Possession of the gospel leads to a sense of obligation

“But we have this treasure…Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον…”. (2 Cor 4:7)

Part III Possession of the gospel leads to a sense of obligation

“Ἔχομεν δὲ τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον… But we have this treasure… the verb Ἔχομεν “we have” is used in the same sense as in 4:1 “We have this ministry”  and “denotes possession not in the sense of ownership (as though Paul owned the ‘treasure’ and hid it in a container for safe keeping) but in the sense of privileged guardianship ‘we are trustees of this treasure’” (Harris 339). Based on the context of the passage,  Harris tied the nuance in 4:1, to the the same verb in  2 Cor 4:7 “We have this treasure…”

The BDAG identifies eleven different ways the verb ἔχω (to have, to hold) can be used in the Bible. As one can see, the context helps determine which nuance applies to the text.

1. to possess or contain, have, own

2. to stand in a close relationship to someone, have, have as

3. to take a hold on someth., have, hold (to), grip

4. to carry/bear as accessory or part of a whole, have on, wear

5. be in a position to do someth., can, be able,

6. to have an opinion about someth., consider, look upon, view

7. to experience someth., have

9. special combinations

10.to be in some state or condition,

11. to be closely associated, in a variety of renderings, hold fast, be next to, be next

The BDAG continues to identify several sub-nuances that further help clarify the subtle meaning of the text.

 7. to experience someth., have

     a. of all conditions of body and soul

              -of illness,

             -gener. of conditions, characteristics, capabilities, emotions, inner possession

             -of advantages, benefits, or comforts that one enjoys

             -of a sense of obligation in regard to someth

             -of a sense of inevitability in respect to some action

     b. of temporal circumstances w. indications of time and age

The context of the 4:7 helps clarify that our possession of the treasure is a shared experience! This nuance helps define the treasure metaphor. One does not “experience” a treasure such as gold and silver, but he/she can have a personal experience with his/her encounter with the gospel! It is this experience that leads to a sense of obligation. To pick up on Harris’ insight of privileged guardianship and the idea of being a trustee of the treasure, further investigation reveals that we share a sense of “obligation” to the treasure we hold. When one looks at 2 Cor 4:7 a concept of stewardship begins to emerge.