As Servants of God in Everything

 

As Servants of God in Everything

 

2 Corinthians 6:4–10: "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

Paul describes what it means to be a servant of God. He speaks of both his own self-assessment and how others viewed him in his role as a servant. Regarding himself, he acts with the mindset of "dying daily"; regarding others, whenever he faces hardship, he conducts himself with the confidence and sense of glory befitting one who possesses resurrection life.

The word *synistantes* (συνιστάντες)—translated here as "commending ourselves"—combines *syn* (together) and *histantes* (to set up/establish), signifying "establishing together." It implies that God appoints the minister and they work together.

While the Revised Korean Version translates *hypomonē* (ὑπομονῇ) simply as "great endurance," the word literally means "remaining under." *Hypomonē* signifies the presence of God or the throne of God, denoting the act of stepping forward and remaining in that place. The word *thlipseis* (translated as "tribulation") refers to a situation where, in order to overcome hardships, God pushes us to enter into His presence—into His throne room.

The word *anankais* (translated as "distress" or "need") signifies entering the Most Holy Place and reaching out one’s hands toward God; it implies laying difficult problems before Him and listening for His solution.

The word *stenochōriais* (translated as "anguish" or "hardship") is a compound of *stenos* (narrow) and *chōra* (space/place), implying a call to enter an inner chamber—a "secret room." This inner chamber symbolizes the Most Holy Place. In the Old Testament era, only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and he did so only once a year. Two goats were prepared to atone for the sins of the people: one as the sin offering and the other for Azazel.

The goat chosen by lot as the sin offering was sacrificed to the Lord; it died as a substitute to pay the penalty for the sins of all Israel. Offering this sacrifice to God signifies that the sinner is united with the death of Jesus Christ and has undergone God's judgment; having thus died to sin, the sinner becomes free from it.

The purpose of the Azazel goat was to demonstrate that the people had been liberated from their sins. The sacrificial goat represents the atoning death of Jesus Christ for the repentant sinner, meaning the sinner effectively died alongside the sacrifice. However, while the sinner died, the sin itself had not yet been fully dealt with. The Azazel goat represents the removal of the charge of sin—signifying that the sinner is released from the very label or record of sin. This is the essence of the baptismal rite: it signifies the erasure of the charge of sin from the record. Just as the saying goes, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," the sin itself is erased; one becomes the goat that bears away the sin.

The word *plēgais* (πληγαῖς), translated as "beatings," signifies being molded into the image of God. The image of God refers to Christ. Being molded into God's image means receiving the light of the Holy Spirit upon the physical body and being born anew from heaven in Christ; consequently, the former physical body is consumed and dies in the light of the Holy Spirit.

The word *phylakais* (φυλακαῖς), translated as "imprisonments," signifies fixing one's gaze intently upon God.

The phrase *en akatastasiais* (ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις), translated as "tumults" or "disorders," is derived from *a-* (negation/not), *kata-* (down/under), and *stasis* (standing/setting up); it signifies not being established upon the earth—that is, it refers to the resurrection life established in heaven.

The word *kopois* (κόποις), translated as "labors" or "toil," signifies cutting away—specifically, cutting away the evil things within the human heart.

The word *agrypniais* (ἀγρυπνίαις), translated as "sleeplessness" or "watchings," signifies spiritual wakefulness.

The word *nēsteiais* (νηστείαις), translated as "fastings" (or "lack of food"), carries the meaning of being renewed.

The word *chrēstotēti* (χρηστότητι), translated as "kindness," refers to acting in a way that benefits others regarding the Kingdom of God.

*Dia doxēs* (διὰ δόξης) refers to the glory received from God, while *atimias* (ἀτιμίας) refers to the dishonor received from people; a minister experiences both simultaneously. *Dysphēmias* refers to the bad reputation given by people, whereas *euphēmias* refers to the good reputation given by God. *Planoi* describes those who appear to be deceivers in the eyes of people, while *alētheis* describes those who are truthful in the eyes of God. *Agnoumenoi* (translated as "unknown") refers to being unknown to people, whereas *epiginōskomenoi* (translated as "well-known") signifies being known to God; *agnoumenoi* implies knowledge based on human understanding, while *epiginōskomenoi* implies knowledge gained through a relationship with God. *Zōmen* refers to those who are spiritually alive. *Paideuomenoi* (translated as "punished") signifies discipline. *Thanatoumenoi* (translated as "not put to death") indicates that they are not the ones being put to death by God because of sin.