The Epistle of Second Corinthians
Lesson Number 14
TRANSLATION LEGEND: AMPLIFIED = Amplified Bible, ASV=American Standard Version (1901), BBE=Bible in Basic English (1949), DRA=Douay-Rheims (1899), ESV=English Stand Version (2001), IE = International English, ISV = International Standard Version, KJV=King James Version (1611), LIVING = Living Bible, MONTGOMERY =Montgomery’s New Testament, NKJV=New King James Version (1982), NAB=New American Bible, NASB=New American Standard Bible (1977), NAU=New American Standard Bible (1995), NIB=New International Bible, NIV=New International Version (1984), NJB=New Jerusalem Bible, NLT=New Living Translation, NRSV=New Revised Standard Version (1989), RSV=Revised Standard Version (1952), TNK=JPS Tanakj (1985), Webster=The Webster Bible 1833, YLT=Young’s Literal Translation (1862). WEYMOUTH=Weymouth’s New Testament, WILLIAMS = William’s New Testament.
LEXICON LEGEND: FRIEBERG=Friberg Lexicon, UBS=UBS Lexicon, LOUW-NIDA=Louw-Nida Lexicon, LIDDELL SCOTT=Liddell Scott Lexicon, THAYER=Thayer’s Greek Lexicon
A FADING GLORY
“ 3:10 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. 12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.” KJV (2 Cor 3:10-14)
INTRODUCTION
Paul is engaged in spiritual reasoning – the kind of reasoning that comes from being in the presence of the Lord, and being taught by Him. He is confirming that once God has given something better, it is wrong to remain under the direction of the lesser. Once God had revealed His Law, and unveiled something of His Person, it was wrong to look to the heavens for instruction. Nature did, indeed, have a message, but it was inferior fo the holy Law of God.
THE DECLARED REALITY
Now God has unveiled even more of Himself, declaring who He is and what He has purposed. In the Gospel we have a glorious message of a satisfied God who has made full provision for men to become righteous. An Intercessor has been appointed that “ever liveth” (Heb 7:25). The foe has been “destroyed” (Heb 2:14). Principalities and powers that had enslaved humanity have been “spoiled” (Col 2:15). The massive debt that had been accumulated by sin has been blotted out by the Lord’s Christ (Col 2:14). A righteous way is announced whereby sinners can be “made righteous” (Rom 5:19). The sin of the world has been “taken away” (John 1:29), “put away” (Heb 9:26), and “blotted out” like a “thick cloud” (Isa 44:22).
WHAT GOD IS DOING
Now, in the Person of His Son, the very God whom man had offended quickens sinners, making them alive and placing Him in the heavenly places with the One through whom they have been justified. Having proved man incapable of making himself good, achieving righteousness, or covering a single one of his sins, God has redeemed him from the curse by means of a vicarious sacrifice and a triumphant resurrection. Now, with the account fully settled, He can put His laws into man’s inward parts and write them on his heart. Now, there can be accord with God and man, so that He is not ashamed to be called their God, and He is forward to announce they are His people. They all “know” Him, being familiar with His ways, in full accord with them, and delighting in the Lord and what He says. God has been merciful to those who “receive the atonement,” removing their transgressions and remembering their sins no more.
THE SITUATION UPON EARTH
Alas, however, all is not well upon the earth – even among those who have believed on the Son, and have been added to the church (Acts 2:47). A “troubler” has entered the ranks, spewing out a false gospel and leading men into a theology that finds them conducting their lives after the manner of the Old Covenant. Some of them are living under a system that has no glory, even though a glorious order is in place.
THE CORINTHIAN DILEMMA
Take Corinth for an example. They had a number of uncomely problems with which Paul was forced to deal.
☛ They were confused about marriage (1 Cor 7:1-40).
☛ They had people among them who did not know there was only one God, and the condition was shameful (1 Cor 8:1-13).
☛ They questioned Paul’s Apostleship (1 Cor 9:1-11).
☛ They did not conduct themselves properly at the table of the Lord (1 Cor 10:15-21; 11:22-34).
☛ They had confusion in their assemblies (1 Cor 14:21-33).
☛ Some of them did not believe the dead were raised (1 Cor 15:12-13).
What was the cause behind these conditions? They had heard the true Gospel (1 Cor 15:1-3). They had believed on Christ, were washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor 1:30). Why had these reproachful conditions arisen among them?
TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Paul is going straight to the heart of the matter. It is because they did not have a proper view of the “better covenant” that is ours in Christ Jesus. It was not enough for him to merely send them a list of rules. Oh, there were some things they had to do – like purging that fornicator from their assembly (1 Cor 5:4-5). He did give them some instructions about conduct in their assembly – and how utterly elementary they were!
☛ Those who are speaking can give place to someone who has a word from the Lord (1 Cor 12:30).
☛ Seek the best gifts (1 Cor 12:31).
☛ Two or three speak during an assembly, one speaking at a time (1 Cor 12:29-31).
☛ Make sure the people understand what is said (1 Cor 14:6-19).
☛ Carnal interruptions were not to be tolerated (1 Cor 14:34-35).
☛ There is not one single function in the body of Christ, allowing everyone to do the same thing (1 Cor 12:14-17).
☛ No member of Christ’s body can say he has no need of another member (1 Cor 12:21).
☛ God has placed everyone in the body where it has pleased Him (1 Cor 12:28).
☛ They were divided, and found themselves pitted against one another (1 Cor 1:10-11).
☛ They were “carnal,” bearing more resemblance to the obtuse and hardhearted Israelites than to the reconciled body of Christ (1 Cor 3:1-4).
☛ There was immorality among them (1 Cor 5:1-2).
☛ Unmindful of the nature of “newness of life,” they were suing one another in the courts of men (1 Cor 6:1-8).
Is there anyone of sound mind who considers these to be profound Kingdom observations? Is there a single one of them that love does not effect, and do so very well (1 Cor 13:1-13)? How is it that anyone in Christ could wax so obtuse as to require such basal or elementary instruction? Is there one of these situations that is not immediately addressed by “charity” – or kingdom love?
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away” (1 Cor 13:4-8).
This is not what love ought to do; it is what it does! So why are these qualities so rare in the professed church? Is there some psychological explanation for their absence, as some suggest? Is it that people have not been told what to do or how to conduct themselves with one another? Love is, indeed, “the more excellent way” 1 Cor 12:31-13:1 to achieve the intended edification and betterment of the church. The church at Corinth provides an example of the effects of focusing on lesser things.
