TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS

The words at the heading of this opening section of an autobiography are found in 2 Corinthians 4:7; the

`Treasure' of the immediate context being `the glorious Gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God' (2 Cor. 4:4).

Paul uses the word `ourselves' twice in the succeeding verse:

(1) `We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus, the Lord';

(2) `Ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake'.

No one acquainted with the context of that `glorious gospel' could ever imagine Paul preaching about himself,

yet it would not be stating fact if we ignored the many passages in his writings that emphasize the importance he

attached to the ministry he had received, even though true humility compelled him to liken himself to an `earthen

vessel'. The epistle to the Galatians while ostensibly a defence of the basic doctrine of Justification by Faith,

nevertheless devotes the whole of chapter 1 and a good part of chapter 2, not to the `Treasure' but to the `earthen

vessel' that contained it, and this will be seen most clearly if the literary structure of chapter one be exhibited.

A 1:1-5.

Not, Neither, But.

Paul's independent apostleship.

A 1:11,12. Not, Neither, But.

Paul's independent Gospel.

A 1:15-17. Not, Neither, But.

Paul's independent Commission.

This structure is not complete, but as it is not our present purpose to give an exposition of Galatians, the above

simple outline will be sufficient to demonstrate our contention, namely, that there is a divinely sanctioned

relationship between:

`The LORD'S message' and `The LORD'S messenger' (Hag. 1:13).

Paul, among other things, is set forth as a `pattern' (1 Tim. 1:15,16) and his teaching as a `form' (2 Tim. 1:13, where

both `pattern' and `form' translate the same Greek word, hupotuposis (a rough sketch, before the finished design). It

would be immodest and untrue to say that the subject of this biography set out to model each step of his pathway on

the lines of this great pattern, but a retrospect that looks back over more than half a century cannot help but

recognize in many of the steps taken, of doors opened or shut, of timely interventions, and of gruelling

disappointments, that some approximation, however sketchy, of the grand pattern given by inspiration of God has

been unconsciously reached.

This autobiography deals more with the sovereign choice of the great Potter, and the disposal of all the shaping

circumstances of time and place, heredity and environment, than with the glorious truth entrusted to it - the earthen

vessel rather than the treasure in it.

The outpouring of this `Treasure' has been the central feature of our ministry for the last fifty years, and the

reader is asked to acquaint himself with The Berean Expositor, An Alphabetical Analysis, and the list of publications

found on the back pages.

In this autobiography we are dealing mostly with common clay. Among the circumstances that were used in

fashioning this unpromising material, were the influences of home, parents and school.

Over against these must be set the disadvantages of being born in Bermondsey - a district that could easily

prompt the quotation:

`Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?'