The Surpassing Glory of the Ministry of Righteousness (2 Cor. 3:9–14)

2 Cor. 3:9. For if the ministry of condemnation came with glory, much more will the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.

The Old Testament establishment was a ministry of condemnation, because the law only exposed sin and condemned the sinner as a sinner in the knowledge of the one sinning, and left the sinner there, leading him no further. The sinner could not but recognize the righteousness of the condemnation and would wish to escape it and no longer be subject to it, but he could not, because the law did not give him the strength to do so. Thus the law always kept those under it under condemnation, giving them no way out. On the contrary, the covenant of grace, although it too opens by exposing those called to it in every way, says: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you… for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). That is, in it from the first step is given the forgiveness of sins, in which the law condemns, and a new life is communicated, strong to walk steadfastly in God’s commandments,—a right spirit is renewed within, imparting to the one who receives it inner righteousness, or justice. That is why it is a ministry of righteousness — δικαιοσυνης — of justice, holiness, and blamelessness, not in name, but in essence. So, if a ministry of condemnation is glorious, that is, glorious, then a ministry that gives righteousness and holiness, does it not abound even more in glory, though this is not visible to sensory eyes as it was visible on Moses’ face?

2 Cor. 3:10. Indeed, what was made glorious has no glory in this respect, because of the glory that surpasses it.

A clarifying thought is inserted for the previous conclusion. As if an objection were heard: But how is this? After all, that establishment of ministry appeared so glorious! — The Apostle answers: Let it be glorious, but know that it is glorious not in the sense that nothing more glorious could ever appear, that it was the highest glory, above which no other is to be expected. Και γαρ ουδε δεδοξασται — for it is not glorious in this respect, that is, in the establishment of Old Testament ministry, — ενεκεν της υπερβαλλουσης δοξη — because of the surpassing glory. That was not glory of the highest degree, but moderate glory, and was given only to impress the sensory sons of Israel, given for the time of the establishment of the law, so that they would always see on it the reflection of heavenly origin. When the establishment of the law came to an end, that glory too faded. The following verse links exactly with this thought: “For what was fading came with glory.” If now this fading [ministry] is glorious, how much more glorious should the abiding [ministry] be!

Understanding the passage thus, we remain in our attention on Mount Sinai, before Moses with his glorified face, and we measure its glory by the same measure that subsequent events give to it. But one can place that glory before the glory of the New Testament establishment and understand this passage thus: that which was glorified does not even appear glorious before the Gospel, because of the surpassing of the glory of the latter; “as the light of a lamp, which is powerful in itself, becomes imperceptible in broad daylight before the light of the sun” (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom says: “First the Apostle showed that the ministry of righteousness is in glory, and not only in glory, but also abounds in glory. Now he shows how great this superiority is, saying: if I compare this glory with the Old Testament glory, then the glory of the Old Testament will not even be glory.” Theophylact adds: “And the law was glorious in itself, in its own measure, but because of the abundance of the glory of the Gospel it now appears not glorious.”

2 Cor. 3:11. For if what was fading came with glory, much more will what is permanent come in glory.

“The third reasoning, showing the superiority of the New Covenant in another way, drawn from time. For the Old Testament ministry came to an end, while this remains perpetually” (Saint Chrysostom). “The Apostle called the law ‘fading’ as having lost its power with the coming of the Lord Christ, while the gift of grace ‘permanent,’ as a gift which will have no end. Therefore, if the law was deemed worthy of glory, surely the gift of grace will be deemed worthy of glory many times greater” (Theodoret). “If the law, which was to pass away, was given with the accompaniment of such glory, shall not the New Covenant, which is always to endure, be in glory all the more?” (Theophylact).

By such comparisons and conclusions the Apostle clarified that the New Testament economy of salvation is more glorious than the Old Testament one. But how? Is it or will it be? — The Apostle’s thought is that it is more glorious, only this glory is not visible, but contemplated by the intellect, spiritual. It will be revealed visibly at the second coming of the Lord, but until then it remains invisible, though nonetheless real. The Corinthians already perceived it in the wonderful workings of the Holy Spirit, but these workings came and went like the flash of passing lightning, and although they left assurance of the glory of the Gospel order, without the visible, continual manifestation of this glory. In God’s Church, this invisible inner glory is continually present. But the reality of the Spirit appears tangibly only in those who by long labor and sweat have purified themselves from passions. The glory of which the Apostle speaks is in no way external, visible, as, for example, the glory of the Church under Constantine the Great. These glories are always accidental, come and go, and one should not fix attention on them, and still less measure by them the dignity of the kingdom of grace. Truly one must judge thus: whether these external glories be or be not, from them to God’s work—neither loss nor gain. What is important and what one should treasure is that in the Church there is always present the efficacy of the Spirit and there are always in it zealots zealous to attain such a measure. Their diminishment is the diminishment of the spiritual glory of the kingdom of Christ, and their cessation—the obscuring of glory. Where this is absent, there is established a ministry of death and condemnation, despite all the appearance of a ministry of spirit and righteousness.

