2 Corinthians 3:1-6

You may have noticed in yesterdays reading of vs.1-3 a reference to tablets of stone, something we did not talk about since it led to the following verses.  Paul is again lifting their vision to things much higher and nobler than the spat over why he didn’t come to Corinth.  

In this letter Paul is addressing not only an explanation of his decision but those people who had another agenda in even making an issue of his action at all.  They are deceitful teachers (4:2) who were peddlers of God’s word (2:17) and whose message apparently was based in a return to the Law of Moses as a rule of life.  That seems to be the reason, at least, why Paul turns the discussion of his ministry to the glorious nature of his ministry.  

Paul refers to his ministry as of the new covenant.  It is not the ministry of the old covenant that revolved around the tablets of stone.  Rather, as the Scriptures teach, it is of a covenant that involves God writing His law on the hearts of men (Jer. 31:33-34; Heb. 8:10-11).  This writing on the heart is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Thus Paul tells the Corinthians they are a letter of recommendation written on the heart (v3) by the Spirit (v6).

Paul says the letter kills (v6).  The letter is the Law of Moses.  In what sense does it kill?  Paul argues this matter in Rom. 6-8.  Consider the following:

o   It reveals sin, Rom 7:7.

o   It increases sin, Rom 7:5,8.

o   It demands perfection (Jas 2:10; Gal 3:10-12) but provides no power (Rom 8:3; Heb 9:9; 10:1,4).

Þ   The law is external, Heb. 9:9-10.

Þ   The law is temporary, 2 Cor 3:7,11.

o   Thus the law frustrates the soul (Rom 7:24).

As Paul makes clear in Romans, the law is holy in that it speaks accurately about God’s will.  But without the work of the Holy Spirit it cannot give life.

All of this leads to the important observation Paul makes about his ministry.  He himself is not sufficient as God’s minister to make people a good letter of recommendation about Christ (2:17; 3:5a).  But, he says, our sufficiency is from God (v5).  And God had in fact made Paul sufficient for a ministry that brought life to people by the work of the Holy Spirit (v6).

This letter to the Corinthians is providing a needed opportunity for believers to examine their view of the Christian life.  Do you have the thought that you can please God by keeping His law?  Are you doing the best you can to be obedient?  You must understand that this is not enough!  As Jesus pointed out, this is in essence the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Mt. 5:20).  The only righteousness that will do is the perfect righteousness of Christ who fulfilled the Law (2 Cor. 5:21).   For now we must be willing to repent of the thought that our righteousness is sufficient.  Your letter of commendation must be written on your heart by the Spirit of God.

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

In many local churches there is a tradition whereby people who move from one location to another can bring a letter of commendation written by their former church and addressed to their new church.  The letter says they were members in good standing and should be welcomed immediately.  It is efficient in that the new church need not wait for a period of time until the prospective members can be examined in their walk with Christ and fitness for service.

That is what Paul is talking about here.  He is wondering why, after his faithful ministry in Corinth, he should need to provide proof of that faithfulness through a letter of commendation.  The truth is they should be his letter of commendation!  They should already know by experience the quality of his life and ministry.  And ultimately they were epistles that recommended Christ, written as a result of Paul’s ministry, that was being read by people all over the world.  This letter of commendation, written on Paul’s heart, should have been all the commendation they needed of his integrity. Certainly they should not have been questioning his decision not to come and see them.  They should have assumed it was for good reason and that Paul could be trusted.

We may not understand the need for a letter of recommendation.  But it does make sense according to Scripture.  In 2 Corinthians this term, used 3 times in v1, is used 6 more times in the letter.  Consider what these passages teach us as servants of God.

o   4:2: Paul’s ministry was not commended by twisting God’s word that men might enjoy it more, but by his accurate, truthful handling of the word.

o   5:12: Paul hoped the Corinthians would tell the truth from their hearts about his ministry.  He did not want to commend himself.

o   6:4-10: Paul’s ministry was commended, not by the usual success stories (how many people, how big his organization, etc.) but by his patience, tribulations and constant need.

o   7:11: The Corinthian church was commended by the way they responded to Paul’s severe letter, doing the right thing with great zeal.

o   10:12: Paul did not commend his ministry by comparing himself to others.

o   10:18: Ultimately it is not the one who commends himself who is truly commendable in ministry but the one the Lord commends.

Finally, in the matter of commendation, let us remember that even God has given a letter of recommendation for Himself.  Do you wonder if God truly loves you?  The answer has been made clear in that God commended His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  

We should be careful in ministry.  We should not depend simply on what people say about themselves but on testimony from those we know to be trustworthy.  The bottom line for the believer is that we are to be a letter of commendation for Christ, commending Him to the world around us.  When people read your life what do they think of Christ?Hi

2 Corinthians 2:12-17

Paul knew how much he loved the believers at Corinth though some of them seemed to doubt that love.  Thus he continues to explain the situation to them regarding the fact he had not come to see them as he had intended.

Titus had gone to Corinth instead and was to meet up with Paul.  Paul had come to Troas and had a successful ministry there (a door was opened, v12).  Yet because Titus did not come Paul left Troas and crossed the Agean Sea to Macedonia (v13; perhaps to Philippi).  Apparently it was there that he met up with Titus who had a good report as to the wonderful way in which the Corinthians had received Paul’s severe letter (cf. 7:13-16).

Paul again breaks into his own explanation of his decision to explain something of greater importance.  From 2:14 through 6:10 Paul reminds the Corinthians of the essence of ministry.  While he is still defending his decision he uses the opportunity to lift our eyes to some lofty visions of Christ and how we are to serve Him.

Having said he left an “open door” in Troas one might wonder about Paul’s decision-making.  We usually think if the ministry is “growing” or prospering in some way that we should stay there.  Yet he explains his moving on to Macedonia as an act of God: Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ (v14).  From Paul’s testimony we see at least three things about the ministry that he calls “fragrant”.

o   It is people-centered (v12-13).  The successful ministry at Troas could be left in the hands of other competent associates.  But Paul’s heart-burden was for the Corinthians and how they had responded to his loving reproof.

o   It was triumphant (v14-16).  What Paul means here is that wherever he serves, God blesses.  God used him when people were being saved.  The words of the gospel lead one to give the aroma of life.  But God also used him when people rejected Christ.  The gospel leads these ones to give off the aroma of death.  The gospel of Christ is the watershed of all of life.  What men believe about Christ speaks clearly as to whether they are spiritually dead or alive.

o   It was sincere. God used Paul as a preacher of the gospel.  Thus his ministry saw many who rejected the gospel and some who received Christ by faith.  But some, Paul indicates, considered ministry a business.  They charged for the word of God.  Like any good business the goal is to make a profit, to have more buyers of your product.  The problem here is obvious: lighten up the gospel so that fewer people reject the offer of salvation through Christ alone.  But Paul would not do that!  Like the prophets of old he would only say what he had been given to say by God.

Think about this idea of fragrant ministry.  Are you engaged in this kind of ministry?  Do you support this kind of ministry?  Is your church characterized by this kind of ministry?