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÷÷2 CORINTHIANS 3
2 CORINTHIANS 3
PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| USB4 | NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB |
| Ministers of the New Covenant | Christ's Epistle | Our Ministry | Servants of the New Covenant | From Troas to Macedonia- The Apostolate: It's Importance |
| (2:14-3:6) | (2:12-4:6) | |||
| 3:1-3 | 3:1-3 | 3:1-3 | 3:1-3 | 3:1-3 |
| The Spirit, Not the Letter | ||||
| 3:4-6 | 3:4-6 | 3:4-6 | 3:4-6 | 3:4-11 |
| Glory of the New Covenant | The Ministry of the New Covenant | |||
| 3:7-11 | 3:7-18 | 3:7-11 | 3:7-11 | |
| 3:12-18 | 3:12-18 | 3:12-18 | 3:12-18 |
READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
The Law is good. It is from God. It served, and continues to serve, a divine purpose (cf. Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 7:7,12,14,22,25). It can not bring peace or salvation. James Stewart in his book A Man in Christ, shows Paul's paradoxical thinking and writing:
"You would naturally expect a man who was setting himself to construct a system of thought and doctrine to fix as rigidly as possible the meanings of the terms he employed. You would expect him to aim at precision in the phraseology of his leading ideas. You would demand that a word, once used by your writer in a particular sense should bear that sense throughout. But to look for this from Paul is to be disappointed. Much of his phraseology is fluid, not rigid. . .'The law is holy,' he writes, 'I delight in the law of God after the inward man' (cf. Rom. 7:12-13) but it is clearly another aspect of nomos that makes him say elsewhere, 'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law' (cf. Gal. 3:13)" (p. 26).
SPECIAL TOPIC: LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
SPECIAL TOPIC: VEIL, SHAWL, COVERING
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
÷2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-3
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-3
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters
of commendation to you or from you? 2You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3being manifested
that you are a letter of Christ, cared for 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.
3:1 The grammatical form of both questions in 2 Cor. 3:1 expects a "no" answer. It is hard to know if Paul is being sarcastic or heart broken.
▣ "to commend" This word is a compound of "to place" and "together," which is used as imagery
▣ "as some" Paul uses this designation often in 2 Corinthians because of the conflict with the aggressive false teachers from Palestine who tried to elevate themselves by contrasting themselves to Paul and his background and his gospel (cf. 2 Cor. 3:2; 2:17; 10:2). Paul also used the same expression in a negative sense in 1 Corinthians to relate to the actions and beliefs of some church members (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18; 15:12).
▣ "letters of commendation" The early church adopted the procedure of letters of recommendation to assure the orthodoxy and trustworthiness of itinerant ministers.
SPECIAL TOPIC: LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
3:2 "You are our letter, written in our hearts," Paul is asserting that he does not need a letter to recommend himself to this church (or from this church), because he is its spiritual founder as Christ is its savior and Lord. They were his flesh-and-blood letter (cf. 2 Cor. 3:3).
The phrase "written in our hearts" is a PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE. Paul loved this church. They were permanently in his heart and mind. The PASSIVE VOICE implies that God/Christ/Spirit is the agent (cf. 2 Cor. 3:3), which produces Paul's love.
The idea of something being written on the heart (not in a letter) seems to be borrowed from the terminology of the New Covenant in Jer. 31:33. It denotes an internal motive for one's actions inspired by the Spirit.
▣ "known and read" There is a sound play between these two Greek words (i.e., ginōskomenē and anaginōskomenē, cf. 2 Cor. 1:13). Both are PRESENT PASSIVE PARTICIPLES.
▣ "by all men" This is the use of the term "all" where it is not inclusive (cf. Rom. 11:26). This is obviously a hyperbole, so common in Jewish literature (cf. Matt. 5:29-30,38-42; 6:24; 7:3-5; 23:23-24).
SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE
3:3 "being manifested" See note at 2 Cor. 2:14.
▣ "you are a letter of Christ" Believers are meant to clearly reveal Christ by their motives, words, and actions. How we live reflects on His reputation!
▣ "cared for by us" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SERVANT LEADERSHIP
▣ "the Spirit of the living God" The terminology referring to the Triune God (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY) is very fluid. The Spirit is often referred to as the Spirit of Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:9; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 4:6; 1 Pet. 1:11; see SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT). Here the same type of fluidity is directed toward the Father.
The title "living God" is a play on YHWH, which is from the Hebrew VERB "to be" (cf. Exod. 3:14; see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.). The descriptive title is common for the Father in the NT (cf. Matt. 16:16; 26:63; Acts 14:15; Rom. 9:26; 2 Cor. 6:16; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:10; Heb. 3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22; Rev. 7:2; see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD). In the OT the pagan idols were lifeless. They could not respond or they were dead part of the year (i.e., the winter) following the fertility cycles of nature. YHWH was the only truly alive, always-alive God!