The Corinthian Experience
Corinth did not start out this way. The first we read of them is: “and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). Paul stayed among them for “a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11). They were blessed with all manner of spiritual gifts, so that it was said of them, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:7).
Alas, something had happened among them. They had somehow been subjected to eroding influences – “old leaven” that had to be purged from them (1 Cor 5:7-8). They had embraced something with a fading glory – something that waned instead of increasing, and made their hearts more like tables of stone that fleshly tables upon which God could write. They – at least some of them – had lost a sense of the newness of the New Covenant – its glorious uniqueness. They had settled into religion as usual – just like a lot of people you may know. Now Paul found himself much like Moses, who had to put a veil over his face. Instead of speaking without any restriction he confessed, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Cor 3:3). He had to speak with a veil, so to speak, over his face.
Now that he has received a good report of their condition from Titus, Paul proceeds to elaborate on their former condition. Having made some recovery, he can now speak unto them “as unto spiritual.” When they were not walking in the light (1 John 1:7), he had to speak to them “as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ” (1 Cor 3:1). Now he is speaking on a higher plane. In this way the folly of their former ways will be more readily apparent and more easily avoided.
Even though the Corinthians did not have a Jewish background, they needed to know of the new covenant under which they operated. Even though that old covenant has been obviated, being overshadowed by a “better covenant,” it represented the only other basis of Divine dealings with humanity. It was a covenant addressed to people in the flesh, and it relied upon their doing. Because of this circumstance, its glory faded, for that covenant was no more stable than the people to whom it was addressed.
The church are Corinth had fallen into the labyrinth of a works-based religion – just like the Old Covenant. That is precisely why they had been divided, entertained respect of persons, and had confusion in their assemblies. It is why they were gathering around men instead of Christ, and going through the routine of the Lord’s Table without partaking of the spirit of it.
There are, after all, only two approaches to God. Either you come on the basis of your own merit, or you come upon the basis of the merit of Another. There is no other way! Prior to the giving of the Law, God left the entire matter in the hands of men. He surrounded them with a universe that testified of His power and Godhead. After 2,500 years, it was clear that men were not able to grope their way to the Living God through their own feeble efforts. Rather than advancing toward the Lord, even in a minuscule way, they fell backward, and God finally “gave them, up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts” (Rom 1:24). He “gave them up unto vile affections,” and “over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Rom 1:26,28).
The next 1,500 years of human history was devoted to proving that men could not measure up to the Divine standard even if they were told what to do. That is where the “First,” or “Old Covenant” comes in. It was given in a blaze of Divine glory, and it was spiritual, holy, just, and good (Rom 7:12,14). Yet, as Paul is showing, it had a fading glory. Therefore, it could not produce in men what the Lord wanted. No amount of human ingenuity or institutional procedure could change this situation.
Once again, this is pertinent to the Corinthian situation because they had experienced a certain decline, or fading glory. The condition was not acceptable then, and it is not acceptable now! The day of Christ is not the day of fading or declining glory! Deterioration is totally out of order! It is a time of “better things,” “greater glory,” and spiritual growth. That is the point this text is firmly establishing. Spiritual retardation is simply out of order.
THAT WHICH WAS MADE GLORIOUS
“ 3:10a For even that which was made glorious . . .”
Paul is now going to show that when the light of the glorious Gospel appeared, it reduced to nothing the glory that was found in the Law, or First Covenant. As I have suggested, there is a reason for this approach, even though the Corinthians did not have a Jewish background. The reasoning is this: If the more excellent glory of the New Covenant obliterated the glory of a previous covenant that God Himself had given, it certainly does the same for the small diffusion of pretentious glory that has come from mere human sources. In other words, there is no glory that continues apart from that which is given to men through the New Covenant. Thus the Spirit moves Paul to refer to the only other source of glory that God recognized – the Old Covenant. By showing that this glory could not remain in the light of the more excellent glory, he has destroyed the thought of approaching to God upon any other basis. Every religious effort that is not based upon the New Covenant is destined to diminish and finally become extinct. It cannot last, no matter how revered it is among men.
Furthermore, what declines is not associated with the New Covenant, with Jesus, or with the Spirit. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the “ministration of the Spirit,” or “the ministration of righteousness.” In the most favorable view such a religion is related to the Old Covenant. However, that covenant, and those who remain under it, are not received by God. The reason for that circumstance is the focus of the reasoning that follows.
EVEN THAT
“For even that . . . ” Other versions read, “For indeed,” NASB “Indeed,” NRSV “Indeed, in this case,” RSV “For verily,” ASV “For also,” DARBY and “In fact.” NLT
This refers to the Old Covenant in general, and, in particular, to the glory seen in Moses face when he delivered it. Paul is showing the comparison of inferior glory to superior glory. He does not borrow an example of inferior glory from works or laws of men. He does not cite the philosophy of Socrates the Greek, who lived over four hundred years before Christ, and impacted the whole world with his philosophy and reasoning. Such a person is unworthy of a comparison with the New Covenant. Paul will rather take for his example a covenant that was ordained by God – a covenant that was attended by genuine glory that originated with God Himself. He will show how that glory compares with the glory of the New Covenant. He will take the best glory and most authentic glory that was before “the day of salvation.” In so doing, he will have exposed the inferiority of all lesser glories as well.
MADE GLORIOUS
“ . . . which was made glorious . . .” Other versions read, “what had glory,” NASB “what was glorious,” NIV “what once had glory,” NRSV “what once had splendor,” RSV “which hath been made glorious,” ASV “the glory of the first,” BBE “that which was glorified,” DARBY “what was endowed with glory,” NAB “what was once considered glorious,” NJB “that first glory which shone from Moses’ face,” LIVING “That which was once resplendent with glory,” Weymouth “what once was so splendid,” Williams and “what once had splendor [the glory of the Law in Moses’ face].” AMPLIFIED
The glory of reference originally came from God’s Person, and was reflected in Moses’ face. It was actually a Divine glory, greatly diminished when reflected on Moses’ skin. His face was “made glorious.” It was not Moses’ nature that caused his face to shine, but the Divine nature, to which he was exposed on the mount. The glory, therefore, was a borrowed glory, yet legitimate.
The glory attending the Old Covenant was a true glory that lingered for a while. It was so bright and dazzling that the Israelites could not look upon Moses. His face had to be covered when he spoke with them, for the light shining from his face made the people “afraid to come nigh him” (Ex 34:33). This was, therefore, a very real glory. It was not parabolic or figurative. This is not a literary device, but the recollection of a very real circumstance that occurred.
NO GLORY AND THE REASON FOR IT
“ 10b . . . had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.”
