Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 3
Paul says that God has appointed him to be a ‘minister of the new covenant’.
A minister means a servant or a worker. Paul has chosen a word that refers particularly to the servant’s relationship to his work. Paul’s work was to bring God’s new covenant to people, so that they could receive a right relationship with God.
The ‘covenant’ means God’s promises to his people. The ‘new covenant’ is a reference to Jeremiah 31:31-34. Paul also referred to that passage in 2 Corinthians 3:3; clearly, he was thinking about that passage as he wrote these words. Hebrews chapter 8 repeats the passage from Jeremiah. God’s new covenant is what God did by means of the death of Christ *. That was the message that Paul taught at Corinth*. Because of Christ’s death, people can have a right relationship with God and receive the benefit of his promises.
‘The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life’. It is by the Holy Spirit that God gives life to people*. By the Holy Spirit, people can understand the promises of God*. Christians should live by the Holy Spirit, and they should allow the Holy Spirit to guide their lives*.
There is another way to understand God’s words, but the result is death. We can refuse to allow God’s Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Instead, we can just look at the letters and words on the page. Many people were trying to do that with God’s law. However, God’s law declared his judgement against them, because they could not completely obey it*.
For that reason, people need the new covenant. They need God to write his law in their hearts*. They need Christ’s death, so that God can forgive their evil deeds*. They need God’s Holy Spirit to give them life that never ends.
Next part: The words that brought death, and the Spirit that brings life (3:7-10)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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© 2016, Keith Simons.