2 Corinthians 3 Commentary - The Superiority of The New Covenant Minister - BibleGateway

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2Corinthians3CommentaryTheSuperiorityoftheNewCovenantMinisterBibleGateway.com
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TheSuperiorityoftheNewCovenantMinister
Atverse12Paulturnsfromaconsiderationofthemeritsoftheoldandnewcovenants
towhatitmeanstobeaministerofeach.Whatmostlikelypromptsthisdiscussionis
thefactthatrivalmissionariesatCorinthwerelookingtoMosesastheconsummate
minister.OnlyinthiswaycanPaul'scontrastinverses1218betoeenMosesandthe
newcovenantministerbeexplained.AnadditionalreasonPaulpursueswhathedoes
intheseversesistheevangelisticconundrumthatexistedboththenandnow.Oneof
themostdifficultaudiencestoreachwiththegospeltodayisaJewishone.Thisisan
amazingfactconsideringthatthegospelisthegoodnewsofGod'sfulfillmentthrough
JesusofhispromisestohispeopleIsrael.TheJewishnessofthegospelisreflectedin
theearlyChristianpreachingthatJesusistheMessiahofJewishexpectationandinthe
attempttoprovefromtheScripturesthattheMessiahhadtosufferandrisefromthe
dead(Acts2:223613:263917:2318:45).Noonestruggledwiththisconundrum
morethanPaul.Hisownsuccessrateamonghispeoplewassolowthatitcausedhim
"greatsorrowandunceasinganguish"(Rom9:13).The"why"ofthisstateofaffairs
wassomethingthatconstantlypreyedonhismind.2Corinthians3:1218isabrief
versionofPaul'slengthierreflectionsinRomans911.
TheUnveiledFaceoftheNewCovenantMinister(3:1213)Paul'strainofthoughtin
verses1218haslongbeenconsideredobscure.Inpartthisisbecauseheisdealing
withtoodifferentbutrelatedcriticisms.Itappearsthathewasaccusedatsomepointof
professionalarrogance.Verses1213and18addressthismatter.Italsoseemsthathis
opponentswerepointingouthislackofsuccessamonghisownpeople.Verses1417
tacklethisissue.Interestingly,Pauldoesnotdenyeithercharge.
Weareverybold,hetellstheCorinthians(v.12).Butitisonlybecausetheyhavesuch
ahopethattheyactinsuchafashion.BywePaulhasinmindtheministerofthenew
covenant,as2:143:11makesclear.TheGreekwordforbold(parrhrsia)originally
referredtotherightofaGreekcitizentofreedomofspeech(pas[full]+rhesis
[speech]).InPaul'sdayitwasapplied,aswell,tobehaviorbefittingthisconstitutional
freedom.Herehehasinmindconductbefittingaministerofthenewcovenant(v.12).
Butwhatkindofconductwouldthisbe?Bold(TEV,NIV,RSV,NEB),"frankandopen"
(Phillips),"confident"(JB)and"plain"(KJV)haveallbeensuggested.Eachhasits
merits.Paul,however,goesontodrawacontrastwiththeveiledbehaviorofMoses(v.
13),suggestingthat"open"(thatis,"public")isthebestoption.UnlikeMoses,who
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veiledhisfacetopreventpublicscrutinyofthefadingcharacterofhisministry,thenew
covenantministerisveryupfront.
Paul,inparticular,hasmadeeveryefforttoactwithclarity(1:1311:6)andopenness
(3:35:1112)towardtheCorinthians.Whatallowshimtodothisisthehopethathe
possesses.Suchahope(v.12)looksbacktoverses711andthesuperiorcharacterof
thenewcovenantministryovertheold.Paulcallsthisministryahopebecauseitsfull
splendorisyettobeseen.Byusingthiswordheisnotsuggestingthatthereisany
doubtabouttheoutcome.Itisnotamatterofwishfulthinkingonhispart.Thisishow
secularsocietyunderstandshope.Senecacalledhope"thedefinitionofanuncertain
good."FortheChristian,however,hopecarriesanunconditionalcertaintywithinitself
thatGod'spromiseswillberealized.Forthisreason,Paulneverloseshisenthusiasm
forthegospel,evenwhensomelabeledhisardorasprofessionalarrogance.
