In 1947, one of the greatest archaeological discover-ies of the last century was found. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in a series of caves by Bedouin shepherds, according to the legend, and archaeologists. They are fragments of 31 different scrolls with parts of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, 1 Kings, Psalms, Daniel and Isaiah.
A Jewish sect, the Essenes, probably hid them there, just before Jesus was born and after the Roman rampage of Jerusalem, to keep them safe. What they were found in is my point of interest today: very large clay pots. The most precious treasure of the Essenes was the Word of God, scripture which was hidden in very ordinary clay jugs.
It has always reminded me of this passage which Paul wrote almost 90 years after the Essenes were hiding scripture, what they valued most, in 2 Corinthians 4:7 he wrote to the Corinthian church: Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. (Christian Standard Bible) Paul talks about the light of the gospel, our greatest treasure. He explains that, as Christians, we are to proclaim the light — that light being Jesus.
Jesus allows us to see and know the glory of God. We are to proclaim the light of Jesus in the darkness of this broken world. When Paul says, "Now we have this treasure in clay jars," the treasure he is referencing is the light of the gospel, the message of Jesus and the glory of God reflected in Jesus.
Why a jar of clay? A jar of clay is shaped.