2 Corinthians Chapter 3

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

Aware of the tactics of his opponents, Paul realized that his swipe at the false teachers and defense of his own ministry might be turned against him. His first question in 2Co_3:1 (Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?) suggests that this had happened before (cf. 1Co_9:1-27). Because Paul did not want to allow the false teachers to accuse him of being proud, he began his defense by posing two questions rather than making any overt claims.

Paul is almost shaming them, in this chapter, that it is necessary for him to prove himself to them. He says, do I have to brag on my own accomplishments, or have someone else who you respect recommend me? They had accepted the message that he brought to them originally, why have they begun to doubt?

Paul’s point was that he did not need secondhand testimony when the Corinthians had firsthand proof of his sincere and godly character, as well as the truth of his message that regenerated them.

His opponents obviously carried letters of recommendation, a common practice in the first century. Paul himself followed this practice at various times on behalf of those who served with him (Rom_16:1-2; 2Co_8:22-24). Paul, however, had reason to doubt the authenticity of their letters (2Co_4:2). Unlike those false letters, apparently unavailable to public scrutiny, Paul’s letter of commendation could be examined by everybody. His “letter” was the Corinthians themselves! He is saying to them, look around and see all the people who received Christ as their Savior under my ministering. Let the Christian converts there be my recommendation. All men can look and see the Christians in the church at Corinth. That should speak to all men who I am. They were a letter… written by the Spirit of the living God dispatched by Christ Himself. The false teachers’ commendation was human; Paul’s was divine (cf. 1Co_2:1-5).

When Paul spoke of that letter written on our hearts, “hearts” probably included Timothy and Titus. On tablets of human hearts alluded to the nature of the New Covenant (Jer_31:33).

 

You, yourselves, are the document that you ask for. Let the results speak for themselves. Paul is saying, that the Spirit of God had written the law of God on the fleshly part of their hearts.

Does not your heart washed in the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Spirit, not witness for me? Paul is saying that the place they are now in, with Christ, is the result of him ministering Christ to them. He says the Christ within you is because you listened to the message Christ had given Paul for them.

God was writing His law on the hearts of those people He transformed. The false teachers claimed external adherence to the Mosaic Law as the basis of salvation, but the transformed lives of the Corinthians proved that salvation was an internal change wrought by God in the heart.

 In contrast with the Old Covenant inscribed in stone (Exo_24:12), the New Covenant is inscribed on human hearts (Eze_11:19; Eze_36:26). As the New is far superior to the Old, so was Paul’s commendation compared with that of the false teachers.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Paul’s confidence was founded not on human resources but on divine ones. He was confident in the Corinthians because the Holy Spirit had worked in them. Their faith rested on God’s power (1Co_2:1-5). Paul had placed his confidence in Christ. It actually had been Christ in Paul ministering to them. The outcome was to draw them God-ward.

Paul was confident in his ministry, and that confidence resulted in his ability to stay the course and continue moving toward the goal.

Likewise his own sufficiency and competence in the ministry was derived wholly from God (cf. 1Ti_1:12). Paul realized this more than all of them, because when he had depended on his head knowledge, he knew not Christ. Christ stopped Paul and called him to His service on the road to Damascus. Paul went into the desert and was taught of the Holy Spirit of God.

World training is not sufficient to serve God in the way pleasing unto Him. We must allow Christ to minister through us. We are to be a willing vessel. The Lord Jesus Christ will do the rest. Paul knew of his lack of sufficiency within himself. He knew that his sufficiency is of God.

Paul disdained his own ability to reason, judge or assess truth. Left to his own abilities, he was useless. He was dependent on divine revelation and the Holy Spirit’s power.

Paul’s emphasis on the New Covenant implies that his opponents were ministers of the Old Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant was a written revelation of the righteousness God asked of Israel (e.g., Ex. 19-23). It was accepted with an oath of obedience and a blood sacrifice (Exo_24:1-18). When Israel proved unable and unwilling to remain faithful to that covenant, God graciously intervened and promised a New Covenant (Jer_31:31-34; Jer_32:40), new (kainēs) both in time and in quality. It was inaugurated by Christ in His sacrifice on the cross (Luk_22:20), and is entered into by faith (Php_3:9) and lived out in dependence on the Spirit (Rom_7:6; Rom_8:4). (However, the physical and national aspects of the New Covenant which pertain to Israel have not been appropriated to the church. Those are yet to be fulfilled in the Millennium. The church today shares in the soteriological aspects of that covenant, established by Christ’s blood for all believers [cf. Heb_8:7-13].)