▣ "not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" This seems to relate to the giving of the law in Exod. 31:18 and to the promise of a New Covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34 and Ezek. 36:22-36). This is an obvious contrast between the Old Covenant as external law versus the New Covenant as internal (i.e., new heart, new mind, and new spirit, cf. Ezek. 11:19; 36:26).
÷2 CORINTHIANS 3:4-6
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:4-6
4Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming
from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6who 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.
3:4 "confidence" This is another Pauline term used mostly in 2 Corinthians . It comes from the same Greek root as faith, trust, believe (i.e., peithō and pistis, pisteuō). It basically means trust, confidence, or reliance.
3:5 "Not that we are adequate in ourselves" The Greek term hikanos is common in the NT and is used in two senses.
The second sense is used here. Paul expresses his sense of unworthiness using this term in 1 Cor. 15:9. He also asserts that gospel ministers are not worthy in themselves in 2 Cor. 2:16 and 3:5.
Yet, even as we are inadequate in ourselves, God has called us and empowered us as His representatives (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6). We are adequate in Him (cf. Col. 1:12).
▣ "to consider" This is the term logizomai, which is used thirty-four times by Paul, but less than seven in the rest of the NT (cf. 2 Cor. 3:5; 5:19; 10:2,7; 11:5; 12:6). It reflects Paul's logical presentation of truths and then as encouragement to think through the issues clearly.
The term is a major theological word because of:
Modern believers should also carefully consider what they believe about the faith and why. Our mental and verbal abilities are part of the image of God in mankind. We must worship God with our minds (cf. LXX Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37). We need to be able to give an account of the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15). We must think through our faith beliefs for our own stability and for evangelism.
SPECIAL TOPIC: A TRUSTWORTHY OT
SPECIAL TOPIC: A TRUSTWORTHY NT
SPECIAL TOPIC: IS CHRISTIANITY TRUE?
3:6 "servants of a new covenant" Wow, wow! Surprising to Jewish people, a "new" covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36). Jesus used this terminology at the Last Supper (i.e., Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20)
▣ "not of the letter but of the Spirit" There is a series of comparisons.
Paul is contrasting the old and new covenants, but really heart faith (cf. Rom. 2:29; 7:6) versus head faith (i.e., tradition, legalism, human performance, self-righteousness).
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT OVER THE MOSAIC COVENANT
▣ "the letter kills" This seems to relate to the primary purpose of the Mosaic law. It was given not to give life, but to accentuate and reveal our sinfulness (cf. Rom. 7:9-11; Gal. 3).
The Law brings
The relationship between the NT believer and the OT Law has been a greatly confused issue. It seems to me, based on all the passages of the NT, that the Christian is not under OT law (cf. Acts 15:7-11; Rom. 6:14; Gal. 5:18). This is not because the OT law has passed away (i.e., Matt. 5:17-19), but because the NT Christian fulfills the OT law in God's love relationships with us seen in believers' love for others (cf. Rom. 13:8-10; 1 Cor. 13; Gal. 5:14; 1 John 4).
The purpose of the law is to bring fallen mankind to Christ, so as to redeem them. However, just because the OT law is not a means of salvation does not mean it is not God's will for humanity in society (cf. Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 8:4).
SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW
▣ "the Spirit gives life" This context does not provide a hermeneutical method! This paragraph does not relate to the historical-grammatical method of biblical hermeneutics versus the allegorical method (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar"). It relates primarily to the distinction between the purpose of the OT and the purpose of the NT.
Even more to the point, the role of heart-felt faith in God's resources (cf. John 6:63) versus trusting in human resources (i.e., knowledge, works, racial standing). The key is God's love, Christ's work, and the Spirit's enabling. Notice that both the killing of the letter and life-giving of the Spirit are both PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVES.
SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT
÷2 CORINTHIANS 3:7-11
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:7-11
7But 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, 8how will
the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry
of righteousness abound in glory. 10For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.
11For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
3:7 "if" This is a FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.
SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK GRAMMATICAL TERMS, VII.
▣ "the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones" The purpose of the Mosaic law was to show sinfulness (cf. Gal. 3:19-26). This section, 2 Cor. 3:7-18, is a rabbinical Midrash on Exod. 34:23-35. There is a threefold use of "the veil" imagery:
The old covenant is written by the finger of God on tablets of stone on Mt. Sinai (cf. Exodus 19-20). The new covenant, also written by God, is on the hearts of faithful followers (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36). The first is characterized by obedience to an external code, but the second, obedience to an internal relationship (i.e., new heart, new mind, new spirit).
▣ "came with glory" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT)
▣ "could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was" This relates to Exod. 34:30-35. There has been much discussion about this passage.
3:8 This verse is contrasting the ministry of Moses, which reflected God's glory with the ministry of the Spirit who shares the Father's glory.
