2 Corinthians, Chapter 3

 

2 Corinthians 3 What was the letter of commendation or the confirmation that Paul and those with him were true apostles of the Lord? vs.1-3 The Corinthians themselves were Paul's letter of commendation; the recommendation he needed was breathing and walking about in the lives of his converts. Where was this letter written and how was it manifested to others? vs. 2-3 The letter was written in their hearts, known and read by all men. Being manifested as letters of Christ, written with the Spirit of the living God. Paul did not feel that he was adequate for anything coming from himself. Who made him an adequate servant and how did it happen? There is a contrast between the letter (the law of God) and the Spirit (the grace of God through faith in Jesus). God made him an adequate servant of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. What does Paul call the letter of law and what does he say about it? Find 7 points to list from vs. 7-18 ministry of death letters engraved on stones came with glory but faded ministry of condemnation had glory but glory surpassed it veil remains unlifted veil lies over their heart What does Paul call life in the Spirit? Find 7 points to list from vs. 7-18 ministry of the Spirit ministry of righteousness abounds in glory veil is removed in Christ there is liberty transformed into the same image from glory to glory What happens to the hearts and minds of the Jewish listeners when they hear the laws of Moses read, even today? vs.14-16 There minds were hardened and the veil remains unlifted; a veil lies over their heart. How can they or anyone begin to understand the Scriptures and the Spirit of life and grace? vs.14-16 Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. What happens where the Spirit of the Lord is? vs. 17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. As believers looking into a mirror at the glory of the Lord, what is happening to us by the Spirit of God? vs. 18 We are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Prayer Father God, I thank you for your word today.  Help me to remember that I may be the only Gospel that some people read each day.  I thank you that I can come into Your presence to experience Your Glory and Grace and become more like Jesus day by day.  Amen. 2 Corinthians 3:  Extra Notes This chapter is a key one, for it shows the relationship between the OT message of Law and the NT ministry of the Gospel of God’s grace. It seems that the Jewish faction at Corinth was saying that Paul was not a true apostle because he did not have letters of commendation from the church at Jerusalem. Apparently some teachers had arrived at Corinth with such letters, and this lack of credentials seemed to discredit Paul. The apostle used this accusation as an opportunity to contrast the Gospel of grace with the Law of Moses. I.     Written on Hearts, Not Stones (3:1–3) “I don’t need letters of recommendation!” says Paul. “You Christians at Corinth are my letters, written on hearts, not on stones!” “By their fruits you will know them” (Matt. 7:20, NKJV). A person’s life and ministry may be seen in his or her work. Paul pictures himself as God’s secretary, writing the Word into the lives of God’s people. What an amazing truth: every Christian is an epistle of Christ being read by all men! You are writing a Gospel, a chapter each day, By the deeds that you do and the words that you say. Men read what you write, whether faithful or true. Just what is the Gospel according to you? Moses wrote God’s Law on stones, but in this age, God writes His Word on our hearts (Heb. 10:16–17). The Law was an external matter; grace dwells internally, in the heart. But Paul did not write even with ink, for that would fade; he wrote permanently with the Spirit of God. The Law, written on stone, held in a man’s hand, could never change his life. But the Spirit of God can use the Word to change lives and make them like Jesus. The NT ministry, then, is a spiritual ministry, as the Spirit writes the Word on men’s hearts. II.     Bringing Life, Not Death (3:4–6) When Paul says, “The letter kills,” he is not talking about the “letter” of God’s Word as opposed to its “spirit.” Often we hear confused people say, “It is wrong to follow the letter of the Bible; we must follow the spirit of it.” Keep in mind that by “the letter,” Paul means the OT law. In this chapter, He uses different phrases when referring to the OT law: the letter (v. 6); ministry of death (v. 7); ministry of condemnation (v. 9). The Law was never given to impart life; it was definitely a ministry of death. Paul was a minister of the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant of works and death. No man was ever saved through the Law! Yet there were teachers at Corinth telling the people to obey the Law and reject Paul’s Gospel of grace. Trace the word “life” in John’s Gospel, for example, and you will see that the NT ministry is one of life through the Holy Spirit. III.     