Treasure hunters are always scouring the earth to look for treasures and relics left by previous civilizations and generations. But the greatest treasure in the whole universe is right inside you! I’m talking about a deposit of wealth so immense that its reserves can never be completely dug out, explored, discovered, or discerned. These are spiritual assets beyond your wildest imagination! The apostle Paul wrote about this astonishing treasure in 2 Corinthians 4:7, where he said, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
The first thing Paul does in this verse is tell us where this treasure is buried. Notice that Paul says, “But we have….” The words “we have” in Greek means to have, to hold, to possess, or to keep. It is the picture of someone who “has” something in his possession because it belongs to him. It is rightfully his, and he has the right to keep it. Paul is describing something that is already in the hands of all believers. The word “treasure” means a treasure, a treasury, a treasure chamber, or a place of safekeeping where riches and fortunes are kept. It presents the idea of a specially built room designed to be the repository for massive riches and wealth. By using this word, Paul declares that we as believers are the possessors of riches beyond belief. Moreover, we are the chambers, repositories, or treasuries where God has placed this fortune. So, we already have and hold this wealth in our possession. Therefore, it is not something we are trying to obtain; it is something we already possess.
However, Paul says that this treasure is contained in “jars of clay” — a phrase he uses to refer to our human bodies. The phrase “jars of clay” comes from the Greek word meaning small, cheap, and easily broken pottery made of inferior materials. This kind of pottery was weak, fragile, and valueless — so cheaply made that it would never have been seen in wealthier homes. These “bargain-basement” dishes were primarily used in the lower-class neighborhoods, purchased by people who couldn’t afford to acquire better merchandise. Because the dishes were made of imperfect materials, they usually had defects. As time passed, it is interesting that this phrase “jars of clay” came to represent anything inferior, low-grade, mediocre, shoddy, second-rate, or substandard. Furthermore, it is where we get the phrase “to ostracize.” When people “ostracize” a person, it means they regard him as substandard — too unfit to be a part of their group. What others may consider unfit – your life and my life – God considers fit to be the secret chamber where He placed His greatest treasure on planet earth!
The idea of 2 Corinthians 4:7 may be something like this: ““We possess treasure within ourselves! And not only do we possess treasure, but our easily broken, inferior, temporary bodies are themselves the treasure chambers where this astonishing cache is kept.…”
A question immediately arises as to what this great treasure can be. Well, we need to recognize that Paul is writing to Christians. This is a treasure that believers are entrusted with. This is not a prize that God gives to unbelievers. The precious treasure that all believers share is the Holy Spirit. Our human bodies are the residence of the Holy Spirit. . Even though our human bodies are fragile and eventually die, it pleased God to deposit this gift inside us. Think about how incredible this is! The human body is so fragile that: a wrong diet can kill it, working too hard can break it, too much pressure can damage it, and even after caring tenderly for it your entire lifetime, it still eventually dies. Yet God placed His greatest treasure inside us anyway!
You are a treasure hunter’s greatest dream. You don’t have to go searching for the hidden treasure because the “X marks the spot” is written on you! You are the storehouse for God’s greatest treasure — the third Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit! So meditate on this truth today: You are valuable and precious in God’s sight. And the treasure He has entrusted to you, Himself, is not to be hidden any more. Share the treasure, there is enough of the Holy Spirit to go around to make us all rich.
Richly Blessed – Pastor Steve