The Glory Done Away 2 Corinthians 3:7

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth how God made he and his companions, “able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”, and in chapter three and verse seven of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members how “the ministration of death...was glorious” which “glory was done away”, where we read:

But if the ministration of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

The verse begins, “But if the ministration of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious,...” Paul began with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “if” or “whether” “the ministration” which means “the service of those who render to others by the command of God who proclaim and promote religion among men” “of death” or “of separation, whether natural or violent, of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended”, “written” which means “in a letter or epistle, a note of hand, bill, bond or account with acknowledgment of a debt” “and engraved” or “stamped or imprinted” “in stones” which refers to “small building stones”, “was glorious” or “was of great opinion, judgment, view, praise, honor, splendor and brightness”. Paul referred to the “glory” of the Old Testament which was written in stone by God and given to Moses.

The verse goes on to say, “ so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance;” Paul added the words, “so that the children” which means “insomuch that the sons and daughters ”, “of Israel” which means “he shall be a prince or governed by God” and was “the name given to the patriarch Jacob and borne by him in addition to his former name” “could not steadfastly behold” or “were not able to fix their eyes or gaze upon” “the face” or “the front or look of the human head” “of Moses” whose name means “drawing out” and was “the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion” “for the glory” or “because of the opinion, judgment, view, praise, honor, splendor and brightness” “of his countenance” which refers to “Moses' face or outward appearance”. Paul referred to how the people of Israel could not look upon Moses' face when he came down from the mountain after receiving the law of God. (See Exodus 34:30-35)

Finally the verse says, “which glory was to be done away:” Paul concluded the verse with the words, “which glory” or “opinion, judgment, view, praise, honor, splendor and brightness” “was to be done away” which means “to render idle, unemployed, inactive and inoperative”. The “glory” of the Old Covenant, according to Paul, was to be “rendered idle and inactive”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how he is using the “glory” of the Old Covenant to compare to the New Covenant. The “glory” of the Old Covenant which was given by God to Moses was so “bright” that the people of Israel could not even “look upon” Moses' face when he came from receiving it. God's Covenants are righteous, and those who followed after the Old one respected it even though the “glory” of it was to be “done away”. How much more should we consider the New Covenant which is given by Jesus Christ as a “glorious” venue? God desires to have a relationship with everyone who will believe and trust in Him through His Son Jesus, and when we submit ourselves to His plan of Salvation, we shall see a “glorious” Covenant to which none compares.

Next time Paul asks the church members, “how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.