Through the Spirit, Paul is casting down imaginations that had exalted themselves against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10:4-5). The Corinthians had been corrupted in their thinking and perceptions. With the skill of a spiritual surgeon, Paul is cutting out the malignancy that had spread like a cancer through the thinking of the Corinthians. Failing to perceive the nature and superiority of the New Covenant, they had settled for a religion of lesser glory. Because this circumstance also dominates the American church, this section of Scripture is most pertinent. It affirms something that must be seen if any genuine spiritual progress is to be realized.
HAD NO GLORY
“ . . . had no glory . . . ” Other versions read, “has no glory,” NASB “has no glory now,” NIV “has lost its glory,” NRSV “has come to have no splendor at all,” RSV “hath not been made glorious,” ASV “no longer seems to be glory,” BBE “is not glorified,” DARBY “in this part was not glorified,” DOUAY “was not glorified in this point,” GENEVA “in this case has no glory,” NAU “has lost all claim to glory,” NJB “was not glorious at all,” NLT “hath not been glorious,” YLT “is worth nothing at all,” LIVING and “has come to have no splendor at all.” AMPLIFIED
There are two perspectives provided in this statement.
☛ First, the Old Covenant did, indeed, have glory. However, it has it no longer.
☛ Second, there is a specific kind of glory that the Old Covenant never did have.
Both of these are true, and are reflected in the various translations. In the first instance, it has already been established that the giving of the Law was attended with a certain glory. It was not a glory upon which the Israelites could steadily gaze. In this case, the glory that the Old Covenant once had is now gone. It has faded away, just as surely as the skin of Moses face ceased to glow with celestial splendor. With respect to it as a means of identity with God, the Old Covenant now has “no glory.” That is, this is no longer the means by which righteousness or life is defined.
IN THIS RESPECT
“ . . . in this respect . . . ” Other versions read, “in this case” NASB “now,” NIV “in this part,” DOUAY and“that is.” GENEVA
When speaking of approaches to God, and the means by which men become acceptable to Him, there are lofty comparisons that are to be made. Proper comparisons are not made with things originating with man, or that wholly depend upon man. The wisdom of man, the works of man, the imaginations of man – these are all on a low and unacceptable plane, and therefore are not proper in the arena of holy comparison. By that I mean they cannot be used to confirm the validity of things pertaining to life and godliness.
Real, Yet Unreal
It is true that in matters relating to resisting the devil (James 4:7), cleansing ourselves of all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Cor 7:1), and mortifying our members that are upon the earth (Col 3:5), the things of this world are NOT to be viewed as imaginary. The foes against which we grapple are very real (Eph 6:12). The imaginations that are to be cast down are very real assaults upon the mind (2 Cor 10:4-5). The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are not mere figments of the imagination (1 John 2:15-17).
However, when it comes to making righteous comparisons, the things of this world, and the products of natural thinking, are not to be brought into the equation of holy reasoning.
There is a sense in which temporal things are to be considered as non-existent. That is, things that are actually passing away are not to be the dominating factors in our reasoning. Those in Christ have “eternal life” (1 John 5:13), an “eternal inheritance” (Heb 9:15), the prospect of an “eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17), are summoned to look to unseen things which “are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18), and are headed for “eternal glory” (2 Tim 2:10). There is a certain frame of reasoning in which all other things must be viewed as though they did not exist at all. It is in this sense that we read, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom 8:10). And again, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:11).
Although, from the lower view, the body is not dead, and we do wrestle with the law of sin that is in our “members” (Rom 7:23), yet we are to learn to think in view of their ultimate demise.
The Nature of the New Covenant
The New Covenant essentially deals with eternal things, and we are to think of it in that regard. The Old Covenant dealt exclusively with temporal matters and issues.
Ponder the eternal nature of the New Covenant. God puts His laws into our minds, and writes them into our hearts. He becomes our God, and we become His people. From the least to the greatest, all the people know Him. Their sins are remembered no more (Heb 8:9-12). The only matter that is at all confined to time is the Lord being “merciful to their unrighteousness” (8:12a). Even that, however, will be vividly recalled in the glory to come, where Jesus will be seen as “the Lamb slain” (Rev 5:6,12; 13:8), and the song of Moses and the Lamb will be sung (Rev 15:3).
The nature of the New Covenant is what causes it to have transcendent glory. Its benefits all transfer into “the world to come,” which is characterized throughout with glory. Ultimately, there is nothing about the New Covenant that is temporal. Nothing about it will be forgotten in “the ages to come.”
BY REASON OF
“ . . . by reason of . . . ” Other versions read, “because of,” NKJV “on account of,” NASB “in comparison with,” NIV “as touching,” GENEVA “by contrast with,” NJB “compared with,” NLT and “compared to.” IE
The Spirit addresses this subject with great care and precision. He does not speak in broad generalities that can be easily dismissed. When He speaks of the waning glory of the Old Covenant, He is careful to place the matter within the context of the New Covenant. It is ONLY because of the presence and dominance of the New Covenant that the Old Covenant has lost its glory. That first covenant has not become obsolete because of a mere time-line, so to speak. Rather, it is because something “better” has been put into place. The Old Covenant has not merely been replaced with a different set of laws or commandments. It has not been supplanted by a new book of rules, as some sophists suppose.
THE GLORY THAT EXCELLETH
“ . . . the glory that excelleth.” Other versions read, “the glory that surpasses it,” NASB “the surpassing glory,” NIV “the greater glory,” NRSV “the greater glory of that which comes after,” BBE “the glory that excelleth,” DOUAY “the exceeding glory,” GENEVA “the glory that transcends it,” NJB “the overwhelming glory of the New Covenant,” NLT “the superior glory,” YLT “a glory which is so much brighter,” IE “on account of its surpassing splendor,” Williams and “because of the overwhelming glory that exceeds and excels it [the glory of the Gospel in the face of Jesus Christ].”AMPLFIED
The Old Covenant is inferior ONLY when compared with the New Covenant. Compared with any other Law or covenant of men, it is absolutely superior. No nation has ever operated under a better Law than the one given to the Jews from Sinai! If we were to compare the “Law given by the disposition of angels, and ordained in the hands of a mediator” (Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19) with any other code originating with men, we would find the glory that Old Covenant to be greater. A point is made of this in Scripture.
☛ “For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” (Deut 4:7-8).
☛ “All thy commandments are faithful . . . ” (Psa 119:86).
☛ “Thy commandment is exceeding broad” (Psa 119:96).
☛ “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right . . . ” (Psa 119:128).
☛ “He showeth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD” (Psa 147:19-20).
