2 Corinthians 3:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The understanding of the superiority of this latter glory was inaccessible to the weak. Therefore that Old Covenant glory captivated them more and drew them to itself. Since he has already allowed such a comparison, he strives to show the superiority of the New Covenant glory.

But since this was very difficult because of the weakness of his hearers, see what he does and what method he uses to achieve his purpose. First he shows this difference and superiority through inferences that he draws from what was said above.

If that Old Covenant ministry was a ministry of death, and this New Covenant ministry is a ministry of life, then the glory of the latter ministry is certainly greater than the glory of the first.

Since he could not set the New Covenant glory before bodily eyes, he showed its superiority by inference, saying, “If the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, will not the ministry of the Spirit be much more glorious?” By the ministry of death he means the Law.

See how great a caution he observes in the comparison, so as not to give any occasion to heretics. He did not say that the Law was the cause of death, but “the ministry of death,” because the Law ministers unto death, but did not produce death.

The cause of death was sin. The Law subjected sin to condemnation and only revealed sin, but did not produce it. It disclosed the evil more clearly and only punished evil, but did not incite to evil.

It served not in order to produce sin or death, but to punish the one who sins. In this way it was also a destroyer of sin. Indeed, when it showed sin to be so terrible, it clearly compelled men to flee it.

One who takes a sword in hand and puts a condemned man to death serves only as the instrument of the judge who pronounces the sentence. Though he kills, he is not a murderer. Likewise, the one who pronounces sentence and condemns the guilty man is not the cause of death.

The cause of death is the crime of the one punished. So also here, it is not the Law that kills, but sin. Sin both killed and condemned. The Law, by punishing the transgressor, deprived sin of its strength, taming it through fear of punishment.

But the Apostle was not satisfied with this comparison alone to persuade them of the superiority of the New Covenant. He added something else, saying, “engraved on stones.” See how he again casts down Jewish pride.

Indeed, the Law was nothing other than writings. And writings gave and imparted no help to those under the Law, such as occurs in baptism. Instead, the tablets and inscriptions brought death to those who transgressed the writings.

Do you see how he corrects Jewish contentiousness and, by the very names, takes away the Law’s superiority? He calls it now “stone,” now “letters,” now “ministry of death,” and again “formed” or “engraved.”

By this he shows either that the Law is bound to one definite place, unlike the Spirit, who is present everywhere and breathes great power into all things. Or he shows that the writings breathe great threats, and threats that cannot be destroyed, but always remain as if cut into stone.

Then, although he appears to praise the ancient Law, he at the same time again rebukes the coarseness of the Jews. Having said, “engraved on stones, was glorious,” he added, “so that the children of Israel could not look at the face of Moses.”

This exposed their great weakness and fleshliness. Again he says that the Jews could not gaze not because of the glory of the tablets, but “because of the glory of his face, which was passing away.”

By these words he shows that the tablets were not glorified with glory, but the one who brought the tablets. He did not say that they could not gaze at the tablets, but “at the face of Moses.”

Nor does he say, “because of the glory of the tablets,” but “because of the glory of his face.” Yet after exalting this glory, see how he again lowers it by the word “passing away.”

Still, by this word he does not lower Moses, but only shows the temporariness of his glory. He did not say that it was somehow impure or evil, but only that it was ceasing and had an end.

“Will not the ministry of the Spirit be much more glorious?” Now he speaks with boldness of the superiority of the New Covenant, since it is no longer subject to doubt. See what he does: he sets stone over against heart, and writings over against Spirit.

Then, after pointing out the consequences that must arise from each covenant, he does not yet say what actually arose from each. Having shown the consequence of the letter, namely, death and condemnation, he still passes over the fruits of the Spirit, life and righteousness.

He speaks only of the Spirit Himself, and this gave him occasion for a great expansion of his discourse. The New Covenant not only granted life, but also communicated the Spirit who gives life, which is greater than life itself. Therefore he said, “the ministry of the Spirit.”

He shows that the Law punishes, but grace gives life. The glory allotted to Moses lasted a little while, while the glory of the preachers abides forever.

There, Moses alone partook of glory. Here, not only the Apostles partake, but also those who have believed through them.

Then the Apostle, to show the superiority of grace, makes the comparison in a fuller way.

If this ministry, “engraved on stones,” meaning the tablets of the Law, “was so glorious that the children of Israel could not look at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face. Which was passing away,” then how much more glorious must the ministry of the Spirit be (2 Cor 3:7-8), and the ministry “of justification” (2 Cor 3:9)?

The light of Moses’ face shone only for a time and then faded. According to the Apostle, the superiority of the New Testament ministry over the Old is so great that the glory of the latter’s ministers cannot even be compared with the glory of the ministers of the New Testament.

This is true even if one speaks of Moses himself, whose face shone with light. “What was made glorious,” that is, the Old Testament ministry, “has not even been made glorious in this respect, because of the glory that surpasses it” (2 Cor 3:10).

For it is not passing away, as the Old Testament religion was, but abiding (2 Cor 3:11).

Chrysostom’s words on the deadly character of the letters of the Old Testament Law, and on the life-giving power of New Testament grace, are very characteristic.

“If the Law catches a murderer, it condemns him to death. But if grace catches a murderer, it sanctifies him and gives him life.

But why do I speak of a murderer? The Law even seized and stoned the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath. This is what it means that the letter kills.

By contrast, grace catches countless murderers and robbers, washes them with the waters of Baptism, and releases them from their former evils. This is what it means that the Spirit gives life.”