AlfredPlummerhasdescribed2Corinthiansasa"tracklessforest"(1915:xiii).Atfirst
glancethelineofargumentinverses1317appearsverymuchso.Inpartthisis
becausewetendtoapplytoentiethcenturylogictothetext.Ifwethinklikeafirst
centuryexegete,thepatternbecomesclearer.Itisimportanttonoticethatverses1317
areacommentaryonExodus34:2935.Paulcitesfromhistextandthencommentson
itphrasebyphrase.Thereadershouldbeware,though.Paulexpandshis"text"to
includeJewishhaggadah(traditionsthathavewidecurrency)andhisowninterpretive
comments.Asaresult,hisOldTestamenttextendsuplookingquiteparaphrastic
somewhatalongthelinesoftheLivingBibleortheAmplifiedBible.Thepassagecanbe
mappedoutroughlyasfollows:(1)verses1213a:openingstatement,(2)verses13b
14a:Exodus34:33,(3)verses14b15:commentary,(4)verse16:Exodus34:34,(5)
verse17:commentaryand(6)verse18:Exodus34:35andcommentaryintermixed.
NotlikeMosesatverse13introducesPaul'scitationofExodus34:33,whereitis
observedthatatthepointMosesfinishedspeakingtoIsrael,hewouldputaveilover
hisface.Wouldputtranslatesthehabitualactionoftheimperfecttense(etithei).Moses
customarilyputonafaceveilaftercommunicatingGod'slawtoIsrael.Whydidhedo
so?Agreatdealofinterpretiveenergyhasbeenexpendedtryingtoanswerthis
question.SomethinkthatMoseswantedtohidethefactthattheMosaiccovenantwas
onlytemporary.Otherssuggestpersonalembarrassmentoverthedwindlingcharacter
ofhisfacialsplendor.StillothersbelievethatMosesdiditoutofarighteousconcernfor
exposingGod'sglorytoasinfulpeople(andjustifiablyso,aftertheepisodewiththe
goldencalf).ThedifficultyisthattheExodusnarrativedoesnothelpusonewayor
another.
Thesecondhalfofverse13doesgiveusamotiveofsorts.PaulsaysthatMosesdid
thistokeeptheIsraelitesfromgazingat[hisface]whiletheradiancewasfadingaway.
TheNIVhasdonequiteabitofinterpretinghere,butaneutraltranslationisvirtually
impossible.Theverbatenizwmeans"tolookintentlyat,""togazeearnestlyat"(seev.
7).Itishumannaturetostareataspectacle,whetheritbegapersatatrafficaccident
orkidsatafireworkdisplay.TheIsraeliteswerenodifferent.Butwhatexactlywerethey
staringat?TheNIVimpiesthatitwasMoses'face.Thetextmerelyreads"downtothe
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endofthatwhichwasintheprocessoffading."Buttheshiftfromthefeminine(v.7)to
theneuter(vv.11,13)showsthatPaulisthinkingmorebroadlyoftheMosaicministry
andnotjustofMoses'face.TheGreekwordteloscanrefereithertoa"goal"oran
"end"(missingintheNIV).Iftheformer,thenMosessoughttopreventIsraelfrom
lookingatChristasthe"goal"orfulfillmentoftheMosaiccovenant.Ifthelatter,as
seemslikelyfromthecontext,thenMosescoveredhisfacesothatIsraelcouldnot
gaze"rightdowntothelastglimmer,"similartoaninfantwhocontinuestostareata
winduptoylongafterithasstoppedmoving.ThatPaulcanspeakofMoses'facial
splendorandthegloryoftheMosaiccovenantinthesamebreathisnotsurprisingsince
totheaverageJew,MosesandtheTorahwerevirtuallyinterchangeable.Indeed,Paul
caneasilyshiftbetoeenthetoo,as"whentheoldcovenantisread"and"whenMosesis
read"inverses1415show.
