Paul means that God has placed His priceless Word and wisdom into weak, ordinary human beings so that everyone can see the power is God's, not man's.
In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul states the treasure is in earthen vessels so "the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." Les Feldick emphasizes that God deliberately entrusted His Word to mortal men rather than angels. The vessels—people like you and me—are commonplace and weak, but God uses them anyway so no one can take credit.
2 Corinthians 4:7 — This is the verse in question—Paul's own explanation that the treasure is held in earthen vessels for the purpose of showing the power is God's.
In 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul writes, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The verse itself gives the purpose of the metaphor: the treasure is placed in earthen vessels so the power is recognized as God's, not the vessel's. Scripture describes believers as carrying the wisdom of God—"the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7). Paul also reminds believers that everything they have is received from God: "what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7). Romans 9:23 speaks of the "riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy," and Ephesians 3:20 says God "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."
Les Feldick explains that the treasure is what God has given to the human race—His Word and the wisdom He has revealed—and He deliberately left it in the hands of mortal men. Les asks, "Why didn't He put the Word of God in the hands of angels? He didn't leave it with angels. He has left it in the hands of mortal men, just exactly people like you and I." Les stresses that these earthen vessels are unimpressive by the world's standards. Even the Apostle Paul "was very commonplace. He shook in his boots as he would enter some of these strange places, just as you and I would." God uses the things the world scoffs at, and He wants to use every believer—whether a weak, carnal babe or a more mature Christian. God designed it this way so no one can take credit. Every believer is a vessel of mercy who deserves nothing, and "we are what we are by the sovereign grace of God." Since we have nothing that we did not receive, whenever anything is accomplished the excellence of the power is unmistakably God's, not man's.
The treasure is what God has given to the human race—His Word and His revealed wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 2:7 Paul writes, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." Les Feldick points out that this wisdom is the hidden message God has revealed, and he emphasizes that God chose to leave it in the hands of mortal men rather than angels.
Les teaches that the earthen vessels are ordinary human beings—"mortal men, just exactly people like you and I." They are weak by the world's standards. Even Paul was not a fearless hero; he was commonplace and shaking in his boots, just as any believer would be. God uses the things the world looks at and scoffs at, and that is the person God can use.
Les asks the question directly: "Why didn't He put the Word of God in the hands of angels?" His answer is that God has left it in the hands of mortal men. The reason is that no person can take credit for what God accomplishes. Since "we are what we are by the sovereign grace of God" and have nothing that we did not receive, any success must be recognized as God's doing. The excellence of the power belongs to God, not to the vessel.
Yes. Les says the Corinthians were carnal and still babes in Christ, yet they were laboring together with the Eternal Sovereign God. Believers do not need to be great spiritual giants. God "wants to use every last one of us," whether weak, a babe, or even a little carnal. The world may laugh at whom God uses, but that is exactly the person God can use.
What the Bible Really Says About Suffering and Glory
That's as far as we've gone. Because everything we do, you know, is limited by finances. We can only print so many books, and then we have to stop for a little bit. And we can dub a few audios, and then we have to stop. So as finances permit, we'll have all the audios as well.
God Uses Every Believer
Les teaches that Christians do not need to be spiritual giants to do God's work—God wants to use every believer, whether a weak babe in Christ or still carnal.
Believers Are Vessels of Mercy
Les explains from Romans 9:23 that every born-again believer is a vessel of mercy; none of us deserve anything—it is all of God's mercy.
Paul Was an Ordinary Man
Les shows that Paul was not a bold hero but a commonplace man who shook in his boots, and that God uses the people the world scoffs at.
God Entrusted His Word to Mortal Men
Les asks why God did not entrust His Word to angels and answers that He deliberately left it in the hands of mortal men just like us.
No Room for Pride
Les teaches that we are what we are by sovereign grace alone; since we received everything from God, no one may boast or take credit.
We Speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery
Les points to the hidden wisdom of God that has been revealed to Paul, which is the message believers carry.
God's Power Works in Us
Les explains that God works in believers through His power, able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think.
2 Corinthians 4:7: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
This is the verse being asked about—it directly defines the treasure, the earthen vessel, and the purpose of the arrangement.
1 Corinthians 2:7: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Paul identifies the content believers speak as the hidden wisdom of God, which Les connects to the treasure.
Romans 9:23: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Believers are described as vessels of mercy, showing that being a vessel is God's gracious design.
1 Corinthians 4:7: For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Paul asks how anyone can boast since everything comes from God—supporting the truth that the power is God's.
Ephesians 3:20: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
God's power works in believers, which aligns with the excellency of the power coming from God.
Les teaches that the treasure is what God has given to the human race—His Word and the message of His revealed wisdom. God did not put it in the hands of angels but entrusted it to mortal men and women.
Earthen vessels are ordinary human beings—people just like you and me. Even the Apostle Paul was a commonplace man who shook in his boots, yet God used him. The vessel is weak so that God's power is clearly seen.
So that the excellence of the power is plainly God's and not man's. Since we have nothing that we did not receive, no one can take credit. Anything accomplished through believers must be recognized as God's doing.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Suffering and Glory