☛ “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good . . . For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Rom 7:12-14).
All of the theological systems, moral orders, and disciplinary routines that have been invented by men are inferior to the Law. They have less glory than the Law. When compared with the glory of the New Covenant, their value is even less than that of the Old Covenant. The sacrificial system, clean and unclean categories of food, and various statutes and ordinances of the Law have more glory than the “how-to” machinations of twentieth-century men! However, such a comparison is not proper, which means that God Himself does not even recognize the highly revered methods of men. They are nothing more than expressions of foolishness. Those who attempt to regulate and correct men from without “are not wise” (2 Cor 10:2).
However, as glorious as the Old Covenant was, when compared with the laws of men, a broken covenant and a violated Law eventually loses its glory – all of it! God cannot save men by means of a broken covenant. Nor can He pronounce a man righteous who has transgressed His covenant!
MORE EXCELLENT
The glory of the New Covenant “excelleth” because of its absolute superiority. There is more of God in it, and therefore it shines more brightly. The Mediator of the New Covenant has “obtained a more excellent name” (Heb 1:4). He has obtained a “more excellent ministry” (Heb 8:6). His approval came from a “more excellent glory” (2 Pet 1:17). The strength derived from involvement in this covenant is referred to as “the excellency of the power” (2 Cor 4:7). The knowledge of, or acquaintance with, the “Messenger of the covenant” (Mal 3:1) is called “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:8).
It is no wonder that the New Covenant possesses a “glory that excelleth.” It is not a waning or fading glory, but one that is increasing.
AN APPLICATION
The New Covenant is of such transcendent glory, that a person who experiences its benefits can no longer devote himself to lesser things. Jesus depicted this circumstance when He said, “And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved” (Luke 5:37-38).
Those who have “tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pet 2:3), sense the incompatibility of the new with the old. Just as an expert in wine knows that new wine requires new bottles, and a seamstress knows that new cloth cannot be sewn onto an old garment, so the spiritually minded know that a glory that excels cannot be blended with a glory that has passed away. In this world, and in the flesh, the lesser and the greater can dwell together. The inferior and the superior can complement one another. But this is not the manner of Divine glory. When once the glory of God has departed from a thing, that glory is given in greater measure to something else. This is no more true than in the matter of the Old and New Covenants.
Difficulty of Adjusting
Having said all of that, men have extreme difficulty in embracing “new” things that have come from God. By nature they tend to prefer the “old” ways of doing things. Thus, when a new Temple was built, there were some who could not rejoice in the day of beginnings. In their eyes the rebuilt Temple “was in comparison of it [the first Temple] as nothing” (Hag 2:3; Ezra 3:12).
Jesus also spoke of this difficulty, depicting the religious leaders of His day as those who simply were unable appreciate the “new wine” that was being prepared in their day. “No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better” (Luke 5:39). This parallel depicts new wine being taken from a better vineyard that bore superior grapes. It was a vineyard that had a “glory that excelleth.” Yet, those to whom it was offered had no taste for its superiority, and thus preferred the old wine of the Law.
A Lesson to be Learned
The inferiority of a covenant that is “weak through the flesh” can never be seen until men have actually “tasted of heavenly gift,” are “made partakers of the Holy Spirit,” and have “tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come” (Heb 6:4-5). Until they have “tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pet 2:3), a system of rules and regulations actually has more appeal to them. The inferior cannot be seen as inferior until the superior has been beheld.
Christ and Him Crucified
Somehow, many in Corinth had lost their vision of the glory of the New Covenant. Carried away with the external aspects of spiritual gifts, and puffed up with a carnal mind, they were living in a manner that was more compatible with the Old Covenant than the new. This propensity was so strong that Paul “determined not to know any thing among” them, “save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).
Why did not Paul say Christ “risen,” or “glorified,” or “exalted?” While I do not wish to press this matter too far, there is something to be seen in this consideration that is relatively new to me. I have not found any other man who has made such observations, although I do not doubt that others have seen these things. Here are some critical aspects of the Gospel that were never developed in the Corinthian epistles.
Christ’s Ascension. There are no direct references to Christ’s ascension in First or Second Corinthians. Other references include Ephesians 1:20; 4:8-10; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:3; 4:14; 9:24.
Christ’s exaltation. There are no direct references to Christ’s exaltation in First or Second Corinthians. Other references include Romans 8:24; Ephesians 1:20-23; 4:8-10; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:3; 2:9; 4:10,14; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1; 9:12,24; 10:12-13; 12:2.
Christ’s omnipotence. There are no direct references to Christ’s Omnipotence in First and Second Corinthians. Other references include Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16; Heb 1:3; 7:25.
Christ’s High Priesthood. There are no direct references to the High Priesthood and Intercession of Jesus in First and Second Corinthians. Other references include Hebrews 2:17-18; 3:1-2; 4:14-15; 5:4-5; 6:20; 7:11-28; 8:1-2,6; 9:12-13-14,23-24,26; 10:12.
If these observations are true, why are they so? I believe it is because of the stifling or suffocating effects of a non-glorious approach to religion. A law-centered, or fleshly, approach to life in Christ Jesus brings with it an inability to perceive the remarkable advantages that are found in Him. Such an approach throws a shroud over the “eyes of the heart” so that it cannot see the magnificent glory of the New Covenant. The miserable condition of the American church is the direct result of its stilted theology – a theology that is more like the Old Covenant than the New.
THAT WHICH WAS DONE AWAY
“ 11a For if that which is done away was glorious . . . ”
The apostle elaborates further on the Old Covenant – a covenant that was made by God Himself, and stands for any and every approach to God that depends upon human achievement. He will affirm that while this covenant was in force as a basis for Divine commerce with man, this is no longer the case.
The point that must be established in our thinking is that there is no possible way for man to be justified by a system that is fueled by human effort. There has only been one such system that was recognized by heaven. That system, or arrangement, was based upon “[mere] external rules and regulations for the body imposed to tide the worshipers over until the time of setting things straight [of reformation, of the complete new order when Christ, the Messiah, shall establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].” AMPLIFIED No such covenant has ever again been established by God. Once the glory of it faded, there was no place provided for a similar covenant. This is what will now be briefly expounded.
THAT WHICH WAS DONE AWAY
“For if that which is done away...” Other versions read, “That which is passing away,” NKJV “that which fades away,” NASB “what was fading away,” NIV “what was set aside,” NRSV “what faded away,” RSV “the order that was for a time,” BBE “that annulled,” DARBY “what was being brought to an end,” ESV “that which should be abolished,” GENEVA “what was going to fade,” NAB “what was transitory,” NJB “the old covenant,“that which is being made useless,” YLT “the old system that faded into nothing,” LIVING and “what passed away.” Williams
Note that two distinct views are reflected in the various translations.