IsraelandtheOldCovenant(3:1415)Israel'sresponsetothishabitualperformance
ofMoses'wasadullingofthemind(v.14).Theverbtranslatedmadedullmeans"to
petrify"or"tocauseastoneorcallustoform"andinthepassive(ashere),"tobecome
hard"or"thickened."Whenappliedtotheminditmeans"tobecomeobtuse"ordull.
Paulintroducesthisstateofaffairswiththewordbut(alla),asapointofcontrasttothe
precedingthought.InspiteoftheMosaicveiling,theirmindsbecamedull.Theaorist
(epwrwthe)isingressive,denotingasettledcondition.Israel"becameandremained"
mentallysluggish(versustheNIVmadedull).
ButwhatdoesasluggishmindhavetodowithMoses'practiceofveilinghisface?The
exegeticaldifficultyisthatPaul'scommentinverse14doesnotfollowlogicallyafter
verse13.Thethoughtruns,ItwasMoses'customtoveilhisfadingsplendor,butIsrael
becamementallydull.ItistemptingtolinkPaul'sbutwithverse12insteadofverse13.
Thenewcovenantminister,althoughupfrontinpreachingthegospel(unlikeMoses),
nonethelessmakesnoimpressionontheJewishaudiencebecauseofaconditionof
mentalstupor.Yettheaoristindicativeplacesthefirsthalfofverse14firmlyinthe
historicalcontextoftheExodusnarrative.
OnesolutionistolinkIsrael'sconditionofmentalstuporwithMoses'motiveinveiling
hisface.PerhapsMoseshabituallyveiledhisfacesothatIsrael'sattentionshouldnot
becomesoobstinatelyrivetedonhimthattheyfailtounderstandthesignificanceofthe
fadingsplendornamely,thattheMosaiccovenantwasonlytemporary(v.11)and
alreadyatitsinceptionwasbecoming"old"(v.14).ButifthiswasMoses'gameplan,it
didnotwork.Despitehisrepeatedefforts,Israel'sperceptionsbecamedulledtothe
pointthattheycouldnotevenentertainthenotionthattheMosaiccovenantwas
anythingbut"eternalandlifegiving"(b.shabbat30a).Thisremainsoneofthemost
difficulttrutestocommunicatetoaJewishaudience.Jewseventodayaresocaughtup
inthegreatnessandgloryoftheMosaiccovenantthattheyareunwillingtoconsider
thatsomethinggreaterhascome.
ButtheirmindsweremadedullisPaul'sinterpretivecomment.Nosuchstateofaffairs
isfoundintheExodusnarrative.AllExodus34:30saysisthatIsraelwasinitiallyafraid
toapproachMoses.HowdidPaularriveatthisconclusion?Hereacheditbylookingat
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Israelinhisownday.HereispartoneofPaul'sexplanationforwhyIsraelwasnot
respondingtothegospel.Fortothisday,hesays,thesameveilremainswhentheold
covenantisread.ThesameveilistheveilthatMosesusedtocoverthesplendorofthe
Mosaiccovenantreflectedonhisface.Only,insteadoflyingoverMoses'face,itnow
liesovertheMosaiccovenant(epi+dative).
Thewordforcovenantisnottobetranslated"testament"(KJV),whichcanbe
misunderstoodasreferringtotheOldTestament.Paulisreferring,instead,tothe
agreementthatwasestablishedbetoeenGodandhispeopleatMountSinai(seev.6).
