2 Corinthians 4:11, commentary and pictures

Those who are alive in Christ are continually given over to danger and death for his sake. Paul and his fellow workers show what this means, worn down by toil, hunger, beatings, imprisonment and constant peril as they pressed on to save others. This dying in the body is so that Jesus' own risen life may be seen in mortal flesh, proving the power at work is his and not their own. When Christ lives within by faith, self dies and his character, sympathy and righteousness color thoughts, words and daily duties, making believers living lights to the world. That death working in them brings spiritual life and health to others who believe, while faithfulness even unto death cannot touch the soul and leaves God's cause to go forward.

Delivered Unto Death

Those who live for Jesus and serve Him are continually exposed to death for His sake. Paul and his fellow laborers exemplify this, living continually in peril as Christ's messengers with hardships and dangers as part of their gospel work. Paul endured beatings, imprisonment, hunger, danger and other sufferings for the gospel, for the truth and the salvation of others, while pressing on in Christ's cause.

Their hardships of privation and toil wore away their physical strength as they suffered and were conformed to Christ's death. That their pathway was beset by trial and temptation proves their choice of Christ's service was not from selfish motives. Christ's disciples share in suffering and even death for His sake, and the apostles were persecuted and imprisoned and finally sealed their ministry with their blood.

Those who faithfully bear Christ's word may face death at any time for His sake. The threat may reach the body and shorten earthly life, but it cannot take the soul, and faithfulness to the truth continues despite danger. Afflictions come upon God's workers so that they may lay down the armor from lack of physical strength, yet God's purpose will still be accomplished and death does not end the cause. As the laying away of the Saviour seemed to end His earthly work but His death on the cross was the very life of the cause He advocated, so the death of a faithful worker leaves God's work to go forward.

Life Made Manifest

Those who live are continually exposed to death for Jesus' sake so that mortal life and mortal bodies make the life of Jesus visible, and their very weakness and danger display that the life and power at work in them come from Jesus and not from themselves. The life of Jesus, the risen Jesus, can be made visible in mortal human beings, and is to be shown daily in His followers. Those who are God's children, begotten by His Spirit, live by God's life, and that life produces in them the same character and works seen in Jesus.

Christ's servants endure hardship and self-denial for Jesus' sake so that the life of Jesus may be seen in their mortal lives, serving humbly rather than preaching self, caring for the church and carrying the truth to others, and bearing Christ's death in the body brings life and salvation and righteousness. That death at work in them brings spiritual life and health to those who believe the truth, making them partakers of eternal life, and the truth changes and ennobles those who receive it. Their hardships of privation and toil wear away physical strength as they suffer and are conformed to Christ's death, so that the life of Jesus is made manifest in mortal flesh.

When Jesus abides in the heart and believers abide in Christ, Jesus lives again in the world through them, pride is expelled from the soul with no harshness, coldness or discourtesy in word or spirit, self is forgotten, the person manifests divine sympathy, blesses those contacted, and through a fragrant influence of character testifies to the power of the truth, becoming one with Christ as He is one with the Father and a living, shining light to the world. This is abiding in Christ by living faith while Christ abides in the heart by individual appropriating faith as a constant divine companion, so that wherever believers go they carry the recollection of One dear to them, that realized presence brings thoughts into captivity to Him and gives controlling power over the whole character, self is dead and it is no more believers who live but Christ who lives in them as a personal, living Saviour and the hope of glory, and thus His life is made manifest in mortal flesh by molding character after the divine similitude, coloring thoughts, ideas, actions and daily duties, and reflecting His righteousness to all around.

Their lives displayed the spirit of their Master, for Christ's disciples share in suffering and even death for His sake, as the apostles were persecuted and imprisoned and finally sealed their ministry with their blood. Believers must suffer for Christ and die to self in this life if they would share His glory hereafter.

Believers Response and Duty

The whole chapter that holds this verse is instruction for home life, to be studied and practiced as God's Word, and its teaching belongs to representing Christ's character in family government. Parents are to take that chapter as divine direction for ordering the home, learning it and living it out in daily rule and training.

Its instruction is precious for every believer and is to be applied personally rather than left general. It calls for reflection on eternal concerns and for humble hearts before God. This call presses especially upon teachers of the church, who are to examine themselves and bow low before Him.

In ministry the verse means serving humbly rather than preaching oneself. It means caring for the church and carrying the truth to others in self-denial and hardship for Jesus' sake, so that Jesus' life may be seen in mortal lives. The truth thus borne changes and ennobles those who receive it.

Paul and his fellow laborers as Christ's messengers lived continually in peril for Jesus' sake, and because their pathway was beset by trial and temptation their choice of Christ's service is proved not to have been from selfish motives. The hardships of privation and toil wore away their physical strength as they suffered and were conformed to Christ's death, so that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in their mortal flesh. That death at work in them brought spiritual life and health to those who believed the truth, making them partakers of eternal life. Followers of Jesus must therefore be careful not to increase the burdens and trials of their laborers by neglect and disaffection.