Having clarified the great glory of the Gospel order compared with the glory of the Old Testament order, marked by the glorification of Moses’ face, the Apostle dwells longer on this latter circumstance. Moses with his glorified face, hidden under a veil, is a great symbol expressing with exact precision the meaning of the Old Covenant. As Moses’ face was glorious, but hidden, so that others could not see this glory, so the Old Covenant is glorious, but its glory is concealed. Its glory is Christ the Lord hidden in all its orders and statutes; but this glory is concealed by materiality, so that if one looks at mere externals, the whole Old Testament order presents nothing but elemental service with sacrifices, incensings, washings. In essence, however, all this is only shadow, while the body of this shadow is Christ the Lord. Only one who believes in the Lord can perceive this body and, consequently, understand what the Old Testament order is. Through the external veil he penetrates inward and sees the hidden light there. Such, says the Apostle, are we believers. We directly see the Lord and His glory, and we ourselves are more and more illumined by that same glory.

2 Cor. 3:12. Since we have such hope, we act with great boldness.

“Hope” here is close to the meaning of complete conviction; he called the conviction hope because it embraces both the present and the future. He spoke of the glory of the New Testament order. This glory already exists, present both to those proclaiming this covenant of grace and to those entering into it,—although it is invisible to bodily eyes, it is only contemplated by the intellect and felt by the heart. It is present in such a way that, having begun, it never ceases, and in the future age will appear in all brightness outwardly. This all encompassing with equal conviction, he called it hope, perhaps intending also to turn the gaze of those “who wish to see this glory with their own eyes toward the future age” (Saint Chrysostom). With such conviction, we, he says, “act with great boldness.” — “Act” — χρωμεθα — use boldness, employ boldness. “We,” Apostles, proclaimers of new grace, boldly propose this grace to all, being assured that we propose something truly glorious, than which there is nothing more glorious even in God’s institutions, not to speak of human ones. “We know the greatness of the glory and are not in the least doubtful, but with boldness show the superiority of grace” (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom says: “‘Since we have,” he says, “such hope,” “‘Such’—what kind?” — That we have received more than Moses, and not only we, but all believers. “‘We act with great boldness.” Before whom, tell me? Before God or before the disciples? — Before you, he says, to whom we preach, that is, we preach everywhere with freedom, hiding nothing, without any pretense, not fearing anything, but speaking plainly and not afraid that we might dazzle your eyes as Moses dazzled the eyes of the Jews.

2 Cor. 3:13. And not as Moses, who put a veil on “his face” “to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was being brought to an end.”

Let us repeat this history in the words of Saint Chrysostom. “First it is necessary to recount the history itself, for the Apostle himself does not let it out of sight. What then does this history tell? When Moses, having received the tablets a second time, came down from the mountain, a certain glory issuing from his face shone so brightly that the Jews could not approach him and speak with him, until he put a veil on his face. This is written in the book of Exodus (Ex. 34:29–34). Pointing to this history, the Apostle says: ‘And not as Moses, who put a veil on his face.’ His words have this meaning: we have no need to cover ourselves like Moses. For you can gaze upon this glory, though it is far greater and higher than Moses’ glory.‘Theodoret writes of this:’We have no need of a veil, as Moses, because we commune with believers, and believers enjoy the ray of intellectual light. In saying this, the Apostle shows that the divine Moses, foreseeing the unbelief of the Jews, put a veil on his face, thereby teaching that they would not be able to see the end of the law, because the end of the law is Christ, for the justification of everyone who believes. — This is what the Apostle said: ‘that the Israelites could not gaze at the end of what was being brought to an end.’ For the law, that is, what is losing its power, is called fading, while the end of what is fading—what was preached under the law, that is, Christ.”

Our other interpreters explain the chief terms of this text: the covering of Moses’ face and the end of what is fading, thus: Oecumenius: “Why then, as if someone asks the Apostle, do you not preach in a veiled manner and do not obscure your word like some veil? Why? — First, by confidence in the purity of the preaching, and further also because you can see the beauty existing in the preaching. For you do not suffer from blindness like the Jews. The New Testament order is so much higher, so much more excellent are those taught it. They could not gaze upon the face of Moses, the glory of which was to end. Wishing to show the brevity of that glory in comparison with the glory which the New Covenant is always to have, he says that they could not ‘gaze at the end of what was fading.’ The Israelites could not gaze upon that glory, and Moses covered it, and when he covered it, it ceased to exist for the Israelites, became invisible to them more than it appeared, indicating that it was fading. So brief was it that as soon as it began, it immediately ceased (having been covered).” Theophylact: “We have no need of a veil, for you can see the glory of the Gospel, that is, understand its mysteries, God’s mysteries; and we have no need to cover them with dim obscurity, like some veil. The Israelites, being crude, could not see that the law has an end, that it must cease. That covering indicates the rudeness of mind and heart.”