Thewrittenformofthisagreement,whichhecallsold,isfoundinExodus2040and
thebookofDeuteronomy.ByoldhemeansthattheMosaiccovenanthasoutlivedits
ministerialusefulness(vv.79).ButIsraelcannotseethisbecauseaveilexistsanytime
theLawisread.Isreadisliterally"thereading,"signifyingapublicoccasion.Itwasand
stilliscustomaryinthesynagogueservicetoreadaselectedpassagefromtheLaw
andthenonefromtheProphets.
WhentheLawispubliclyreadtheMosaicveilfunctions,Paulsays,to"notreveal[me
anakalyptomenon]that[hoti]inChristitsgloryisdwindling"(katargeitaiseethenote).It
isimportanttonoticePaul'suseofthepresenttense.ItisnotthattheMosaic
covenant'sgloryhasdwindledbutthatitisintheprocessofdwindling(seevv.7,11).
Withtheestablishmentofanewcovenant,wewouldexpecttheformer.Butthe
splendorofthenewcovenantministryisnotyetcompleteasthefuturetense"willbe
glorious"indicates(v.8).ThesplendoroftheMosaiccovenant,asaresult,hasnot
beencompletelyovershadowedinChrist.InChrist(enChristo)isambiguous.Thelast
timePaulusedthisphraseitmeant"asChrist'srepresentatives"(2:17).Hereitmaybe
equivalenttothenewcovenantasacounterpointtotheoldcovenant,towhichhehas
justmadereference.
Verse15introducesparttooofPaul'srationaleforIsrael'snonresponsivenesstothe
gospel.Buttothisday,hesays,whenMosesisread,aveilcoverstheirhearts.Paul
portraysIsrael'smentalstuporintermsofaveilthathassettledovertheheartofthe
nation.The"but"(NIVeven)thatintroducesthisthoughtparallelsthebutclauseof
verse14.Thestructureofverses1415canbesetoutasfollows:
Moses'action(v.13b)>Moses'intent(v.13c)>Israel'sresponse(but,v.14a)
Theveil'saction(v.14b)>theveil'sintent(v.14c)>Israel'sresponse(but,v.15)
Thelackofanarticlewithkalymma(veil)indicatesadifferentveilfromtheonelying
overtheoldcovenant.Theshiftfromdulledperceptions(v.14)toaveiledheart(v.15)
isprobablyPaul'sattempttogotothecruxofthematter.ToaJewtheheart
representedtheinnermostselfandcenterofaperson'sspiritualandintellectualactivity
(Sorg1976:18183).Aveilcoveringtheheartevokesimagesofdarknessand
ignorance(compareRom1:21Eph4:18).Thepluraltheirheartsistobenoted.Itis
corporatedarknessthatisinviewhere.Tothisdayreferstothenation'sinabilitydown
throughthecenturiestodiscernthetrutesofsalvationhistorybecauseofaconditionof
spiritualblindness.Paulisnotaloneinmakingthisjudgment.TheQumrancommunity
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wasoftheopinionthatthoseinJerusalem"donotknowthehiddenmeaningofwhatis
actuallytakingplace,norhavetheyeverunderstoodthelessonsofthepast"(1QMyst
23).TheEsseneslikenedthenationto"theblindandthosethatgropetheirway"(Cairo
DamascusDocument1:89).
AWordofHope(3:1617)Isaiah6:910attributesIsrael'sconditiontoGod'scommand
tohisspokespersonto"maketheheartofthispeoplecallousedmaketheirearsdull
andclosetheireyes."Paul,himself,doesnottakethisstepinthispassage(although
theNIVdoesinv.14),butputsforwardthehopethatwheneveranyoneturnstothe
Lord,theveilofspiritualdarknessistakenaway(v.16).Mosesnowbecomesamodel
tobeemulatedratherthanshunnedforPaul'shopeisbasedonExodus34:34,where
Moses,incomingbeforetheLordtospeakwithhim,removedhisveil.TheLXX
imperfectperihreito("heusedtoremove")indicatesthatthiswasMoses'habitual
practiceonenteringthetentofmeeting.
