Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

• 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone 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 freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

• 2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

2 Corinthians 2:12-14 ‘Repairing a Reputation’: ”Paul was facing a threat in his relationship with the Corinthians. Members of the congregation were listening to the apostle’s opponents, who stood to gain if his reputation took a hit. The believers were questioning Paul’s sincerity and implying that his ministry to them had been motivated by something other than God’s call. They were saying Paul was a hypocrite – one who holds others to a certain spiritual standard but ignores that standard himself.
“Paul understood that his reputation was at stake, so he offered a carefully reasoned defense of his actions. Of course, he had the advantage of knowing that he had been sincere in his dealings with them-that he was operating from a position of innocence. Sadly, this is a luxury not all believers enjoy. Maintaining sincere and God-honoring interactions with others is a constant challenge. Many times, we open ourselves to criticism and accusations of being insincere or hypocritical. As was the case with Paul, if those criticisms and accusations follow us around, they can damage our reputation and our Christian witness and ministry.
“There are three simple steps that we can take in our lives to protect or repair our reputation and maintain our spiritual sincerity. The first step is to pray. We commit our plans to God and ask Him to guard our hearts against insincerity. We ask Him to make us aware, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, of past interactions in which we were less than sincere. This gives us the opportunity to seek out people we may have offended and make amends.
“The second step is to examine ourselves. The roots of our insincerity could spring from a desire to be liked (saying things people want to hear) or a cavalier attitude toward making plans (agreeing to things without first checking schedules), or from a place of ignorance (being unaware of how others perceive us). Examining ourselves involves gathering input from others-people whose judgment we trust-so they can shine a light on areas in our lives that we cannot see. Of course, inviting scrutiny will require us to swallow our pride, and we will discover things about ourselves we do not like. But that information is necessary and valuable.
“The third step is to place a renewed emphasis on sincerity and integrity. We do this in both big and small ways. We look for opportunities to sacrifice our time and energy for others. We practice what we preach. We do not commit to certain plans until we are sure we can fulfill the commitment. To paraphrase Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:37, we let our yes be yes and our no be no. We commit to speaking the truth in love, even when the truth is hard for someone to hear. We build a reputation as someone whose walk with Christ is genuine and sincere.”

• David Jeremiah, 2 Corinthians (Jeremiah Bible Study Series)

2 Corinthians 2:12-13 ‘no rest until resolution’: “Paul had been so anxious about this problem in the church that it had become a distraction to his ministry. When he reached Troas, a city on the Aegean Sea in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), he had an open door to preach the gospel (2:12). However, since he had not yet linked up with Titus-who had visited the Corinthians and would be bringing news from them-Paul had no rest in his spirit. So he departed for Macedonia (2:13). Thus, the problems in the Corinthian church had unnecessarily prevented his ministry from moving forward.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 2:13 ‘I had not rest in my spirit’: ”Paul’s concern for the problems in the Corinthian church and how its members were responding to both those problems and his instructions caused Paul debilitating restlessness and anxiety (cf. 7:5, 6). These concerns became so heavy and distracting that he was unable to give full attention to his ministry. Titus. One of Paul’s most important Gentile converts and closest associates in ministry (see notes on v. 12; Gal. 2:1…). taking my leave of them. Because of his troubled heart and mind and his anxiety to see Titus, Paul turned his back on the open door in Troas. Macedonia. A province that bordered the NW shore of the Aegean Sea, N of Achaia (see … 1 Thessalonians … ; … Acts 16:9). Paul headed there in hopes of intersecting with Titus, whom he knew would have to pass through there on his journey back from Corinth.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 ‘an aroma of life’: “Although the gospel is a sweet aroma in every place, it produces different effects in different persons -‘to some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life.’ Even as the brilliant sunshine will moisten the wax but harden the clay, so itis with the gospel. But we are not to blame the gospel for this. It is not the fault of God’s truth. It is the fault of those who do not receive it. A second observation is that believers who witness to the gospel are not responsible for their success. Paul wrote, ‘For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.’ We are responsible for what we proclaim. We are accountable for our life and actions. But we are not responsible for other people and their decisions. As long as we do what we are supposed to do, we are a precious fragrance of Christ no matter how people respond to our message. And, third, such a task is by no means a light one-our duty is weighty. This is why the apostle exclaimed, ‘Who is adequate for these things?’ It is difficult for most believers to share the gospel because they know that in announcing a stern message against sin they condemn themselves. Some also are afraid of offending people with their message. Perhaps they are afraid of criticism. But if the gospel is ‘an aroma of life leading to life,’ then we need to proclaim it, and we need to pray for those who do.“

