Covenants In Contrast - II Corinthians 3

Old Testament (v.14)

New Covenant (v. 6)
v. 6 Of the letter that kills v. 6 Of the Spirit which gives life
v. 7 Ministry of death v. 8 Ministry of the Spirit
v. 7 Written and engraved on stones  (See Exodus 34)    
v. 7 Was glorious, glory to pass away v. 8 More glorious
v. 9 Ministry of condemnation had glory v. 9 Ministry of righteousness
v. 10 Had no glory compared to new v. 10 Exceeds much more in glory
v. 11 Passing away v. 11 Remains
v. 14 Places veil over the heart of one who follows it v. 15 Veil removed when one turns to the Lord

In verse 6 Paul says they are ministers of the new covenant. The new covenant mentioned here is in contrast to the Old Testament of verse 14. This is the same contrast drawn in Hebrews 8 between new and old covenants, the first and second. Just as Hebrews says that the first is old and vanishing away, so also this passage says that the Old Testament, that which was written and engraved on stones when Moses face shown, is passing away and that the new covenant will remain.

Notice that Paul is talking about the 10 commandments in verse 7 but in verses 13 and 14 he refers to them as the Old Testament and says that when people read them they are reading Moses. This is because God does not distinguish between what Moses said and what He said when He gave the 10 commandments. The point is that He said it all, whether He spoke it or Moses said it. Moses was God’s spokesman, a prophet (Duet 34:10). Notice how what Moses said and what God said is used interchangeably.
  1. Nehemiah 8. The walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt. Many people who were in captivity had returned to rebuild and inhabit Jerusalem. The people came together to hear Ezra the scribe read. Nehemiah 8:1 says he read to them from the Book of the Law of Moses. Verse 8 says that they read in the book, in the Law of God. This reading went on for several days. They continued to read according verse 18 "day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God." The same book is called the Law of Moses and the Law of God.
  2. Mark 7:10. "For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother’..." Who said this? God did. When? At the time He gave the 10 commandments. Who did Jesus attribute this to? Moses! Why? Because it is written in the Law of Moses.
  3. John 7:19. "Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?" What command of Moses were they trying to break? "Thou shalt not kill." But didn’t God give that command in the 10 commandments? God said it, Moses wrote it. Jesus here says Moses said it. That is because it was written in the law of Moses. The 10 commandments were part of the law of Moses.


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