Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3.1–4.18

“Are we beginning again to commend ourselves?” Since he marks out the false apostles, pointing to their crooked inventions, and testifies that he himself is a true preacher, he seems to be commending himself again, as in the first letter. And so that he might not seem to do this with some earthly cunning for the sake of gain, he added: “Do we need, as some do, letters of commendation to you, or from you?” By saying this he clears his intention and further marks out the false apostles, whom he shows to go round the churches for the sake of their own honour and gain, to take away salvation, not to bestow it. They were of those to whom the Lord says: “You devour the houses of widows and orphans, praying with long prayer; therefore you will receive greater judgment” (Matt 23:14). For they seized both their property and their souls; but the Apostle neither touched their property and by the truth of his teaching saved their souls. So he commended himself not in a fleshly but in a spiritual way, for the progress of their salvation, so that they might believe of him what he was; for whoever thinks ill of a good man sins; and therefore this commendation profits them the more.

“You are our letter, written in our hearts.” The Apostle's letter is a sign of salvation. Rightly, then, he says that the salvation of the Corinthians was in the heart of the Apostle and of those who were with him; for they were always thinking of their salvation. Since, then, they are in the heart of the Apostle and of those who were with him, they are a letter written in their hearts; for whoever is always mindful of someone has him written in his mind.

“Which is known and read by all men, since you are manifested to be a letter of Christ, ministered by us.” It is clear that when they are called Christians, they are a letter of Christ, showing the salvation that God gave in Christ to all men, the apostles doing the writing; for when they teach, they write. “Written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.” Because the things promised are eternal, they are said to be written by the Spirit of God, who always is; but temporal things with ink, which fades and loses the record. “Not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart.” Now he strikes at the old law, which, first given on tablets of stone, was abolished when the tablets were broken by Moses under the mountain (Exod 32:19). But the new law is written in the mind, that is, in the heart, not by a reed pen but by the Spirit; because faith is an eternal thing, it is written by the Spirit so that it may remain; but the old precepts will cease when the world fails. As law differs from law, so the ministers of that law differ from the ministers of the law of faith.

“Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.” He shows how great is the dignity in the apostles when he says, “Such confidence we have toward God through Christ”: to show that those of old did not have this confidence toward God, because their ministry was lesser.

“Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as though from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, who has also made us fit ministers of the new testament, not of the letter but of the spirit. For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.” Although he extols the apostolic dignity, he breaks out in praise of God, ascribing this not to human merits but to the grace of him who deigned, for human life, to appoint a saving preaching, which would save those whom the old law held guilty, remission of sins being given through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the letters were given to Moses for this purpose, to kill those who despised the Law, according to the law of nature. But the spirit, that is, the law of faith, which is not written but held in the mind, gives life to those guilty of death, provided they turn, so that, justified, they sin no more. Rightly, then, the Law had been given, that there might be fear of sinning; but because the human race is frail, the mercy of God was given in the preaching to the apostles, so that, sins being forgiven, those believing in Christ might escape death. This is the preaching of the new testament, which God had promised through the prophets.

“For if the ministry of death, formed in letters on stones, was in glory, so that the children of Israel could not gaze on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which is being done away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more in glory?” It is plain that the grace of the law of faith is greater than that of the law of Moses; for although the law of Moses was given to be of profit, yet, being despised, it became a law of death. So, because it could not provide for sinners, the law of faith came to save them, not only pardoning but also justifying them. There is, then, much difference between law and law; for then, stained with sin, they could not gaze on the face of Moses as he came down from the mountain with the law received on tablets, because his face had been made glorious so that it could not be looked at by sinners, who were worthy of death (Exod 34:30). This glory is now done away by the law of the Spirit, since, having received remission of sins and been made righteous, they are worthy to behold, and can behold, the glory of God, as Peter and John and James saw the glory of Christ on the mountain (Matt 17:2).

“For if there is glory in the ministry of condemnation, much more will the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.” He says this because the gift of God's righteousness through faith in Christ is greater than that of the old law; for there is more glory in salvation than in death. Although he condemns justly, yet it contributes more to his praise if he pardons, so that the guilty one can correct himself.

“For what was made glorious in this respect was not made glorious, because of the surpassing glory.” It is plain that what was seen as glorious in the face of Moses (Exod 34:29) was not made glorious. For since the glory of his face profited no one, but rather harmed them, it had no fruit of glory, though not by its own fault but by that of the sinners; yet in this respect there is no glory. But that is the greater glory which abounds in grace, so that people purified by God's gift, the darkness wiped away, can see the glory of Christ.

