2Cor 3:7-13 | KingComments | STEP | . Paul realizes that he has no adequacy in himself, but that all adequacy comes from God. That thought motivates him to say something about a “new covenant”. Of that he was a servant and not of the old covenant as his opponents obviously were. It is important to understand the difference between these two covenants. I will say something general about it. The old covenant was made between two parties: God and His earthly people Israel. Both parties took upon themselves certain obligations. Israel vowed to be obedient to the law and God in His turn should bless them if they were obedient. Israel trampled upon this old covenant in every respect. By their disobedience and rebellion against God they forfeited their right to all God’s blessings. Therefore God rather had to punish them than bless them. But what would become of all the blessings God had promised. Will they all lapse? God therefore established a new covenant, again with Israel, but this time in a special way. The specialty of this way is that God demands nothing anymore from His people as He will fulfill all the conditions Himself. The people therefore are no longer a party from whom something is expected. God does all that is necessary. He comes forward to fulfill, as His obligations, all that actually the people must do, and He does it on His own terms. The new covenant is a covenant God will make with His earthly people Israel whereby the conditions are different from the old covenant. As already said in relation to the old covenant, people on their part accepted certain obligations. This happened at Mount Sinai. There they said thrice: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” ( ). Then God stipulated the conditions as laid down in the law. However in the new covenant God takes all obligations upon Himself. Hebrews 8 beautifully describes how this new covenant works ( ). Here it is clear that also the new covenant is made with Israel and Judah – that means the ten and the two tribes, so the people of Israel as a whole. A further reading of this section shows that time and again it says what God will do (see the recurrent “I will”). You will discover that no contribution is expected from the people as in the old covenant. When God Himself guarantees then the new covenant cannot come to naught. Another reason the new covenant cannot come to naught is the basis on which it is established. The basis is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which He shed on the cross at Calvary. How impressive are the words spoken by the Lord Jesus at the institution of His Supper! Of the cup He says: “This cup [is] the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” ( Darby translation). Matthew adds: “For many for forgiveness of sins” ( ). Here we can see how the original conditions laid before the people have been fulfilled. The Lord Jesus fulfilled them. God gave His Son that He should fulfill all that man failed to do. The basis of the new covenant is the blood of Christ. Now back to 2 Corinthians 3. There Paul calls himself a servant of the new covenant ( ), though his service is in connection with the nations rather than Israel. However, the fact is that the new covenant is based on the shed blood of Christ, which means that the blessings as well as the responsibilities are not restricted to Israel. You also have to do with the new covenant. Not in the sense as if you are standing before God in a covenant relationship, but you can now enjoy the blessings of the new covenant because of the blood of the Lord Jesus that was shed for your sins; and God knows the full value of that blood. You also may know the privilege of having Christ written in your heart and that you are able therefore to manifest His glory in your life. Israel will enjoy these blessings only when God has reestablished His relationship with them. Then the laws of God will be written on their hearts, and they will know the Lord ( ). I have written here somewhat in detail because it is important to understand why Paul calls himself a servant of the new covenant. The last part of is connected to that subject. The new covenant is a covenant which is related to the life giving work of the Spirit. The old covenant consisted of letters on stones. The new covenant consists of the work of the Spirit in the hearts of people; you have read that in Hebrews 8. . are a kind of parenthesis in which it is made clear how much more glorious is that which is connected to the Spirit than that which is connected to the law. This is made clear by contrasts. You read that the old covenant is called “the ministry of death” ( ) and “the ministry of condemnation ( ). This is contrasted by what is called “the ministry of the Spirit” ( ) and “the ministry of righteousness” ( ). When Moses came down from the mountain for the second time with the stones something of God’s glory was present. The Israelites saw the face of Moses shine. It was because Moses had been in God’s presence and he reflected God’s glory. The Israelites could not gaze at his face because of the dazzling brilliance. Moses had to put a veil over his face or else they couldn’t even look at him (cf. ). It was after all a little bit of glory and people were not attracted by it but they were afraid. Further, the law of Moses was still valid as long as the Lord Jesus Christ had not come, as it is written: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” ( ). Since Christ has come, the law is no longer the basis of the relationship to God for everyone who believes. The glory of the law, in this sense, has disappeared, and is nullified. . The unbelieving Israelites – and I am sorry to mention, also many Christians who prefer to stand under the law – are blind to this fact. A veil lies on their heart. When they read the Old Testament they can discover nothing but a demanding God. But the one who has accepted the Lord Jesus in faith has not a veil when ‘Moses is read’. ‘Reading Moses’ means reading the books of the Old Testament which are written by Moses. For everyone who has come to know Christ the veil is taken away. . This also applies to the future Israel. The veil will be taken away from them when they return to the Lord. They will discover that the Old Testament was written in view of the Lord Jesus. This is what was discovered by the two on the road to Emmaus and the disciples ( ). Have your eyes been opened? Do you enjoy the Old Testament because it speaks about the Lord Jesus? The Holy Spirit loves to tell you about Christ from every page of the Bible. The Holy Spirit Who directed the Old Testament to be written has done this to present the Lord Jesus in it. . The whole of the Old Testament breathes the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. This is the meaning of the words “the Lord is the Spirit”. I have heard people say after they accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior: ‘I got a different Bible now.’ Of course they have the same Bible but they read it differently now. From the moment they had the assurance of the forgiveness of their sins the Holy Spirit had the liberty to show them the glory of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament. The veil was gone. . Now it is possible to admire the glory of the Lord with open eyes without having to fear even for a moment. It is an inexplicable privilege. The more you engage yourself with the glorified Lord in heaven, the more you will radiate His glory. You will be thus transformed that God as well as people can see more and more of the Lord Jesus in you. Now read 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 again. Reflection: What are the differences between the old covenant and the new covenant? How is it possible to be more like the Lord Jesus?

