"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Having spoken of the obligation to make the message plain, the Apostle Paul now thinks of the human instrument to which the wonderful gospel treasure had been committed. The treasure is the glorious message of the gospel. The earthen vessel, on the other hand, is the frail human body. The contrast between the two is tremendous. The gospel is like a precious diamond that brilliantly shines every way in which it is turned. To think that such a precious diamond has been entrusted to such a frail, fragile earthenware vessel!
Why has God ordained that this treasure should be in earthen vessels? The answer is so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. God does not want men to be occupied with the human instrument, but rather with His own power and greatness. And so He deliberately commits the gospel message to weak, often uncomely human beings. All the praise and glory must go to the Creator and not the creature.
There is something very wrong when the vessel robs the treasure of its glory. Only when human instruments are broken and yielded to the Lord can the gospel shine forth through us in all its magnificence.