S
E C O N D C O R I N I T H I A N S
CHAP. III.
The
apostle makes an apology for his seeming to commend himself, and is careful
not to assume too much to himself, but to ascribe all praise unto God, ver.
1-5. He then draws a comparison between the Old Testament and the New, and
shows the excellency of the later above the former (ver. 6-11), whence he
infers what is the duty of gospel ministers, and the advantage of those who
live under the gospel above those who lived under the law, ver. 12, to the
end.
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Apology
for Seeming Self-Commendation.
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A. D. 57.
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1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or
need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters
of commendation from you? 2 Ye are our epistle written in our
hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are
manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not
with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but
in fleshy tables of the heart. 4 And such trust have we through
Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to
think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
In these verses,
I. The apostle makes an apology for seeming to commend himself. He thought it
convenient to protest his sincerity to them, because there were some at
Corinth who endeavoured to blast his reputation; yet he was not desirous of
vain-glory. And he tells them, 1. That he neither needed nor desired any
verbal commendation to them, nor letters testimonial from them, as some others
did, meaning the false apostles or teachers, v. 1. His ministry among
them had, without controversy, been truly great and honourable, how little
soever his person was in reality, or how contemptible soever some would have
him thought to be. 2. The Corinthians themselves were his real commendation,
and a good testimonial for him, that God was with him of a truth, that he was
sent of God: You are our epistle, v. 2. This was the testimonial
he most delighted in, and what was most dear to him--they were written in
his heart; and this he could appeal to upon occasion, for it was, or might
be, known and read of all men. Note, There is nothing more delightful
to faithful ministers, nor more to their commendation, than the success of
their ministry, evidenced in the hearts and lives of those among whom they
labour.
II. The apostle is careful not to assume too much to himself, but to ascribe
all the praise to God. Therefore, 1. He says they were the epistle of
Christ, v. 3. The apostle and others were but instruments, Christ
was the author of all the good that was in them. The law of Christ was written
in their hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad in their hearts. This
epistle was not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of God given to
Moses, but on the heart; and that heart not a stony one, but a heart of
flesh, upon the fleshy (not fleshly, as fleshliness denotes
sensuality) tables of the heart, that is, upon hearts that are softened
and renewed by divine grace, according to that gracious promise, I will
take away the stony heart, and I will give you a heart of flesh, Ezek.
xxxvi. 26. This was the good hope the apostle had concerning these Corinthians
(v. 4) that their hearts were like the ark of the covenant, containing
the tables of the law and the gospel, written with the finger, that is, by the
Spirit, of the living God. 2. He utterly disclaims the taking of any praise to
themselves, and ascribes all the glory to God: "We are not sufficient
of ourselves, v. 5. We could never have made such good impressions
on your hearts, nor upon our own. Such are our weakness and inability that we
cannot of ourselves think a good thought, much less raise any good thoughts or
affections in other men. All our sufficiency is of God; to him
therefore are owing all the praise and glory of that good which is done, and
from him we must receive grace and strength to do more." This is true
concerning ministers and all Christians; the best are no more than what the
grace of God makes them. Our hands are not sufficient for us, but our
sufficiency is of God; and his grace is sufficient for us, to furnish us for
every good word and work.
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Law and Gospel Compared.
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A. D. 57.
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6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the
new testament; 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 in stones, was glorious, so that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his
countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall
not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if
the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the
ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that
which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory
that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was
glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Here the apostle makes a comparison between the Old Testament and the New, the
law of Moses and the gospel of Jesus Christ, and values himself and his
fellow-labourers by this, that they were able ministers of the New
Testament, that God had made them so, v. 6. This he does in answer
to the accusations of false teachers, who magnify greatly the law of Moses.
I. He distinguishes between the letter and the spirit even of the New
Testament, v. 6. As able ministers of the New Testament, they were
ministers not merely of the letter, to read the written word, or to preach the
letter of the gospel only, but they were ministers of the Spirit also; the
Spirit of God did accompany their ministrations. The letter killeth;
this the letter of the law does, for that is the ministration of death; and if
we rest only in the letter of the gospel we shall be never the better for so
doing, for even that will be a savour of death unto death; but the
Spirit of the gospel, going along with the ministry of the gospel, giveth life
spiritual and life eternal.