3:9 "if" This is another FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.
▣ "the ministry of condemnation" What a strong, shockingly negative way to describe the Old Covenant. This must have been so shocking to the Jews of Paul's day, and to those modern denominations that major on OT requirements, rituals, and festivals.
SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SUPERIORITY OF THE NEW COVENANT OVER THE MOSAIC COVENANT
▣ "the ministry of righteousness" The OT produced condemnation for most of the children of Abraham. The NT produces righteousness for all the children of Adam if only they will trust in God's finished work in Christ and the wooing of the Spirit.
▣ "abound" This is a PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE of perisseuuō, which emphasizes its ongoing nature. See fuller note at 2 Cor. 1:5.
| 3:10 | |
| NASB | "For indeed what had glory, in this case has not glory |
| because of the glory that surpasses it" | |
| NKJV | "For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect |
| because of the glory that excels" | |
| NRSV | "Indeed, what once had glory has lost its glory |
| because of the greater glory" | |
| TEV | "We may say that because of the far brighter glory |
| now the glory that was so bright in the past is gone" | |
| NJB | "Indeed, what was once considered glorious has lost all claim to glory, |
| by constrast with the glory which transcends it" | |
| Peshitta | "Just as that which was not glorious became glorified; |
| in comparison with that, this excels in glory" |
The OT is characterized as "had glory" (PERFECT PASSIVE INDICATIVE). It was surely from God and reflected God (i.e., Matt. 5:17-19). However, the fuller revelation is in Christ, the glory of the NT (PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE).
The DEFINITE ARTICLE "to" (NOMINATIVE, NEUTER, SINGULAR) is used as a grammatical place holder for "the old covenant" (most English translations have "what"). It is characterized in this context as
This comparison of YHWH's covenants is also developed in the book of Hebrews.
▣ "surpasses" This is an intensified term from "over" or "beyond" and "to throw." Paul uses it here and in 2 Cor. 9:14 (i.e., "The surpassing grace of God"). He also uses both perisseuō and huperballō in 2 Cor. 11:23, where he compares his background and ministry with the credentials of the false teachers. Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians with intense feelings and hyperbolic vocabulary!
SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S USE OF HUPER COMPOUNDS
3:11 "if" This is another FIRST CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE.
▣ "that which fades away" This is the term katargeō, which is used so often by Paul in his Corinthian letters (cf. 1 Cor. 1:28; 2:6; 6:13; 13:8,10,11; 15:24,26; 2 Cor. 3:7,11,13,14).
SPECIAL TOPIC: NULL AND VOIC (kartageō)
▣ "that which remains is in glory" The contrast is not between that which is from God or has God's glory, but which has the greater glory and the abiding glory. The answer is the New Covenant in Christ, the New Age of the Spirit, and the now complete predestined eternal plan of redemption (cf. Acts 2:22-24; 3:18-21; 4:28; 13:29-41).
SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN
÷2 CORINTHIANS 3:12-18
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:12-18
12Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, 13and are not like Moses,
who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. 14But their
minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
15But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is
taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 from the Lord, the Spirit.
3:12 "Therefore having such a hope" This seems to relate to eschatological glory (cf. 2 Cor. 3:11).
▣ "we use great boldness in our speech" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BOLDNESS (parrhēsia)
3:13 This verse refers to verse 7, which is an allusion to Exod. 34:29-35. In the OT the reason for Moses wearing a veil is the fear of what his glowing face might cause to the Israelites (cf. Exod. 34:30). Paul interprets the reason so as to accentuate his depreciation of the Old Covenant. As Moses' face fades, so too, Moses covenant!
Paul makes several comparisons between Moses' covenant and Jesus' covenant.
3:14 "But their minds were hardened" This is an AORIST PASSIVE INDICATIVE. This Greek term comes from the idea of "thick skinned" or "calloused" (cf. Mark 6:52; 8:17; Rom. 11:7,25). Spiritual blindness has both
For a good brief discussion of the theological mystery of Israel's hardening read Romans 9-11 and Hard Sayings of the Bible from Inter Varsity Press, pp. 619-621.
The VERB "lies" in 2 Cor. 3:15 can be either PRESENT PASSIVE (i.e., #1) or PRESENT MIDDLE (i.e., #2).
▣ "the same veil remains unlifted" Moses used a literal veil; this term is now used to describe the inner blindness of contemporary Judaism (i.e., John 9). Jews were/are walking in the judgment of Deut. 29:4; Isa. 6:9-10 and 29:10. This also relates to the Jews of our day who refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah (cf. 2 Cor. 3:15; 4:4).
▣ "because it is removed in Christ" Only the grace of God can remove the blindness of tradition, self-righteousness, and sin. Religious people are as prone to spiritual blindness as non-religious people. Fallen mankind's only hope is
Salvation is a spiritual gift and not a matter of family, tradition, intellect, or performance!