☛ The glory has already been removed: “is done away,” “was set aside,” faded away,” “was for a time,” “annulled,” “faded into nothing,” and “passed away.”
☛ The glory is in the process of passing away: “is passing away,” “being brought to an end,” and “is being made useless.”
There are also some additional perceptions seen in these translations.
☛ This fading glory is something that was intended: “was for a time,” “was going to fade,”
and “was transitory.”
☛ The fading was the result of a judicial act: “was set aside,” “annulled,” “being brought to an end,” “abolished,” and “being made useless.”
When the glory of the Old Covenant left, it was “done away” – brought to an end, terminated, and declared useless for purposes of establishing righteousness.
That which is “done away” is NOT the fading glory itself, but the thing which the glory attended – the giving of the Law as a covenant between God and Israel. This is the point established by a poignant statement made in Romans 10:4. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” The Ten Commandments themselves did not end, for they are still “for the lawless and disobedient” (1 Tim 1:9). Rather, Christ ended the Law as a means to becoming righteous. That is, men are not made righteous by what they do or don’t do. They are “made righteous” “by the obedience of One,” who is Jesus Christ (Rom 5:19). Rather that becoming righteous by measuring up to a code, God Himself makes them “the righteousness of God” in Christ (2 Cor 5:21).
In actuality, the glory ofthe Old Covenant has already vanished. From the standpoint of perception, it is vanishing. That is, from heaven’s view, and in keeping with God’s eternal purpose, the Old Covenant has no glory whatsoever. However, from the standpoint of human experience the glory appeared to gradually fad.
This is precisely why the early church continued to struggle with the matter of circumcision (Gal 5:1-3; 6:12-13), the eating of meats (1 Tim 4:13; Heb 13:9), and the observance of days (Gal 4:10; Col 2:16-17). That kind of approach to righteousness had really been abrogated because its glory no longer existed. However, men were not able to perceive this with clarity, and thus the glory, for them, was “fading away.”
Again, let me emphasize that it was the glory that was “done away,” not the Ten Commandments, as some have erroneously taught. When God gave the New Covenant, He was not exchanging an old set of laws and ordinances for a new set of commandments and directives. The New Covenant is a new kind of covenant – unlike the Old.
WAS GLORIOUS
“ . . . was glorious . . . ” Other versions read, “was with glory,” NASB “came with glory,” NIV “came through glory,” NRSV “came with splendor,” RSV “had its glory,” BBE “was full of glory,” NLT and “was full of heavenly glory.” LIVING
The Old Covenant “was glorious.” It no longer has any glory. If this is true, those who are attracted to rules and regulation as a basis for righteousness have, in fact, been deceived. The loftiest form of such an approach no longer has any glory, and thus has been “done away.” Therefore, there is only one way to be attracted to such a form of religion, and that is deception. God will not draw men into the approach He Himself has obviated. Such people have been blinded to the glory of the New Covenant, and are thus attracted to the old order of things, which is a natural propensity. The seriousness of such a condition cannot be overstated, and yet it is remarkably common in our time.
THAT WHICH REMAINS
“ 11b . . . much more that which remaineth is glorious.”
Having established that the First Covenant once had glory, and that its glory has now been “done away,” the Spirit now declares the reason for the passing of that ancient glory. As I have already mentioned, it was not because an appointed period had expired – like a clock that had been wound up, and gradually ran down. He will trace the diminishing of the Old Covenant glory to the appearance of the greater glory of the New Covenant.
MUCH MORE
“ . . . much more . . . ” Other versions read, “how much greater,” NIV “must have much more,” RSV “much rather,” DARBY “how much greater,” NIB “far greater,” NLT “is certainly,” LIVING and “far more.” Montgomery
The superlative nature of the New Covenant cannot be understated. It is in every way “superior and more excellent, [because] it is enacted and rests upon more important (sublimer, higher, and nobler) promises” AMPLIFIED (Heb 8:6).
When the New Covenant is presented as merely “way of living,” or a compilation of certain laws, procedures, and regulations, a great disservice has taken place. In fact, God Himself has been dishonored and the Lord Jesus reproached. If it is true that the Savior Himself is better, and that He has obtained a “more excellent name” because of the grandness of His accomplishments, what place can there possibly be for any form of mediocrity in either our presentation or exposition of the New Covenant? Too long Christianity has been identified with dullness, a lack of initiative, lifeless tradition, and a fading glory. This is a total misrepresentation! Such attributes belong to the Old Covenant than to the New!
In the expression “much more,” we capture the essence of a grand and glorious covenant. These words are employed by the Spirit to describe being saved from wrath (Rom 5:9), being saved by Christ’s life (Rom 5:10), and the abounding nature of the grace of God (Rom 5:15). They are used to depict those in Christ reigning in life by Christ Jesus (Rom 5:17), and the grace of God which did infinitely more than sin (Rom 5:20). These are the words that most aptly describe the effective work of Christ’s blood in purging the conscience (Heb 9:14), and the superiority of faith over the earth’s repository of gold (1 Pet 1:7).
Make no mistake about this, when we speak about the New Covenant, we are dealing with superior matters, glorious results, and better things! Such things cannot be contained in academic vessels, religious traditions, or stereotyped procedures.
THAT WHICH REMAINS
“ . . . that which remaineth . . . ” Other versions read, “what remains,” NKJV “that which lasts,” NIV “the permanent,” NRSV “what is permanent,” RSV “the eternal order,” BBE “that which abides,” DARBY “what endures,” NAB “that which lasts forever,” NJB “the new covenant, which remains forever,” NLT “that which is remaining,” YLT “permanently arrayed,” Weymouth and “that which ever abides.” Montgomery
Once God was revealed through Jesus Christ – i.e., once the light was focused on His eternal purpose – all lesser glories began to dissipate. An inferior covenant cannot subsist with a superior one. An subaltern glory cannot gather attention to itself when once a transcendent glory has appeared. Men do not study the moon while the sun is in its zenith. They do not train their telescopes on the stars while the sun is ruling the day. If you want to study the stars, you must do so during the night.
The truth of the matter is that only the superior can withstand the test of both time and eternal glory. What “remains” in the blaze of the superior glory is spiritually lasting. Everything else, by design, is temporal.