“For if what is being done away was in glory, much more what remains is in glory.” He does not deny that there was glory in the law, or in the face of Moses, but it did not remain; because in Moses there was what was to come, not the reality. Therefore, when the Saviour came, the figure ceased, because the reality appeared, remaining for ever; so that as great as the difference between image and reality, so great is the difference between the glory of Moses' face and the glory of Christ. Therefore he said above: “because of the surpassing glory.” For that glory was as great as ought to be credited to a servant; but this one as great as that of his Father, because the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:11). For as the stars are glorious in the evening, but when the sun rises their brightness is done away, so the glory of Moses is done away when the glory of Christ appears.

“Having, then, such hope, let us use much confidence.” He says that we have the hope of seeing glory, not such as was in the face of Moses, but that which the three apostles saw on the mountain when the Lord revealed himself (Matt 17:1). From this, then, we ought to infer how much the divine clemency has conferred on us, and how much it has deigned to enrich us with the gift of a higher grace than it had given the Jews. For the Jews, though the glory of Moses' face was lesser, could not look at it; but we believe that we shall see, not the glory of Moses, which is inferior, but the surpassing glory of the Saviour. The Jews, then, did not merit to see the glory of a servant; but we are to see the glory of the common Lord. And therefore we too ought, as far as we can, to repay the kindness of God, so that we may be more ready in the love of him who gave us, washing us from sins, the confidence of seeing the glory of God. Now, therefore, it is needful that confidence, prepared by good deeds, should grow in us; for we shall see as much as we believe.

“And not as Moses put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel might not gaze on his face, which is being done away.” Since we have been made worthy by the grace of God to see the glory of Christ, he therefore says: “And not as Moses put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel might not gaze” (Exod 34:33). He put the veil on because they could not bear the brightness of his face on account of sin; when sin is removed, power is given to see the glory of God, even to its end; because it is not revealed until, having left the Law, they are converted to the grace of faith, and so it is done away. For when worthiness comes through faith, unworthiness is done away.

“But their minds were dulled until this present day.” He calls them dulled as long as they do not believe. This dullness came about through unbelief; therefore, in those converted to faith the sight of the mind is sharpened, so that they may see the splendour of the divine light. “This same veil remains in the reading of the old testament, while it is not revealed, because it is done away in Christ.” This dullness, he says, remains in the reading of Exodus as long as they do not believe. For it is not revealed unless they believe; for it is done away in Christ, that is, the veil is removed by faith in Christ; for when the offence is removed, they will begin to see what they could not see while sin stood in the way.

“But until this present day, when Moses is read (Exod 34:33), a veil lies over their heart.” It is plain that when this part of the Law is read, the sentence of those who are under the Law is recited.

“But when he has turned to the Lord, the veil will be taken away.” To turn to the Lord is to believe in Christ, so that, acknowledging the Lord, one may merit to receive pardon. This is the veil being taken away: the sentence by which one was held guilty under the Law being done away.

“Now the Lord is spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Since God is Spirit, he gave through Christ the law of the Spirit: not written in letters, of course, but impressed on minds through faith; not one that teaches visible things, but one that persuades us to believe invisible ones, which the mind gathers spiritually, not which the eye sees. This law gives freedom, asking faith alone; so that, because one believes what one does not see, one may merit to be rescued from one's condition.

“So all of us, beholding the glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are being formed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” He says that all of us who have obtained freedom by the gift of God's grace, beholding the glory of the Lord through faith, are being transformed into the same image that we hope for: that is, that when this life is over we may be found like the image of Christ's glory, as the apostle John says: “We know,” he says, “that when he appears we shall be like him” (1 John 3:2). “From glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord”: that is, lifted by God's kindness from the glory of Moses, which we could not look upon because of our guilt, we are transformed to the glory that we believe will be given to us by the Spirit of the Lord. For as much glory will be given as it is worthy of God to give through his Spirit; for this is why he said, “as by the Spirit of the Lord”: to show that such glory is given as befits the loftiness of the giver. For the glory of Moses was neither so great nor lasting; for he received glory in the measure of the Law; so too, in the measure of the law of faith, in which is the Spirit of God, glory will be given to believers. For God has granted so much to the faithful that he gives them his Spirit as the pledge of that glory which he has promised.

