The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 94

as the Mediator between God and man. He whose grand mission it is t.o reconcile man to his Maker. 2. Preach him as the great Example foi: man's imitation. fie who embodies the ideal of human perfection and blessedness. III. The RIGHT SERVICE in preaching. "Ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." The true preacher is : 1. •Tho servant of souls. 2, 1'he servant of souls inspired by love for Christ. " Servants for Jesus' sake." Ver. 6.-True soul-light. "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." There are two lights in the soul. There is tho light of nature. This light consists of those moral intuitions which Heaven implanted within us at first. These intuitions are good enough for angels, did for Adam before he fell; but now, through sin, they are so blunt and dim that the soul is in moral darkness : "The light that is in thee is darkness." The other light is that of the light of the gospel. This comes because the light of nature is all hut gone out, and comes as essential to our spiritual well-being. This i~ the light to which the passage refers, the new soul-light. The words call attention to three facts concerning it. I. IT EMANATES FBOM TRE RIGREST SOURCE. "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, bath shined in our hearts." The reference is here to the creation (Gen. i. 3). It reminds us: 1. Of antecedent darkness. The state of the soul before this light enters it is analogous to the state of the earth before God kindled the lights of the firmament. It was cold, chaotic, dead. In what a sad condition is the unregenerate soul! 2. Of almighty sovereignty. "Let there be light"-" Let light be, and light was." The luminaries of the firmament were kindled by the free, uncontrolled, almighty power of God. So it is with real spiritual light. It comes because God wills it. Everywhere he " worketh according to the counsel of his own will" II. IT REVEALS THE GRANDEST SUBJECT. Light is a revealer. All the hues and forms, beauties and sublimities of the earth would be hid from ns without the light. What does this soul-light reve.111? "1'he light of the knowledge of the glory of God.'' Gospel light entering the soul makes God visible as the eternal Henlity, the Foun- tain of being, and the Source of all blessedness. Where this gospel light is not, the soul either ignores or donies him; or, at most, speculates about him, and at bost hns now and then flitting visions. But under the radiance of the gospel, God is tho Reality of all realities, the Fountain of all existences, the Root of a.II the sciences. In thi8 light they see God, and through him they see and interpret his universe. IIL IT STBEAllS TRBOUGH TRE St'BLIMEST MEDIUM. "In tho face of Josus Christ." There is undoubted allusion here to what is Mid of Moses (eh. iii. 13) when tho Divine glory was reflected on his face, and produced such a splendour and mnguificenco that the children of Ismel could not steadf11Stly look upon it. 1'he sense hero is thnt, in the fa.co or the person of Jesus ChriHt, the glory of God shone clearly, a.nu the Divinity appeared without n veil. This light coming through Christ, "who is the im11go of the invisible God," is : 1. True light.. He is the Truth. 2. Softened light. '!'ho soul could not et.and the light coming directly from the infinito Sourco; it is too dnzzliu~. Through the medium of Christ it comes so softened as to suit our weokness. a. Quickening light. It fall■ on the soul like the sunbeam on the seed quickening into life. Ver. 7.-The t~ gospel miniatry. "But we have this treasure," etc. 'Ihe words lead us to consider the true gospel ministry in various aspects. I. As CONTAINING AN INESTIMABLE TBBASUilE. 'l'he gospel is a systum of incal- culable worth. The most valuable things in nature a.re employed to represent it- wa.ter, light, life, etc. There are four criteria that detem1ine lho worth of a thing- rarity, utility, duration, ~he appreciatwn of the higl•est authorities. All these applied to the gospel demonstrate its surpassing value. II. As TRE SEBVIOE o:r FRAGILE MEN. "In e:irthcn vessels.'' To whom have tho inestimable truths of the gospel been entrusted for exposition, enforcement, nnd distri- bution? Not to angels, but to frail and dying men. 1. '!'hey havo frail bodies. They ure subject to infirmity e:x.haustion, decay, otc. 2. 'l'hey have frail minds. 'l'he moHt 94 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, (011. Iv. 1--18,