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 ‘distinctive fragrance’: “God intended for believers to be people with a distinctive fragrance that can be identified. This fragrance should be recognized everywhere, including jobs, homes, communities and social engagements.
“Scripture teaches that the aroma of Jesus Christ has different effects on different people (2Co 2:14–16). To those who know Christ or are searching to know the truth, it is the aroma of life. But to those who are perishing and who have no desire to live any other way, it is the aroma of death. The fragrance of Jesus Christ will attract some people, and it will repel others. God has purposely placed you with this distinctive fragrance among different kinds of people.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 2:14 ‘parading the aroma of God’s knowledge’: “The cross of Christ gave us victory by addressing every infraction of God’s law that Satan can use to accuse and defeat us. After a victorious battle, a Roman general would engage in a parade that included those whom he had conquered. In addition, incense was burned along the parade route, providing a sweet aroma of victory. Here Paul compares Jesus Christ to a conquering general who leads the apostle and other believers in triumphal procession and in spreading the aroma of the knowledge of Christ everywhere they go. The imagery also reminds us of Old Testament sacrifices that offered pleasing aromas to God (see, e.g., Lev 1:13). Believers are to live in a manner that pleases God so that our lives are ‘a sacrificial and fragrant offering to’ him (Eph 5:2).”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 2:14 ‘going through trials’: “Some of you are going through trials right now that have dropped you on your knees. At the same time those trials are pulling you closer to the Lord than you’ve ever been in your life. That ought to bring rejoicing. You’ll be more closely linked to Him. Some of the mysterious themes threaded through His Word will become clearer because you have been leveled by some unexpected affliction or enduring persecution or facing misunderstanding.”

• Charles R. Swindoll, Bedside Blessing

2 Corinthians 2:14 ‘triumphal parade’: “Paul’s image of a triumphal parade was based on the Roman victory procession in which enemy prisoners were forced to march to reward a conquering general. God, through Christ, has vanquished his enemies (Ro 5:10; Col 2:15). Paul, who had formerly been an enemy of God, was now taken captive by Christ and led in triumph. In the Roman parade, incense was burned. Paul compared this aroma to the knowledge of Christ, diffused like a fragrance through those whom Christ had captured.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 ‘Responding to the stirrings of the heart’: “Warrick Dunn’s mother, a Baton Rouge police officer and single mom, was shot and killed when he was eighteen, so Warrick took it upon himself to raise his siblings. All of them were younger; the last left the house years later, when Warrick was playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Because of his experience, Warrick had a passion to ease the burden of single mothers. He came to Tampa Bay as one of our first-round draft picks in 1997, and since then he has helped single mothers purchase homes by providing the down payments for scores of houses in four cities. He has mobilized companies and other organizations to help furnish those homes. Using the gifts God has given him, he has helped many people who were struggling to get by, giving them a hand and providing opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise had. He has looked beyond himself to make a huge difference.
“You probably have a passion for certain people in need too. Maybe you are sensitive to some needs more than others, but if you are like most people, your experiences have helped you notice the struggles other people face. Learn to see those passions or that awareness as God’s prompting to help you look beyond yourself. You may not have the resources Warrick has, but you can certainly have the heart he has. And that is enough of a reason to act.
“When you see a need that stirs your heart, act on it. It doesn’t have to be a momentous action; it can be a small gesture that helps someone out. God has wired you to serve this way. Any step you take to meet someone’s need is a step in the right direction.”

• Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker, Uncommon Life – Daily Challenge (excerpt from devotion for 28 February)

2 Corinthians 2:15 ‘to God the fragrance of Christ’: “Paul was further thankful for the privilege of pleasing God. Continuing his analogy, Paul pictured God as the emperor at the end of the Triumph who also smells the pervasive fragrance and is pleased with the victorious efforts it represents. Wherever God’s servant is faithful and is an influence for the gospel, God is pleased (cf. 5:9; Matt. 25:21).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 2:16 ‘no longer necessary’: “OT animal sacrifices were a sweet aroma to God (Ge 8:21; Ex 29:18). However, after Christ offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:12), animal sacrifices became unnecessary. God now desires that an aroma be offered up to him through the holy lives of Christians (Ro 12:1).  To God, this aroma is sweet; and to those who are being saved, it is the aroma of life. But to those who reject God, the aroma of Christ is a repugnant death stench.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 ‘Letters of Commendation’: “Western culture has a long history of personal references. Without phones or faxes, the typical recommendations in the Greco-Roman world took the form of letters. The writer of the letter often requested, on the basis of his or her previous relationship with the recipient, that the recipient welcome, provide hospitality for, and cooperate with the person being commended.
“Usually the commended person also delivered the letter. The writer, who was well known to and respected by the letter’s recipient, would thus presuppose a face-to-face encounter between the one he was commending and the recipient. Someone who lacked a letter of commendation could appear to be a vagrant out to take advantage of the hospitality of others.
“The letters could be quite short. After an initial greeting, the sender would identify the commended person, providing a brief background introduction. A specific request and the purpose of the recommendation was followed by a statement of appreciation. In closing, the sender would often provide a ‘blessing,’ a wish for the well-being of the recipient.
“Early Christians wrote these letters to form a support network among the widely dispersed churches. One group of ‘brethren’ wrote a letter of commendation for the Alexandrian Jewish Christian named Apollos, ‘exhorting the disciples to receive him’ (Acts 18:27). The apostle Paul recommended Epaphroditus to the Philippian church, including a commendation within his broader letter (Phil. 2:25–30).
“Paul saw no need to provide ‘letters of commendation’ on his behalf to the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 3:1). Recommendations served to introduce strangers who lacked credibility. Paul, on the other hand, had started the Corinthian church—he was, in a sense, their Christian father (see 1 Cor. 4:15).
“Nor did Paul need commendation from the Corinthian believers themselves. Their own lives authenticated his mission, proving his apostolic authority better than any letter could. They were a commendation ‘written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God’ (2 Cor. 3:3). What better commendation could one get!”

• Timothy B. Cargal, et al., The Chronological Study Bible

2 Corinthians 3:3 ‘Corinth church created by spiritual means’: “Emissaries to NT churches often bore letters of recommendation, establishing the bearer’s identity and credentials. The Corinthians themselves were the letter establishing Paul’s credibility. The conversion of the Corinthians was a supernatural work, confirming that Paul, whom God used for the work, was a minister of Christ. The old covenant was inscribed on stone tablets (Ex 24:12), but the new covenant was written on human hearts (Eze 11:19).”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 3:4 ‘such trust’: “The Gr. word for ‘trust’ can mean ‘to win.’ Paul was confident in his ministry, and that confidence resulted in his ability to stay the course and continue moving toward the goal (cf. Acts 4:13, 29).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 ‘God equips us’: “Who was competent for the overwhelming responsibility of being the aroma of Christ in the world (2Co 2:16)? No one could possibly be adequate for such a task. Human resources are pitifully insufficient. However, Paul argued that Christ equips believers with divine resources and thus makes them competent as ministers of the new covenant. Therefore, reliance on human rather than divine authority with regard to letters of commendation was short-sighted (2Co 3:1–3).”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 3:6 ‘The Letter Kills, But the Spirit Gives Life’: ”It is the greatest misunderstanding of the commandments of the Sermon on the Mount when one takes them and turns them again into the law, by relating them literally to the present. That is not only a senseless task- because one cannot carry it out – but it is also against the spirit of Christ, who brought freedom from the law. In the New Testament there is no ethical prescript that we literally have to adopt or even could adopt. As Paul famously said (2 Cor. 3:6), ‘the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life,’ which means that there is Spirit only in the completion of an action, in the present. The fixed Spirit is no longer the Spirit. So also, there is ethics only in the performance of the deed, not in letters, that is, in the law. But the Spirit that is at work in our ethical action is supposed to be the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit exists only in the present, in the ethical decision, not in the fixed moral prescript or in the ethical principle. Therefore, the new commandments of Jesus can never be comprehended as new ethical principles; in their spirit they are not to be understood literally. And that is not an excuse, because things would otherwise be too uncomfortable. Rather, it is required by the idea of freedom and Jesus’ idea of God.”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You, devotional compiled from several of his writings