What Paul may be asserting in this context is the believer's ability through the Spirit to see the life, teachings, and work of Jesus in the OT. Jesus Himself opened the minds of the two on the road to Emmaus (cf. Luke 24:13-35, especially 2 Cor. 3:25-27).
| NASB, TEV | "is removed" |
| NKJV, REB | "taken away" |
| NRSV | "set aside" |
| NJB | "done away" |
| Peshitta | "has been removed" |
See SPECIAL TOPIC: NULL AND VOID (katargeō)
3:15 "heart" In this context the Greek term "mind" (v. 14) is parallel to the Hebrew term "heart" (cf. Phil. 4:7).
3:16 "but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" This could be
The term "turn" in Hebrew (shub) refers to repentance. see SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)
The term, "the Lord," here could refer contextually either to YHWH or to Jesus. The ambiguity is probably purposeful. Notice the combined emphasis on human volitional choice and divine action (i.e., covenant).
SPECIAL TOPIC: PREDESTINATION (Calvinism) vs. HUMAN FREE WILL (Arminianism)
SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord (adon and kurios)
3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit" The ministry of Jesus and the Spirit are inseparably linked (cf. John 16:7; 2 Cor. 3:17-18). The ministry of the Spirit is to magnify Jesus (cf. John 16:8-14).
In context it is possible that Paul is not commenting on the connection between Jesus and the Spirit, but defining the word "Lord" (kurios) in 2 Cor. 3:16, which in the context of Exod. 34:34, refers to YHWH, but Paul is using it in the sense of the REB translation, "Now the Lord of whom this passage speaks is the Spirit." If this is accurate then the entire section is not referring to Jesus by the term "Lord," but to the Spirit (cf. Gen. 1:2 also note Gordon D. Fee, To What End Exegesis, pp. 218-239). This then would be the only place where Paul uses Kurios for the Spirit. It is a contrast between the OT law code and the then unwritten gospel (i.e., written versus living).
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.
SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT
SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord (adon and kurios)
▣ "there is liberty" This refers to freedom from spiritual blindness, self-righteousness, tradition, and legalism caused by a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ (cf. John 8:32,36; Rom. 14: 1 Cor. 8; 10:23ff; Gal. 5:1,13).
One of my favorite commentators, F. F. Bruce, in his book, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free, says
"Paul certainly knew the love of Christ to be the all-compelling power in life. Where love is the compelling power, there is no sense of strain or conflict or bondage in doing what is right: the man or woman who is compelled by Jesus' love and empowered by his Spirit does the will of God from the heart. For (as Paul could say from experience) 'where the Spirit of the Lord is, there the heart is free'" (p. 21).
Believers must be careful with freedom/liberty. Self-asserting freedom can become a prideful, self-centered weapon. It is freedom "from," not freedom "to" (cf. Gal. 5:1,13-26). We are free in Christ from the terrible, recurrent pull of self and sin! We are not free to be like Him!
SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRISTIAN FREEDOM vs. CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY
3:18 "with unveiled face" This is a PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE implying a permanent unveiling. Also note the inclusive "we all" referring to the believers in the confused and factious Corinthian church.
▣ "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord" The gospel has fully revealed both YHWH and Jesus of Nazareth (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6) as well as our own sinfulness. As we respond in repentance and faith the revelation changes us into His image. This same imagery is found in 2 Cor. 4:4. These Corinthian Christians had clearly seen YHWH in Christ through the gospel.
The term "beholding" is a rare term. The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker lists the possible uses based on the voice (p. 424).
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KERYGMA OF THE EARLY CHURCH
▣ "are being transformed" This is a PREENT PASSIVE INDICATIVE. All of the VERBALS in this context are PASSIVE VOICE, implying the Father's or the Spirit's activity on our behalf, transforming believers into Christ's likeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4; 4:13; 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:3,7; 5:23; 1 Pet. 1:15; also note "transformed" in Rom. 12:2; Phil. 3:21). This same VERB is used of the Transfiguration (cf. Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2). We get the English word metamorphosis from this Greek term.
▣ "into the same image" Jesus is the image of God (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4; John 1:14-18; 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). Humans were created in the image of God (cf. Gen. 1:26-27; see exegetical notes online). Believers are in the image of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:29-30). Christlikeness is God's primary goal for all believers (see list of texts above).
Notice the number of ways Paul uses "image" to describe Jesus.
Also note similar characterizations
▣ "from glory to glory" There are stages in God's plan of restoration and renewal. Believers are in a process that leads to Christlikeness (cf. 1 John 3:2).
SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRISTIAN GROWTH
▣ "the Lord, the Spirit" Some possible translations:
It is hard in some contexts to know if pneuma (i.e., spirit) should be
SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE NT
SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
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