Ministration of death. That is, the Jewish religious system, which had become so perverted that it was lifeless and could not impart life to those who practiced it. In v. 9 Paul calls it “the ministration of condemnation.” Verses 7–18 are based on the experience of Moses recorded in Ex. 34:29–35. Paul here sets forth the superior glory of the ministration of the “spirit,” his purpose being to confute his opponents at Corinth, the Judaizers (see on 2 Cor. 11:22), whose ministry was of the “letter” and not of the “spirit.”
Written and engraven. Literally, “engraved in writing,” with emphasis on the idea that the writing was intended to remain and thus have permanent force. This is an obvious reference to the two tables of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written (Ex. 31:18). Compare the words of Christ in Matt. 4:4, 7, 10, “It is written,” meaning, “It stands written.” Paul here refers to the second inscription of the law on tables of stone (Ex. 34:1–7, 28–35).
Face of Moses. See on Ex. 34:29–35.
Glory. See on Rom. 3:23. In 2 Cor. 3:7–18 the glory that remains is contrasted with the glory that fades away, the more glorious with the less glorious, the new with the old. In both, the “glory” is the glory of the presence of Christ. In the new there is a full revelation of God’s glory in the actual person and presence of Christ, who came to this world to be seen of men (see on John 1:14), which glory abides forever (see Heb. 7). In the Mosaic ministration Christ was seen only in types provided for by the ceremonial law, but the glory was nevertheless the reflected glory of Christ. The Redeemer was hidden behind a veil of types, symbols, rites, and ceremonies, but this veil was done away at the coming of the great Antitype (see Heb. 10:19, 20).
Done away. Some superficial readers have concluded from this statement that the law of God “was to be done away.” The verse clearly states, however, that it was the passing “glory” reflected in the face of Moses that “was to be done away.” That “glory” faded in a few hours, or days, at most, but the law of God, “written and engraven in stones,” remained in effect. It was the ministry of Moses and the Jewish system that was to pass away, not the law of God (see on Matt. 5:17, 18). The glory was not upon the tables of stone, and did not fade from them.
The fleeting glory on the face of Moses was the result of his fellowship with God on Sinai. It testified to those who saw it that Moses had been in the divine presence, and bore silent witness to his commission as God’s representative, and the obligation of the people to abide by its precepts. That glory was given to attest the divine source and thus the binding force of the law.
As Moses’ face reflected the glory of God, so the ceremonial law and the services of the earthly sanctuary reflected the presence of Christ. God intended that men in OT times should apprehend and experience the saving presence of Christ in the reflected glory of the typical system. But with the coming of Christ men were privileged to behold the glory of the Antitype (see on John 1:14), and no longer needed the lesser, reflected glory that attended the type. In OT times sinners found salvation by faith in Christ, the One who was to come, as surely as they have in Christian times.
It is for this reason that Paul speaks of the administration of these rites and ceremonies as a “ministration of death.” Jews who failed to see Christ in the sacrificial system would die in their sins. In and of itself that system never saved anyone from reaping the wages of sin—death. And since most Jews of Paul’s time, including the Judaizers now troubling the church at Corinth, considered those sacrifices essential to salvation, Paul appropriately characterized the entire system as a “ministration of death.” It was lifeless. Jew and Gentile alike must find life in Christ, for in Him alone is there salvation (Acts 4:12). Christ was the Saviour of Israel throughout OT times as truly as He is our Saviour today.
The failure of the Jewish nation to see and believe in Christ as typified by the ceremonial system marks the entire course of Hebrew history, from Sinai to Christ. Thus, the expression “ministration of death” appropriately characterizes the whole period of the Jewish economy, though there were, of course, many notable exceptions. Israel’s blindness finally led them to reject Jesus as the Messiah and to crucify their Redeemer. Paul declares that with the coming of the greater glory revealed in Christ and the consequent fading of the reflected glory of the typical system, there can be no further excuse for remaining under such a system. The coming of Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit amply provided a ministration that could impart life.
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