‏ 2 Corinthians 3:7-13

The Old Covenant and the New Covenant

2Cor 3:6. Paul realizes that he has no adequacy in himself, but that all adequacy comes from God. That thought motivates him to say something about a “new covenant”. Of that he was a servant and not of the old covenant as his opponents obviously were. It is important to understand the difference between these two covenants.

I will say something general about it. The old covenant was made between two parties: God and His earthly people Israel. Both parties took upon themselves certain obligations. Israel vowed to be obedient to the law and God in His turn should bless them if they were obedient. Israel trampled upon this old covenant in every respect. By their disobedience and rebellion against God they forfeited their right to all God’s blessings. Therefore God rather had to punish them than bless them. But what would become of all the blessings God had promised. Will they all lapse?

God therefore established a new covenant, again with Israel, but this time in a special way. The specialty of this way is that God demands nothing anymore from His people as He will fulfill all the conditions Himself. The people therefore are no longer a party from whom something is expected. God does all that is necessary. He comes forward to fulfill, as His obligations, all that actually the people must do, and He does it on His own terms.

The new covenant is a covenant God will make with His earthly people Israel whereby the conditions are different from the old covenant. As already said in relation to the old covenant, people on their part accepted certain obligations. This happened at Mount Sinai. There they said thrice: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” (Exo 19:8 ; Exo 24:3 ; 7). Then God stipulated the conditions as laid down in the law.

However in the new covenant God takes all obligations upon Himself. Hebrews 8 beautifully describes how this new covenant works (Heb 8:8-13). Here it is clear that also the new covenant is made with Israel and Judah – that means the ten and the two tribes, so the people of Israel as a whole.

A further reading of this section shows that time and again it says what God will do (see the recurrent “I will”). You will discover that no contribution is expected from the people as in the old covenant. When God Himself guarantees then the new covenant cannot come to naught.

Another reason the new covenant cannot come to naught is the basis on which it is established. The basis is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ which He shed on the cross at Calvary. How impressive are the words spoken by the Lord Jesus at the institution of His Supper! Of the cup He says: “This cup [is] the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Lk 22:20 Darby translation). Matthew adds: “For many for forgiveness of sins” (Mt 26:28).

