For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
What does 2 Corinthians 4:6 mean?
The best of men would faint, if they did not receive mercy from God. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside its immediate passage and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who commanded ... - The design of this verse seems to be, to give a reason why Paul and his fellow-apostles did not preach themselves, but Jesus Christ the Lord, 2 Corinthians 4:5 . That reason was, that their minds had been so illuminated by that God who had commanded the light to shine out of darkness, that they had discerned the glory of the divine perfections shining in and through the Redeemer, and they therefore gave themselves. to the work of making him known among people. The doctrines which they preached they had not derived from people in any form. They had not been elaborated by human reasoning or science, nor had they been imparted by tradition.
Key words
- the glory of God
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the glory of God. For God, who commanded ...
- face
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face. The sense is not materially affected which ever translation is preferred.
Context in 2 Corinthians 4
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2 Corinthians 4 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as reconciliation and the new covenant. Second Corinthians is Paul’s deepest letter on apostolic suffering, consolation, generosity, reconciliation, and the paradox of strength in weakness. Read this chapter with the wider themes of weakness, ministry, and reconciliation in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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