The human body is like a jar of clay, a fragile shell made of the ground we walk on, meant to store goods. When closed, it is without light. Ancient cultures used plain clay jars to conceal valuable treasures – sacred scrolls, hard jewels, and untarnished precious metals. The wonderful treasure in Christians is God’s light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (6)
Though a hard, fragile shell, pressed on every side, Christians are not crushed. Though wrestled about like a sports ball, not knowing what is happening and what to do about it, we are not without hope and deliverance. (8) Though persecuted, we are not abandoned. Though thrown down like a wrestler, we are not destroyed. We are lifted up and move on. (9)
Like a jar full of valuables is buried, our body is buried with Christ. (Romans 6:4-6) We die every day. (1 Corinthians 15:31) We always carry around in our clay body the death of Jesus. (10a, 11a). Why? So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (10b). We die for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (11b) Death is at work in this clay body, but life is at work in those we minister to. (12) We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (7)