Reliance on human rather than divine authority in letters of commendation was shortsighted and dangerous (2Co_3:1-3). Even more so was the attempt to fulfill God’s righteousness apart from divine enablement. Those who did so found that the letter kills (cf. Rom_7:10-11). But those who trust in Christ find that the Spirit gives life (cf. Rom_8:2). The letter is speaking of the law.

Romans 7:6 " But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter."

Testament means contract or covenant. The New Testament means the new covenant that God has made with mankind. Paul is speaking too many who knew the Law of Moses. He is explaining that in Jesus Christ, the Lord has provided a new agreement. This new covenant is not by the works of the law, but by the grace of God man is saved.

The new covenant was sealed with the shedding of the precious blood of the Lamb. All of them knew the impossibility of flawlessly keeping the law. The law brought death to those who did not keep it.

John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." To keep the law was an act of the flesh of man. Jesus Christ is the quickening Spirit which brings everlasting life.

I Corinthians 15:45 "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit." The law brought death, the Spirit brought life.

 2 Corinthians 3:7

Glory from the Spirit

In the preceding portion of this letter 2:12-3:6 Paul had begun an explanation and a defense of his ministry. Prompted by the inference that his credentials were inadequate Paul cited the internal attestation of the Spirit as superior to any external human commendation. In so doing he intimated that those challenging him proclaimed an adulterated message based on the Old Covenant, acceptance of which could only lead to death.

To underscore the superiority of the New Covenant to that of the Old, particularly as it was proclaimed by his opponents, Paul discussed Exo_34:29-35. His point was to show that the Old Covenant, because it came from God, was glorious. But because its fulfillment was based on human initiative, it ultimately was transitory and “fading” (katargeō, 2Co_3:7, 2Co_3:11, 2Co_3:13), needing to be replaced by the New Covenant and the Spirit’s ministry which is eternal (Heb_9:14). To illustrate this, Paul contrasted the fading radiance of God’s glory on the face of Moses (2Co_3:7) with the ever-increasing radiance of Christians (2Co_3:18).

The Old Covenant ministry of Moses brought death to people. It was not the fault of Moses or the Law, which was “holy, righteous, and good” (Rom_7:12; cf. 1Ti_1:8). It was the fault of human sin (Rom_7:10-11). Still even this ministry of death had a glory, though transitory and fading (cf. 2Co_3:11, 2Co_3:13), which was visually illustrated by the Old Covenant’s intended obsolescence. This is speaking of the fact that Moses' face shone so brightly from being in the presence of God {The Light}, that the people could not look upon him. This great Light was so bright that Moses had to cover his face with a veil to keep them from being blinded. Paul is saying, if that Light was so great in Moses, who brought the law; why do you not understand that the Light revealed in the New Testament is so much greater? The law brought death. The covenant sealed in Jesus blood brings everlasting life.                                                                                        When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, his face was so radiant that the people were afraid to approach him (Exo_34:29-30). A part of Jewish tradition maintained that Moses carried the glory of that encounter to his grave (Targum Onkelos; Deu_34:7).

2 Corinthians 3:8-11

On this point, the fading of Moses’ glory, Paul proceeded to argue for the superiority of the New Covenant. The ministry of the Old Covenant, by means of the commandments, condemned men (cf. Rom_7:11).

  

The ministry of the New, by means of the Spirit, leads men to faith in Christ and the imputation of His righteousness (Rom_3:21-22; Rom_4:24). By the law, all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are all condemned by the law. Being in right standing with God comes from being washed in the blood of the Lamb {Jesus Christ}. The difference is, that where the law condemns man, the grace in Christ brings hope of everlasting life.

Ephesians 2:5 "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;)"

Romans 5:9 "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Remember, that "justified' means just as if I had never sinned. The law was good, but grace is better.

Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin."

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:"

What a glorious awakening, when the Spirit ministers to man. Like a candle before the sun the Old Covenant paled and passed away (Gal_3:19-25) before the grandeur of the New, which is eternal (Heb_13:20). If the Old is glorious, how much more glorious is the New! This glory, spoken of here is speaking of Moses' face was shining. The glory of the Lord far excelled the glory of Moses. There is nothing wrong with Moses or the law. The weakness was in man keeping the law.

Galatians 3:21 "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."

John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." The Law of Moses was glorious, but man could not live up to that law and was lost. The grace of God, in Jesus Christ, brings life.

 2 Corinthians 3:12

Because the New Covenant is eternal its recipients had the certain hope of acceptance by God. This permitted Paul to be bold and candid in speech and action. The Old Testament, itself, was veiled and hard to understand, until the curtain was torn between the holy place and the holy of holies. When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the Christians, He was their Teacher and Guide. The Holy Spirit opens up our understanding to all Scriptures {Old and New Testament}. Jesus' teachings on the earth were all very simple. The gospel message is very simple. This plainness of speech was so that everyone could understand.