AlthoughPaulcitesExodus34:34almostverbatim,therearefoursignificant
modifications.First,heshiftstoanindefinitesubject,therebymovingthereaderbeyond
thehistoricalsettingoftheExodusnarrative(wheneveranyoneturns).Second,the
actionshiftsfrompasttopresent(wheneveranyoneturns,...theveilistakenaway).
ThisshowsthatPaulisinterestedinthisnarrativeprimarilyforhisownsituation.
Third,intheExodusnarrativeMosesremoveshisownveil.InPaul'saccount,itiseither
God(passive,theveilistakenaway)ortheindividual(middle,"heremovestheveil")
orperhapsboth.Quiteoftendivinesovereigntyandhumanresponsibilityworktogether
inPaul'sthinking,especiallywhereindividualsalvationisinview.Forinstance,Paulcan
inonebreathcommandthePhilippiansto"workoutyoursalvationwithfearand
trembling"andinthenextsaythatitis"Godwhoworksinyoutowillandtoact
accordingtohisgoodpurpose"(2:1213).Thisistruethroughoutsalvationhistory.
Jeremiah24:7,forexample,attributes"turning"tothehumanwill("theywillreturntome
withalltheirheart")andchangeofhearttoGod("Iwillgivethemahearttoknowme").
Fourth,insteadof"toenter"(eisporeuomai),Pauluses"toturn"(epistrephwwhenever
anyoneturnstotheLord).ThistermmarksthecharacteristicattitudeoftheJewwithin
thecovenantrelationship.ToturntotheLordintheOldTestamentistoturnawayfrom
foreigngods(asinJer4:1)andtolistentoGod'svoice(Deut4:30)andcommandswith
allyourheartandsoul(Deut30:10).Itisalsotheappropriateresponsetothegospel
underthenewcovenant,regardlessofwhetheroneisaJew(Acts3:199:35)ora
Gentile(Acts11:2114:15,15:191Thess1:9).
Wheneverapersongiveshisorherthoughtsandlifeanewdirection,italwaysinvolves
ajudgmentonpreviousviewsandbehavior.Soitcomesasnosurprisethatrepentance
andturningtotheLordarecloselyrelatedideasintheNewTestament(Laubach
1975:353).Peter,forinstance,callshisJerusalemaudienceto"repentandturntoGod"
(Acts3:19).
TowhomisPaulofferingthiswordofhope?Israelisthemostobviouschoice,sinceitis
theythathaveaveilovertheirheart(v.15).YetPaul'sshiftfromtheplural"they"(v.15)
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tothesingularanyone(v.16)suggeststhattheindividualIsraelite,andnotthenation,is
inview.HispointwouldbethatinspiteofnationalblindnesswhichexplainswhyIsrael
asawholeisnotrespondingtothegospelthereisstillthepossibilityofapersonal
response.For,untiltoday,wheneverMosesisreadaveilcoversIsrael'sheart.Yet,if
someoneturnstotheLord(asMosesdid),theveilisremoved(asitwasinMoses'
casevv.1516).TheLordtowhomMosesturnedintheExodusnarrativewasYahweh.
TheLordtowhomapersonmustnowturnistheSpirit(v.17).
Paul'sstatementNowtheLordistheSpirithasmystifiedtheologiansforcenturies.At
facevalueheseemstobeequatingtoomembersoftheTrinity.Whichtoodependson
whetherLordisunderstoodtobeYahwehorChrist.Inpreviousyearsitwasjust
assumedthatPaulmeantChristanddiscussionsfocusedonthepreciserelationship
betoeenthetoo.QuiteoftentheSpirit'spersonorworkgotlostintheexegeticalshuffle.
