“2 Corinthians 3:7-11”

Thursday, May 24, 2018

“But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.”

---End of Scripture Verses---

Paul had stated in the previous two verses, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” God had made Paul adequate, as an inspired Apostle of Jesus Christ, to teach the truth that saves people’s souls.

He was not like other teachers in the church at Corinth who “peddled the word of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17). He taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ from a heart and mind of purity (of motives) and sincerity (of love). It seems obvious from these verses that those unscrupulous teachers were not only making merchandise of God’s word, but they were also teaching it falsely. They evidently taught the Law of Moses as being a part of the Gospel of Christ (or vice versa).

This is one of the most clearly stated passages of Scripture that teach us that God’s former covenant with Israel, including the Law of Moses, are no longer in effect today. When Paul refers to “letters engraved on stones,” and to “the face of Moses” that shined with glory; there can be no doubt that he is writing about the 10 Commandments issued by God on Mount Sanai, and the entire Mosaic Law that it came to represent (Read Exodus 34:29-35).

The Law of Moses is called “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation” because it identified sin, but provided no means of taking those sins away. “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4). “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM’” (Galatians 3:10).

Please don’t misunderstand. The Law of Moses was adequate for God’s people who lived under it and endeavored to keep it as best that they possibly could. Paul even wrote in today’s text that it “had glory” (verse 9). The glory of that covenant and law are just greatly surpassed by the glory of our covenant and law in Christ Jesus. It is written of Christ in Hebrews 9:15, “For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

Those who loved and obeyed God through the Law of Moses with a good heart and pure conscience were forgiven by the blood of Christ (not by the blood of the animals sacrificed) just like we are. But the point is, why would anyone want to go back to something that is inferior and “incomplete” when we have the fulfillment and completion of that old law in Christ Jesus himself and our covenant with Him? The Law of Moses was a constant reminder that God’s people needed their Messiah Savior and the forgiveness that only He could provide. Since He has come in fulfillment of the “Law and the Prophets”, He surpassed and superseded it.

Eric boiled this all down excellently to one paragraph in his lesson book: “The old covenant was a ‘ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones.’ Despite this inferiority, its origin was in God and therefore possessed divine glory. This foretaste of an even greater glory became obsolete by the ratification of the new covenant. Paul begins to suggest the diminishing nature of this glory that should have been understood by the sons of Israel through their experience with Moses. If the old covenant came with death and condemnation, and the new covenant came with life and immortality, how much greater glory would it possess?”

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

Please read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 for tomorrow.

Have a great day!

- Louie Taylor

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