2 Corinthians 3 7

2 Corinthians 3:7 kjv

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:

2 Corinthians 3:7 nkjv

But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,

2 Corinthians 3:7 niv

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,

2 Corinthians 3:7 esv

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,

2 Corinthians 3:7 nlt

The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away.

2 Corinthians 3 verses

2 Corinthians 3 7 Meaning

The Apostle Paul describes the Old Covenant, represented by the Ten Commandments written on stone, as the "ministry of death." This refers to its function in revealing sin and pronouncing condemnation, leading to spiritual death for those who attempt to attain righteousness by observing it. Despite this role, even this temporary ministry came with immense glory, so profound that the Israelites could not look directly at Moses' face, which shone with the reflected glory of God after his encounter on Mount Sinai. Paul highlights that this very glory was inherently transient, "being brought to an end" or fading away, setting up a sharp contrast with the enduring and even greater glory of the New Covenant.

2 Corinthians 3 7 Context

Chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians is a pivotal section where Paul defends his apostolic ministry and contrasts the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. He begins by asserting that the Corinthian believers themselves are "a letter from Christ," demonstrating the effectiveness of his ministry. The core of his argument revolves around comparing the ministry of the Law (Old Covenant) and the ministry of the Spirit (New Covenant). Verse 7 introduces the "ministry of death" directly referring to the Mosaic Law given on Mount Sinai. Historically, the Law was central to Israelite identity and worship, marking God's special covenant with them. Paul, having a Jewish background, would have understood and respected the Law's divine origin but also grasped its limitations, especially after Christ's coming. The mention of Moses' glorious face harks back to Exodus 34, a familiar and revered narrative among Jews, used by Paul to acknowledge the initial divine majesty of the Law while simultaneously arguing for its transient nature. Paul is addressing potential criticism from those who might still elevate the Mosaic Law above the new reality found in Christ and the Spirit, thereby subtly making a polemic against legalistic views that failed to recognize the surpassing glory of the New Covenant.

2 Corinthians 3 7 Word analysis

• But if: Introduces a concessive clause, acknowledging a valid point about the Old Covenant's glory before presenting a superior reality.
• the ministry: (Greek: διακονία, diakonia) – Signifies a service or ministration, not necessarily denoting a system but an act of administration. It refers to the mode of God's interaction with humanity under the Old Covenant.
• of death: (Greek: τοῦ θανάτου, tou thanatou) – This phrase identifies the outcome or effect of this ministry. While the Law itself is good (Rom 7:12), it became a ministry of death because it condemned sinners without providing the means to be righteous, ultimately revealing sin's deadly consequences. It brought death to those who failed to keep it perfectly.
• carved in letters: (Greek: ἐν γράμμασιν ἐντετυπωμένη, en grammasin entetypomenē) – Refers specifically to the Ten Commandments written in physical letters. Grammasin ("letters") implies the written code, the literal text of the Law, contrasting with the Spirit's inner inscription (2 Cor 3:3).
• on stone: (Greek: ἐν λίθοις, en lithois) – Directly refers to the tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed (Exod 24:12; 31:18). This imagery highlights the permanence and rigidity of the external law but also its external nature, as opposed to a law written on hearts.
• came with such glory: (Greek: ἐγενήθη ἐν δόξῃ τοιαύτῃ, egenēthē en doxē toiautē) – Acknowledges the awe-inspiring divine manifestation accompanying the giving of the Law. Doxa (glory) signifies visible majesty, radiance, and the manifest presence of God. It's an undeniable biblical truth that the Law's inauguration was magnificent.
• that the Israelites: Specifies the observers, the people of the Old Covenant.
• could not gaze at: Indicates the intensity of the glory, making it unapproachable and overwhelming to human eyes, signaling a barrier between God's manifest glory and humanity.
• Moses' face: The human intermediary of the Old Covenant, whose face reflected God's glory after being in His presence on Mount Sinai (Exod 34:29-35).
• because of its glory: Emphasizes the doxa again as the cause of their inability to gaze. This glory, though reflected through a human, was so profound it separated.
• which was being brought to an end: (Greek: τὴν καταργουμένην, tēn katargoumenēn, a present participle passive, referring to the glory) – This is a crucial phrase. Katargeō means to make ineffective, nullify, abolish, render inoperative, or to fade away. Here, it denotes the transient and temporary nature of that particular glory and, by extension, the covenant it represented. It wasn't abolished per se but was superseded, completed, and fulfilled by the New Covenant.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "the ministry of death": This powerful phrase identifies the effect of the Old Covenant for humanity fallen in sin. The Law, though holy and good, without the indwelling Spirit, condemns because it demands perfect obedience which sinful humanity cannot deliver, thus leading to judgment and spiritual death. It sets up the antithesis to the "ministry of the Spirit" and "ministry of righteousness."
• "carved in letters on stone": This specific descriptor removes any ambiguity; Paul is unequivocally speaking about the Mosaic Law, particularly the Ten Commandments. The "letters" suggest the external, legalistic application, while "stone" implies its unyielding and external nature, standing in contrast to the internal, heart-based inscription of the New Covenant (2 Cor 3:3; Jer 31:33).
• "came with such glory... which was being brought to an end": This pairing encapsulates Paul's argument. He doesn't deny the glory of the Old Covenant's inauguration (the "conceding" part). However, he immediately qualifies it by stating its temporary nature. The doxa of the old covenant, as reflected in Moses, was always destined to fade, indicating the preparatory and transient character of the covenant itself, serving its purpose until Christ brought the superior and permanent reality. The glory was actively "being made inoperative" or "fading."

