John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 4:1

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:" — 2 Corinthians 4:1 (ASV)

Having this ministry. He now returns to a commendation of himself personally, from which he had digressed into a general discussion regarding the dignity of the gospel. Therefore, just as he has been discussing the nature of the gospel, so he now shows how faithful and upright a minister of it he is.

He has previously shown what is the true gospel of Christ. He now shows that what he preaches is such. “Having,” he says, “this ministry”—that ministry, the excellence of which he had extolled in such magnificent terms, and the power and usefulness of which he had so abundantly demonstrated. Therefore, so that he might not seem to extol himself too much, he first states that it was not by his own efforts or merits that he had reached such a pinnacle of honor, but he had been led forward by the mercy of God exclusively. Now, more was implied in making the mercy of God the reason for his apostleship than if he had attributed it to the grace of God. We faint not; that is, we do not lose heart, nor are we deficient in our duty, in such a way that we would fail to discharge it faithfully.