2 Corinthians 3:7-9 ‘the new covenant’: ”Paul traces the history of the new covenant-the new arrangement for living. The old covenant was given to Israel in words engraved in tablets of stone on Mount Sinai. The new covenant in the New Testament is engraved on human hearts by the Spirit of God. The old covenant came with glory ‘so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was’ (see 3:7-8). But, Paul asks, if ‘the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!’ (see 3:9).
“The old covenant involved a grim determination to set your teeth and try to do what God demanded. But the new covenant relationship is the realization that God has provided the Holy Spirit to minister the life of a risen Lord in your life. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us as strength and grace to do all that life demands of us. Paul goes on to describe the exciting resources that are ours in the Christian life. “

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

2 Corinthians 3:7 ‘the ministry of death’: “The law is a killer (v. 6) in the sense that it brings knowledge of sin. It acts as a ministry of death because no one can satisfy the demands of the law on his own and is therefore condemned (cf. Gal. 3:22; … on Rom. 7:1–13; 8:4; Gal. 3:10–13; 3:19–4:5). was glorious. When God gave Moses the law, His glory appeared on the mountain (Ex. 19:10–25; 20:18–26). Paul was not depreciating the law; he was acknowledging that it was glorious because it reflected God’s nature, will, and character (see … Ex. 33:18–34:7). could not look steadily at the face of Moses. The Israelites could not look intently or stare at Moses’ face for too long because the reflective glory of God was too bright for them. It was similar to staring into the sun (see … Ex. 34:29–35). the glory of his countenance. When God manifested Himself, He did so by reducing His attributes to visible light. That’s how God manifested Himself to Moses (Ex. 34:29), whose face in turn reflected the glory of God to the people (cf. the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matt. 17:1–8; 2 Pet. 1:16–18; and His second coming in Matt. 24:29, 30; 25:31).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 3:8-9 ‘one on one’: “When I read God’s Word, I don’t find that many stories about great crusades and city-wide revivals and mass meetings where God’s attention rested on an entire country or a whole community. More often, l find individual men and women who made a difference, who set the pace or cut a wide swath or stood in the gap and changed their times. From Genesis to Revelation, we see God’s hand on the lives of individuals who thought and said and did what was right-regardless-and as a result, history was made.”

• Charles R. Swindoll, Bedside Blessing

2 Corinthians 3:12 ‘such hope’: “The belief that all the promises of the New Covenant will occur. It is hope in total and complete forgiveness of sins for those who believe the gospel (cf. Rom. 8:24, 25; Gal. 5:5; Eph. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:3, 13, 21). boldness of speech. The Gr. word for ‘boldness’ means ‘courageously.’ Because of his confidence, Paul preached the New Covenant fearlessly, without any hesitation or timidity.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 3:13 ‘Moses, who put a veil over his face’: “This physical action pictured the fact that Moses did not have the confidence or boldness of Paul because the Old Covenant was veiled. It was shadowy. It was made up of types, pictures, symbols, and mystery. Moses communicated the glory of the Old Covenant with a certain obscurity (cf. 1 Pet. 1:10, 11).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 3:14 ‘the same veil remains … a veil lies on their heart’: “The ‘veil’ here represents unbelief. Those Israelites did not grasp the glory of the Old Covenant because of their unbelief. As a result, the meaning of the Old Covenant was obscure to them (cf. Heb. 3:8, 15; 4:7). Paul’s point was that just as the Old Covenant was obscure to the people of Moses’ day, it was still obscure to those who trusted in it as a means of salvation in Paul’s day. The veil of ignorance obscures the meaning of the Old Covenant to the hardened heart (cf. John 5:38).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ‘Reflecting His Image’: “There’s a song by Phillips, Craig & Dean called ‘I Want to Be like You’ about a father expressing his desire to be who he knew he should be, not only for his Lord but also for his children. You probably remember it because you found yourself singing along the way I did: ‘Lord, I want to be just like you, because he wants to be just like me.’
“While we are striving to be good role models for our children and for the others around us who need good examples, we should always look to our heavenly Father, the best role model we could have. fu the apostle Paul says, the result of our desire to be more like our heavenly Father is that He will make us more like Him.”

