2 Corinthians 3:4-11

Applebury's Comments

Paul's Glorious Ministry Under the New Covenant
Scripture

2 Corinthians 3:4-11. And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written, and engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which glory was passing away: 8 how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory? 9 For if the ministration of condemnation hath glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth. 11 For if that which passeth away was with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

Comments

And such confidence have we.Despite the hardships which Paul faced at Corinth, his ministry is characterized by confidence and triumph. His confidence was through Christ, for he knew what Christ had done for him. He knew of His resurrection which demonstrated that He had conquered Satan. He had surrendered to the risen Christ on the Damascus road. He had committed himself wholeheartedly to the service of the Lord. He remembered that day when Ananias told him to get himself baptized that his sins might be washed away, because he had called upon the name of the Lord. He had been summoned as an apostle of God. He was convinced that the way of victory was through Jesus Christ. He was never ashamed of Him nor of His gospel, for he was confident that it was the power of God to save the believer, whether Jew or Greek.

our sufficiency is from God.That is, it is God who made him adequate for the task of preaching the Word that dealt with eternal life and eternal death. God had revealed the message through the Holy Spirit to the apostles and thus equipped them for the glorious ministry under the New Covenant. No one without that divinely revealed message could possibly undertake such a ministry.

How unfortunate that many who undertake the work of the ministry today seem called upon to substitute the wisdom of man for this divinely revealed message of God. Paul's confidence in this message is expressed in his word to Timothy, Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He did not hesitate to urge Timothy to preach the Word; to be urgent in season, out of season; to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. See 2 Timothy 4:2. The same divine Word which Paul preached will equip the consecrated minister of today who has the courage to preach this message of eternal life and everlasting death.

ministers of the new covenant.A covenant is an agreement. When that covenant is between God and man, God Himself dictates all the conditions of the covenant as well as the blessings involved in it. Man agrees to the terms of the covenant in order to enjoy its blessings. In the case of the Old Covenant which was given at Mt. Sinai, God revealed the commandments to Moses. The people entered into the covenant relationship when they said all that the Lord has spoken, we will do. See Exodus 19:8. Subsequently, all who were born into the family of the Jews were parties to that Old Covenant. Under the New Covenant only those who are born of the water and of the Spirit are parties to the New Covenanta spiritual birth in contrast to a physical birth.

The New Covenant is the gospel of Christ that promises remission of sins and eternal life to the believer whose faith is expressed through obedience to the commandments of Christ. Every individual who comes into this New Covenant relationship with Christ through the new birth, publically and in the sight of God as he makes the good confession, promises to be obedient to its terms and pledges his allegiance to Christ. To say that I believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God is to endorse all that is involved in ones total relationship to God through Jesus Christ. As Christ, He is our Prophet. Through His prophetic office the message of the Bible was revealed from heaven. See Hebrews 1:1-2. As Priest He shed blood for the remission of sins. Significantly, in instituting the Lord's Supper, He blessed the cup and said, This is my blood of the new covenant poured out for the many unto the remission of sins. As King, He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in fulfillment of the promise of God made to David. See Acts 2:25-36. He exercises His authority as well, as His watchcare over His people through the inspired Word spoken through the apostles. All of those who pledge themselves to keep the terms of the New Covenant must let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly in all wisdom and teaching. See Colossians 3:16.

This New Covenant was given in promise to Abraham in the Scripture which says, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. See Galatians 3:8. It was given to Abraham some four hundred and thirty years before the covenant at Sinai, but was not annulled by that covenant. See Galatians 3:16-17. It came to its fulness with the preaching of the gospel on the Day of Pentecost. All those who accept its terms become sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. for as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Furthermore, if you are Christ'S, then are you Abraham's offspring and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).

