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Earthen Vessels with Heavenly Treasure

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The following is adapted from the Blue Letter Bible Institute (BLBi) class God’s Sufficiency for Godly Living by the late Bob Hoekstra. God’s Sufficiency for Godly Living teaches a Biblical understanding of what it means to rely upon God alone; it is one of fourteen free classes available at the BLBi.

The title of this post comes from 2 Corinthians 4, which speaks of earthen vessels filled with heavenly treasure. God has set a pattern into the Christian life. He has crafted men as earthen vessels. Men are weak and ordinary, as if made of clay. Earthen, frail, vulnerable, and inadequate, believers are meant for a purpose but are entirely insufficient for its demands. The Scripture says that God knows our frame that we are but dust—not gold dust, but the common, ordinary kind. And yet:

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
(2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV)

The beauty of being a vessel is that vessels are designed to contain something.

This is where the believer’s meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life rests—in the treasure he is meant to contain. And yet still, the believer is but an earthen vessels. Though a container, we might refer to the believer as a simple, clay flower pot. Now a clay pot is no big thing, but containing the right flower, its worth is magnified—magnified for how it reflects the beauty of the flower. This is a good picture of what the Christian life is supposed to be. The believer has great treasure kept within earthen vessels of his body and soul, in fact, within his very life. Paul has already told us of this great treasure:

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ.
(2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV)

The fragrance of Christ

hat very word, fragrance, fits the imagery we have already presented of a flower in a container. “We are a fragrance of Christ.” This fragrance comes not from the clay pot, but from that which resides in the pot. If one is to be the fragrance of Christ, that sweet-smelling aroma can only originate from Christ Himself. A clay pot only has an ordinary earthen fragrance and can never smell as a fresh flower. The fragrance comes from Christ Himself, because the life of Jesus is manifested in the believer’s body (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:10). The life of Christ is the treasure housed within the believer’s earthen vessel. It is the life of Christ that is manifested from within the believer’s mortal flesh (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:11).

The earthen vessel: mortal flesh. The treasure: the life of Jesus.

Recall Colossians 1:27, “Christ in us, our hope of glory.” That is Paul’s point here. The believer hosts incredible treasure in an ignoble, earthen vessel. God has ordained this to be that “the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” If any excellent power is seen in and through the believer’s life, it is to be seen clearly as something foreign to his nature—it must be clear that God is the power of excellency residing in the believer.

Of course, this is not the manner in which humanity regularly thinks. Man generally focuses upon the earthen vessel. He shines it, paints it, polishes it, shapes it, postures it, and does whatever he can to keep it from perishing. But the outer man is perishing daily. There is no way to stop the process brought on by the Curse. The believer is encouraged to recognize these vessels are only meant for a temporary season. As long as the inner man is being renewed day by day, the believer walks the right path and God is having His way in the man.

We hold an exceeding valuable treasure.

So then, the believer holds within himself (as an earthen vessel) an exceedingly valuable treasure. And he is given this treasure that the transcendent, extraordinary excellency of the power would be recognized of God and not of us. The dynamic, animating force that is to develop, drive, and produce a Christian life is to come from the contents of the vessel, not the vessel itself. This power is to come from the treasure rather from the human in whom the treasure dwells—from the flower rather than from the clay flowerpot. This is a picture of insufficient vessels, containing sufficient treasure.

 

Comments

  1. Wow, I always wondered about such things, and the perspective that was put in place as the flower growing dilligently toward the sun radiating its aroma/beauty while est. being a decoration for man and the earth to enjoy. If I had to be a plant I often imagine Paradise or Ekra, but since they are so numerous it would be dependant on the garden. I guess that’s why god is so awesome. G2G!

  2. No need to look further than the New Covenant for an understanding of treasure in earthen vessels, the Jer 31:31-34 KJV New Covenant that is. The GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob now dwells within everyone who believes. We are all descendants of Adam who was formed from earth (there is a word play on Hebrew אֲדָמָה (‘adamah) “earth”). In the Mosaic Covenant Exd 34:27 KJV only purified vessels (usually gold) were used for Holy Purposes not vessels of wood or clay.

    The “Fragrance of Christ”, to a Hebrew any reference to a fragrance would bring them immediately to the smell of the sacrifices or the fragrance of incense, Phl 4:18 KJV, Lev 1:9 KJV, Exd 30:27 KJV (notice the word “his”), Rev 8:3 KJV. You can if you want, but no need to re-analogize.

    Question – Is it that the vessel holds the Treasure or does the Treasure hold the vessel?

    J.

    • It is both…because He is The Vine & we are the branches, we abide in Him. Those that are righteous He holds because we are His treasure. Yet His Word resides in us which is our treasure. The “blood” that flows through The Vine also flows through The Branches so there is an intermingling.

  3. This is why we are supposed to be a human being (being in Christ), not a human doing. In this, the Treasure hold the vessel, we are “hidden in Christ.” In Him, we live and move and have our being.

  4. Outstanding! As our motive in life becomes more and more “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”{Philippians 3:10} we will not only be OK with but will welcome the diminishing and forgetting of ourselves. John, the Baptist, learned this when he stated in John 3:30, “He must increase but I must decrease.” Less of me and more of Jesus, that is good! When I pass from this earth to Heaven, most people will quickly forget me. In time, there will be a marker in a cemetary somewhere. Later, people will walk by saying, “I wonder who that was?” And you know, it won’t matter.

    I want people to remember Jesus and to know Him, and to take refuge in Him and to call upon His Name and to identify with Him. Let’s radiate Jesus to as many souls as we can so those many souls originally defaulted to going to Hell will be saved and thus, fill Heaven. That is why we are still on this earth taking up space and breathing in oxygen. Blessings!

