Lots of good, fresh water
Lots of good, arable soil
Lots of good clay for ceramics, pottery, etc., hence "Corinthian Pottery"
Shops, fountains, carved stone temples to the Greek gods, porticos, metal workshops abounded
As a part of a major shipping lane, Corinth has four ports, on the Gulf of Corinth, between two seas
A temple to Apollo was there
Another temple was one to Aphrodite, an acropolis known as Acrocorinth, that supplied prostitutes for the seafaring men, which made it a rich city
Perusing the two letters Paul wrote to them, it is obvious that they were apostate and backslidden.

2 CORINTHIANS 4: NO MATTER THE COST, WE ALWAYS HAVE HOPE

(2 Corinthians 4:1 [KJV])
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

The "we" here is Paul and the Corinthians, Paul and the disciples, AND US TODAY
Ministry given is ministry to be done, no matter the cost, no matter the opposition
The next verse adds more flavor, talking about keep the truth pure, preaching the true Gospel given,
As long as God allows (mercifully), it can go on

FAINT, v.i.

To lose the animal functions; to lose strength and color, and become senseless and motionless; to swoon; sometimes with away. he fainted for loss of blood. On hearing the honor intended her, she fainted away.
To become feeble; to decline or fail in strength and vigor; to be weak. If I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way. Mark 8.
To sink into dejection; to lose courage or spirit. Let not your hearts faint. Deu 20. If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Prov 24.
To decay; to disappear; to vanish. Gilded clouds, while we gaze on them, faint before the eye.

FAINT, v.t. To deject; to depress; to weaken. [Unusual.]

(2 Corinthians 4:2 [KJV])
But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Dishonesty is often hidden in subtlety, in darkness, not overt, but, as the serpent in the garden, "yeah, hath God said...?", rather than, "God is just straight out, out and out lying to you!"
This places the burden on the deceived to test the spirit and see if it is a lying spirit or not, because often liars are very good at what they do, going undetected, being indirect and very subtil, like the serpent

RENOUNCE, v.t. renouns'. [L. renuncio; re and nuncio, to declare, from the root of nomen, name.]

To disown; to disclaim; to reject; as a title or claim; to refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to; as, to renounce a title to land or a claim to reward; to renounce all pretensions to applause.
To deny; to cast off; to reject; to disclaim; as an obligation or duty; as, to renounce allegiance.
To cast off or reject, as a connection or possession; to forsake; as, to renounce the world and all its cares.
We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty. 2 Cor 4.

RENOUNCE, v.i. renouns'. To declare a renunciation. He of my sons who falls to make it good, by one rebellious act renounces to my blood. [Not in use.]
RENOUNCE, n. renouns'. The declining to follow suit, when it can be done.

(2 Corinthians 4:3 [KJV])
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

This is revealed here, because two things can hide the Gospel from us: The enemy and our hard heart, blind eyes (body parts spiritually connected, related, working in unnison)
God the Holy Spirit can lift the veils, remove the scales from our hearts and eyes, but does not do so against our will
Yes, God is Sovereign, but we have to believe to be saved. That is a choice, not an automatic switch set to on

(2 Corinthians 4:4 [KJV])
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

And this blinding is helped by our own rejection, thoughts, actions, decisions, beliefs, practices, religion
Once eyes are opened, light floods in
Christ IS God, the image of the Father, Who came in the flesh, the Creator of it all
Man is created flesh, made in the image of God (body, soul, spirit)

(2 Corinthians 4:5 [KJV])
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Often, self-proclaimed "scholars" and "experts" preach themselves, their "expert opinions", their private interpretations, notions, ideas of what God said, and always have, do not preachGod, not His glorious gospel. They do this by repeating what someone who also was or is a 'self-proclaimed expert", correcting the Wod of God openly, because they have more worldly "knowledge" (Genesis 3) than we do, so they can. But one can only do what people allow them to do. God asks us to study HIS WORD, not study books by famous authors ABOUT His Word and does not ask us to come to our conclusions, get our answers about God, Who He is, what He does for us, from books by famous people. How can one discern what is true and what is false if they do not know the truth, but only what they were told by corrupt people who write book$, do radio $how$, TV $how$, $peak at conference$, without checking it against God's Word? We are called to be Bereans, not "Alexandrians"
This is precisely what those in Corinth were accusing Paul of, and he assured them it was not his gospel
But preaching Christ and not ourselves is what gives "full proof of thy ministry"

(2 Timothy 4:5 [KJV])
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

(1 Peter 2:12 [KJV])
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

(2 Corinthians 4:6 [KJV])
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Go created light (Genesis 1) and separated it from darkness
We are not in darkness, but light. This would mean our spiritual eyes are opened, God's light shining in, to our hearts
The light of the knowledge is not just any knowledge, but the knowledge of God, because knowledge for the sake of knowledge is what has plagued us since the Garden, with Even tempted by the serpent
We will be in that light forever, with the light Who is God, Who is Christ
In contrast, the lost will be in darkness forever, and want to be in darkness even now, and choose to be

