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Commentary on "The Two Covenants"
Day 6: Thursday, December 1, 2011 - Ishmael and Isaac Today
Overview
The author states that Paul is countering those who would make followers of Christ submit to “the law of circumcision”. He then turns the lesson to a discussion of being persecuted for one’s faith.
Observations
The author appears to largely miss the main point of the passage. The real issue is not simply what the author refers to as “the law of circumcision”, but the Law itself. By submitting to what had become the entry sign of the Old Covenant, the Galatians would be placing themselves under the entire Old Covenant Law given at Sinai. It is being in bondage under the Old Covenant or free under the New Covenant that is at stake. When Paul deals with Ishmael persecuting Isaac he is specifically dealing with those who want to be under the Law trying to put New Covenant Christians under the same bondage. As we saw in yesterday’s commentary, the Law was only in place from Sinai until the coming of Christ. Now that Jesus has come, the Old Covenant cannot coexist with the New Covenant. The two are not compatible.
In order to make this point, I would like to review the entire third chapter of II Corinthians and the first part of chapter four. In II Corinthians 3, Paul refers to the two covenants as two “ministries”. He compares and contrasts the covenant “engraved on stone” with the New Covenant. As we go through the chapter, I would like to ask you to consider doing the following exercise on your own without my commentary:
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you. Pray that He will show you truth and guard you against error. Pray that if there is any veil in place that the Holy Spirit will remove it in Christ.
- Carefully read through the third chapter of II Corinthians for overall context. You may want to read through a couple of different reliable translations.
- Now grab a pencil and paper. At the top of your paper write “Old Covenant” on the left side and “New Covenant” on the right side forming two columns. As you read through II Corinthians 3 again, take time to carefully list everything you learn about each covenant in the appropriate column. List everything even if it seems insignificant at the time.
- Review the list and pray over the things that the Holy Spirit has pointed out to you. As additional insights come to you, you may want to jot these down as well.
Why don’t you stop now and try this exercise before going any further. This is a great way to develop your skills in determining the exegetical point of a passage. I’ve included the entire third chapter of 2 Corinthians with verse numbers below for your convenience, but feel free to use any other good, solid, literal, and reliable translation that you like. When you’re done, come on back to the study. We’ll pause here for a little while. Let me know when you are done. I’ll be waiting right here for you.
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men;
3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was,
8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it.
11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,
13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:1-18 (NASB)
Again, I would really like to recommend that you do the exercise I suggested above for yourself before proceeding. I think you will find it fascinating to see your discoveries in black and white. However, if you would like to see the list that I came up with, I have provided it here.
Old Covenant (Decalogue) |
New Covenant |
Of the letter v.6 |
Of the Spirit v.6 |
Letter kills v.6 |
Spirit gives life v.6 |
Ministry of death v.7 |
|
Engraved on stone v.7 |
|
Came with glory v.7 |
Even more glorious v.8 |
Ministry of condemnation v.9 |
Ministry of righteousness v.9 |
Has glory v.9 |
Abounds in much more glory v.9 |
Had glory, but now has no glory v.10 |
Glory surpasses the Old Covenant v.10 |
Fades away v.11 |
Remains after Old fades away v.11 |
Veil remains unlifted when read v.14-15 |
Veil is removed in Christ v.14-16 |
|
Liberty in the Spirit v.17 |
If your list looks anything like mine, then I think you will agree that this is a pretty shocking passage when you really begin to break it down and compare the two covenants.
The apostle Paul leaves no doubt as to what this covenant is that he is talking about. He clearly states that it is the covenant that was “engraved on stone”. This can only be the Decalogue exactly as stated in Deut. 4:13, 9:10-11, 9:15, and Ex. 32:15. And yet Paul says the Old Covenant, the Decalogue, “fades away”! Not only that, but he refers to the Old Covenant as the “ministry of death” and the “ministry of condemnation”. He even says that it “kills”!
Contrast this to the New Covenant which gives life, is much more glorious, gives liberty, and remains after the Old Covenant has passed away. Given all this, which covenant do you want to be under? Let’s revisit the last seven versus of chapter 3 and continue into the next 6 versus of chapter four. I believe you will see that chapter 4 flows from chapter 3 and continues the same line of thought.
“Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6 (NASB)
Notice that Paul says when the Old Covenant is read there is a veil that remains unlifted. When people focus on the Old Covenant, on the Decalogue, there is a spiritual veil that prevents them from seeing the full glory of the Gospel of Christ. Paul refers to those who are in their veiled state as “perishing” and goes so far as to say it is the “god of this world” (Satan) who is blinding them.
Truly this dire warning ought to give us a great heart for family, friends, and loved ones who are clinging to the Old Covenant. If we truly love them, then we will be praying passionately and regularly that they will be released from their blindness and that the veil will be removed the only way it can be, in Christ.
Summary
- The issue in Galatians is not merely circumcision, but whether or not New Covenant Christians are under any part of the Old Covenant.
- The Old Covenant, the Decalogue engraved in stone, “fades away”, is the “ministry of death”, the “ministry of condemnation”, and “kills”.
- The New Covenant gives life, is much more glorious, gives liberty, and remains after the Old Covenant has passed away.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised November 6, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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