    • James~

      Thank you for these truths, for bringing it all around as to why we are here. May we all remember that God cannot work through us until He has worked in us!

      Yours in Christ~
      Barbara

  5. To die is gain-to die to all that is not of God-A sweet smelling sacrafice onto Christ. Christ in us the HOPE of glory.

  7. this was a timely blessing. informative, insightful and inspirational. It inspired prayer. God bless you.

  8. Review from Exodus 19 through Numbers prepares a mind to encounter the astounding Spirit of God effected in the New Testament. That human being has not comprehended this reality witnesses with Torah the inadequacy of earthen vessels. The miracle of the New Testament has too sparse acceptance in this world

    Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
    Mat 5:16-20, Luk 22:15-20, Act 13:25-40, Hbr 9:1-28, Hbr 10:1-39

    2Cr 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

    Jhn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
    Jhn 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
    Jhn 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
    Jhn 14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
    Jhn 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

    Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

    • Off topic comment below.

      “The Greek word (pronounced) dee-ath-ay-kay means a disposition, the act or means of disposing of something, as in a will. It is variously translated as either “covenant” or “testament,” which is interesting because they differ in meaning in English usage i.e. covenant means “a written agreement between two or more parties to perform some action” while testament means “a legal document declaring a person’s wishes regarding the disposal of their property when they die.” While the Greek word is closer in meaning to the English word “testament,” the Biblical usage of it blends “covenant” and “testament” in a way that the full Scriptural meaning is only made clear by the use of both.”

      Question – why does the “biblical usage” of a word change its meaning to something other than what it would be under normal usage?

      For me the answer is because of Replacement Theology. Simply put, Christians replace the Jews.

      J.

      • Jerry~

        Please clarify your last sentence. Are you saying that Christians do replace Jews, or are you saying that Christians believe that they replace Jews?

        Thank you~
        Barbara

      • Study the use of the Greek word “Diatheke” for the Hebrew concept of “Breit” in the Septuagint. Remember Yeshua is the Hebrew Messiah and these are Hebrew concepts, not Greek or Christian.

        Back on topic – Analogy is useful but can be dangerous also. If we are clever enough we can get scripture to say many things that it was not intended to. Many times to a dyer end.

        J.

    • Thank you for showing scriptures Jn 3:5-7. True Repentance and Baptism are imperative to Eternal Life and receiving the gift of the Holy spirit. We are no longer under the law but under grace when we are born again.

  9. Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

  10. This is a beautiful picture of Christ in us the hope of glory. It was a pleasure to read. However, even the new King James Bible fails to meet the glory of the Holy King James Bible. The imitations will always fall short of the glory of the holy. There is no life in a pot that contains an imitation flower. No matter how beautiful the silk flower is, it will never have life in it. Imitation words lead to imitation life which leads to imitation faith with leads to imitation love which leads to imitations of Jesus rather than the life of Jesus — but wait couldn’t that also be called an anti-life…? Good words and sweet phrases deceive the hearts of the simple. So, basically these good words and sweet phrases while true in and of themselves were declared from a foundation which if one were lost and without hope in the world searching for answers and were to look in any of the imitations used in the article or in the comments on this page, that lost person would be led into deception after deception after deception while all the time the comfort of the holy was available if the lost had only known to look there.

  11. Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

    Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
    Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.
    Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
    Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

    Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

    Whosoever is universal yet only for those that know of the invitation.

    Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
    Jam 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

    Jesus preached. The apostles and disciples preached. The prophets preached. Scripture testifies of the war between Spirit and Flesh. Warfare is terrible, deadly conflict. All of the preachers are casualties of war.

    Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
    Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

    We read that the Spirit and the bride say come. Have we suffered casualty? Are we in His Body the church, the bride? Recognition is more telling. How are we known among our networks? The familiar is restrictive mire clouding our eyes of understanding.

    Jhn 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
    Jhn 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
    Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
    Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
    Mar 9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
    Luk 9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
    2Pe 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

  12. I am joyful that the clarity on this subject has been shown on living the Christian life through the Law. Through scripture we can clearly see this and any book written by man on Christian principles has to be undergirded with scriptures, not one verse.

    From Genesis to Revelation we see Gods message is clear to keep his commandments and when we don’t; there are consequences.
    Adam & Eve experienced it, the children of Israel experienced it, and if we are not careful so will we continue to experience it.

    Why not to long ago I was in a debate with one of my brothers in Christ at my very church. He keep on showing me scriptures reflecting that only buy grace we are saved (In which I totally agree) and he pointed to Gal 2:16 to make the point that we are no longer under the law and that we are no longer under the Ten Commandments.

    He went as far as asking me If I Loved God the Farther with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and I replied yes. He then proceeded to explain to me that there is no way that I love him that much other wise I would have to be sinless. Since I cannot state that I am completely sinless I then need Grace and not the Law.

    I first began to pray on this subject and then started to search the scriptures.
    The Holy Spirit began to reveal scripture after scripture on this subject and without reading this book, by Ray Comfort, God show me how wrong he was. I started to share these scripture with my brother but have not been able to convince him since he has been heavily indoctrinated with this false teaching.

    I am praying that my brother and other Christians who are living false doctrines would wake up before they met their Maker.

    I know I have a way to go and that this Christian walk is a life process and the only guide I have is the Law of God. Jesus stated in John 14:21, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

    REV 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

    I ask that everyone pray for my Brother and all our Brothers & Sisters who are being taught false doctrines. We are in the Last Day Church WAKE UP.

    Antonio Torres
    Chaplin, The Bronx

  13. Wow, this makes my life esier.Its all about God, the Power is from him and when he uses me the glory goesback to him.This becomes a constant action of humility.

  16. spiritual house the spirit of almighty God is breath taking frail human. To Got be all the glory.