2 Corinthians 3

Paul defends his apostolic authority by contrasting the temporary, letter-based ministry of the Old Covenant with the permanent, Spirit-led ministry of the New Covenant. He argues that the Corinthians themselves are the proof of his ministry, having been transformed by the Spirit of God rather than human credentials.

• Paul addresses critics who demand letters of commendation, asserting that the Corinthians' transformed lives are his true recommendation.
• He draws a sharp distinction between the 'letter' (the Old Covenant law) which brings death, and the 'Spirit' (the New Covenant) which brings life.
• Paul evaluates the comparative glory of the two covenants, noting that while the law was glorious, it was temporary and veiled, whereas the New Covenant is permanent and unveiled.
• He concludes by describing the process of transformation as believers, with unveiled faces, behold the glory of the Lord.

• Letters of commendation
• Tables of stone vs. fleshy tables of the heart
• The ministration of death/condemnation vs. the ministration of the Spirit/righteousness
• The veil of Moses
• Glory (doxa) repeated as the point of comparison

This passage is foundational for understanding the relationship between the Old and New Covenants, demonstrating that the Christian faith is rooted in internal heart-transformation by the Holy Spirit rather than external adherence to a legal code.

The true credential of a minister and the mark of a believer is not human approval or adherence to a code, but the visible, inward transformation produced by the Spirit of the living God.

Paul progresses from a personal defense of his ministry to a theological treatise on the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, using a series of contrasts to highlight the superiority of the latter.

• Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).
• We are changed into the image of the Lord from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

• The letter killeth (2 Corinthians 3:6).
• The minds were blinded (2 Corinthians 3:14).

• The Corinthian church was plagued by 'super-apostles' who demanded external signs of authority, such as letters of recommendation (synstatikós [G4956]), common in the ancient world for traveling teachers.
• Paul is defending his ministry against these accusations, using the 'epistles' of the Corinthian converts themselves.

• The use of 'letters of recommendation' (epistolē [G1992]) was a standard social mechanism in the Roman world to establish trust for strangers.
• Engraving on stone (plāx [G4109]) refers back to the Mosaic Law (Exodus 31:18).

• This chapter serves as a pivot in 2 Corinthians, moving from Paul's personal vindication (2:14-17) to a broader discussion of the nature of his apostolic ministry.
• Matthew Henry observes that if the gospel is shown as a mere system or form, without dependence on the Holy Spirit, it becomes a 'killing letter,' just as the law was.

• Paul draws heavily on Exodus 34:29-35, where Moses wears a veil to hide the fading glory of his face.
• He alludes to Ezekiel 36:26 (heart of stone to heart of flesh) when discussing the 'fleshy tables of the heart'.

• Exodus 34:33-35: The source of the veil imagery.
• Ezekiel 36:26: The shift from stone to heart, which Paul applies to the New Covenant work of the Spirit.

• The word 'commend' (synistáō [G4921]) means to set together; Paul implies his 'setting together' is done by the Spirit in the lives of the converts, not by a piece of paper.
• Paul uses the word engraphō [G1449] (engraved/written) to emphasize that the work of the Spirit is permanent, much like an engraving on stone, but placed on the soft, 'fleshy' (sárkinos [G4560]) table of the heart.
• The term 'Spirit' (pneûma [G4151]) is contrasted with 'letter' (grámma), highlighting that external codes cannot change the heart.

• The transition in verse 17: 'Now the Lord is that Spirit.' This identifies the indwelling Spirit of the New Covenant with the Lord Christ himself, demonstrating the divinity and unity of the Spirit's work.
• The contrast between Moses' glory, which was 'done away' (katargeō), and the glory of the Spirit, which 'remaineth' (menō).

• Interpretations of the 'letter killeth' (v. 6) have historically diverged. Reformed theologians often emphasize the law's role as a mirror to show sin, while others interpret it as a rejection of legalism. The text focuses on the functional reality that the law (the letter) creates a standard that results in condemnation rather than life.
• Regarding 'sufficiency' (v. 5): Historic debates exist between those who see this as a statement on the total depravity of man requiring sovereign grace, versus those who view it as a statement on the necessity of divine empowerment for apostolic ministry.