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2 Corinthians 3

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2 Corinthians 3
A folio of Papyrus 46 (written ca. AD 200), containing 2 Corinthians 11:33–12:9. This manuscript contains almost complete parts of the whole Pauline epistles.
BookSecond Epistle to the Corinthians
CategoryPauline epistles
Christian Bible partNew Testament
Order in the Christian part8

2 Corinthians 3 is the third chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle and Timothy (2 Corinthians 1:1) in Macedonia in 55–56 AD/CE.[1] Baptist theologian John Gill writes that in this chapter, "the apostle clears himself from the charge of arrogance and self-commendation, and ascribes both the virtue and efficacy of his ministry, and his qualifications for it, to the Lord".[2] Paul uses several contrasting ideas "such as 'letter of law/Spirit', 'death/life', 'old covenant/new covenant'" to compare the old or Mosaic relationship between God and his chosen people with a new relationship central to his teaching, "established by God through Christ".[3]

Text

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The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 18 verses.

Textual witnesses

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Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

Verse 1

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Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?[5]

A charge had been apparently brought against Paul before that he had indulged in unseemly self-laudation. J J Lias notes that 1 Corinthians 2:16, 3:10, 4:11-14, 9:20-27 and 14:18 all contain statements reflecting Paul's belief in himself as a minister of Christ:[6] for example in 1 Corinthians 2:16 he asserts that "we (Paul and Sosthenes) have the mind of Christ".[7] Paul "does not hereby condemn letters of recommendation, which in proper cases may be very lawfully given, and a good use be made of them; only that he and other Gospel ministers were so well known, as to stand in no need of them".[2]

Verse 2

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You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;[8]

Paul (and Timothy) call the Corinthian church their "epistle" in a similar sense to Paul's earlier description of them as his "work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostleship", in 1 Corinthians 9:1–2.[2] Biblical commentator Heinrich Meyer emphasises that the use of the plural 'we' in this verse ("in our hearts") and in 2 Corinthians 3:6 ([we are] "ministers of the new covenant") includes Timothy in the writing of the letter.[9]

Verse 3

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New King James Version

Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.[10]

King James Version

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.[11]

Gill comments that the Corinthians were "manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by [Paul], so that the apostles and ministers of the word were only amanuenses, Christ was the author and dictator [of the message]".[2] This "manifest" visibility affirms the wording in the previous verse, assertng that "everyone can see that we have done a good work among you".[12] Gill further observes that the Corinthian believers have become the "living epistles of Christ", and in general the saints (believers) acquire a "living disposition of the soul in likeness to Him".[2]

On Mount Sinai, the primary (Mosaic) law was written on tablets of stone. They were made twice: the first by God Himself, the latter were hewn by Moses, at the command of God.[13] The former are said to be "miraculously made, and not by the means and artifice of men",[14] even that "they were made before the creation of the world",[15] which, the Jewish writers say, were made of sapphire,[16] but they were broken by Moses when he came down from the mountain. Both the former and the latter were of two stones of an equal size,[17] in the form of small tables, such as for children to learn to write,[18] each with the dimensions of six hands long, six hands broad and three hands thick,[19] weighing forty "seahs" (a miracle that Moses should be able to carry them).[20] On these stones were written the "Ten Commandments", that five were written on one table, and five on the other, as noted by Josephus,[21] Philo,[22] and the Talmudic writers,[23] and were written on both sides (Exodus 32:15).[2]

"Fleshly tables of the heart" alludes to Ezekiel 36:26, not "carnal hearts", but the ones "made soft and tender by the Spirit of God". The phrase "table of the heart" is found in the books of the Old Testament (Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 7:3; Jeremiah 17:1) and frequently in other Jewish writings.[2][24]

Verse 6

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Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.[25]
  • "Made us sufficient as ministers": This is an answer to the question in (2 Corinthians 2:16: who is sufficient for these things?) that 'our sufficiency' is of God, for he had enabled Paul and his co-workers to be "sufficient ministers", which is totally God's making.[2]

Verse 17

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Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.[26]

"Liberty" means freedom from the law (cf. Galatians 5:18) and the transformation of believers.[3]

In January of 2016, promoting his candidacy in the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Donald Trump gave a speech at Liberty University citing this verse. His reference to "2 Corinthians" as "two" rather than "second" caused some to doubt his Christian bona fides.[27] Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, had suggested this scriptural citation, in writing.[28]

Verse 18

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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 by the Spirit of the Lord.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ MacDonald 2007, p. 1134.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Gill, J., Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible on 2 Corinthians 3, accessed on 6 June 2025
  3. ^ a b c MacDonald 2007, p. 1138.
  4. ^ Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 107, 109. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
  5. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:1: English Standard Version
  6. ^ Lias, J. J. (1897), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on 2 Corinthians 3, accessed on 4 June 2025
  7. ^ 1 Corinthians 3:16: New International Version
  8. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:2: NKJV
  9. ^ Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer (1880), Commentary on the New Testament on 2 Corinthians 3, translated by Peter Christie from Meyer's sixth edition
  10. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:3: NKJV
  11. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:3: KJV
  12. ^ Taylor, K. N. (1971), 2 Corinthians 3:3: paraphrase in The Living Bible, accessed on 7 June 2025
  13. ^ Exodus 32:16; Exodus 34:1)
  14. ^ Rabbi Levi ben Gersom (1288-1344) on the Pentateuch, folio 113. 2, quoted by Gill
  15. ^ Zohar on Exodus, fol. 35. 1, quoted by Gill.
  16. ^ See Gill on 2 Corinthians 3:7
  17. ^ Jarchi. Perush in Exod. xxxi. 18.
  18. ^ Abarbinel, in Pentateuch, fol. 209. 2. & 211. 3.
  19. ^ T. Hieres Shekalim, fol. 49. 4. Shemot Rabba, c. 47. fol. 143. 2. Bartenora in Misn. Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 6.
  20. ^ Targum Jon. in Exod. xxxi. 18. & in Deut. xxxiv. 12.
  21. ^ Josephus. Antiquitates. l. 3. c. 5. sect. 8.
  22. ^ Philo. De Decalogo, p. 761, 768.
  23. ^ T. Hieros. Shekalim, fol. 49. 4. Shemot Rabba, sect. 47. fol. 143. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 35. 1.
  24. ^ See Targum Jon. in Dent. vi. 5, & in Cant. iv. 9. apud Gill, 2 Corinthians 3:3
  25. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:6: NKJV
  26. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:17: NKJV
  27. ^ Taylor, Jessica (January 18, 2016). "Citing 'Two Corinthians,' Trump Struggles To Make The Sale To Evangelicals". NPR.
  28. ^ Bradner, Eric (January 21, 2016). "Trump blames Tony Perkins for '2 Corinthians' | CNN Politics". CNN.
  29. ^ 2 Corinthians 3:18: NKJV
  30. ^ Note [a] on 2 Corinthians 3:18 in NKJV

Sources

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