John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 4:7

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves;" — 2 Corinthians 4:7 (ASV)

But we have this treasure. Those who heard Paul glorying in such magnificent terms about the excellence of his ministry, and saw, on the other hand, his person, contemptible and abject in the eyes of the world, might be inclined to think that he was a silly and ridiculous person, and might look upon his boasting as childish, while forming their estimate of him from the lowliness of his person.

The wicked, more particularly, seized upon this pretext when they wished to bring everything about him into contempt. However, what he saw to be most unfavorable to the honor of his apostleship among the ignorant, he turns, by an admirable device, into a means of advancing it.

First of all, he uses the analogy of a treasure, which is not usually stored in a splendid and elegantly adorned chest, but rather in some vessel that is common and worthless; and then, furthermore, he adds that the power of God is, by that means, more clearly shown and better seen.

“Those who point to the contemptible appearance of my person, in order to detract from the dignity of my ministry, are unfair and unreasonable judges, because a treasure is no less valuable if the vessel in which it is deposited is not precious. Indeed, it is usual for great treasures to be stored in earthen pots.”

“Furthermore, they do not consider that it is ordained by the special Providence of God that there should be no appearance of excellence in ministers, lest anything of distinction should overshadow the power of God. Therefore, since the lowliness of ministers and the outward contempt for their persons provide an occasion for glory to accrue to God, anyone who measures the dignity of the gospel by the person of the minister acts wickedly.”

Paul, however, does not speak merely of the universal condition of mankind, but of his own condition in particular. It is true, indeed, that all mortal men are earthen vessels. Therefore, even if the most eminent of them all is selected, and is wonderfully adorned with all the gifts of birth, intellect, and fortune, still, if he is a minister of the gospel, he will be a common and merely earthen repository of an inestimable treasure. Paul, however, is referring to himself and others like him—his associates—who were held in contempt because they had no outward display.