Paul interpreted the passage in 3:1-18 to demonstrate the superiority of the new covenant over the old. Just as Moses used the “veil” to conceal God’s glory from the Israelite, in a similar way, those who refuse to believe the gospel are blocked from seeing the glory of Christ (3:13-15). Yet those who believe in Christ have the veil removed and are able to experience the glory of God with “unveiled face” just like Moses did (3:18). When someone believes the gospel, it is like they are able to enter the presence of God and see the glory of God shining on Christ’s face which reflects onto their face.