God was a party to two covenants at the same time, but they were not in conflict because they served different purposes. One was with Abraham and Christ; the other, the Ten Commandments, was with Israel. It was added, Paul says, because of transgression. There was a time limit on it, for it was to last until the promised seed of Abraham should comethat is, Christ. It served in the capacity of a trusted slave who watched over a child until his majority, and as such held sin in check until Christ came. But since it was a law that could not make alive one who had died in sin, it was necessary that the promise to Abraham be fulfilled in Christ and be put into effect through the preaching of the apostles. On the Day of Pentecost, the apostles told those who were guilty of crucifying the Son of God to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins, for the promisethat is, the promise God made to Abrahamwas to them and to their children and all that were far off, as many as the Lord God should call unto Himself. See Galatians 3:19-22; Acts 2:38-39.

not of letter but of spirit.This expression is found three times in Paul's writings: once in this epistle and twice in Romans. The first instance in Romans is found in Romans 2:29. There he uses letter as a symbol of outward conformity to the Law that had been written on the tables of stone. On the other hand, he uses spirit as a symbol of the inward life of the individual, Jew or Gentile, who actually carried out the provisions of the Law. Moses had written that the one who actually carried out the righteousness which is of the Law lived thereby. See Romans 10:5. Paul had said that not the hearers of the Law but the doers of the Law shall be justified. See Romans 2:13. Such persons showed the works of the Law written on their hearts, that is, they understood what was right in God's sight and willingly complied with it. This was not, as some have contended, an impossible thing. Moses wrote, This commandment which I command you this day is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, -Who will go up for us to heaven that we may hear it and do it?-' Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say, -Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it?-' But the word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it (Deuteronomy 30:11-14). John says, This is the love of God that we keep this commandment: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3).

The second instance in Romans is found in 2 Corinthians 7:6. The same basic idea is seen in this context. Newness of spirit refers to the new life in Christ which was characterized by intelligent, willing, loving obedience to Him. Oldness of letter, on the other hand, referred to the life under the jurisdiction of the Law. Because of violation of the Law, life was characterized by sinful passions that brought forth fruit unto death. In 2 Corinthians 3:6, Paul uses letter as a symbol of the Old Covenant just as he had done in Romans, and spirit as a symbol of the life under the New Covenant. Keeping in mind Paul's use of these terms will aid in interpreting 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

Two further observations need to be made: (1) letter is not contrasted with the Holy Spirit. Verse three plainly indicates that the epistle of Christ had been written with the Holy Spirit, but in verse six spirit (spelled with a small s) is used as a symbol of the New Covenant; (2) There is no justification whatever for the assumption that letter and spirit refer to a literal interpretation of the Word of God as opposed to a so-called spiritual interpretation. All of God's Word is spirit and life (John 6:63).

The Word is directed to intelligence of man and it appeals to his heart. It shows the way to forgiveness and purity in Christ. It is life, for obedience to it brings the gift of life eternal.

for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life.This unfortunately has led some to assume that an attempt to actually obey God's Word results in death. How can such a view be harmonized with what James plainly says? Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deluding your own selves (James 1:21-22). Why then did Paul say that the letter killeth? Remembering that letter stands as a symbol of the Old Covenant, we may read the Old Covenant killeth. The answer to the problem is clearly indicated in the Scriptures for Hebrews says that the Old Covenant gave place to the New because God found fault with those under the Old Covenant. He found fault with them because they continued not in His covenant. See Hebrews 8:7. Paul shows that by the works of the Law no human being is pardoned in God's sight. See Romans 3:20. By works of the Law he has in mind those ceremonies such as the animal sacrifices which only served to remind the one who had broken God's law that ultimately Christ would come providing the sacrifice that would actually blot out sin. See Romans 3:25. He further states that if there had been a law given which would make alive then righteousness (pardon) would have been of the law. See Galatians 3:21. He also states that the law is not a matter of faith but he that doeth them shall live in them (Galatians 3:12). Spirit which stands for the New Covenant gives life. Under this covenant the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, actually cleanses the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. See Hebrews 9:14. The testimony of the Holy Spirit is given in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and in Hebrews 10:16 in these words: This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and upon their minds also will I write them and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more. As sin reigned in death, even so grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21).