Introduction In chapter 3 we have the unwritten grace of God (vv.1-6) and the unveiled glory of God (vv. 7-18). Paul will contrast and compare the law of Moses with the gospel of grace. Paul s intention is to prove the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was accompanied with a fading glory (v.7; 10a); the new and unfading glory (v.10b). The old was temporary (v.11a); led to death (9a); functioned in part as a veil; concealing or hiding or restricting God s glory (vv.13-14a; 15). The old covenant had the net result of preventing Christlikeness in the lives of unsaved Jews and Gentiles (3:14b). But the New Covenant is eternal (v.3:11b); leads to life (v.8); functions as a mirror--reflecting God s glory (vv. 16-18) and produces Christlike character in the lives of saved Jews and Gentiles (v.9b); producing boldness (v.12). Paul speaks with boldness and confidence in both his apostolic calling and the ministry that has been entrusted to him by the Lord Jesus! How can he be so sure of himself? Paul says his confidence is rooted and grounded in the revelation of God; in the work and ability of Christ; and that he has no sufficiency in and of himself (vv.4-5). Why does Paul contrast and compare the Old Covenant with the New? Because Paul s critics are Judaizers. Judaizers were men who sought to mix the law with the Gospel of Grace. They were the original Jewish roots movement. Should we be familiar with the Old Testament? Of course. But the Judaizers were not simply teaching the Old Testament; they were teaching that Christians must teach and incorporate and obey certain portions of the Old Testament Law of Moses in order to be fully accepted by God. The Minister Serves A New Testament (v.6) 2 Corinthians 3:6 18 (NKJV) 6who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The Old Covenant was the legal system delivered by God to Moses. Under the Old Covenant; blessing was conditioned upon obedience. A Covenant is a promise; an agreement. The Old Covenant--initiated by God--conditioned on obedience could not produce righteousness. The New Covenant is the Gospel; in it God covenants by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. In the New Covenant all things depend on the Lord; in this sense the New Covenant is able to accomplish what the Old Covenant could never do. The Old Was Written Law; The New Is The Spirit (v.6) 1
not of the letter but of the Spirit What is Paul saying? If you take the outward, straightforward reading of the Old Testament Law; and desire to be obedient to the letter of the law--without desiring to be obedient to the spirit of the passage; it harms you rather than helps you. Think for a moment; some religious leaders would tithe down to the leaves on a plant; or grain in a stalk; but did not show mercy or love to others. The religious leaders were willing to murder Jesus in order to protect their traditions surrounding the keeping of the Sabbath. But here Paul s point is very different. The letter refers to the Law of Moses. And the Spirit refers to the Gospel of the Grace of God. The Old Kills; The New Gives Life (v.6) When Paul says the letter kills; he is speaking of the ministry of the law. The law condemns all who fail to to keep its holy precepts. By the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them (Galatians 3:10). The Law could never be an instrument of life. The Law s design is to reveal sin, to bring the knowledge of sin, and the conviction of sin. But the Spirit gives life. Here the New Covenant is called spirit. In this sense it means the spiritual fulfillment of the types and shadows alluded to in the Old Testament and the Old Covenant. What the Law demanded but could never produce is now effected by the gospel. This ministry of the letter that killeth is illustration in the 3,000 killed at Sinai, at the inauguration of the Old Covenant; and the ministry of the Spirit, the life-giving ministry is illustrated by the 3000 saved on the day of Pentecost (J. M. Davies). The Old Was Glorious; The New More Glorious (vv.7-8) 7But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, Paul is making reference to the giving of the Ten Commandments. God threatened death to all who did not keep them (Exodus 19:13). And there was glory with the giving of the Law (God manifested His presence and power). 2