Lasting Glory, Not Fading Glory (3:7–13) Certainly there was glory to the OT ministry. Glory filled the temple; the glory of God hovered over the people in the wilderness. The temple and its ceremonies, and the very giving of the Law to Moses, all had glory attached to them. But it was a fading glory, not a lasting glory. Paul cites the experience of Moses from Ex. 34:29–35. Moses had been in God’s presence, and His glory was reflected on his face. But Moses knew that this glory would fade, so he wore a veil over his face whenever talking to the people, lest they see the glory fade and lose confidence in his ministry. (It is commonly taught, but in error, that Moses wore the veil to avoid frightening the people. Note v. 13, “And not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face so no one could see the glory fade away” (TLB). God never meant for the glory of the Old Covenant to remain; it was to fade away before the abounding glory of the Gospel. If the ministry of condemnation (the Law) was glorious, then the ministry of righteousness (the Gospel) is even more glorious! Paul needs no veil; he has nothing to hide. The glory of the Gospel is there! IV.     Unveiled, Not Veiled (3:14–16) Paul makes a spiritual application of Moses’ veil. He states that there is still a veil over the hearts of the Jews when they read the OT, and this veil keeps them from seeing Christ. The OT will always be a locked book to the heart that knows not Christ. Jesus removed that veil when He rent the veil of the temple and fulfilled the OT types and prophecies. Yet Israel does not recognize that the ministry of the Law is temporary; it is holding on to a ministry that was never meant to last, a ministry with fading glory. There is a two-fold blindness upon Israel: a blindness that affects persons, in that they cannot recognize Christ as revealed in the OT, and a judicial blindness whereby God has blinded Israel as a nation (Rom.11:25). Satan blinds the minds of all sinners, hiding from them the glorious Gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). But when the heart turns to Christ, that veil is taken away. Moses removed his veil when he went up to the mount to see God, and any Jew who turns honestly to the Lord will have his spiritual veil removed and will see Christ and receive Him as Savior. The NT ministry is one that points to Christ in the Word of God, in both the OT and the NT. We have nothing to hide, nothing to veil; the glory will last forever and will grow continually brighter. V.     Liberty, Not Bondage (3:17–18 ) Verse 17 is grossly misused and quoted to excuse all kinds of unspiritual practices. “The Lord is that Spirit”; when sinners turn to Christ, it is through the ministry of the Spirit. And the Spirit gives liberty from spiritual bondage. The Old Covenant was a covenant of works and bondage (Acts 15:10). But the New Covenant is a ministry of glorious liberty in Christ (Gal. 5:1ff). This liberty is not license; it is freedom from fear, sin, the world, and legalistic religious practices. Every Christian is like Moses: with an unveiled face, we can come into the presence of God and enjoy His glory—yes, receive that glory and become more like Christ! In v. 18, Paul illustrates the meaning of sanctification and growing in grace. He compares the Word of God to a mirror (“glass”—James 1:23–25). When the people of God look into the Word of God and see the glory of God, the Spirit of God transforms them to be like the Son of God (Rom. 8:29). “Changed” in this verse is the same as the Gk. word for “transformed” in Rom. 12:2 and “transfigured” in Matt. 17:2, and explains how we have our minds renewed in Christ. The Christian is not in bondage and fear; we can go into the very presence of God and enjoy His glory and grace. We do not have to wait for Christ to return to become like Him; we can daily grow “from glory to glory” (v. 18 ). Truly our position in Christ is a glorious one! The ministry of grace is far superior to Judaism or any other religion, even though the NT Christian has none of the ceremonies or visible trappings that belonged to the Law. Ours is a glorious ministry, and its glory will never fade. Wiersbe, W. W. (1997, c1992). Wiersbe's expository outlines on the New Testament (482). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books. ‘Ever-increasing glory’ (3:7–18 ) Paul agrees that the law of Moses was glorious, but it had its limitations. It condemned us to death, because we failed to keep it. It was written on tablets of stone and not on our inner hearts. Its glory didn’t last, because it was surpassed by the work of Christ. The law brought condemnation, but Jesus brought forgiveness. Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide. Includes index. (1st Augsburg books ed.) (596). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg. v.7 - 11:  Paul recognizes that the old covenant was accompanied by splendour, but he argues that the new covenant is accompanied by far greater splendour. The superiority of the new covenant is argued on three counts: the ministry of the Spirit is more splendid than the ministry that brought death (7–8 ); the ministry that brings righteousness is more splendid than the ministry that condemns (9); the ministry which lasts is more splendid than that which was fading away (11). the ministry of the old covenant, faded away at the coming of Christ. the ministry of the new covenant is carried out in the power of the Spirit; it gives people a right standing before God, and it lasts because it will not be superseded by another. Carson, D. A. (1994). New Bible commentary : 21st century edition. Rev. ed. of: The new Bible commentary. 3rd ed. / edited by D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer. 1970. (4th ed.) (2 Co 3:7). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press.