Christ Jesus the Lord

2Corinthians 4:3-6 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world has 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. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

‘Hid’ [Greek: kalupto] to cover or veil (Matt. 8:24; 10:26; Luke 8:16; 23:30; 1Pet. 4:8) and hide (4:3; Jas. 5:20). The gospel is hidden from some people because they have willfully closed their eyes to it, as in 2Corinthians 3:13-16 and Matthew 13:14-16. If the heart of any man who hears the gospel is veiled it is definite that he is lost and fully under the power of sin and satan. Those who refuse to hear the gospel are proper subjects for satan’s work to increase the darkness and hardness of heart (4:3-4).

‘god of this world’ satan is currently the god of this world (Joh. 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph. 2:2; 1Jn. 3:9; 5:18).

‘Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.’ They are responsible (3:13-16; Matt. 13:14).

‘Glorious gospel’ – Gospel of the glory (cp. 1Tim. 1:11).

‘Image’ [Greek: eikon] a figure; image; likeness. Here it means outward and bodily image. That God has a body, a spirit body, like angels and other spirit beings is clear from Scripture. He is a person with a personal spirit body, a personal soul, and a personal spirit, like that of angels, and like that of man except His body is of spirit substance instead of flesh and bones (Job 13:8; Heb. 1:3). He has a personal spirit body (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-19); shape (John 5:37); form (Php. 2:5-7); image and likeness of a man (Gen. 1:26; 9:6; Ezek. 1:26-28; 1Cor. 11:7; Jas. 3:9). He has physical parts such as back parts (Ex. 33:23), heart (Gen. 6:6; 8:21), hands and fingers (Ps. 8:3-6; Heb. 1:10; Rev. 5:1-7), mouth (Num. 12:8), lips and tongue (Isa. 30:27), feet (Ezek. 1:27; Ex. 24:10), eyes (Ps. 11:4; 18:24; 33:18), ears (Ps. 18:6), hair, head, face, arms (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-19; Rev. 5:1-7; 22:4-6), loins (Ezek. 1:26-28; 8:1-4), and other physical parts. He has bodily presence (Gen. 3:8; 18:1-22) and goes from place to place in a body like all other persons (Gen. 3:8; 11:5; 18:1-5, 22, 33; 19:24; 32:24-32; 35:13; Zech. 14:5; Dan. 7:9-14; Tit. 2:13). He has a voice (Ps. 29:1-11; Rev. 10:3-4); breath (Gen. 2:7); and countenance (Ps. 11:7). He wears clothes (Dan. 7:9-14; 10:5-19); eats (Gen. 18:1-8; Ex. 24:11); rests (Gen. 2:1-4; Heb. 4:4); dwells in a mansion and in a city located on in Heaven (John 14:1-3; Heb. 11:10-16; 13:14; Rev. 21:1-27); sits on a throne (Isa. 6:1-13; Dan. 7:9-14; Rev. 4:1-5; 22:3-6); walks (Gen. 3:8; 18:1-8, 22, 33); rides (Ps. 18:10; 68:17; 104:3; Ezek. 1:1-28); and engages in other activities.

‘Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness’ – a reference to Genesis 1:3. The light of the gospel shining into our darkened hearts is like the bursting forth of the sun in the darkness of Genesis 1:2. ‘Face of Jesus Christ’ – in the personal presence of Jesus Christ.