• Tony Dungy, Uncommon Life – Daily Challenge (excerpt from devotion for 2 October)

2 Corinthians 3:17 ‘Acting out of Freedom’: ”Christian ethical action is acting out of freedom, out of the freedom of human beings who have nothing in themselves and everything in their God, who ever anew confirms and strengthens his action through eternity. In great words the New Testament speaks of this freedom: ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom’ (2 Cor. 3:17). In the Gospel of John we read: ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free…. Soif the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed’ (John 8:31-32, 36). Christ is the bringer of the freedom to become free from the world and free for eternity. For Christians there is no longer any law but the law of liberty, as it is paradoxically called in the New Testament (Jas. 2:12). There is no generally valid law that can be laid on them by others or that they can lay on themselves. Those who give up freedom, give up their Christianity. Christians stand free before God and before the world without any backing. On Christians alone rests the entire responsibility for how they deal with the gift of freedom. But through this freedom Christians become creative in ethical action.”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You, devotional compiled from several of his writings

2 Corinthians 3:17 ‘freedom’: “Civil and political freedoms are great and precious freedoms. But the freedom of which this text speaks is an infinitely greater and better one. There is a freedom Christians alone enjoy-spiritual freedom-‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is.’ What does this imply? First, it implies there was a time when we did not have this spiritual freedom-when we were slaves. All of us who now are free in Christ Jesus were slaves of the dev-il-we were held captive to his will. We boasted that we could do what we pleased, but it was only a fancied freedom. Our freedom is thus a freedom from the bondage of sin. Of all bondage and slavery in this world, none is more horrible than the bondage to sin. Second, our freedom is also from the penalty of sin. Eternal death-torment forever-is the sad penalty of sin. Not only are we forgiven, but we never can be punished on account of our sins, however great and enormous they may have been. There also is freedom from the guilt of sin. This is the wonder of wonders. The Christian is positively not guilty any longer the moment he or she believes. If a murderer is given a pardon, that person cannot be punished, but he will still be guilty. But the Christian is not only delivered from bondage and from punishment; he is positively absolved from guilt. Furthermore, the Christian is likewise freed from the dominion of sin. The Christian does not sin because he is born of God (1Jn 3:9). He does not live in uncleanness because he is an heir of immortality. He is free from the power of sin. We also are freed from a fear of the law. And, finally, we are freed from the fear of death and hell.
“Such things we are freed from. But there are two sides to such questions as this. There are some glorious things that we are freed to. First, we are freed to all that is in the Bible. Here is a never-failing treasure filled with boundless stores of divine grace. It is the bank of heaven-we may draw from it as much as we please without hindrance. There is not a promise-not a word in the Bible-that is not ours. In the depths of tribulation, it will comfort. In the midst of waves of distress, it will cheer. When sorrows surround, it will be our helper. Next, we are freed to the throne of grace. We have a right to go to God’s throne at all times. We have a right to enter into the heavenly city. Further, we are freed to the Lord’s table. Finally, we have the freedom to heaven. “

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon illustrations

2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘transforming power’: “The gospel not only furnishes transforming power to remold the human heart; it provides also a model after which the new life 1s to be fashioned, and that model is Christ Himself. Christ is God acting like God in the lowly raiments of human flesh. Yet He is also man; so He becomes the perfect model after which redeemed human nature is to be fashioned.
“The beginnings of that transformation, which is to change the believing man’s nature from the image of sin to the image of God are found in conversion when the man is made a partaker of the divine nature. By regeneration and sanctification, by faith and prayer, by suffering and discipline, by the Word and the Spirit, the work goes on till the dream of God has been realized in the Christian heart. Everything that God does in His ransomed children has as its long-range purpose the final restoration of the divine image in human nature. Everything looks forward to the consummation.
“In the meantime the Christian himself can work along with God in bringing about the great change. Paul tells us· how: ‘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.’ ”

• A. W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteous

2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘purpose of worship’: “The purpose of worship is to change the face of the worshiper. That is exactly what happened to Christ on the mountain. Jesus’ appearance was changed: ‘His face became bright like the sun’ (Matthew 17:2).
“The connection between the face and worship is more than coincidental. Our face is the most public part of our bodies, covered less than any other area. It is also the most recognizable part of our bodies. We don’t fill a school annual with photos of people’s feet but rather with photos of faces. God desires to take our faces, this exposed and memorable part of our bodies, and use them to reflect his goodness.”