“Therefore, having this ministry, as we have obtained mercy, let us not lose heart.” He says that he has such hope in this ministry that he does not lose heart in afflictions, strengthened by faith in the promises. Hence he said above: “Let us use much confidence” (2 Cor 3:12); for those who trust in what has been promised endure whatever adversity befalls them. He attributes this not to human merits but to the mercy of God, which first washes a person, then justifies him, adopting him as a son to God, so as to give him a glory like the glory of God's own Son.

“But we renounce the hidden things of shame.” So that a person may be worthy of that glory, he teaches that all base and polluted things that can be done or thought must be put away, so that they are driven out not only from deed but also from thought. These are the words of one who invites; for under his own person and that of his companions he urges them to a better life, because of the vices mentioned above, which he often rebukes in them. These hidden things of shame can also be what people devise with crooked mind for preaching, in order to deceive; hence he added: “not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the word of God.” For whoever with a deceitful mind fabricates teaching to deceive the hearts of the simple contributes to his own shame and disfigurement; for he will be found base in the day of God's judgment. For the craftiness of an evil mind, to fulfil what it pleases, adulterates the words of God so as to overturn their sense. To adulterate is to wish to shut out the true sense by a false one. “But by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every human conscience before God.” He says this because in the preaching of the gospel he made himself suspect to no one, adding more when he says “before God,” to show that this very thing is manifest not only to people but also to God, from whom nothing is hidden. He therefore calls on the testimony of God, so that he at least may be believed, that he preaches as it was given by the Author; and God is a witness in this way, when he grants signs and wonders to be done by his hands.

“And even if our gospel is still veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing.” It is true that unbelievers, blinded by unbelief, do not see the splendour of God's power; for there is a veil over their heart and the dullness of unbelief, above all in the Jews. “Among whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they do not see the light of the gospel of the majesty of Christ, who is the image of God.” He says that the God of worldly people, because they are hostile to the faith of Christ, blinds their minds so that they do not see the truth of the gospel of the majesty of Christ. So he grants them what they wish. For because they are malicious people, and, understanding the truth, say that it is false, they are helped in that very thing, so that they cannot believe what they do not wish to. And though Christ is the image of God, they assert that he is merely bodily, and, leaving aside his deeds, they make mention only of the flesh. Of them Isaiah said: “He has blinded their eyes, so that they do not see, and their ears, so that they do not hear, to this present day” (Isa 6:10).

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is, we do not proclaim our own glory, lest anyone say that we preach the gospel for our own sake, so that it may perhaps profit us for a time; but we proclaim Jesus our Lord, subjecting ourselves to his power and majesty. When, then, we burden no one, extort from no one, and confess Christ our Lord, why should we be judged proud, as if we preached for our own advantage, to appear glorious? “And ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.” He proves himself so much a servant of Christ that, at his command, he declares himself their minister in preaching, so that for their benefit they are subject in the ministry of the gospel. In saying “servants” he means ministers; but he spoke this way to speak humbly, so as truly to show that he preaches the gospel not for his own glory but for the splendour of our Lord, whom he obeys and serves, as the Lord himself says: “I am in your midst not to be ministered to, but to minister” (Luke 22:27); not because of the merit of those to whom he ministers, but because of the Lord's command.

“For God, who said that light should shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.” He says this because it came about by the mercy of God that through us, he says, who were unbelieving in ignorance, that is, in darkness, God gave light to the other nations. How much he still humbles himself, so as to put forward the glory of God alone and of Christ! For they are enlightened so that they may have knowledge of the glory of God through Christ. He speaks of the knowledge of the glory of God, that is, not of God alone but also of Christ, who is his glory, to signify that not only is God known, but also his works, his mercy, and his providence, by which he founded and saved the human race, seen in Christ through the glory of his power.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence may be of the power of God, and not of us.” By “treasure” he means the mystery of God in Christ, which is made manifest to believers but covered by a kind of veil to unbelievers; for as a treasure is put in a hidden place, so the mystery of God is hidden within a person, that is, in the human heart. This treasure, then, he says, has been given by God in mind and body, so that the eminence of his power may appear through human beings who are only preachers, so that every tongue may be reconciled to its Creator, not to the honour of human beings but of God, who manifests himself through them; who, though they were humble and unskilled, received power from God both to speak and to do great things. By saying “earthen vessels,” then, he signifies the weakness of human nature, which can do nothing unless it receives power from God; and God proclaims himself to his own praise through these weak things, so that glory may be given to him, not to a human being, who was formed from clay.

