2 Corinthians 3 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

2 Corinthians 3

Ministers of the New Covenant

3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our¹ hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.²

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one³ turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord⁴ is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,⁵ are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.⁶ For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Footnotes

[1] 3:2 Some manuscripts your
[2] 3:3 Greek fleshly hearts
[3] 3:16 Greek he
[4] 3:17 Or this Lord
[5] 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord
[6] 3:18 Greek from glory to glory

Commentary

v1-3: Some 'false apostles' carried letters of commendation to demonstrate their authority. In contrast, Paul pointed to the church at Corinth itself. The proof of apostleship was their changed lives; this demonstrated his authority, and the power and authority of the gospel of Christ. Such letters written on "tablets of human hearts" could only be the work of God.

v4: Paul's confidence is indeed that the work of God is true.

v5-6: Paul had already asked the questions, "Who is equal to such a task?" or 'Who is sufficient for these things?' Any ministry of Christ is beyond the ability of natural man. Our ministry is God's calling, and He will give us strength; our competence and sufficiency are from God.

Paul uses the word translated competent, or sufficient (Gk: HIKANOO), to be enough, to render fit (not the same as power, Gk: DUNAMIS) – this carries the idea that God equips us for the task to which He has called us.

The calling is consistent with the message. The message is of the new covenant, of the Holy Spirit, of life. Our calling is to the proclamation of the message. The new covenant is to do with spirit, not the letter; mercy not law; as such it is life.

v7-8: In the O.T. the people followed the ministry of "death", the law, written on stones. Even this message had great glory, being from God, since the people saw that Moses' face shone (Ex 34.29-35). How much greater, therefore, is the ministry of life through the Spirit!

v9: The message is the ministry of righteousness, not condemnation. Again, it is glorious.

v10-11: The old covenant is fading away, Heb 8.13. The new covenant, in Christ, will last, and will not be replaced. It has "surpassing glory", and glory "which lasts".

v12-13: We therefore have great boldness; confidence in the power and relevance of the message. The theme here is similar to the 'better' theme of the letter to the Hebrews. Moses covered his face; but that radiance was fading away. Although Moses delivered the law to the people, his own life was one of faith.

v14-16: The message of the O.T. is veiled, not because it is incorrect, but because it is fulfilled in Christ. The veil is taken away in Christ. The veil was, in reality, over their hearts, to prevent them from understanding and seeing. In Christ this veil is removed, so that we might know the only true God.

v17: The Spirit of the Lord comes in; He brings freedom and access. The contrast is of legalism in the letter (v6), written and engraved of stones (v7).

v18: We behold, with unveiled face, the glory of the Lord; how little we experience this! The glory of Christ is something we experience in ever-increasing measure. As we get to know Him more, we are changed into His likeness. We can be changed in habits and actions, in thoughts and words. Our flesh needs to be trained to become like our nature, which is now clean.