The power and presence of God caused the face of Moses to shine. which glory was to be done away or ASV which glory was passing away. The glowing face of Moses was temporary. Paul makes the point that the spiritual meaning of the Old Testament passage meant that its glory was also temporary. The law had a very definite function--to reveal sin. It also pointed to the holiness of God and the requirements of God for fellowship. The law was the shadow; Jesus is the substance. Paul now contrast the glory which attended the giving of the law with the glory of the Spirit. The words glory and glorious are found in chapters 3 and 4 seventeen times. Now Paul calls the Old Covenant the ministry of death (his words). 8how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? The Law was not without glory! Yet the ministry of the Spirit is even more glorious. Again is this the ministry of the Holy Spirit? In one sense yes--since the Gospel is in fact a ministry of the Holy Spirit! Paul is speaking of the Spirit of God working through the preaching of the Gospel. The Old Brought Condemnation; The New Brings Righteousness (vv.9-10) 9For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. Again Paul refers to the Law as the ministry of condemnation. In what sense? Condemnation is the judicial pronouncement of guilt. It is the guilty verdict. The Old Covenant in the end brought the pronouncement of guilt and with that guilt a guilty verdict. How is that glorious? Because justice is glorious. The Law pronounces guilt to all men; since no one keeps the Law perfectly. 10For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. How are we to understand this passage? I think Paul is saying that in some sense the Law did in fact have real glory attached or connected to it; yet when we compare it with the New Covenant is really doesn t seem to have any glory at all. 3
When we look in the heavens at all the stars we can calculate and measure their distance from the earth, their mass, their composition. Yet when our own sun comes up all the stars disappear. When the Sun shines in His strength, there is no other glory in the sky (Denny). When all is said and done; when we place the Old Covenant next to the New Covenant one outshines the other. The greater glory dims the less. In one point at least, the old seems to have no glory at all, because of the superabundant glory of the new covenant (A.T. Robertson). The Old Fades Away; The New Is Permanent (v.11) 11For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. ASV For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory. With and in Glory appeared in the giving of the Law; in other words glory attended or accompanied the Law; but in the New Covenant--the Gospel of God s grace is glorious in and of itself! Once again the temporal is contrasted with the eternal. What is it that is passing away? The Old Covenant; the Law of Moses; the Ten Commandments the ministration of death, written and engraved on stones (v.7); Some suggest that the Ceremonial Law was done away with; but the Ten Commandments remain. It is true that 9 of the Ten Commandments are repeated by the Lord Jesus--(the Sabbath being conspicuous by its absence). The Old Spoke With Veiled Meanings; The New Speaks With Plain Meaning (vv.12-16) 12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech Indeed--Paul s statements are revolutionary. What hope is Paul making reference to? The glory of the Gospel will never fade or become dim! 4
Paul has nothing to hide! There is no need to couch his meaning in ambiguity! Paul can speak with great clarity! There is no reason to use a veil! People love secrets. They love secret religions. In some ancient religions they promised greater and greater insights into the secret teachings or secret rituals. Initiates were promised greater access if they gave time/money/devotion etc. The gospel is plain and straight forward. 13unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. Paul makes reference to Exodus 34:29-35. Moses had been in the presence of the Lord. Moses did not know at first that his face was glowing or shining. The people of Israel were afraid to come near Moses because of the glory on his face. But Moses invited them to come near. Exodus 34:33; And when (not till) Moses had done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face (RV). In the KJV it sounds as if Moses had the veil on his face until he finished speaking with them. But the RV correctly states that Moses put the veil on his face when he finished speaking to them. Here Paul gives the explanation of that verse; Moses did so that the children of Israel should not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. The glory on Moses face was a fading glory, a temporary glory; the law was temporary, fading, transient. Moses did not want them to see when the glory faded; it wasn t that Moses wanted to hide the glory for himself--but rather to conceal the passing of the glory. FW Grant: The glory of the face of Moses must give way to the glory in Another Face. That occurred at the coming of Jesus. The result is the minister of the New Covenant does not hide his face. The glory of the gospel will never grow dim or fade away! 14But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. Paul (a rabbi and a Jew) argues that the children of Israel missed the true meaning and significance of what God was doing through Moses. When Paul is writing these words some Jews were clinging to the idea that true salvation came in knowing, understanding, observing, the Law! Does the Law provide a means of salvation? No. The means of salvation is in Christ alone! 15But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 5
