“5. For we do not preach ourselves but Messiah Yeshua as Adonai, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Yeshua’s sake. In the Greco-Roman world to be a slave to a high ranking official was an honor and thought to be better than those who walked about as free people.  Paul is appealing to this knowledge of their society when he calls himself a slave of Yeshua….the highest-ranking “official”.  He is letting these people know that it is very honorable to be a slave of the Messiah that he preaches.  It was also common in that culture for philosophers to end up proclaiming and gathering a following to themselves…Paul is adamant that he is proclaiming Yeshua as Messiah and Him alone.

 6. For Elohim, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of Elohim in the face of Messiah.  Paul has gone back to Genesis 1 to draw a pattern and a parallel of the creation of light which dispelled the darkness that covered the earth in order to show that the same thing happens in our dark hearts when we receive the knowledge of Yeshua as Messiah.  In Yeshua, the glory of YHVH is experienced!! The Scripture is often referred to as light (Psalm 119:105) and the knowledge and obedience to the Word is how Yeshua lights up our hearts and lives.  We are to be a living menorah…a lampstand set on a hill.

7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of Yah and not from ourselves; 8. we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9. persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10. always carrying about in the body the dying of Yeshua, so that the life of Yeshua also may be manifested in our body. 11. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death [afflicted] for Yeshua’s sake, so that the life of Yeshua also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12. So death [affliction] works in us, but life in you.” In the Greco-Roman mindset, they believed that philosophers who suffered affliction with ease were given some kind of special power or ability.  Paul is making it VERY clear that his power and strength to suffer affliction comes only from the One True Elohim, YHVH and Yeshua. Paul uses the phrase “earthen vessels” to show how readily available but disposable mankind really is; they didn’t value clay or earthen vessels.  They would readily discard those but would keep the bronze vessels as they viewed these as far more value.  So Paul’s point is that our Creator will live in a vessel that they viewed as inferior.  Greek scholars often talked about the body housing the soul.  But Paul is contrasting mankind with the Creator, not body and soul.  Paul goes onto say that he carries in his body the truth that Yeshua died in order that the life of Yeshua would be manifested in our body.  How does this happen? Why this phraseology? He is drawing a pattern for the resurrection based on the principle of the seed.  John 12:24-26 says, paraphrasing, that unless a seed falls into the ground and dies it abides alone.  This is a pattern for resurrection from death into life…from darkness into light. It’s what is known as a dichotomy, a separation into two divisions that differ widely from or contradict each other.  To live one must die. To gain one must give. To gather one must separate.  You get the picture.

The Light of the knowledge of the glory of Elohim is in the face of Messiah. Right knowledge gives light to our hearts/menorah so that we will not be walking around in darkness.  What we read, watch, listen to, and focus on will determine how much light we have. The day is coming and very soon when what we’re doing today will be realized tomorrow.  Let’s bring pure oil to our lives so that we will shine brightly for the kingdom as the days draw darker.

Have a blessed and shalom filled preparation day!!!

Courtesy of
River of Life Tabernacle
Tammy McLendon
Great peace have they who love Your law. Psalm 119:165a