Here we can see how the original conditions laid before the people have been fulfilled. The Lord Jesus fulfilled them. God gave His Son that He should fulfill all that man failed to do. The basis of the new covenant is the blood of Christ.

Now back to 2 Corinthians 3. There Paul calls himself a servant of the new covenant (2Cor 3:6), though his service is in connection with the nations rather than Israel. However, the fact is that the new covenant is based on the shed blood of Christ, which means that the blessings as well as the responsibilities are not restricted to Israel.

You also have to do with the new covenant. Not in the sense as if you are standing before God in a covenant relationship, but you can now enjoy the blessings of the new covenant because of the blood of the Lord Jesus that was shed for your sins; and God knows the full value of that blood. You also may know the privilege of having Christ written in your heart and that you are able therefore to manifest His glory in your life. Israel will enjoy these blessings only when God has reestablished His relationship with them. Then the laws of God will be written on their hearts, and they will know the Lord (Heb 8:10-11). I have written here somewhat in detail because it is important to understand why Paul calls himself a servant of the new covenant.

The last part of 2Cor 3:6 is connected to that subject. The new covenant is a covenant which is related to the life giving work of the Spirit. The old covenant consisted of letters on stones. The new covenant consists of the work of the Spirit in the hearts of people; you have read that in Hebrews 8.

2Cor 3:7-13. 2Cor 3:7-16 are a kind of parenthesis in which it is made clear how much more glorious is that which is connected to the Spirit than that which is connected to the law. This is made clear by contrasts. You read that the old covenant is called “the ministry of death” (2Cor 3:7) and “the ministry of condemnation (2Cor 3:9). This is contrasted by what is called “the ministry of the Spirit” (2Cor 3:8) and “the ministry of righteousness” (2Cor 3:9).

When Moses came down from the mountain for the second time with the stones something of God’s glory was present. The Israelites saw the face of Moses shine. It was because Moses had been in God’s presence and he reflected God’s glory. The Israelites could not gaze at his face because of the dazzling brilliance. Moses had to put a veil over his face or else they couldn’t even look at him (cf. Exo 34:29-35).

It was after all a little bit of glory and people were not attracted by it but they were afraid. Further, the law of Moses was still valid as long as the Lord Jesus Christ had not come, as it is written: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4). Since Christ has come, the law is no longer the basis of the relationship to God for everyone who believes. The glory of the law, in this sense, has disappeared, and is nullified.

2Cor 3:14-15. The unbelieving Israelites – and I am sorry to mention, also many Christians who prefer to stand under the law – are blind to this fact. A veil lies on their heart. When they read the Old Testament they can discover nothing but a demanding God. But the one who has accepted the Lord Jesus in faith has not a veil when ‘Moses is read’. ‘Reading Moses’ means reading the books of the Old Testament which are written by Moses. For everyone who has come to know Christ the veil is taken away.

2Cor 3:16. This also applies to the future Israel. The veil will be taken away from them when they return to the Lord. They will discover that the Old Testament was written in view of the Lord Jesus. This is what was discovered by the two on the road to Emmaus and the disciples (Lk 24:26 ; 44-46).

Have your eyes been opened? Do you enjoy the Old Testament because it speaks about the Lord Jesus? The Holy Spirit loves to tell you about Christ from every page of the Bible. The Holy Spirit Who directed the Old Testament to be written has done this to present the Lord Jesus in it.

2Cor 3:17. The whole of the Old Testament breathes the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. This is the meaning of the words “the Lord is the Spirit”. I have heard people say after they accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior: ‘I got a different Bible now.’ Of course they have the same Bible but they read it differently now. From the moment they had the assurance of the forgiveness of their sins the Holy Spirit had the liberty to show them the glory of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament. The veil was gone.

2Cor 3:18. Now it is possible to admire the glory of the Lord with open eyes without having to fear even for a moment. It is an inexplicable privilege. The more you engage yourself with the glorified Lord in heaven, the more you will radiate His glory. You will be thus transformed that God as well as people can see more and more of the Lord Jesus in you.

Now read 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 again.

Reflection: What are the differences between the old covenant and the new covenant? How is it possible to be more like the Lord Jesus?