RSV ~ 2 Corinthians 3 Notes

2 Cor 3:1 | ISB Notes

letters of recommendation: Written referrals were sometimes sent ahead of traveling missionaries to prepare for their arrival in a new Church (Acts 18:27; Rom 16:1; 1 Cor 16:3). Apparently Paul’s opponents furnished such resumes for themselves and misled the Corinthians into thinking they were genuine apostles (2 Cor 10:12). In contrast, Paul does not need to reestablish rapport in Corinth by written statements (5:12) but can point to the Church’s conversion as proof that his ministry is authentic (Acts 18:1-18).

2 Cor 3:2 | ISB Notes

on your hearts: The very lives of the Corinthians are a legible witness that Paul is a true apostle who mediates the Spirit (1:22; Gal 3:2-5). Some scholars prefer the variant reading “on our hearts” (textual note c).

2 Cor 3:3 | ISB Notes

the Spirit: Engraved on the tablet of the believing heart. This divine work is even more magnificent than the writing of the Ten Commandments on stone (Ex 31:18).

• Paul is drawing from two prophecies about the messianic age. Writing on the heart evokes Jeremiah’s promise that God will ratify a new covenant and inscribe his law on the hearts of his people (Jer 31:31-34). The contrast between stone and human hearts evokes Ezekiel’s promise that God will replace the stony hearts of his people with fleshly hearts that are ready to obey him through the Spirit (Ezek 11:19; 36:26-27).

2 Cor 3:5 | ISB Notes

our sufficiency is from God: Paul makes no claim to be qualified for apostleship apart from God’s grace (2:17). This is in marked contrast to the false apostles, who display their credentials with written documentation (3:1; 10:12).

• Paul is alluding to the call of Moses in the Greek version of Ex 4:10. Like Moses, who complains that his poor speaking ability makes him unfit to be a prophet, Paul sees himself as “unskilled in speaking” (2 Cor 11:6). Nevertheless, he is confident that the grace of God more than compensates for his personal weaknesses (12:9-10).

See word study: Unskilled at 2 Cor 11:6.

2 Cor 3:6 | ISB Notes

new covenant: Sealed by the redeeming work of Jesus and made present in the Eucharist (Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25).

the written code: Literally, “the letter”, set in contrast to “the Spirit”.

• Tradition has understood the Pauline antithesis between letter and Spirit in two different ways. (1) Some read it as a historical contrast between two economies of salvation. The Law of Moses is the letter, which commands us but does not assist us, bringing death and condemnation upon the disobedient. But the Spirit, by a supernatural action of grace, gives us life and blessing along with the moral help we need to obey the Law. Proponents of this view include Tertullian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and St. Ephrem. (2) Others read it as a hermeneutical contrast between the literal and spiritual senses of Scripture. The literal sense of the OT describes things and events of the past, which are shadows and types of the gospel, but these remain lifeless apart from their fulfillmen in Christ. The spiritual sense reveals the spiritual realities of the messianic age that bring us life and grace, realities foretold by the letter but now made present through the Spirit of Christ. Proponents of this view include Origen, St. Athanasius, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Cyril of Alexandria (CCC 115-18, 1094).

2 Cor 3:7-18 | ISB Notes

The New Covenant ministry of Paul supersedes the Old Covenant ministry of Moses, for he mediates righteousness through the Spirit, not condemnation through the uncompromising standards of the Law. Note that a single Greek term is translated by several different English words throughout this chapter (splendor, 3:7-11; brightness, 3:7; glory, 3:18).

2 Cor 3:7 | ISB Notes

Moses’ face: A reference to Ex 34:29-35, where the glory of God shone from the face of Moses and frightened the Israelites.

Most scholars understand Paul this way: Moses veiled himself to prevent Israel from seeing the radiance of his face fade away over time. The gradual disappearance of this brightness, hidden behind the veil, symbolizes the destiny of the Old Covenant, which will itself pass away (2 Cor 3:13).

2 Cor 3:11 | ISB Notes

permanent: Only the glory of the New Covenant is everlasting. It makes all previous covenants comparatively “old” (3:14).

2 Cor 3:14 | ISB Notes

that same veil: The divine meaning of Scripture is veiled from unbelieving Israel, just as the divine radiance was veiled from wayward Israel back in Moses’ day. The idea is that Paul’s kinsmen read the OT without understanding that it points the way to Christ (Lk 24:44-47; Rom 10:1-4).

2 Cor 3:15 | ISB Notes

Moses is read: i.e., the Torah is read weekly in the synagogues (Acts 15:21).

2 Cor 3:16 | ISB Notes

turns to the Lord: Recalls how Moses removed the L veil every time he turned to the Lord to receive a new revelation (Ex 34:34). For Paul, this prefigures Christian conversion, which involves turning to the Lord to embrace the new revelation of the gospel.

2 Cor 3:17 | ISB Notes

the Lord is the Spirit: The Spirit is fully divine, coequal in glory and greatness with the Father and the Son (3:18). His work within us gives us freedom from the condemnation of the Old Covenant (Rom 8:1) and boldness to proclaim the gospel without fear (2 Cor 3:12; Rom 1:16). The title “Lord” is also shared by Christ (2 Cor 4:5) and God the Father (Gen 2:4, etc.) (CCC 693, 1741).

2 Cor 3:18 | ISB Notes

being changed: Like Moses, whose countenance was transformed by gazing on the glory of the Lord (Ex 34:29). The glory of the Spirit changes believers little by little into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), who is the image of God (2 Cor 4:4). In the theology of Paul, formation in the likeness of Jesus includes suffering and dying (Rom 8:17; Phil 3:10) as well as rising to immortal life (Rom 8:11; Phil 3:21) (CCC 1701).

• Images of the People of God radiating with glory can be found in Ps 34:5 and Is 60:5.