2 Corinthians 4:8-9. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; We are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
"We are troubled on every side." There seems to be an allusion here to the Greek wrestling games. Sometimes, in wrestling, a man would be gripped by his adversary so that he could scarcely move hand or foot; yet bravely says the apostle, "We are not distressed," or, as the original seems to suggest, "We still have a plan of overcoming our adversaries; though they seem to have got us entirely in their power, there is still something that we can do to obtain our release." And he goes even further than that, for he says, "We are perplexed," - it seemed as if there was nothing that he could do, yet he added, "but not in despair," - "not altogether without help," as the marginal reading renders it, for when he could do nothing, God could do everything. The death of creature-strength is the birth of omnipotent might. "Persecuted, but not forsaken; "-having no man’s face to smile upon him, but still rejoicing in the light of God’s countenance. "Cast down," - as if his antagonist had thrown him, and he had fallen heavily upon the ground; yet he says, as he springs up again, "Cast down, but not destroyed." Many a time the Christian wrestler is thrown by his foe, but he never has a final fall. As Paul, when he was stoned at Lystra, and left for dead, rose up again, and soon went on with his work, so the Christian, when he has been cast down by trouble, often seems to gain new life and vigor, and to go on to serve his Master even better than he did before.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; We are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
"We are troubled on every side." There seems to be an allusion here to the Greek wrestling games. Sometimes, in wrestling, a man would be gripped by his adversary so that he could scarcely move hand or foot; yet bravely says the apostle, "We are not distressed," or, as the original seems to suggest, "We still have a plan of overcoming our adversaries; though they seem to have got us entirely in their power, there is still something that we can do to obtain our release." And he goes even further than that, for he says, "We are perplexed," - it seemed as if there was nothing that he could do, yet he added, "but not in despair," - "not altogether without help," as the marginal reading renders it, for when he could do nothing, God could do everything. The death of creature-strength is the birth of omnipotent might. "Persecuted, but not forsaken; "-having no man’s face to smile upon him, but still rejoicing in the light of God’s countenance. "Cast down," - as if his antagonist had thrown him, and he had fallen heavily upon the ground; yet he says, as he springs up again, "Cast down, but not destroyed." Many a time the Christian wrestler is thrown by his foe, but he never has a final fall. As Paul, when he was stoned at Lystra, and left for dead, rose up again, and soon went on with his work, so the Christian, when he has been cast down by trouble, often seems to gain new life and vigor, and to go on to serve his Master even better than he did before.