2 Corinthians 3:7-11 says...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, which read,
v.7, 8 - 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?
Paul has been defending himself and the gospel message against opponents who have come into the church in Corinth. He has been defending himself by pointing them to the message he brought that was given to him by God and the results of those who accepted the gospel. In the defense of himself, Paul is continuing to teach the Christians in Corinth about the truth of the new covenant in the midst of being miss characterized as someone who doesn't care about them.
The old covenant leads to death because it reveals and identifies sin. The old covenant also points to and prophecies of a Messiah who was to come to deal with the sin identified that we have not the power to deliver ourselves from. The old covenant came with glory and it was seen on the face of Moses who brought it down from the mountain. The glory on his face that they could not look into was fading. The new covenant also came in glory in the person of Jesus Christ and how much more glory because it, the new covenant, is the fulfillment of the old.
v.9-11 - 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.
Paul gives us three "for" statements here. The first "for" is that the old covenant brought condemnation with the revealing of our sin and our need for a Savior and that came in glory. The new covenant brought the solution to the revealing of our sin, it brought a Savior, and therefore it abounds in glory.
The second "for" states that the old covenant glory actually is no glory when it is laid alongside of the new covenant glory. It is not that it didn't come in glory but the glory is nothing in comparison to the glory of Jesus Christ. The glory of the new covenant surpasses that of the old.
The third "for" states that the old covenant's glory fades just as the glory on Moses' face faded because the new covenant has come. The new covenant is here and it remains in glory. It is not fading or ever to fade because Moses was a mere man and a picture of Christ in the old covenant but Jesus is the Christ of the new covenant.
This section is a set up for tomorrow's section of Scripture. Paul brought the gospel of the new covenant and it is so much greater than the old covenant. The old covenant pointed to this new covenant coming but his opposition didn't accept that is was actually here. The greater glory of the grace of God had appeared and ushered in the new covenant that Paul was speaking to them about. In the midst of defending himself, Paul continues to present the gospel in a teaching way to the people that he cared so much about. This doesn't sound like a person out for himself and his own agenda.
"Lord, as Paul stands firm on the message of the new covenant in the midst of opposition, may we stand on this message also in a country that is ever walking away from You. May our defense be the gospel message itself and the holding to it in the midst of persecution. May it shape our actions and words so that even in misrepresentation of us, we give a holy representation of You. Amen."
v.7, 8 - 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?
Paul has been defending himself and the gospel message against opponents who have come into the church in Corinth. He has been defending himself by pointing them to the message he brought that was given to him by God and the results of those who accepted the gospel. In the defense of himself, Paul is continuing to teach the Christians in Corinth about the truth of the new covenant in the midst of being miss characterized as someone who doesn't care about them.
The old covenant leads to death because it reveals and identifies sin. The old covenant also points to and prophecies of a Messiah who was to come to deal with the sin identified that we have not the power to deliver ourselves from. The old covenant came with glory and it was seen on the face of Moses who brought it down from the mountain. The glory on his face that they could not look into was fading. The new covenant also came in glory in the person of Jesus Christ and how much more glory because it, the new covenant, is the fulfillment of the old.
v.9-11 - 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.
Paul gives us three "for" statements here. The first "for" is that the old covenant brought condemnation with the revealing of our sin and our need for a Savior and that came in glory. The new covenant brought the solution to the revealing of our sin, it brought a Savior, and therefore it abounds in glory.
The second "for" states that the old covenant glory actually is no glory when it is laid alongside of the new covenant glory. It is not that it didn't come in glory but the glory is nothing in comparison to the glory of Jesus Christ. The glory of the new covenant surpasses that of the old.
The third "for" states that the old covenant's glory fades just as the glory on Moses' face faded because the new covenant has come. The new covenant is here and it remains in glory. It is not fading or ever to fade because Moses was a mere man and a picture of Christ in the old covenant but Jesus is the Christ of the new covenant.
This section is a set up for tomorrow's section of Scripture. Paul brought the gospel of the new covenant and it is so much greater than the old covenant. The old covenant pointed to this new covenant coming but his opposition didn't accept that is was actually here. The greater glory of the grace of God had appeared and ushered in the new covenant that Paul was speaking to them about. In the midst of defending himself, Paul continues to present the gospel in a teaching way to the people that he cared so much about. This doesn't sound like a person out for himself and his own agenda.
"Lord, as Paul stands firm on the message of the new covenant in the midst of opposition, may we stand on this message also in a country that is ever walking away from You. May our defense be the gospel message itself and the holding to it in the midst of persecution. May it shape our actions and words so that even in misrepresentation of us, we give a holy representation of You. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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