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2 Corinthians 3: The Surpassing New Covenant

Paul shows that the ministry of the Spirit far outshines the fading glory of the law, transforming us into Christ's image from glory to glory.

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2 Corinthians 3 (WEB)

1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;

5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God;

6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away:

8 won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory?

9 For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

10 For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

11 For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech,

13 and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away.

14 But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away.

15 But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

16 But whenever one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

18 But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Summary

Paul asks whether he needs letters of recommendation like other teachers, then answers that the Corinthians themselves are his letter, written on his heart and known to all, a letter of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on hearts of flesh. Such confidence comes through Christ toward God, not from any sufficiency of Paul's own, for his sufficiency is from God, who made him a servant of a new covenant—not of the letter, which kills, but of the Spirit, who gives life. He then compares the two covenants. The old covenant, engraved on stone, came with such glory that Israel could not gaze on Moses' radiant face, yet that glory was fading. How much greater, then, is the glory of the ministry of the Spirit, the ministry of righteousness rather than condemnation, a glory so surpassing that the former seems to have none. If even what was passing away came with glory, far more does what remains. Because of this hope, Paul speaks with great boldness, unlike Moses who veiled his face so Israel would not see the radiance fade. To this day, he says, a veil lies over hearts whenever the old covenant is read, but in Christ that veil is taken away. When anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed, for the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is, there is freedom. With unveiled faces beholding the Lord's glory, believers are transformed into his very image, from glory to glory.

Main Characters

  • Paul — The apostle who needs no letter of recommendation but points to the transformed Corinthians, confessing his sufficiency comes from God as a servant of the new covenant.
  • The Holy Spirit — The Spirit of the living God who writes Christ's letter on human hearts, gives life where the letter kills, and transforms believers into Christ's image.
  • Moses — The mediator of the old covenant whose face shone with fading glory and who veiled it, a figure pointing by contrast to the greater, lasting glory of the new.
  • The Corinthian believers — Paul's living letter of recommendation, hearts of flesh on which Christ has written by the Spirit, being changed from glory to glory.

Key Verse

2 Corinthians 3:18 (WEB)

But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Lessons Learned

  • Changed lives are the truest credentials of a genuine ministry.
  • Our adequacy for God's work comes from God, never from ourselves.
  • The letter of the law condemns, but the Spirit of the new covenant gives life.
  • Turning to Christ removes the veil and frees us to be transformed into his image.
  • Transformed people are living letters. “You are our letter… written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3, WEB). The fruit of the gospel commends the gospel.
  • Our sufficiency is from God. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves… but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5, WEB). We minister from his supply, not our own.
  • The Spirit gives life. God made us servants “not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6, WEB). Only the Spirit can give what the law demands.
  • Beholding Christ transforms us. “We all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord… are transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18, WEB). We become like the One we behold.
  1. Why does Paul say the Corinthians themselves are his letter of recommendation (3:1-3)?
  2. What is the difference Paul draws between the “letter” that kills and the “Spirit” that gives life (3:6)?
  3. How does Paul compare the glory of the old covenant with the glory of the new (3:7-11)?
  4. What does it mean that the veil is removed when someone turns to the Lord (3:16)?
  5. If we are transformed by beholding Christ's glory (3:18), how can you give more attention to gazing on him?
  1. Paul needs no paper credentials because the changed lives of the Corinthians prove the authenticity of his ministry. They are “a letter of Christ… written not with ink, but with the Spirit” (3:3). The Spirit's work on their hearts is the recommendation. Real ministry is validated by transformed people, not impressive self-promotion.
  2. The “letter” is the law engraved on stone; it reveals sin and pronounces condemnation, so it “kills” (3:6-7). The “Spirit” of the new covenant writes on the heart and imparts life. The law tells us what is right but cannot make us right; the Spirit actually gives the life and righteousness the law could only require.
  3. The old covenant had real glory, so bright that Israel could not look at Moses' face, yet it was fading (3:7). The new covenant of the Spirit is the “ministry of righteousness” and “remains,” so its glory is far greater (3:9-11). Paul argues from lesser to greater: if the temporary shone, the permanent shines all the more.
  4. The veil pictures a hardened, blinded heart that cannot perceive Christ in the Scriptures (3:14-15). When a person “turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (3:16). In Christ, by the Spirit, the obscurity lifts and we see the glory of God clearly, no longer reading the old covenant as a closed book.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Since we become like what we behold, invite members to consider how Scripture, prayer, worship, and remembering the gospel keep our gaze on Christ. As leader, encourage practical, sustainable rhythms and assure them that transformation is the Spirit's work, not their striving.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.