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"That we should not trust in ourselves but in God..."

Text: 2 Corinthians 1:9

SENTENCE OF DEATH

Paul’s experience In Asia Minor (Essentially a Roman province where Ephesus was the capital of the region.) was so vivid he could not forget it.

“Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,
that we should not trust in ourselves
but in God who raises the dead.”
2 Corinthians 1:9

1. “Yes”

a) The usual word was not used.

i) The usual word was a simple one (Greek “nai” – ναι).

ii) Instead a strong conjunction was employed (Greek “alla” – αλλα).

b) The force of the conjunction here.

i) It is used as a confirmation.

ii) Thus, it was translated “yes”.

iii) It may even be translated “yes, indeed”.

2. “We had the sentence of death in ourselves”

a) “Sentence of death”

i) This word was used as a technical word to describe a verdict.

ii) Paul and his fellow-workers actually received “the sentence of death”.

b) “We had… in ourselves”

i) We have an old Attic Greek phrase employed.

ii) “In ourselves” rather than “upon us”.

iii) The reflexive has a “strengthened idea”.

iv) The sentence or verdict had been pronounced but not carried out yet.

v) Paul and his companions felt the weight of this sentence heavily.

3. The intended lesson

a) Paul understood that there was a lesson for them to learn.

b) He articulated this succinctly.

4. “That we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead”

a) The lesson was one of “trust in God” and not in self.

b) Sometimes, the same lesson has to be learned again and again till it is fully mastered.

c) Paul learned this lesson in a very vivid and deep way when he went through severe tribulation.