Second Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 3
Having fully explained his failure to visit the Corinthians Paul continues on to make sure that they are not getting the wrong idea about what he is saying: “Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?” (2 Corinthians 3:1). Paul begins by asking a couple of rhetorical questions to the Corinthians. Do they think he is commending himself to them on his own merits? Do they think that he needs some special letter of validation stating that he is an adequate preacher of the Gospel? Basically he is saying to them: What do you want from me? Is not what I have done for you already enough? “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Frustrated that the Corinthians continue to look for worldly and earthly validation Paul tells them very plainly that the Spirit of the living God that is working in their hearts and minds is the letter of recommendation for his ministry. Paul wants the Corinthians to stop looking at the outside externals and look at the ministry itself, to look at the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their hearts. This confidence of Paul’s is rooted solely in the work that Christ has done for us all: “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6). Paul as a human being is not competent to carry out the work that he has been doing, but because of God’s call in Jesus Christ he has been made a competent minister for the new covenant Gospel of Jesus Christ. What he preaches is not the letter of the Law but the living Spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord in the Gospel Message.
Paul continues on to explain this new covenant and ministry, giving us a clear breakdown of Law and Gospel: “Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!” (2 Corinthians 3:7-9). The Law that came thru Moses brought with it death for it brought to light the sin that corrupts the depths of the heart of every single one of us. This ministry was not without glory though, for this Law was indeed God’s Law (not man’s!) and His immutable and perfect will. When Moses received the Law from God it caused his face to shine with its divine glory and power. But why does Paul call the Law the “letter” in a seemingly derogatory manner? He calls it the “letter” because the Law is simply written down (engraved on stone); it is an empty, unmoving, action-less directive and demand which brings death, condemnation, and curse because it gives no heart, power, or ability to fulfill itself. What good are the words of the Law to us if there is no action or strength to carry them out? To sinful man the Law is nothing but dead letters that condemn. On the other hand the new covenant is not devoid of action and obedience; it takes upon itself the letter of the Law and fulfills it thru the perfect obedience and action of Jesus Christ. The Law makes demands and puts the burden of obedience upon our shoulders; the Gospel fulfills everything itself and removes the burden from our shoulders. Therefore Paul urges us to see that the new ministry and new covenant that he proclaims will be even more glorious than the ministry of the Law which only brought death. The Gospel brings righteousness to all men thru the unconditional act of grace done thru Jesus Christ crucified where He fulfilled the Law perfectly for all men. Instead of showing us our disobedience and lack of action like the old covenant, the new covenant actually steps out and completes what we couldn’t do ourselves. This is far more glorious than the old covenant for it glorifies God’s name, His justice, His mercy, His goodness, and His faithfulness all while bringing new life to us sinners who were once dead and helpless. “For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” (2 Corinthians 3:10-11). The glory of the Law shone in order that it would bring to light our sin and thereby light the way to the new covenant in Jesus Christ. Now that the new glory of the Cross has arrived the old covenant has faded into the background so that we might focus on Christ alone. The old covenant is merely a messenger and guide that points us to the end, to the goal, to Jesus Christ crucified: “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away” (2 Corinthians 3:12-13). Because of the immeasurable glory, grace, and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we are very bold. We have the promises of God and the covering of Christ which make us willing to live without the fear that once enveloped us in our sin. Because the Law brought death to sinful man Moses was forced to veil his face hiding it from the Israelites and their veiled hearts of sin which could not face such glory. The glory of the old covenant however quickly faded from Moses’ face illustrating the Law as a transitory ministry. The Law cannot be an end in and of itself for sinful man; it is a fading ministry whose end and completion must be found in the Cross. If the Law is the end then we are hopelessly lost, but if the Gospel and grace of the Cross is the end then we are redeemed and rescued. “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). The Law by itself only brings death and despair; there is no true hope or life in the Law, it cannot unveil the heart, it can only show us the depths of our depravity. It is powerless to remove the veil and the dullness of our darkened hearts. Thru the Law we can only become aware of the veil that blinds us as we are torn down to contrition and brokenness. If the Gospel is not applied to those who have been given the Law then their sinful flesh will strive for self-righteousness, blindly thinking they can achieve the Law on their own. However when Christ is applied to those who have been broken by the Law the veil is removed and the righteousness of God in the Cross is revealed; when the Gospel is applied and men turn to Christ thru it then the veil is removed and our eyes are opened to the true God whose reality remained completely hidden apart from Christ. Only thru Christ the Mediator can the veil be removed, allowing us to stand boldly before God the Father. “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
In conclusion Paul glories in the freedom and grace of the ministry of the Spirit, that is the Gospel: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). The Lord Jesus Christ is not found in the ministry of the letter but He is only found in the ministry of the Spirit. Thru Him we find freedom: freedom from sin, from ourselves, from death, from the devil, from the oppression of the Law, and from the veil that once covered our faces. In Christ Jesus we who were once deaf can now hear and we who were once blind can now see. “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see” (Isaiah 29:18). Therefore let us pray that we see the distinction and interaction between the two ministries of the letter and the Spirit, the Law and the Gospel: the Law that brought us death and condemnation was given to show us our sin, break us down, and point us to Christ so that thru His work of the Gospel we might share in His righteousness of the fulfillment of the Law. “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).