Clinging to the Scaffolding
The Old Covenant was to the salvation of God what scaffolding is to a sky-scraper. While the building of the structure is in process, the structure itself is obscured by the scaffolding. However upon the completion of the building, the scaffolding is removed, for it no longer has a purpose. I suppose someone could be found who would like to become an expert in discarded scaffolding, but it does not seem to me that such a pursuit is wise. What “remains” is the point. If the building is an office building, the offices will be located in the building, not here and therefore among the scaffolding. The utilities that make those offices functional – like plumbing, electricity, telephones, and water, will be placed within the building, not the scaffolding. The various pieces of furniture that make the offices productive – like desks, chairs, and office equipment – are placed within the building, not the scaffolding. Actually, the offices did not open for business until the building was completed and functional.
Those who maintain an inordinate affection for law and regulations are like people trying to do business in the discarded scaffolding of the Old Covenant. It should not surprise us that they cannot achieve spiritual consistency. The Old Covenant was never intended to be the place where spirituality and Divine acceptance are realized.
The New Covenant Remains
The idea is that the two glories – that of the Old Covenant and that of the New – were for a moment existent at the same time. However, the greater glory outshined the lesser glory, and now it alone “remains,” and the former is “done away.” However, there is more to the matter than that.
The New Covenant actually antedates the Old Covenant. That is, it was in existence before the Old, or First, Covenant. The Spirit makes a point of this in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. They too had been struggling with propensities to a system of law for justification.
Traced Back to Abraham
The New Covenant is associated with “the blessing of Abraham,” which involved the offsetting of the curse brought into the world by sin. This is why Paul writes, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” (Gal 3:8). He further declares that those in Christ “are blessed with faithful Abraham”(Gal 3:9) – that is, the New Covenant now realized in Christ Jesus was first announced to Abraham. This was a covenant of blessing, and therefore the announcement of it to Abraham is called the preaching of “the Gospel” – good news!
In a grand statement of the case, the Spirit moved Paul to write, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-13). Confirming that this is, in fact, referring to the New Covenant, he continues, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal 3:15-16).
With even more clarity, Paul declares that the New Covenant, ratified in Christ Jesus, was actually declared to Abraham before the Law. “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect” (Gal 3:17). Note, the Law came 430 years AFTER “the covenant” that was “confirmed of God in Christ” – the New Covenant. This point is made even more clear by the following salient statement: “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” (Gal 3:19).
The Law was not “added” to the promised covenant itself, but to the revelation of it. The Law was a necessary preparation for the glorious covenant now mediated by Christ. It defined sin, stopping every mouth and rendering the whole world guilty before God (Rom 3:19-20). In doing this, it paved the way for the Savior from sin. In fact, it was the appointed “schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24).
As a “schoolmaster,” the Law had a certain glory – for a while. But when the Savior was enthroned in glory, and the New Covenant was inaugurated upon the basis of His blood, that glory at once began to subside.
Now, as we peruse the horizon of eternal purpose, the glory of the First Covenant no longer exists. It could not survive the rising of the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2), that was only in the early dawn of Abraham’s time, and during time of the Old Covenant as well.
The Glory Remains
The glory of the New Covenant “remains.” It has survived the sin of man. It has survived the exposure of that sin. It has even survived the breaking of the First Covenant by the very ones with whom it was made. It survives because it was before the Old Covenant. It survives because it is a “better covenant which was established upon greater promises” (Heb 8:6). It survives because it is linked with God’s “eternal purpose,” hinted at in Eden, promised to Abraham, and foretold by the Prophets.
What “remains” is not the glory, but the covenant that is glorious. The First Covenant has been “done away,” but the promise to Abraham remains! All glory be to God!
IS GLORIOUS
“ . . . is glorious.” Other versions read, “is in glory,” NASB “splendor,” RSV “subsists in glory,” DARBY and “abide in glory and splendor.” AMPLIFIED
The New Covenant, which remains, “IS glorious.” It provides insight into the Person and purpose of God. It is the preeminent means by which we come into the “knowledge of God,” whereas the Old Covenant conveyed the “knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20). Here, in the New Covenant, the “eternal purpose” of God is expounded. Here the “blessing of Abraham” is delineated. Here the promises are unfolded.
The New Covenant “IS glorious.” It is not that it ought to be glorious, or that it has the potentiality of being glorious. If men fail to see that glory, therefore, it can only be owing to spiritual blindness. That is precisely why Paul wrote, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:3-4). Men may not prefer to state the case so strongly. It may appear more fashionable to tone things down so they are not so abrasive. Nevertheless, this is how the Spirit moved Paul to declare the situation. The absolute glory of the New Covenant is so great and so pervading, that only those who are blinded by Satan can fail to see it. What is more – and we cannot get away from this – there is a sense in which those failing to see this glory are “lost.” While I do not intend to sit in judgment upon anyone, it cannot be denied that this is what the Spirit has declared. Therefore, it is not to be taken lightly.
What growing believer has not been concerned about the shallow presentations of modern preachers and teachers? Where can a sensitive spirit be found that has not been chagrined by the spiritual froth that is being thrown out to the church? Have you ever wondered why far too many religious leaders spend so much time on peripheral issues? How is it that so much time can be spent on temporal things, and so little on things that are eternal? I will tell you why. Those guilty of such shallowness have not seen the glory of the New Covenant. That is why they do not speak of it and its marvelous benefits. That is why they spend time trying to correct aberrant behavior, and seem unaware that the Law of God can be “put” into the mind and “written” upon the heart. Their minds have been “blinded.”
If it is countered that this is too strong, and if it can be proved that such men really do see the glory of the New Covenant, then we have another situation on our hands. Such men, in the very best consideration, are unfaithful stewards. They are watchmen who have not lifted up their voice, and messengers with glad tidings who have not heralded those “glad tidings of good things.” What person of sound mind envies such a condition?
WE HAVE SUCH HOPE
“ 12a Seeing then that we have such hope . . . ”
Paul will now reason with the Corinthians concerning the manner and foundation of his ministry to them. His motivations were holy, and they were driven by insight into the nature and effectiveness of the salvation of God.
SEEING THEN
“Seeing then . . . ” Other versions read, “Therefore,” NKJV “Since, then,” NRSV “Since,” RSV “Having then,” BBE “Since,” NLT and “So.” Williams
There is a difference between the benefits realized under the Old Covenant, and those enjoyed under the New. Under the Old Covenant men could not see the purpose of God with clarity. Holy men were discontent with this situation. For example, David asked for understanding so he could keep God’s Law (Psa 119:34), learn God’s commandments (Psa 119:73), and know God’s testimonies (Psa 119:125). He also associated the understanding for which he asked with life (Psa 119:144). He asked the Lord to make him “understand the way” of His precepts (Psa 119:27). In these requests, David excelled his peers. Yet, his desires were but a faint reflection of what God provides for men in the New Covenant.
