1.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
Do we , &c. = Are we to begin.
again. He had done so in 1 Corinthians 9 .
commend. Greek. sunistano . See on Romans 3:5 .
some. Greek tines. App-124 .
epistles , &c. = commendatory (Greek. sustatikos . Only here) letters. Compare Acts 18:27 .
to. Ge. pros. App-104 ,
from. Greek. ek. App-104 . Question preceded by me.
2.
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
written . Cr. engrapho. Only here and 2 Corinthians 3:3 .
in. Greek. en , App-104 .
known. Greek ginosko. App-132 .
read. Greek anaginosko. There is a Paronomasia here, App-6 .
of = by. Greek. hupo . App-104 .
men . App-123 .
3.
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
manifestly declared = manifested. Greek. phaneroo. App-106 .
Christ . App-08 .
ministered . Greek diakaneo. App-190 .
by. Greek. hupo , as in 2 Corinthians 3:2 .
not . Greek. ou . App-105 .
with. No Preposition. Dative case.
ink. Greek. melan. Only here, 2Jn 1:12 . 3 John 1:13 .
Spirit. App-101 .
God. App-98 .
tables of stone = stone tables.
tables . Greek. plax. Only here and Hebrews 9:4 .
fleshy . Greek. sarkinos. This word refers to the substance or material and carries no moral significance. Compare Hebrews 7:16 , where the texts read as here.
4.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
trust = confidence. Greek. pepoithesis . App-130 .,
through . Greek. dia. App-104 .
Christ = the Christ.
to God-ward = toward (Greek. pros. App-104 .)
God.
5.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
of = from. Greek. apo. App-104 .
think = reckon. Greek logizomai. See the frequent occurance in Romans 4 , count, reckon, &c.
any thing . Greek. tis . App-123 .,
of. Greek. ek . App-101 .
sufficiency . Greek. hikanotes. Only here.
of . Greek. ek , as above.
6.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
also. Road after "ministers".
hath made us able = enabled us, or made us efficient as. Greek. hikanoo. Only here and Colossians 1:12 .
ministers. Greek. diakonos . App-190 .
the = a.
new. Greek. kainos . See Matthew 9:17 .
testament = covenant. Greek. diatheke. See Matthew 26:28 . This is the covenant of Jeremiah 31:31 . Compare Hebrews 8:6-13 .
the. Omit.
letter. Greek. gramma. This is the Sinaitic covenant, called "theministration of death" in 2 Corinthians 3:7 .
spirit . The old covenant could not give life. It was like a dead body, for lack of the spirit (James 2:26 ). Compare John 6:63 . Christ is the Spirit of the new covenant. See 2 Corinthians 3:17 ,
giveth life = quickeneth. Greek. zoopoieo. See Romans 8:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:45 .
7.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
if . App-118 .2, a.
ministration . Greek. diakonia. App-190 .
written = in (Greek. en . App-104 .) letters. See 2 Corinthians 3:6 .
engraven. Greek. entupoo. Only here.
was = came to be.
glorious = in (Greek. en) glory.
children = sons. Greek. huios . App-108 .
not. Greek. me . App-106 .
stedfastly behold gaze upon. Greek. atenizo. App-133 . Followed by the Greek eis ( App-104 .)
Moses . Occurs three times in this Epistle, here, on 2Co 13:15 .
for = on amount of. Greek. dia. App-104 . 2 Corinthians 3:2 .
to be done away = being done away. Greek. katargeo. See Romans 3:3 .
8.
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
not. Greek. ouchi. App-105 .
9.
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
condemnation. Greek. katakrisis. Only here and 2 Corinthians 7:3 . See App-122 .
righteousness . Gs. dikaiosune. App-191 .
10.
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
made glorious = glorified. Greek. doxazo. See p. 1511.
had no glory = was not glorified, as above.
excelleth . Greek. huperballo. Occurs here, 2 Corinthians 9:14 , Ephesians 1:19 ; Ephesians 2:7 ; Ephesians 3:19 .
11.
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
glorious = through (Greek. dia. App-104 . 2 Corinthians 3:1 ) glory.
remaineth . Greek. meno. See p. 1511.
glorious = in (Greek. en) glory.
12.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Seeing . . . have = Having then.
use. Greek chraomai. See Acts 27:3 ,
great = much.
plainness of speech = outspokenness. Greek. parrhesia . Often translated boldly, or freely.
13.
And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
vail. Greek kalununa. Only here and in verses: 2Co 3:14 , 2 Corinthians 3:15 , 2 Corinthians 3:16 .
over = upon. Greek. epi. App-104 . See Exodus 34:33 .
that , &c. = with a view to (Greek. pros . App-104 .) the children of Israel's not gazing to the end.
to. Greek. eis. App-104 .
abolished = being done away, as in 2 Corinthians 3:7 .
14.
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
minds = thoughts. Greek. noema. See 2 Corinthians 2:11 .
blinded = hardened. Greek. poroo. Sea Romans 11:7 , Romans 11:26 (poroeis).
this day = to-day. Greek. semeron.
untaken away = not (Greek. me . App-105 ) unveiled, or revealed (Greek. anakalupto , unveil, only here and 2 Corinthians 3:18 ). This should follow "old testament". It means, "it being not revealed that it is done away" (Revised Version m.)
in . Greek. epi. App-104 .
reading. Greek. anagnosis . See Acts 13:15 .
old testament = old covenant. The only place where the term is used. The usual designation is "the law", or "Moses" (2 Corinthians 3:15 ).
which vail = that (Greek. hoti) it.
15.
But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
when. Greek. henika. Only here and 2 Corinthians 3:16 .
is = lieth.
upon . Greek. epi. App-104 .
16.
Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
it. i.e. the heart of Israel.
turn. Greek. epistrepho. Often translated "return", or be converted". See Matthew 13:15 .John 12:40 . Acts 3:19 ; Acts 28:27 .
Lord. App-98 .
taken away. Greek periaireo. See Acts 27:20 .
17.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Lord . App-98 .
that = the.
Spirit. App-101 . Compare 2 Corinthians 3:6 .
18.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
open = unveiled. See 2 Corinthians 3:14 . Here is the contrast. Moses alone beheld and reflected the Shekinah glory, we all behold and reflect the Lord's glory.
beholding . . . glass = reflecting, as Revised Version. Greek. katoptrizo. Only here.
changed = transformed. Greek. metamorphoomai. See Mark 9:2 .
image . Greek. eiken. Compare Romans 8:29 . Co 2 Corinthians 1:3 , 2 Corinthians 1:10 . . Greek. apo . App-104 .
by = from, Greek. apo .
the Spirit of the Lord = the Lord the Spirit. The word "Spirit" is in the Genitive of Apposition. App-17 . See 2 Corinthians 3:6 .