3:1 ¶ Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or
need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters
of commendation from you? 2 Ye are our
epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly
declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy
tables of the heart. 4 And such trust
have we through Christ to God-ward: 5
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Here is an example of the wonderful way in which the Bible defines
its own words. Epistles are letters. The translators knew that a
word had to be provided that was missing from the Greek text before of commendation but was obvious and that
was epistles or letters, so they used letters
to contrast over against epistles
providing the definition of a word not
often used.
Paul says that the Corinthians are a letter themselves in a
metaphor that he expands on saying Christ wrote that letter through the Spirit
on the heart. This is a wonderful figure of speech, where Paul writes letters
with ink and paper, Christ writes letters on the Christian’s heart.
While Paul says that the Corinthians are proof of his sincerity
and devotion to God he is not bragging because he knows that his efforts were
only successful because of God.
3:6 ¶ Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones,
was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly behold the face of
Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the
spirit be rather glorious? 9 For if the
ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration
of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For
even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of
the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that
which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is
glorious.
Paul makes such an important point here about how the letter of
the law kills but the spirit of the law, grace, gives life. Slavish devotion to
the regulations and rules without understanding their intent destroys
spiritually those possessed by such an attitude. For instance, in Matthew 22
Jesus declares the intent, the spirit, of the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 22:34 ¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had
put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him
a question, tempting him, and saying, 36
Master, which is the
great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38
This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets.
He was referring to these statements under the Law.
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge
against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself: I am the LORD.
Of course, in Luke 10 Jesus explains that whomever you happen to
encounter is your neighbor.
Jesus defines Old Testament law and explains its spirit and
intention in other places.
Thou shalt not kill of Exodus 20:13 means to do no murder as per Matthew 19:18.
He also explained in Matthew 19 that a husband finding some
uncleanness in his wife and using that as a justification for divorce in
Deuteronomy 24:1 was limited to her sin of fornication before betrothal and
that even allowed only as an acknowledgement of man’s unforgiving heart.
(Deuteronomy 22:24 says she could be stoned if she committed adultery after betrothal.)
God’s Law is an amazing thing brought down and given to man but
the intention of that Law, when understood, is even more amazing and wondrous.
In other passages Paul contrasts the difference between the Law
and Faith.
Galatians 3:19 ¶ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till
the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is
the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a
law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by
the law. 22 But the scripture hath
concluded all under sin, that the
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the
law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. 25 But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith
in Christ Jesus.
And again;
Galatians 4:21 ¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law,
do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is
written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the
freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for
these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to
bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar
is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in
bondage with her children. 26 But
Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break
forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more
children than she which hath an husband. 28
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh
persecuted him that was born
after the Spirit, even so it is
now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the
scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman
shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the
bondwoman, but of the free.
5:1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the
yoke of bondage.
So, the Old Testament represents the letter of the Law while the
New Covenant represents the spirit of it, what was intended, justification not
by following rules and regulations but by being justified by Christ’s
resurrection and our faith and trust in His righteousness and not our own.
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