2 Corinthians 3:13

In contrast was the ministry of Moses who veiled his face as he addressed Israel so that they could not see the radiance (produced by those meetings with God) fading away. Why did he do this? Did Moses believe that the rebellious Israelites would be less inclined to obey God if they witnessed a diminishing of this awesome radiance? Or did Moses consider them unworthy recipients of this display of God’s glory and so veiled his face as a commentary on the hardness of their hearts? Perhaps it was the latter. The children of Israel could not look beyond the veil in the temple, or at Moses either. The way to God was veiled to them.

2 Corinthians 3:14-16

Whatever was Moses’ reason for using the veil, his action proved to be prophetic. Not only was ancient Israel unwilling or unable to comprehend (their minds were made dull) the transitory and preparatory nature of the Old Covenant, but the dullness remained with subsequent generations. The Jews of Paul’s day (to this day) failed to perceive that the Old Covenant was a preliminary message, not the final word of God’s revelation. Though the cloth that veiled Moses’ glory and the Old Covenant was gone, Paul said a perceptible spiritual veil remains and has not been removed (cf. 2Co_4:3-4; Rom_11:7-8, Rom_11:25).

The veil of unbelief that covers their hearts can be taken away only in Christ (2Co_3:14), that is, whenever anyone turns to the Lord. A person who reads just the Old Testament cannot truly understand, until you put it with the New Testament and realize the fulfillment in Jesus.

The Old Testament cannot be understood by physically reading it. This is speaking of the Old Testament being read in the temple, or synagogue. Without the Holy Spirit revealing the Word, it cannot be understood. It is understood through the revealing by the Holy Spirit of God. Moses removed his physical veil in the presence of the Lord.

So for any Jew or anyone who turns in faith to Christ the Lord his spiritual veil is removed. The Lord who mediated the Old Covenant is the same Lord who established the New. The main thing to understand, in this, is the simple message of Salvation in the gospels. God is revealed to man in His Son Jesus Christ. We see so clearly, God being revealed in Jesus Christ, in the following Scripture.

John 14:9 "Jesus saith unto him, have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?"

2 Corinthians 3:17

In the Old Covenant when Moses entered the Lord’s presence he removed his veil (Exo_34:34). In the New Covenant it is the Spirit who removes the veil. The Holy Spirit is the personal “Agent” of Christ; He is the Spirit of the Lord (cf. Rom_8:9). The Two are One in purpose (Joh_15:26; Joh_16:6-15) and in result (Rom_8:15; Gal_5:1). Paul’s words the Lord is the Spirit (2Co_3:17; cf. 2Co_3:18) do not confuse these two Persons of the Godhead. Instead, they affirm the Holy Spirit’s deity. John 4:24 "God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth." "Spirit" in verse 17 above, is the God Spirit.

I John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

One, in this verse, is speaking of their Spirit nature.

Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

The Spirit of the Risen Christ within me brings me liberty. I have liberty, because I am living in the perfect will of God.

Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." There is liberty in Christ.

A major result of the New Covenant is freedom. Elsewhere Paul compared those under the Old Covenant to children of slavery and those under the New to children of freedom (Gal_4:24-31). This freedom is possible because Christ has redeemed from the penalty of the Law those who believe so that they become children of God (Gal_4:5-7). This freedom as children is confirmed by the Spirit, who enables Christians to call God Father (Rom_8:15; Gal_4:6).

2 Corinthians 3:18

The glory evident in Moses’ face was a diminishing radiance (2Co_3:7, 2Co_3:13). By contrast, in the faces of Christians is God’s ever-increasing glory (cf. 2Co_4:6). (“Ever-increasing glory” is the NIV’s rendering of the Gr. phrase, “from glory into glory,” i.e., from one stage of glory to another.) Christians’ glory, like that of Moses, is a reflection of the Lord’s glory. But unlike Moses’ transitory glory a believer’s glory is eternal. This is because of God’s abiding presence through the Holy Spirit (2Co_4:17). This glory is the experience of salvation available in the New Covenant and mediated by the Spirit who leads Christians from justification through sanctification to glorification. The more there is of Jesus in me the less of me in me. When I become so full of Christ that others can see Christ in me, then the Scripture above becomes more true in my life. Christians are becoming more like Jesus every day, or they are going back into the world. We never stand still. True Christianity is becoming more Christ-like every day. Christ in me, the hope of glory.

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

I John 3:2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

As believers manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal_5:22-23), they are progressively being transformed (the same word Paul used in Rom_12:2) into His likeness. Christ likeness is the goal of the Christian walk (Eph_4:23-24; Col_3:10). No wonder Paul said the New is far superior to the Old!