2 Corinthians 3:1-6
Q.1. Did Paul need letters of commendation to endorse his ministry? What made the Corinthians better than a letter? How are we able to do ministry? What is unique about the New Covenant? – (2 Cor.3:1-6)
Paul had been detailing the far-reaching implications of the Gospel for its hearers (c.f. 2 Cor.2:14-17). Did he have an inflated opinion of his own importance? Just as the coming of the Son was vastly superior to the prophetic writings, so Paul’s impact on the lives of the Corinthians was indisputable (2 Cor.3:1-2 c.f. Heb.1:1-3). That is because their transformation was proof of a genuine work of the Holy Spirit, for – … you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (2 Cor.3:3). However, he did not want his bold claim to be misunderstood, for he was well aware that – we are not adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, for our adequacy is from God (2 Cor.3:5). He explained further about the uniqueness of the new Covenant, of which he was a servant, which was – … not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Cor.3:6). This old Covenant of the law cannot be compared with the new Covenant of the Spirit: (i) The law was written on stone tablets … the new on human hearts (2 Cor.3:2-3). (ii) The law was made up of letters … the new empowered by the Spirit of the living God (2 Cor.3:3). (iii) The letter of the law brings death … the new Covenant of the Spirit gives life (2 Cor.3:6).