2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
have	Ἔχομεν Echomen	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active indicative, 1st person plural
this	τοῦτον toûton	G5126	this (person
treasure	θησαυρὸν thēsauron	G2344	a deposit · noun — accusative singular masculine
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
earthen	ὀστρακίνοις ostrakinois	G3749	earthen-ware · adjective — dative plural neuter
vessels	σκεύεσιν, skeuesin	G4632	a vessel · noun — dative plural neuter
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
excellency	ὑπερβολὴ huperbolē	G5236	a throwing beyond others · noun — nominative singular feminine
power	δυνάμεως dunameōs	G1411	force (literally or figuratively) · noun — genitive singular feminine
be	ὦ ō	G5600	(may
God	θεοῦ theou	G2316	figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
of	ἐξ ex	G1537	literal or figurative · preposition
us	ἡμῶν hēmōn	G2257	of (or from) us

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in…
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
1 Corinthians 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that…
Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Corinthians 2:3-5 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Lamentations 4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
Ephesians 1:19-20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

The apostle had, in the foregoing chapter, been magnifying his office, upon the consideration of the excellency or glory of that gospel about which he did officiate; and now in this chapter his design is to vindicate their ministry from the accusation of false teachers, who charged them as deceitful workers, or endeavoured to prejudice the minds of the people against them on account of their sufferings. He tells them, therefore, how they believed, and how they showed their value for their office as ministers of the gospel. They were not puffed up with pride, but spurred on to great diligence: "Seeing we have this ministry, are so much distinguished and dignified, we do not take state upon ou…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 4:7

"Lest any should say, How then is it that we continue to enjoy such unspeakable glory in a mortal body? Paul replies, this very fact is one of the most marvellous proofs of God's power, that an earthen vessel could bear such splendor and keep such a treasure" [CHRYSOSTOM, Homilies, 8.496, A]. The treasure or "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God." The fragile "earthen vessel" is the body, the "outward man" (Co2 4:16; compare Co2 4:10), liable to afflictions and death. So the light in Gideon's pitchers, the type (Jdg 7:16-20, Jdg 7:22). The ancients often kept their treasures in jars or vessels of earthenware. "There are earthen vessels which yet may be clean; whereas a golden vesse…

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Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels - The original, οστρακινοις σκευεσιν, signifies, more literally, vessels made of shells, which are very brittle; and as the shell is the outward part of a fish, it is very fit, as Dr. Hammond observes, to resemble our bodies in which our souls dwell. The Platonists make two bodies of a man: the one they call οξημα ψυχης, the chariot of the soul; the other, that which we see and touch; and this they call οστρακινον which is the same to us as the shell is to the fish. The word οστρακον not only signifies a shell, or vessel made of shell, but also πηλος ωπτημενος, an earthen vessel which has been burnt in the kiln, and earthen vessels or pottery in g…

The Church Fathers

Every word of Scripture is a symbol all its own. These rustic words that persons of every age ponder over are packed full of mystical meaning. "But we carry this treasure in vessels of clay"; we have a divine treasury of meaning in the most ordinary words.
— Jerome, HOMILY 20 ON PSALM 90 (91)

We have a treasure in such vessels of clay. There are many who construe this last expression in reference to the body and to the Holy Spirit, meaning, of course, that we possess a treasure in earthen vessels. There is certainly that interpretation, but I think the better treasury-concept is that we have a most precious treasure in vessels of clay symbolizing the homely words of the Scripture.
— Jerome, HOMILY 11 ON PSALM 77 (78)

By treasure, Paul meant the sacrament of God in Christ, which is made manifest to believers but which has been concealed from unbelievers with a veil. Just as a treasure is put in a hidden place, the sacrament of God is hidden within a person, in his heart. The reference to earthen vessels is an allusion to the weakness of human nature, which can do nothing unless empowered by God.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Ministers · Compared to earthen vessels — Compared to earthen vessels
Treasure · .Of spiritual — .Of spiritual

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

2 Corinthians 4:7

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 4:7

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 4:7

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Corinthians 4:7

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Corinthians 4:7

Adam Clarke on 2 Corinthians 4:7

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on 2 Corinthians 4:7

John Calvin on 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Corinthians 4:7