Paul begins this chapter finishing up his previous discussion and again emphasizing his humble view on life and ministry. He recognizes that his competence is not from himself but his and our competence comes from God (v 5).
This leads him into a disucssion about a comparison between the old and new covenants. The old covenant he refers to as a "ministry that brought death" (v7), "ministry that condemns" (v9), and "was fading away" (v11). He speaks this way because the law brought through Moses was such that it pointed out sin.
He uses a great image of Moses from when he came down from the mountain and when he went into God's presence and afterwards his face was glowing (Ex 34:29-35). ... to be continued
I like how in verse 5 Paul expresses his reliance on God to administer the new covenant to the church: "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as from us, but our sufficiency is from God." I also want to rely on God the Father in my work, because he is the one who is sufficient to accomplish it. Also, please pray for me to grow in the fear of God, and learn to live a holy life, because I want to be used by God to fulfill his purpose for my life.
ReplyDeleteHow will verse 9 come to pass? "For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory." I know that the covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ is far better than the covenant in the law of Moses, but how is the glory of the ministry of righteousness to be seen? Is it that so many people of every tribe and nation on earth will confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?
Please pray for me to turn to Jesus Christ and lean not on my understanding, because I too, like the Israelites, have a veil of religious pride. Verse 16 says that "when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."