Itiscommontoreadstatementslike"theessenceofChristinhisresurrectedand
ascendedstateisthatofSpirit"or"Christisexperiencedandoperativeinthechurch
throughtheSpirit."Sometriedtogetaroundthetheologicaldifficultiesbyreading
pneumaaslowercase"spirit"andtranslating,"Christisspirit"oreven"Christisthe
spiritualsenseoftheOldTestament."This,however,isjustplainwrong.Forone,Paul
usesthearticlewithpneumatoiceinthespaceoftooverses(theSpirit).Two,he
distinguishestheSpiritfromtheLordandtreatshimasadistinctentityinthesecond
halfofverse17.
GivenPaul'sdependenceinverse16onExodus34:34anincreasingnumberof
exegetesareidentifyingLordinbothverses16and17withYahweh.Onthisreading
thearticleisanaphoric,referringthereaderbacktoverse16:"Nowby`Yahweh'is
meanttheSpirit."ButthereaderisstillleftwithanequationofYahwehandtheSpirit
thathastobefinessedinsomefashion.Anotherapproachistothinkofverse17as
Paul'scommentaryonExodus34:34andtreatkyriosasacitation.Lordwouldthenbe
putinquotesandtranslated:"Nowtheterm`Lord'referstotheSpirit."Paulwouldbe
followingamethodoftextinterpretationcommonlyutilizedinJewishliteraturebywhich
varioustermsofthebiblicaltextareassignedamoremeaningful,oftencontemporary
equivalent.WhatthismeansisthatPaulneednotbeconstruingLordatthebeginning
ofverse17inanypersonalsense.Itismerelyaterminhistextthatfindsitsmeaning
andapplicationinthecontemporarysituationofhisday.Nonetheless,inidentifyingthe
SpiritwiththetermLord,Paulmakesaprofoundtheologicalpoint.Mosesturnedto
Yahwehfortheremovalofhisveil.Withtheadventofthenewcovenant,theSpirit
becomestheprimemoverinthelivesofGod'speople.
PaulconcludeshiscommentaryonExodus34:34withthestatementwheretheSpiritof
theLordis,thereisfreedom(v.17).Thewordfreedomstrikesaparticularlyresonant
chordwiththoseofuswholiveinanationthatplacesgreatimportanceonthe
possessionofinalienablerightsandfreedoms.WhatdidthiswordmeantoPaul?
Elsewhereitreferstofreedomfromdeath(e.g.,Rom8:2),sin(e.g.,Rom6:18,22),the
law(Gal5:13)andcondemnation(Rom8:12).Hereitmeanstobefreeofbarriersthat
wouldimpedespiritualunderstanding.ItistheworkoftheSpirittoremovesuchspiritual
impediments.Freedomalsolooksforwardtothegospelministerinverse18,whounlike
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Moseshasthelibertytoministerwithan"unveiledface."Thisfreedomtobeopenand
publicintheexerciseofhisministryPaulalsoattributestotheworkoftheSpirit(where
theSpiritis).
TheFreedomoftheNewCovenantMinister(3:18)Verse18isthecapstoneofPaul's
reflectionsinthischapter.Itpicksupthetoomajorideasofverses1217,namely,the
openconductofthegospelministerandtheSpiritastheprimemoverofthenew
covenant,andweavesthemtogetherintoaclinchingargumentagainstthosewho
woulddependonthewaythingswereundertheMosaiccovenant.Tostartwith,Paul
introducesafinalpointofcontrastbetoeenMosesandthenewcovenantminister.We,
whowithunveiledfacesallreflecttheLord'sglory,arebeingtransformedintohis
likenesswitheverincreasingglory.
We...allmightwellbePaul'swayofbroadeninghispointofreferencetoincludeall
believers.Evenso,thefocusisstillonthenewcovenantminister.Withunveiledfaces
invitescomparisonwithMoses,butMosesinwhichrole?Moseswithunveiledfacein
thetentofmeeting?OrMoseswithhisfaceveiledbeforeIsrael?Muchdependsonhow
onetranslateskatoptrizomenoi.Theverbisarareone,andinthemiddleitcanmean
either"tobeholdoneselfinamirror"or"toserveasamirror"thatis,"toreflect."
