Treasure in a Jar of Clay

It seems as if these are the days were many are living with heightened fear, and an uneasiness about the worst-case scenario actually coming about. This is certainly true for every generation, and in these days it has been on issues like war, terrorism, injustice, bankruptcy, unemployment, moral collapse and myriads of other things. In all this, I am reminded of the following words of Paul:

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God (2 Cor. 4:7-15)

These words are apropos. Paul likens himself to simply a frail earthen vessel, a jar of clay so to speak, perhaps an ancient oil lamp. The idea was that the earthenware was made of common materials, which were relatively cheap, but filled with oil and used as a lamp, they had great value providing illumination. Paul is the earthen vessel and the message of Christ is the light is the treasure. It is the message that Paul is delivering, not Paul him self, which demonstrates God’s transforming power in the world.

It is for the message that Paul has been entrusted that he endures the suffering, of being “afflicted,” “perplexed,” “persecuted,” and “struck down.” In fact, as he suffers, he finds himself in situations that bring him closer and closer to death—he finds solace in the fact that his life is being patterned after the life of Christ. Yet, the real gem of Paul’s illustration is the fact that “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.” Paul’s hope went beyond a mere respite from the present pain, but the hope that even if his life were to be tragically cut short, God would raise him from the dead in the end.

Paul could continue in his vocation of sharing the Good News to the world, not because God would make it easier for him in the present; but because he knew that even if his mission were to end in martyrdom, he had the hope of being victorious over death, because the resurrection of Jesus was the first of many resurrections to come of the saints. Life is hard, and God does not make any guarantees that life will become easier over time. What He does promise is the ultimate victory, for the sinful fallen world we live in just might put us in the grave a bit too early, but there is a resurrection.

The reality of suffering is a noble truth, but that is as far as it goes for Buddha. Yes, the world is suffering, but there is another way. Christ gives the Good News to earthen vessels like us, which has the power to transform the world. The Lord can be “manifested in…mortal flesh” through one follows in His footsteps. In fact Christ’s kingdom ethics from the Sermon on the Mount can be the very spiritual salt that preserves the world from the corruption brought about by sin. Moreover, there is the ultimate hope that for the frail vessel of the believer, God shall raise again immortal, imperishable, and incorruptible.