Let us bring together all that has been said. The Apostle wants to say that the time of concealment has passed; now it is time to speak openly. That the law would cease lay in its very nature and purpose; but to say this directly to the Israelites at the time of its first establishment was impossible; for, being unable to understand why it should be so, they could not have endured hearing it without harm to themselves and the law. Yet it had to be indicated. It was indicated symbolically in the covering of Moses’ face, indicating the concealment of a certain wonderful light under the elemental service of the law, with a hint also that when that light should appear, the law too would cease. This was not said in words, but an understandable symbol was presented, and those capable afterward could perceive its meaning. The Apostle makes it understood that now that light has appeared and we have nothing to hide about it. The former coverings, elemental service, must be torn away, and we point openly to all to the true light.

Thus, Moses employed such a symbol because the sons of Israel could not endure a direct word about the end of the law, or that its power and obligation would be brought to an end. But to limit the Apostle’s thought, at the word about the end of the law, to this alone would be very insufficient. For the true end of the law is Christ the Lord. Whoever speaks of the end of the law cannot but have in mind Christ the Lord. The Israelites could not receive a direct word about the end of the law because they could not understand what Christ the Lord is, though He was the body for the shadow of the law. If they could have understood this, there would have been no need to conceal the end of the law. But they could not understand this because of the rudeness and carnality of their minds. Therefore, the Israelites could not gaze upon the end of what was fading because they could not see Christ the Lord in the law. The following words: “‘the end of what was fading” directly lead to the thought of Christ the Lord, the end of the law, as Theodoret points out.

2 Cor. 3:14. But their minds were hardened; for to this very day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.

The symbol of Moses’ covered light-bearing face meant that under the materiality of elemental Old Testament service, intellectual light is hidden. But it is hidden not so that it might remain hidden forever, or be inaccessible to all. No; it is hidden for a time, and those capable saw into it and clearly understood the meaning of the hidden, as is evident from the holy prophet Isaiah and many others, or indeed all the prophets and righteous ones, each of whom in his measure perceived what was hidden under the shadow of the law and received the light issuing from under this shadow. For the majority, however, the coverings of the law remained impenetrable, and this was not only before the coming of Christ, but even after He came and illumined by His light the meaning of the Old Testament order. This is what the Apostle shows here, laying the blame not on the law, but on the blindness of those holding to it. Their minds, he says, were hardened, and they do not see the light hidden in the law. For them an impenetrable veil lies over the law even now, as it lay over Moses’ face. And they will not perceive within until they believe in Christ the Lord. As soon as they believe, the veil will be removed, and they will clearly see all that was hidden in the law. Saint Paul speaks of this from his own experience. How everything became clear to him in the law is shown by his explanations of the shadow-bearing institutions of the law, scattered throughout his letters.

Saint Chrysostom says: “See where he is directing his discourse. What was done once by Moses has remained on his law forever. However, what is said is not an accusation of the law, nor indeed an accusation of Moses, that he then covered himself, but a rebuke of the rudeness of the Jews. Therefore he says: ‘their minds were hardened.’ But what is the connection of this hardening with the then veil, someone might say? — The fact that it prefigured the future. For they not only then did not see the law, but even now do not see it, and they themselves are the cause, for the hardening depends on their insensitive and crude heart. And only we now see the law, while from them are hidden not only grace, but also the law itself. ‘To this very day,’ he says, ‘that same veil is still there in the reading of the old covenant, not set aside.’ That is, the Jews do not know that this veil has been destroyed, because they do not believe in Christ. ‘Since only in Christ is it set aside.’ For if it is destroyed through Christ, as it indeed is by Him, as the law itself long before foretold, then how can those who did not accept Christ, through whom the law was done away, find out that the law is done away? And not knowing this, they obviously do not know the power of the law itself, which speaks of this. You might ask: where did the law say that it has its end in Christ? — Listen to the lawgiver himself, who says: ‘The Lord your God will raise up a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren; him you shall obey in all things that he says to you: and it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people’ (Deut. 17:15–18; Acts 3:22, 23). Do you see how the law showed that it has its end in Christ? For this Prophet, that is, Christ the Lord in flesh, whom Moses commanded to obey, did away with the Sabbath, circumcision, and all Old Testament ceremonies. And David, foretelling the same thing, said of Christ: ‘you are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek’ (Ps. 109:4), and not in the order of Aaron. Therefore Paul, interpreting this passage, clearly said that ‘when the priesthood is changed, a change in the law must occur as well’ (Heb. 7:12). Besides these, many other testimonies can be brought from the Old Testament, which show how the law must receive its end in Christ. Now, when you abandon the old law, then you well understand the law; but if you continue to hold to the law and do not believe in Christ, then you do not know even the law itself.”