TransfigurationthroughbeholdingGod'sgloryisanattractiveideathatanumberof
translatorshaveoptedfor(KJV,NKJV,RSV,REB).YetifPauliscontinuinghis
commentaryontheExodus34narrativewithverse35beingnextinlinethenheis
thinkingofhowMoseshabituallyveiledhisfaceonleavingthetentofmeetinguntilhis
nextencounterwithYahweh.Newcovenantministers,bycontrast,leavetheirface
unveiledandinsodoingreflectGod'sglory.Paulisdrawingonthefunctionofamirror
topickupthelightraysfromanobjectandtoreflectthatlightintheformofanimage.
TheimagethatthenewcovenantministerreflectsisidentifiedinthetextastheLord's
glory.ThisisafamiliarphraseinScripture.Hereitanticipates"thelightofthe
knowledgeofthegloryofGodreflectedinthefaceofChrist"(4:6)and,byassociation,
[reflected]inthefacesofChrist'srepresentatives.
AsgospelpreachersdotheirjobofreflectingknowledgeofGodtothosearoundthem,
transformationoccurs.Thetextreads,AndwewhoreflecttheLord'sgloryarebeing
transformedintohislikenesswitheverincreasingglory(v.18).Thewordtransformed
means"totakeonadifferentformorappearance."Itcanrefertoanoutoardchangeor,
ashere,toaninwardchange.Thepresenttensedenotesanongoingprocess:Weare
"constantlybeingtransformed."Transformedintohislikenessisliterally"transformed
intothesameimage."ItistakenasamatterofcoursebymanythattheimagePaulhas
inviewisChrist'simage(NIVintohislikeness).Hecouldalsobethinkingofhowgospel
ministersshouldbecarboncopiesofoneanother,iftheyaretrulycarryingonChrist's
ministryofreflectingGod'sglorytoadarkworld.
Transformationisnotaoneshotaffair.Itistransformationintoalikenessthatiswith
everincreasingglory(v.18).Witheverincreasinggloryisliterally"fromglorytoglory."
Thephrasedenotesasplendorthatsteadilygrows,incontrasttotheshortlivedgloryof
Moses'face.Itwasthepropertyofmirrorsbackinthosedays(whichweremadeofa
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flat,circularpieceofcastmetal)thatthemorepolishedthesurface,theclearerthe
image.Continuouselbowgreasewasneededtokeepawaycorrosion.Thepictureisa
provocativeone.Thelifeandministryofthebelieveraredepictedasamirrorthatisin
needofcontinualpolishingsoastoreproducetoaneverincreasingextenttheglorious
knowledgeandtrutesofthegospel.
Thiseverincreasingglory,Paulstates,comesfromtheLord,whoistheSpirit.Asthe
unveiledgloryofMoses'faceisascribedtohiscomingbeforeYahweh,sotheunveiled,
glorifiedfaceofthegospelministerisattributedtotheactivityoftheSpirit.Itisthethird
memberoftheTrinityandhisworkthattakecenterstageinthischapter.TheSpirit
bringsaboutunderstandingregardingthetemporalcharacteroftheMosaiccovenant
(3:1317)andmakesknowninunveiledorplainfashionthetrutesofthegospelthrough
thepreachingandtransformedlifeofthenewcovenantminister(vv.2,18).Itisalso
becauseoftheSpiritthatthegospelministerhasthefreedom,unlikeMosesand
perhapsunlikePaul'sopponentstounveilhisorherface(v.17).Thisdurableglory,
accordingtoPaul,stemsfromthenewcovenantasacovenantofthelifegivingSpirit
ratherthanadeathgivingletter(3:611).
Previouscommentary:
TheSuperiorityoftheNewCovenantMinistry
Aboutthiscommentary:
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