2 Corinthians 3 7 Bonus section

The concept of katargeō (translated as "brought to an end," "fade away," "nullified") in this context does not mean the Law became inherently evil or entirely abolished in a moral sense. The Law as God's righteous standard remains good and true (Rom 7:12). What is "brought to an end" is its ministry as the primary means for humanity to attain righteousness and approach God. The old covenant administration with its external regulations and temporary glory was superseded and fulfilled by Christ (Matt 5:17). The "fading glory" signifies the temporary preparatory function of the Law to lead to Christ (Gal 3:24), at which point its active role as the defining covenant became inoperative in terms of justification. The moral principles embedded in the Law are re-expressed and internalized under the New Covenant through the Spirit, shifting from external commandments to an inner law written on the heart (Jer 31:33).

2 Corinthians 3 7 Commentary

2 Corinthians 3:7 serves as a foundational verse in Paul's robust defense of the New Covenant's superiority over the Old. By calling the Mosaic Law a "ministry of death," Paul is not demeaning the Law's divine origin or its holiness. Rather, he exposes its inherent function without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Law meticulously defines sin (Rom 7:7), outlines humanity's failure, and therefore pronounces a just condemnation, resulting in spiritual death for those attempting to attain righteousness through its performance (Gal 3:10). This contrasts sharply with the "ministry of the Spirit" which gives life (2 Cor 3:6).

Yet, even this ministry of condemnation possessed significant divine glory. Paul alludes to Exodus 34 where Moses' face shone so brightly after communing with God that the Israelites couldn't gaze upon it. This historical fact established the Law's divine authority and majesty. However, Paul shrewdly points out a crucial detail: this glory was "being brought to an end" (Greek: katargoumenēn). This term signifies its temporary nature – it was fading, becoming obsolete, and being superseded. It was never intended to be God's final and complete work. This prepares the ground for Paul's central argument in the subsequent verses: if a temporary and condemning ministry came with such glory, how much more glorious and permanent is the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness found in Christ (2 Cor 3:8-11). The New Covenant provides not merely an external code but an internal transformation by the Spirit, leading to life and an abiding glory that surpasses the temporary radiance of the Old.