We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. [2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV]
We often portray Paul as a superhero. Many years ago I did some Bible teaching at a Gospel Hall and I was discussing the dispute between Paul and Barnabas over the failure of John Mark (Acts 15:36-41). After I had finished speaking, one dear brother challenged me forcibly because I had implied a weakness on the part of Paul (I had merely stated that there is no record of both or either men praying about the difference of opinion and seeking the Lord's guidance). Paul was human like you and me. He did amazing things for God but, like me, he was a sinner saved by grace. It is not helpful to portray Paul as in any way different from us - apart from his level of commitment and dedication to the service of the risen Lord.
In these verses, Paul talks about his life of suffering and how he was personally affected by the difficulties he was passing through. Paul was called to endure a level of suffering and hardship that was much higher than I have encountered. But he was personally affected emotionally and spiritually by his circumstances. The extreme physical and mental sufferings and hardship made their bitter mark on his mind and heart.
Here is my simple take on this verse. There are four couplets all following the same formula. In each phrase he describes an extreme condition but he then explains that this condition was not absolute. He uses a series of adjectives to describe his circumstances and his state of mind. But in each case he points out that, although he was deeply and bitterly affected, he still was able to keep going - through divine intervention. In each case Paul was almost at breaking point but God did not allow him to be totally broken.
Hard pressed on every side but not crushed
The King James Version of the Bible uses the word 'troubled' and the New International Version uses the words 'hard pressed.' Literally the Greek word means 'to crowd.' It is perhaps a picture of the boxing ring where the fighter is hemmed in on every side, but not completely cornered. It describes a feeling of extreme pressure on every side. Paul feels he has nowhere to escape. When we are going to the Isle of Man for our honeymoon, we sailed from Ardrossan on a very crowded ferry. I seem to remember that it was the Paisley Fair holidays. When the ferry arrived in Douglas there was a sudden surge to get on to the very narrow gangway and Janie and I were crushed against the railings. We had nowhere to go apart from jumping overboard and that might well have been the end of our married life together. That illustration helps me to grasp the word but the phrase is not speaking about physical pressure - it is psychological and mental pressure which is implied.
BUT Paul then says that he was not crushed. The Greek word means cramped or hemmed in. So even though Paul was experiencing extreme pressure, he was not completely crushed. As you might have worked out from our honeymoon story, Janie and I were not completely crushed despite the crowd pressure or else I would not be writing this blog 46 years later! So Paul survived the extreme pressure he was experiencing - but only just.
Perplexed but not in despair
The Greek word translated 'perplexed' means to have no way out or to be at a loss mentally. It literally means 'to be without a way.' It describes a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. BUT here again there was respite - he was not driven to despair. Again this word 'despair' means 'utterly at a loss'. Even at his most hopeless moments, he was not completely despondent.
Persecuted but not abandoned
Paul feels he has been hunted down or pursued by a powerful enemy. BUT he has never been abandoned to the enemy. The Greek word translated 'abandoned' is used 9 times in the New Testament Seven times it is translated as 'forsake' in the King James Version and 'leave' the other two times. It means to be left helpless in a desperate plight. So Paul has never found himself completely abandoned. [It is striking that Jesus cries out on the cross, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 - so Paul never experienced the same state as the Lord Jesus.]
Struck down but not destroyed
This literally means to cast or throw down. The Greek word is kataballo which comes from two Greek words - ballo to throw and kata meaning down. So Paul talks about himself as being thrown in a heap and feeling extremely helpless. BUT he is not destroyed. Here Paul uses a word which is used many times in the New Testament - apollymi which means to destroy or be destroyed or to perish or to be lost. This might be Paul's appreciation of his eternal security. So Paul is saying that despite the serious effects of his sufferings on his mental and psychological condition, he is confident of the future. He will not find himself lost eternally.
Here is the whole verse in a translation by a respected Greek scholar.
We are being hard pressed from every side, but we are not hemmed in. We are bewildered, not knowing which way to turn, but not utterly destitute of possible measures or resources. We are being persecuted, but not left in the lurch, not abandoned, not let down. We are being knocked down, but not destroyed, [2 Corinthians 4:8-9 Wuest]
What lessons can we learn from these two verses? I am sure that most of us will never have experienced the persecution which Paul encountered in his service for Jesus Christ. But we may at times feel despondent. We may feel abandoned by everyone. We may feel a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. But although God allows this to happen in our lives, there is a limit to what we endure. If we look at the Old Testament book of Job we find that God allowed Satan to attack Job - but he set boundaries beyond which Satan could not pass. (Job 1:12; 2:6). In the New Testament we are told that God is aware of our capacity for suffering and being tested. He will not test us beyond our capacity to endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
We need to remind ourselves that God is not putting us through a testing time gratuitously - every time of trial is ordered by God and is allowed to happen for our good. He wants to produce Christ-like features in believers and without the testing we would not learn lessons regarding patience and endurance. He is aware of how the trials and suffering is affecting us and will not allow us to be tested beyond our capacity to endure. The non- Christian is quick to accuse God of being uncaring but as Christians who have witnessed the sufferings of the Lord Jesus on the cross, we are aware that we are called to a life of suffering. The sufferings of Jesus were vicarious which means that they were not for himself - they were for others. He suffered for us to bring us to glory.
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8: 31-39 NIV]
[Photo by Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash.]
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