(Matthew 5:16 [KJV])
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

(2 Corinthians 4:7 [KJV])
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Plain, simple people who God can use because they are humble, knowing they are dust, from dust, and will return to dust.
Humility in ministry is key to preaching the truth, learning from God's Word and sharing that godly wisdom, sharing the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ
Intellectual pride will always eventually bring a ministry to be ineffective for God, not a good testimony

(2 Corinthians 4:8-10 [KJV])
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

The early church was persecuted and driven from Jerusalem, scattered in the "dispersia" as Jesus said would happen to the whole world, then and now
Because of the intense persecution, our hope is even more to be in Christ, for it is surely not in this world which hates Him and us!
We can, as even Paul did, despair of this life, but our hope eternal overshadows that and allows us to see beyond that to the eternal future hope we have awaiting us in Heaven
Otherwise, if there were no God, no Gospel, this life's problems would overwhelm us, we could be most pitied, and then we would die, return only to dust, making our very existence meaningless

(Matthew 28:18-19 [KJV])
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

(Acts 1:8 [KJV])
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

(Acts 8:1 [KJV])
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

(James 1:1 [KJV])
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

(1 Peter 1:1 [KJV])
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

(2 Corinthians 4:11 [KJV])
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

Martyrdom of the saints means that the world sees the truth and is willing to kill for it.
This is why, today, in Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, Atheist countries, the executioners will often get saved, because they see in us the desire to "die rather than deny"

(2 Corinthians 4:12 [KJV])
So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

Because no fear of death, no denying Christ, people see that
People die for all sorts of reasons, but we are called to die to self and, if necessary or called to, die for Christ Who died for us
If Paul is martyred, the other believers will be strengthened, seeing what Paul was willing to do
We know that this life brings death anyways, no matter what, why or how, and we know that, once we die, we go to heaven, as this life is but a vapor as it is, brief, nothing at all compared to eternity

(James 4:14 [KJV])
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

(1 Peter 1:24 [KJV])
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

(1 John 2:17 [KJV])
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

(Philippians 1:21 [KJV])
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

(John 12:24-25 [KJV])
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

(1 Corinthians 15:36 [KJV])
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

(2 Corinthians 4:13 [KJV])
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

This is a quote from Psalm 116
the reason for his speaking is spoken in the very next verse, because Paul knew, as we know, we will be resurrected
Being persecuted for the sake of Christ, they never denied Him, nor did they ever stop following Him, knowing their end, their lot, their fate, their destiny, was in eternal glory

(Psalms 116:10 [KJV])
I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

(2 Corinthians 4:14 [KJV])
Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

The Resurrection: the most proven, factual event in all of history
Because of this Resurrection power, we have eternal hope

(2 Corinthians 4:15 [KJV])
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Everything that Paul was doing was for others, the Corinthians, selflessly
Not just grace here, but abundant grace
Redound here apparently means that it bounces back like an echo in a cave, only stronger than was screamed out, as Glory to God, since God gets the Glory in all things as it is

REDOUND, v.i. [L. redundo; red, re, and undo, to rise or swell, as waves.]

To be sent, rolled or driven back.
The evil, soon driven back, redounded as a flood on those from whom it sprung.
To conduce in the consequence; to contribute; to result.
The honor done to our religion ultimately redounds to God the author of it.
To proceed in the consequence or effect; to result.
There will no small use redound from them to that manufactures.

(2 Corinthians 4:16 [KJV])
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Because of the hope of the Resurrection; because it glorifies God no matter what, because the salvation of the Corinthians and their spiritual growth, their spreading of the Gospel, it makes no sense to anyone to let this all fade and stop doing the work of the LORD
The flesh dies; the souls of saved men live on after death, which knowledge renews our faith daily in hope, allowing us to continue
This is because this world is passing away but our eternal selves will never. Death is a glorious thing

(Isaiah 25:8 [KJV])
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

(Hebrews 2:14 [KJV])
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

(Psalms 116:15 [KJV])
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

(1 Corinthians 15:54-55 [KJV])
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

(2 Corinthians 4:17 [KJV])
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

As was said earlier, this life is a vapor, nothing compared to eternity
Methuselah lived 960 years, but he has been in heaven four thousand plus years now, and will be in heaven with us forever.
In one hundred trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, years, we will still be no place closer to starting eternity, so how much time is nine hundred and sixty years compared to eternity? POOF! A puff of smoke, a second and it is gone

(Genesis 5:27 [KJV])
And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

(2 Corinthians 4:18 [KJV])
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul said this while on earth, seeing this life, this temporal life, which is all we ever get to see this side of eternal glory
Methuselah's life was all anyone on earth ever saw, not eternity, unless and until they went there to be with him and the LORD GOD
This is a good thing, because it is more than we need to see, since this life, this world, is evil, sinful, wicked, dying, violent, diseased
Had God not been merciful to Adam and stopped him from eating from the tree of life, we would be seeing and living and experiencing this evil, wicked life, like this, in this condition, forever

(Genesis 3:22-24 [KJV])
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

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2 Corinthians 5

INTRODUCTION:

CORINTH: RICH GREEK CITY/STATE

2 CORINTHIANS 4: NO MATTER THE COST, WE ALWAYS HAVE HOPE