II. He shows the difference between the Old Testament and the New, and the
excellency of the gospel above the law. For, 1. The Old-Testament dispensation
was the ministration of death (v. 7), whereas that of the New
Testament is the ministration of life. The law discovered sin, and the
wrath and curse of God. This showed us a God above us and a God against us;
but the gospel discovers grace, and Emmanuel, God with us. Upon this
account the gospel is more glorious than the law; and yet that had a glory in
it, witness the shining of Moses's face (an indication thereof) when he came
down from the mount with the tables in his hand, that reflected rays of
brightness upon his countenance. 2. The law was the ministration of
condemnation, for that condemned and cursed every one who continued not
in all things written therein to do them; but the gospel is the ministration
of righteousness: therein the righteousness of God by faith is revealed.
This shows us that the just shall live by his faith. This reveals the grace
and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, for obtaining the remission of sins and
eternal life. The gospel therefore so much exceeds in glory that in a manner
it eclipses the glory of the legal dispensation, v. 10. As the shining
of a burning lamp is lost, or not regarded, when the sun arises and goes forth
in his strength; so there was no glory in the Old Testament, in comparison
with that of the New. 3. The law is done away, but the gospel does and shall remain,
v. 11. Not only did the glory of Moses's face go away, but the glory of
Moses's law is done away also; yea, the law of Moses itself is now abolished.
That dispensation was only to continue for a time, and then to vanish away;
whereas the gospel shall remain to the end of the world, and is always fresh
and flourishing and remains glorious.
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Superiority
of the Gospel.
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A. D. 57.
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12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use
great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a
vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to
the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were
blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the
reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their
heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail
shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we
all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
In these verses the apostle draws two inferences from what he had said about
the Old and New Testament:--
I. Concerning the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness
or clearness of speech. They ought not, like Moses, to put a veil upon their
faces, or obscure and darken those things which they should make plain. The
gospel is a more clear dispensation than the law; the things of God are
revealed in the New Testament, not in types and shadows, and ministers are
much to blame if they do not set spiritual things, and gospel-truth and grace,
in the clearest light that is possible. Though the Israelites could not look stedfastly
to the end of what was commanded, but is now abolished, yet we may. We may
see the meaning of those types and shadows by the accomplishment, seeing the
veil is done away in, Christ and he is come, who was the end of the law for
righteousness to all those who believe, and whom Moses and all the prophets
pointed to, and wrote of.
II. Concerning the privilege and advantage of those who enjoy the gospel,
above those who lived under the law. For, 1. Those who lived under the legal
dispensation had their minds blinded (v. 14), and there was a veil
upon their hearts, v. 15. Thus it was formerly, and so it was
especially as to those who remained in Judaism after the coming of the Messiah
and the publication of his gospel. Nevertheless, the apostle tells us, there
is a time coming when this veil also shall be taken away, and when
it (the body of that people) shall turn to the Lord, v. 16.
Or, when any particular person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance
is taken away; the blindness of the mind, and the hardness of the heart, are
cured. 2. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is much more
happy. For, (1.) They have liberty: Where the Spirit of the Lord is,
and where he worketh, as he does under the gospel-dispensation, there is
liberty (v. 17), freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and
from the servitude of corruption; liberty of access to God, and freedom of
speech in prayer. The heart is set at liberty, and enlarged, to run the ways
of God's commandments. (2.) They have light; for with open face we
behold the glory of the Lord, v. 18. The Israelites saw the glory
of God in a cloud, which was dark and dreadful; but Christians see the glory
of the Lord as in a glass, more clearly and comfortably. It was the peculiar
privilege of Moses for God to converse with him face to face, in a friendly
manner; but now all true Christians see him more clearly with open face. He
showeth them his glory. (3.) This light and liberty are transforming;
we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory (v. 18),
from one degree of glorious grace unto another, till grace here be consummated
in glory for ever. How much therefore should Christians prize and improve
these privileges! We should not rest contented without an experimental
knowledge of the transforming power of the gospel, by the operation of the
Spirit, bringing us into a conformity to the temper and tendency of the
glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Contents
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