The New Covenant is an economy of insight, understanding, perception, and comprehension. Compare the benefits of this “better covenant” with all that was before it.
☛ “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:17-19).
☛ “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Col 1:9).
☛ “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Phil 3:10).
What are the benefits of the Old Covenant in comparison to that? What insight under the First Covenant can equate to such marvelous provisions as those realized in Christ Jesus?
What Paul will now say is the result of his spiritual insight. He is not stating an official sectarian creed or position – a practice that is common in our day. He is not arguing for the superiority of a certain segment of the Christian community, or for a favored human movement. He rather speaks as one who is himself participating in, and enjoying, the New Covenant – one who is in fellowship wit. This is nothing less than the expression of insightful “newness of life.”
THAT WE HAVE
“ . . . that we have . . . ” Other versions read, “since we have,” NKJV “Having,” NASB “we know,” LIVING “cherishing,” Weymouth and “as I have.” Williams
Here is another glorious benefit of the New Covenant: there are lasting benefits to be enjoyed. Under the Old Covenant, most, if not all, of the benefits were temporal. Allow me to briefly provide a sampling of those benefits. They are found in the twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy.
☛ Blessed in the city.
☛ Blessed in the field.
☛ Blessed shall be the fruit of the body.
☛ Blessed shall be the fruit of the land.
☛ Blessed shall be the fruit of the cattle.
☛ Blessed shall be the increase of the oxen.
☛ Blessed shall be the flocks of sheep.
☛ Blessed shall be the basket and bowl.
☛ Blessed when coming in.
☛ Blessed when going out.
☛ Enemies smitten before thy face.
☛ A blessing commanded on the storehouses.
☛ A blessing upon all you set your hand to do.
☛ Blessed in the land given to them.
☛ Publicly established as a people unto God when the people of the earth saw them plenteous in goods, in the fruit of their body, fruit of their cattle, and fruit of the ground.
☛ The Lord would give them rain in its season.
☛ The Lord would bless the work of their hand.
☛ They would lend to nations and not borrow.
How do these blessings compare with those realized under the “better covenant that was established upon better promises” ? Under that Old Covenant there were no blessings of remission of sin, justification, or remembering sin no more. Fellowship with Deity is not promised, nor is the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is no mention of eternal life, or even the resurrection of the dead. Access to God is not promised, nor is mercy to help in the time of need. Not one of these things was promised under the Law. ALL of them are realized in the New Covenant (Acts 10:43; Rom 5:10; Heb 8:12; 1 Cor 1:9; Acts 2:38; 1 John 5:13; 1 Cor 15:51-52; Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16)!
How would a statement like this fit into that impressive Deuteronomy list? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Eph 1:3-4).
There is no immediate need to further develop this aspect of the New Covenant. It is enough to now observe that there is such a thing as speaking out of a state of spiritual insight. There are benefits that, when possessed, provoke remarkable insights and expression. Further, what is not possessed cannot be enjoyed or bring benefit. It is ever true, “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits” (2 Tim 2:6).
We Have!
Thus Paul will now speak of something he possesses – “seeing we have!” He will not speak as a philosopher, but as one who himself possesses the benefit considered. He will not speak as the representative of a specific religious movement or denomination. He was called of God, and appointed an Apostle by the Lord Jesus Himself. He will not depart from that calling and appointment when he speaks or writes, but will express himself as a called and appointed messenger of Christ.
No Place for Speculation or Supposition
Let it also be clear in your mind, effectual ministry cannot be accomplished through speculation or supposition. The one who ministers for God must not envelop his teaching with theoretical scenarios, abstract possibilities, and mere hypotheses. Men cannot be called out of darkness into light by such paltry means. Neither, indeed, can the saints of God be edified by such presentations. It is most unfortunate that so much of this kind of preaching and teaching dominates the church world. Further, it should surprise no one that so many moral and spiritual challenges are particularly facing the American church. It has become a seed-bed for how-to merchants, purported problem solvers, counselors, recovery experts and the likes. Our text is showing us the approach of a God-sent holy man to difficulties in the church.
SUCH HOPE
“ . . . such hope . . . ” Other versions read, “such a hope,” NASB “such trust,” GENEVA “a hope like this,” NJB “such confidence,” NLT and “such [glorious] hope (such joyful and confident expectation).” AMPLIFIED
The word “hope” comes from the Greek word evlpi,da (el-pie-da). From the etymological point of view it means “expectation of good, hope, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation . . . certainty.” THAYER Other lexical meanings are, “good hope, expectation, prospect, hopeful confidence,” FRIBERG “Hoping against hope; ground or basis of hope; what is hoped for,” UBS and “look forward with confidence to that which is good and beneficial.” LOUW-NIDA
As used in this text, “hope” is a noun, not a verb. It is not something that is done, but something owned or possessed – “we HAVE such hope.” In this sense, we find “hope” mentioned eighteen times in the New Covenant Scriptures (Acts 24:16; Rom 4:18; 5:4; 15:4; 2 Cor 3:12; 10:15; Gal 5:5; Eph 2:12; Phil 1:20; Col 1:5; 1 Thess 4:13; 5:8; 2 Thess 2:16; Tit 2:13; 3:7; 1 Pet 1:3,21; 1 John 3:3).
Peter reminds us that God has “begotten us again unto a lively hope” – “a living hope” NKJV (1 Pet 1:3). Another version reads, “we have been born again to an ever-living hope.” AMPLIFIED That is, we have been born again in order that this “hope” might dwell within us. This is a “hope” that cannot be possessed by those who have not been “created in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:10).
Desire and expectation are joined together in hope. A fervent longing is found for the Lord Himself and the blessing that He confers. There is also an expectation and persuasion that what is desired will be realized. There is no doubt in hope, and thus it stabilizes the soul.
This “hope” involves a firm persuasion that all will be well with us when the Lord appears in all of His glory (Col 3:4). It is the conviction that when we stand before the throne of God we will be “faultless” in His sight (Jude 1:24-25). This is a “hope” that constrains the individual to “purify himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). It is a hope that is caused to “abound” in us by the Holy Spirit Himself (Rom 15:13). This is the “hope” by which we are “saved” (Rom 8:24-25). That is, those possessing this hope do, in fact, work out their own salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12).