“In all things we suffer affliction, but are not crushed.” Now he shows why they were fit preachers: because God was always present to them in need. Therefore he says, “We suffer affliction, but are not crushed”: that is, God did not allow us to be so oppressed that we should give way. “We suffer want, but are not destitute”: that is, God the shepherd was present to them when placed in want.

“We suffer persecution, but are not forsaken.” It is true, because God took care of them, so that their enemies might not get their way with them. “We are cast down, but do not perish”: that is, laid low by beatings, but, God preventing it, not put to death; for whether shut up or bound, by God's help they escaped the hands of their enemies. Indeed, when Paul and Silas were shut up, already beaten, and their feet already fastened in the stocks, they were cheerfully singing a hymn to God, made stronger than those who had not been beaten.

“Always carrying about in our body the death of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” There is no doubt that Christ is killed in the martyrs, and that in those who suffer for the faith either death or chains or beatings are the sufferings of Christ, so that his life also may be made plain in their body. For they are sufferings that show merit for the future life that Christ has promised. Hence he says in another place: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). And again: “Through tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

“If, then, we who live are handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be made plain in this mortal flesh of ours.” What he says is clear: we do not refuse to be handed over to death for Jesus' sake, though we could live, so that the life by which Christ rose from the dead may be granted to this mortal flesh of ours; that is, not to fear death, because of the promised resurrection. “So death is at work in us, but life in you.” He says this because they were subjected to death for their salvation; for in preaching to the gentiles they stirred up enmities against themselves, from Jews as well as gentiles, even to death.

“Having the same spirit of faith”: that is, we have in common with you the Spirit by whom faith is made firm. For this reason he suffered such evils for them, so that they might be joined to one another in faith. “According to what is written: I believed, therefore I spoke; we too believe, therefore we also speak” (Ps 116:10). He gave the example from the hundred and fifteenth psalm to show that he is ready to endure all things because he believes in the future resurrection. Secure, then, about the future life, he has no care for the present life, since it is believed that the blessed life is to be hoped for then, if this one is despised. Secure, then, that what he has believed is true, he dares to preach it, so as to make others sharers in his hope. “Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will set us with you.” He says that they labour for the faith in this hope, because the example of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus goes before, showing what those who believe will be; for “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” For Adam is the form of death, because of sin; but Christ the form of life, because of righteousness, for “he committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” And since he called them sharers in the common faith, “having raised them,” he says, “he will set them with you,” so that those of one faith may be in one house of peace. For when they understand that the apostles suffer deaths for them, and they in turn are anxious about the apostles' sufferings, as suffering with them, they will also be sharers together in the promised life, so that having been saddened together they may rejoice together. He speaks this way because of those who denied the resurrection, whom he also reproaches in the first letter.

“For all things are for your sake, so that grace, abounding through the thanksgiving of many, may abound to the glory of God.” God wished no one to be a stranger to his gift; and because not all receive the word of faith, the Apostle, knowing God's will, did not fear to suffer persecutions and dangers, provided he preached faithfully to all, so that more might be able to believe; so that the abundant gift of God might not be diminished, to God's dishonour, through the thanksgiving of a few, but, profiting many, might overflow through the thanksgiving of many to the glory of God. How worthy of honour, then, is the one who always subjected his life to death, lest the gift of God profit far otherwise than it was given! Is it not a great dishonour to one who prepares a rich supper and invites many to have few in the end?

“Therefore we do not lose heart.” It is plain that this belongs to the preceding thought; for to show his devotion still more ready in the things of God, he added this, by which he proves that he in no way fails to fulfil what is pleasing to God, being secure about the promised resurrection. “And even if our outer man is being corrupted, yet the inner is being renewed day by day.” By afflictions, blows, hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness the flesh is corrupted, but the soul is renewed by the hope of the future reward, because it is purged by constant tribulations. For it makes progress in affliction and does not perish, so that, as temptations come, it daily gains merit; for this corruption also profits the body toward immortality, through the merit of the soul.

“For our momentary and light affliction in the present works for us beyond measure in loftiness an eternal weight of glory.” He calls the tribulations of the present time, which are inflicted because of faith, momentary and light, because they are temporal; yet beyond measure in loftiness they work an eternal weight of glory for those who endure them. For a great reward is given for small labours, and for a light tribulation the loftiness of everlasting glory will be paid beyond measure.

“While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.” Having desire for heavenly and spiritual things, he declares that he despises these present and earthly things, because in comparison with spiritual things they are nothing. For these are to the things above as a figure to the reality; the figure perishes, the reality remains; and therefore the righteous do not fear to leave this world, but rejoice.