2 Corinthians 3:2

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: OUR LETTER - of recommendation. WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS - not borne merely in the hands. Though this living letter be written by affection in my heart, I wish it to be read by all as my recommendation. Your conversion through my instrumentality, and your faith, "known of all men" by report (1 Corinthians 1:4), is my letter of recommendation (). KNOWN AND READ - words akin in root, sound, and sense (so ). 'Ye are known to be my converts by general knowledge: then known more particularly so that my doctrine is read in your life.' The handwriting is first "known," the...

2._Ye are our Epistle. _There is no little ingenuity in his making his own glory hinge upon the welfare of the Corinthians. “So long as you shall remain Christians, I shall have recommendation enough. For your faith speaks my praise, as being _the seal of my apostleship. _” (1 Corinthians 9:2.) When he says — _written in our hearts_, this may be understood in reference to Silvanus and Timotheus, and in that case the meaning will be: “We are not contented with this praise, that we derive from the thing itself. The recommendations, that others have, fly about before the eyes of men, but this, that _we _have, has its seat in men’s consciences.” It may also be viewed as referring in part to the Corinthians, in this sense: “Those that obtain recommendations by dint of entreaty, have not in the conscience what they carry about written upon paper, and those that recommen

1-11 Even the appearance of self-praise and courting human applause, is painful to the humble and spiritual mind. Nothing is more delightful to faithful ministers, or more to their praise, than the success of their ministry, as shown in the spirits and lives of those among whom they labour. The law of Christ was written in their hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad there. Nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of God given to Moses, but on the fleshy (not fleshly, as fleshliness denotes sensuality) tables of the heart, Ezekiel 36:26. Their hearts were humbled and softened to receive this impression, by the new-creating power of the Holy Spirit. He ascribes all the glory to God. And remember, as our whole dependence is upon the Lord, so the whole glory belongs to him alone. The letter killeth: the letter of the law is the ministration of death; and if we rest only in the...

Verse 2 Corinthians 3:2. _YE ARE OUR EPISTLE_] I bear the most ardent love to you. I have no need to be put in remembrance of you by any epistles or other means; _ye are written in my heart _- I have the most affectionate remembrance of you. _KNOWN AND READ OF ALL MEN_] For wherever I go I mention you; speak of your various gifts and graces; and praise your knowledge in the Gospel....

YE ARE OUR EPISTLE - compare 1 Corinthians 9:2. This is a most beautiful and happy turn given to the whole subject. The sense is plain. It is, that the conversion of the Corinthians, under the faithful labors of the apostle, was a better testimonial of his character and fidelity than any letters could be. To see the force of this, it must be remembered: * That Corinth was an exceedingly dissolute and abandoned place (see the introduction to the First Epistle); * That a large number of them had been converted, and a church organized; * That their conversion, and the organization of a church in such a city were events that would be known abroad; and, * That it had been accomplished entirely under the labor of Paul and his companions. To their knowledge of him, the

EXPOSITION Defence against the charge of self-recommendation, which St. Paul does not need (2 Corinthians 3:1). His sufficiency comes from God (2 Corinthians 3:4), who has made him minister of a covenant far more glorious than that given to Hosea (verses 7-11). This ministry needs no veil upon the face (verses 12, 13), such as to this day darkens the hearts of the Jews (verses 14, 15), though it shall one day be removed (verses 16-18). 2 CORINTHIANS 3:1 _St. Paul's ministry is his sufficient letter of commendation. _ 2 Corinthians 3:1

YE ARE OUR EPISTLE,.... Here a reason is given why they stood in no need of letters of commendation, to or from the church at Corinth, because that church was their living epistle, and which was much preferable to any written one. The apostle calls them their epistle in the same sense, as they are said to be his "work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostleship", 1 Corinthians 9:1 they were so as persons regenerated by the Spirit and grace of God, in whose conversion he was an instrument; now it was the work of conversion in them, which was the epistle said to be WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS; some think it should be read, "in your hearts"; and so the Ethiopic version reads it; and it looks as if it should be so read, from the following verse, and from the nature of the thing itself; for the conversion of the Corinthians was not written in the heart of the apostle, but i

2 CORINTHIANS 3:2 h`mw/n (2) {A} Although u`mw/n is read by several witnesses (a 33 88 436 1881 ethro), in view of the overwhelming support for h`mw/n (î46 A B C D G K P Y 614 1739 _Byz Lect_ it vg syrp, h copsa, bo goth arm), as well as Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 7:3, the Committee adopted the first person possessive pronoun, which seems to be demanded by the context....

4. THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW COVENANT IN CONTRAST WITH THE OLD. CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The Epistle of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:1)_ 2. The True Sufficiency. (2 Corinthians 3:4) 3. The Old and New Ministry Contrasted. (2 Corinthians 3:7) 4. The Glory in the Face of Moses and the Glory in the Face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:12 .) It was customary in the church to give letters of commendation (Acts 18:27; Rom

2 Corinthians 3:1 to 2 Corinthians 4:10. THE SPLENDOUR OF THE APOSTOLIC MINISTRY IN SPITE OF ITS OUTWARD LOWLINESS. 2 Corinthians 3:1. One of the charges laid against Paul had probably been that of overweening self-esteem, leading to a claim to greater authority than rightfully belonged to him. One of the means used by his enemies had been letters of introduction from high authorities, possibly apostles in Jerusalem. Was he not now displaying only too clearly the reasonableness of such a charge? Did he really need to justify himself, as by such letters others had done? Far from it. The church at Corinth was his sufficient testimonial. Its religious experience, recorded in the hearts of th