Hope in the Book of Hebrews
The “hope” of which Paul speaks, together with all of its various aspects, has sprung from the New Covenant itself. It is as though the New Covenant was the mother of this marvelous hope. The association of the New Covenant with “hope” is not an unusual one. The book of Hebrews also makes this association. After affirming that “the Law made nothing perfect,” the Spirit declares, “but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God” (Heb 7:19). Here again, the “hope” that is possessed is the direct result of the New Covenant itself. Within that covenant, in which the Law is put into the mind and written upon the heart, a filial relation between God and the people is formed, and sins are remembered no more. “Hope” is thus ushered into a place of prominence and becomes powerful constraint to godliness (1 John 3:3).
This “hope” is clearly seen as being central in the life of faith. Thus we are said to be Christ’s house “IF we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Heb 3:6). Again, we are told of the “full assurance of hope” that is to be maintained “unto the end” (Heb 6:11). Coming to the Lord is also depicted as having “fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Heb 6:18). Again, this hope is so integral to spiritual life that it is said to be “an anchor of the soul, both steadfast and sure, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Heb 6:19).
All of this has to do with the New Covenant itself, which, together with its Mediator, is expounded in the book of Hebrews (7:22; 8:6-13; 9:15-20; 10:16-17,19; 12:24).
As used in our text, “hope” is a summary word that gathers together all of the benefits of the New Covenant into a single expression. It affirms the marvelous effects of that covenant, and confirms its superiority in every way. Participation in this covenant alters every aspect of human thought. The glory of the covenant that Jesus is presently mediating impacts upon every facet of newness of life. That is the kind of “hope” we now have – as Paul said, “we have such hope.” Now he will tell how its effects upon his preaching.
GREAT PLAINNESS OF SPEECH
“ 12b . . . we use great plainness of speech”
How, as well as what, a man preaches or teaches reveals what he has seen. Now Paul will share how his understanding of the Gospel and the New Covenant impacted his preaching.
WE USE
“ . . . we use . . . ” Other versions read, “we are,” NIV “we act,” NRSV “we can,” LIVING and “we speak.” AMPLIFIED
The good preacher is a kind of builder. He constructs a message with words – words “which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Cor 2:13). The objective of preaching is to put the truth of God within the reach of honest and good hearts.
Another facet of delivering the truth of God is drawing upon spiritual resources that are personally possessed. Jesus spoke of this kingdom manner in this way. “Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old” (Mat 13:52). Such a person does not have to constantly draw upon the wisdom of others, but has a reservoir of wisdom himself. I have often noted that the most insightful writers provide a rather brief bibliography.
When Paul says “we use,” he is referring to the manner in which he crafted his speech. We will find that manner was very deliberate, and was couched within the framework of an acute awareness of the nature and content of the New Covenant.
GREAT PLAINNESS OF SPEECH
“ . . . great plainness of speech. ” Other versions read, “great boldness,” NKJV “are very bold,” NRSV “keep nothing back,” BBE “use much boldness,” DARBY “use much confidence,” DOUAY “act very boldly,” NAB “with complete fearlessness,” NJB “can be very bold,” NLT “use much freedom of speech,” YLT “preach with great boldness,” LIVING “speak without reserve,” Weymouth “with the greatest boldness,” Williams and “we speak very freely and openly and fearlessly.” AMPLIFIED
The word “plainness” does not mean simplistic or juvenile. It comes from the Greek word parrhsi,a| (par-ray-sia), which means “freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speaking . . . freely, openly, frankly, without concealment.” THAYER Other lexical meanings are “boldness, plainness, outspokenness, openness, with courage, confidence, and boldness,” FRIBERG “before the public,” UBS “a state of boldness and confidence, sometimes implying intimidating circumstances,” LOUW-NIDA and “freespokenness, openness, frankness.” LIDDELL-SCOTT
This Greek word is used several places in Scripture. That usage will confirm the idea that is being conveyed in this text.
☛ “And he spake that saying openly” (Mark 8:32).
☛ “For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world” (John 7:4).
☛ “Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13).
☛ “Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing” (John 18:20).
☛ “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph 6:19).
Other texts using this word include John 7:26 (boldly); 10:24 (plainly); 11:14,54 (plainly, openly); 16:25,29 (plainly, plainly); 2 Cor 7:4 (boldness); Phil 1:20 (boldness); Col 2:15 (openly); 1 John 5:14 (confidence).
The meaning of using “great plainness of speech” is multifaceted. In summary, it means Paul speech was designed to open up the truth to the people – all of it. It involves speaking with candor, or being frank. It also includes speaking confidently, knowing in himself the truth and power of what he spoke.
Plainness of Speech
The expression “great plainness of speech” does not refer to vocabulary. Paul neither spoke nor wrote using a juvenile vocabulary. His doctrine certainly was not simplistic. Some men are still finding it difficult to comprehend what Paul said and wrote. Concerning his writings, Peter said they contained “some things hard to be understood” (2 Pet 3:16). Those familiar with the writings of Paul have never suggested they were “on a sixth to eighth grade level.” They have proved challenging to the most prodigious thinkers throughout the last two thousand years.
Think of some of the key words used in Second Corinthians: “tribulation,” “consolation,” “partakers,” “conscience,” “sincerity,” “acknowledge,” “confidence,” “establishes,” “anointed,” “earnest,” “determined,” “anguish,” “sufficient,” “advantage,” “triumph,” “savor,” “corrupt,” “commendation,” “manifestly,” “testament,” and “covenant” (chapters 1-3). Are these words for “children?” Even among mature adults, most of them require extensive explanation – particularly regarding how they are used in Scripture.
Ponder some of the concepts that have been expressed thus far on this book: “Father of mercies,” “partakers of the sufferings,” “despaired even of life,” “according to the flesh,” “the earnest of the Spirit,” “helpers of your joy, anguish of heart,” “swallowed up of overmuch sorrow,” “the savor of His knowledge,” “fleshly tables of the heart,” “the ministration of death,” “the ministration of the Spirit,” “the ministration of condemnation,” and “the ministration of righteousness” (Chapters 1-3). Are these phrases on a sixth to eighth grade level? Are they the kind of phrases used by the immature?
Forever put behind you the notion that “plainness of speech” means simple speech that is easily understood by the unlearned or immature!
MORE TO THE POINT
Allow me to get more to the point of the text. If “plainness” does not relate to vocabulary and the manner in which sentences are phrased, just what does it mean?
Regarding the manner in which Paul spoke, “plainness” means in a straightforward and uncompromising manner. It also means publicly, or openly. Paul held no secret doctrines that were not openly declared. It also involves boldness and confidence.