Paul continues on to explain this new covenant and ministry, giving us a clear breakdown of Law and Gospel: “Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!” (2 Corinthians 3:7-9). The Law that came thru Moses brought with it death for it brought to light the sin that corrupts the depths of the heart of every single one of us. This ministry was not without glory though, for this Law was indeed God’s Law (not man’s!) and His immutable and perfect will. When Moses received the Law from God it caused his face to shine with its divine glory and power. But why does Paul call the Law the “letter” in a seemingly derogatory manner? He calls it the “letter” because the Law is simply written down (engraved on stone); it is an empty, unmoving, action-less directive and demand which brings death, condemnation, and curse because it gives no heart, power, or ability to fulfill itself. What good are the words of the Law to us if there is no action or strength to carry them out? To sinful man the Law is nothing but dead letters that condemn. On the other hand the new covenant is not devoid of action and obedience; it takes upon itself the letter of the Law and fulfills it thru the perfect obedience and action of Jesus Christ. The Law makes demands and puts the burden of obedience upon our shoulders; the Gospel fulfills everything itself and removes the burden from our shoulders. Therefore Paul urges us to see that the new ministry and new covenant that he proclaims will be even more glorious than the ministry of the Law which only brought death. The Gospel brings righteousness to all men thru the unconditional act of grace done thru Jesus Christ crucified where He fulfilled the Law perfectly for all men. Instead of showing us our disobedience and lack of action like the old covenant, the new covenant actually steps out and completes what we couldn’t do ourselves. This is far more glorious than the old covenant for it glorifies God’s name, His justice, His mercy, His goodness, and His faithfulness all while bringing new life to us sinners who were once dead and helpless. “For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” (2 Corinthians 3:10-11). The glory of the Law shone in order that it would bring to light our sin and thereby light the way to the new covenant in Jesus Christ. Now that the new glory of the Cross has arrived the old covenant has faded into the background so that we might focus on Christ alone. The old covenant is merely a messenger and guide that points us to the end, to the goal, to Jesus Christ crucified: “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).
“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away” (2 Corinthians 3:12-13). Because of the immeasurable glory, grace, and hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we are very bold. We have the promises of God and the covering of Christ which make us willing to live without the fear that once enveloped us in our sin. Because the Law brought death to sinful man Moses was forced to veil his face hiding it from the Israelites and their veiled hearts of sin which could not face such glory. The glory of the old covenant however quickly faded from Moses’ face illustrating the Law as a transitory ministry. The Law cannot be an end in and of itself for sinful man; it is a fading ministry whose end and completion must be found in the Cross. If the Law is the end then we are hopelessly lost, but if the Gospel and grace of the Cross is the end then we are redeemed and rescued. “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). The Law by itself only brings death and despair; there is no true hope or life in the Law, it cannot unveil the heart, it can only show us the depths of our depravity. It is powerless to remove the veil and the dullness of our darkened hearts. Thru the Law we can only become aware of the veil that blinds us as we are torn down to contrition and brokenness. If the Gospel is not applied to those who have been given the Law then their sinful flesh will strive for self-righteousness, blindly thinking they can achieve the Law on their own. However when Christ is applied to those who have been broken by the Law the veil is removed and the righteousness of God in the Cross is revealed; when the Gospel is applied and men turn to Christ thru it then the veil is removed and our eyes are opened to the true God whose reality remained completely hidden apart from Christ. Only thru Christ the Mediator can the veil be removed, allowing us to stand boldly before God the Father. “Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15).
In conclusion Paul glories in the freedom and grace of the ministry of the Spirit, that is the Gospel: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). The Lord Jesus Christ is not found in the ministry of the letter but He is only found in the ministry of the Spirit. Thru Him we find freedom: freedom from sin, from ourselves, from death, from the devil, from the oppression of the Law, and from the veil that once covered our faces. In Christ Jesus we who were once deaf can now hear and we who were once blind can now see. “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see” (Isaiah 29:18). Therefore let us pray that we see the distinction and interaction between the two ministries of the letter and the Spirit, the Law and the Gospel: the Law that brought us death and condemnation was given to show us our sin, break us down, and point us to Christ so that thru His work of the Gospel we might share in His righteousness of the fulfillment of the Law. “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).
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