2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
The final contrast in this short list is between death and life. The threat of death was an ever present possibility for Paul and many early Christians. What does it mean to carry in the body the death of Jesus? “The death of Jesus” can be taken in two ways. It could be historical in the sense of Jesus’ death on the cross. In this sense, to carry this experience around in one’s body could mean that we are ever susceptible to suffering and death. We may be called to walk a similar path as Jesus. This was Paul’s experience as he was beaten and imprisoned many times. He will give a catalog of hardships in ch. 11. Another way to interpret this phrase is spiritually. Paul writes elsewhere of dying to the old self and crucifying the old self (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 2:20). This dying with Christ on the cross represents the crucial decision to change the focus of our lives and not let sin or self control us anymore. The physical suffering we experience should remind us of the spiritual decision we must make. When we become comfortable in the physical, we tend to forget the spiritual commitment.
As we live the crucified life, even to the point of suffering, we are reminded of the power of Jesus’ resurrection. This historical reality, which we accept by faith in the reliability of Scripture and the witness of the earliest disciples, should bring great encouragement to us as we live in a world that causes us pain, stress, and suffering. We can have confidence because of Jesus’ resurrection. This is more than a cognitive hope, although that is a by-product of the experience of faith. The very power of Jesus’ resurrection can be experienced in every increasing amounts through the inner work of the Holy Spirit. This is the power of transformation about which Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:18. This can affect us physically, “in our bodies,” by inspiring endurance through the physical trials we may face. Paul has made a powerful connection between our faith in spiritual matters to how we live physically in a world that often brings sorrow, pain, and challenges.
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