2 Corintios 4:12

12 De manera que la muerte obra en nosotros, y en vosotros la vida

2 Corintios 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 4:12

So then death worketh in us
This is the conclusion of the foregoing account, or the inference deduced from it; either the death, or dying of Christ, that is, the sufferings of his body, the church, for his sake, (energeitai) , "is wrought in us"; fulfilled and perfected in us; see ( Colossians 1:24 ) or rather a corporeal death has seized upon us; the seeds of death are in us; our flesh, our bodies are mortal, dying off apace; death has already attacked us, is working on our constitutions gradually, and unpinning our tabernacles, which in a short time will be wholly took down and laid in the dust:

but life in you.
Some understand these words as spoken ironically, like those in ( 1 Corinthians 4:8 1 Corinthians 4:9 ) but the apostle seems not to be speaking in such a strain, but in the most serious manner, and about things solemn and awful; and his meaning is, ours is the sorrow, the trouble, the affliction, and death itself, yours is the gain, the joy, the pleasure, and life; what we get by preaching the Gospel are reproach, persecution, and death; but this Gospel we preach at such expense is the savour of life unto life to you, and is the means of maintaining spiritual life in your souls, and of nourishing you up unto eternal life; and which is no small encouragement to us to go on in our work with boldness and cheerfulness: or these words regard the different state and condition of the apostle, and other ministers, and of the Corinthians; the one were in adversity, and the other in prosperity.

2 Corintios 4:12 In-Context

10 llevando siempre por todas partes la mortificación del Señor Jesús en nuestro cuerpo, para que también la vida de Jesús sea manifestada en nuestros cuerpos

11 Porque nosotros que vivimos, siempre somos entregados a muerte por Jesús, para que también la vida de Jesús sea manifestada en nuestra carne mortal

12 De manera que la muerte obra en nosotros, y en vosotros la vida

13 Mas porque tenemos el mismo Espíritu de fe, conforme a lo que está escrito: Creí, por lo cual también hablé, nosotros también creemos, por lo cual también hablamos

14 estando ciertos que el que levantó al Señor Jesús, a nosotros también nos levantará por Jesús, y nos pondrá con vosotros