• Max Lucado, Just Like Jesus

2 Corinthians 3:18 ‘the glory of the Gospel’: “When Moses came down from Sinai with the tablets of the law, his face physically reflected the fact that he had been speaking directly to God (Ex 34:33–35). Paul maintained that as glorious as Moses’ face was, it was a fading, temporal glory. It is outshone by the glory of the gospel, which, through the Spirit, transforms believers into the image of God from glory to ever increasing glory. The new covenant is superior to the old covenant, for the Spirit removes the veil that obscures one’s view of God. With unveiled faces, believers behold God’s glory and are being transformed into his image.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

2 Corinthians 3 ‘Reflections’: “For those creatures who are morally similar to God, with some likeness to God, heaven is their place because their nature belongs there. Reconciliation to God is secured by three divine acts: atonement, justification, and regeneration.
“Atonement, of course, is the objective work of Christ. It is what He did on the cross before any of us now living were living. It is something He did alone in the dark. It is objective; that is, it’s outside of us. It did not take place inside of anybody. It took place objectively, externally. The spear went into His side alone and He suffered. The nails were in His hands and feet. That’s atonement.
“It could have been done without affecting anybody; it was done, and still there are millions who have died unaffected by it. But there is the beauty of it, that this act which He did in the darkness there makes justification possible.
“Justification is the second act which God does to reconcile men to Himself. Justification is that which declares the sinner righteous, and that also is external to us-that is, it doesn’t reach us. Justified persons may be no better off for their justification if that’s all that happened to them, because justification is a legal thing. They may stand before a court and be declared innocent of a crime, but_ it doesn’t change them. They weigh exactly the same they did as before, and they have the same relationships. They are in every way the same people they were before, except that they are judicially freed, declared not guilty before the law.
lt could have a subjective effect if they found it out and rejoiced, but the work is not done in them. The work-is done in the minds of the jurors and before the law.  It is a judicial thing. So justification is the-second act that God performs to get us reconciled with Him.
The third act is regeneration. Regeneration, of course, takes place at the same time justification takes place. I said that when God justifies a person, that person could be justified and not be-any better off. That is technically possible but not actually so, because when God justifies a person He also regenerates the person. Nobody was ever justified and not regenerated. You can think of them separately, though actually you cannot separate them.”

• A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of Man

My Thoughts

Paul was troubled in his heart over what was going on in Corinth.  He had the opportunity to preach in Troas, but he went to Macedonia instead, to find Titus.  When something troubles our heart, it can be a burden that must be resolved before we can be of better service in our work for God’s kingdom.

And Paul likens that service as to an aroma.  For those who are saved or searching for God, the aroma is a pleasing one, but it is the stench of death to those who turn away.  I have prayed about this many times.  Because we explain the gospel to some people who reject what we say, they are further from the kingdom than before.  For they have heard the truth and rejected it.

Paul ends chapter 2 by speaking of not being someone who is paid to spread the gospel.  I have tried to keep this blogsite free of advertisements.  And while I could ask for donations, I have postponed anything like that.  I do not wish to have a barrier between anyone and the words that I write.  I suppose I would be a total failure as a pastor in a church.

Paul then moves to a letter of recommendation.  From the scholarly quotes above, it was a tradition in those days to have a letter of recommendation.  Paul says that the Corinthians, just in being Christians are the only letter of recommendation he needs.  He needs no letter from them, nor does he present such a letter to them.  This act of salvation is a spiritual act, a process that God does within the person.  Paul does not wish to take the credit for something that is God’s work.  God’s work should speak for itself.  The competence of Paul and his companions is from the Lord.  If the individual was moved to accept Jesus into his heart, the speaker should be humbled to be a vessel for the Lord.  No letter of recommendation is needed.  No acknowledgement should be made other than God’s work was done.

Paul then talks of the glory of God that shown upon the face of Moses.  This glowing of Moses’ face was temporary.  The Holy Spirit within a believer is permanent.

We have freedom, but what glory do we shine for others to see?  We should shine God’s light.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6 Ministers of the New Covenant 1. How can you spread the aroma of Christ in the environment of your home? Your work place? What effects could that scent have on others?
“2. If you were the only ‘Bible’ someone else had to read, how much of the gospel would they grasp?
2 Corinthians 3:7-3:18 The Glory of the New Covenant 1. Who or what helped to remove the cobwebs which once veiled your ‘dull mind’?
“2. What changes have you noticed since you ‘turned to the Lord’?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

Second Corinthians 2:12-3:18 has two sets of questions as noted above.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.