What veil is that? Moses (The Old Testament) is read; the religious leaders--the Judaizers did not realize that the glory of the law was passing away--a passing glory--and that the revelation of God given to Moses--the law and all its fulfillment was in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul--changes the image of the veil slightly--in the Old Testament the veil was over Moses face; but now there is another veil--on the hearts of the Jewish people! Forever religious--they were trying to obtain righteousness through the principle of observing the Law of Moses--neglecting or ignoring--the fact--that Jesus has done the WHOLE WORK on the cross of Calvary! They were seeking to gain salvation on their own merit; not realizing that the Law utterly condemns them and that they should run into the arms of God for mercy and grace in Jesus Christ alone! 16Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away....when one that is the Jew...When God s ancient people turn to the Lord and accept Jesus as Messiah--the veil is done away. We cannot see the types and the shadows and their fulfillment apart from Jesus the Messiah. I believe the New Testament teaches a future restoration of Israel. A remnant of the nation will turn to Messiah (see Romans 11:25-26; 32). The New Covenant Brings Liberty Through Jesus Christ (vv.17-18) 17Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Some have suggested that the Spirit of the Lord is present--when the people of the Lord meet; and there is liberty in the proclamation of the Gospel. I am going to suggest to you that the Spirit is used in two ways in this verse; it is used as in verse 6 to describe the New Covenant; or the Gospel; in the second part of the verse the Spirit of the Lord--is a reference to the Holy Spirit. How are we to think about the verse? The Lord is the Spirit--that is the Lord is the embodiment of the New Testament; all the types and the shadows of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ--Christianity is Christ! Whenever the Holy Spirit is present--revealing Jesus Christ in this manner--there is liberty--the freedom to gaze upon the face of Jesus Christ. There was not this liberty in the case of Moses. 18But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 6
In the Old Testament Moses was not allowed to see the glory of the Lord. In the New Covenant we can look full in His wonderful face! We keep our faces unveiled when we confess and forsake sin. The mirror is of course the Word of God. We look in the Bible and see Jesus revealed in His splendor. We do not see Him face to face--but again--we see His reflection as it is mirrored in the Word of God. We glimpse Jesus. Conclusion Paul reminds the Corinthians it is the glory of the Lord we behold. Not simply the moral beauty; but His present glory as Jesus is seated on the right hand of the Father. Paul wants the Corinthians to understand that at this present moment Jesus shares His Father s throne; Jesus is the Head of the Church; Jesus possesses and bestows all the fulness of divine grace; He is the coming Judge of the World; Jesus is the conqueror of every hostile power, Jesus is the intercessor for the Saints (not Mary not other Saints); Jesus is the bearer of all majesty. When we are preoccupied with the glory of the risen Savior, the ascended Savior, the exalted Savior, we are changed into His image. This is in effect the secret of Christian holiness--occupation with Christ. Not occupation with the self--that only brings defeat. Not with occupying ourselves with others, that only brings disappointment; but by occupation with the glory of the Lord; as we become more and more like Him. JN Darby used the beautiful illustration of Stephen; We see it in Stephen when he is stoned, and he looks up and sees the glory of God and Jesus. Christ had said, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they do ; and the view of Jesus in the glory of God draws from Stephen the prayer, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And again on the cross, Christ says, Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit ; and Stephen says, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. He is changed into Christ s image. Consider the transcending glory of the New Covenant. In the Old Testament only one man had the glory on his face in the Old Covenant; today it is the privilege of every blood-bought saint to reflect the glory of God on our faces; we are in the New Covenant changed into the same image from glory to glory; even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Moses face reflected glory; our face radiates glory from within. William McDonald; Thus Paul brings to a close his rather mystical but deeply spiritual exposition of the new covenant and how it compares with the old (pp. 39-41). 7
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