II Corinthians 3:1-6: "Being a Letter of Christ"
Paul continues to defend himself in the midst of the spurious claims of the false brethren. He begins this section by asking a rhetorical question, "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again?" If you were to look over the body of work written by Paul in the new testament you would get a clear picture of a humble man who always gives credit to God for everything. Paul, better than anyone, understood he was handpicked by God, and all blessings he received were undeserved. That being said, there are various times in letters where Paul must describe his motives and defend himself as an apostle, so that his authority would be respected. It is during these times that the false brethren would come and point at Paul to say, "see, he is commending himself". It is to this that Paul simply says in the form of a rhetorical question that he is in no way commending himself. He asks another rhetorical question to further his point, "Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?" Paul did this as a way to undermine and expose the false pretense of the false apostles who were attacking Paul. MacArthur explains, "In their attempt to discredit Paul, the false teachers claimed that he lacked the proper official letters of commendation. Such letters were commonly used in the ancient world to introduce people to those who did not know them (cf. Neh. 2:7; Acts 9:2; 18:27; 22:5; Rom. 16:1, I Cor. 16:3). When the false apostles arrived in Corinth, they likely produced deceptive letters of commendation, possibly purporting to have come from the Jerusalem church (cf. Acts 15:24). They used those letters to help them gain acceptance by the Corinthians". These same men would also come to seek them from the Corinthians and then move onto their next victims. Paul understood the wickedness and pridefulness that drove this and wanted to help the Corinthians understand this.
As Paul does so often he brings it back to the gospel and its transforming power. He does not rely on externals (ie letters of commendations) he gives his proof in hearts transformed by Christ. Paul writes, "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men". Here Paul explains that the Corinthians transformed heart in response to Paul's gospel message was his letter of commendation. Their lives proved that Paul's ministry was sincere and approved by God. Not only was this a testimony to Paul to see the fruits of his labor, but it should have been a testimony to the Corinthians, as they would be persuaded to see the motive of Paul's heart being genuine and true. Their lives were the letter of commendation that were seen by all men. Paul continues, "being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts". Paul again is coming down to the Corinthians level to say, "Do you really need some letter written with ink to prove that you are a true apostle? If that's the proof you crave for someone to be legitimate, let me take you a step further and show you a transformed life, a true living heart being transformed". Paul preached the true gospel message and the lives that were truly transformed were a letter of Christ's powerful work in their lives. Paul wanted to show he had a true genuine care for their souls, while the false apostles came in to get what they wanted, spread lies, and then leave. MacArthur writes, "Unlike the false apostles letters, Paul's was written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. Human words written in ink are silent; they just sit fading on a page. Anyone can write a dead letter with ink, but only Christ, through the supernatural power of the Spirit of the living God, can write a living letter". MacArthur also explains, "Paul notes that his letter of commendation was not written on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. With this statement the apostle directly confronted the false apostles, who preached a false gospel that mixed Christianity with circumcision, old covenant ceremony, and legalism. The tablets of stone were those on which God supernaturally inscribed the Ten Commandments (Ex. 31:18; 32:15-16). But the miracle of Sinai cannot match the miracle of salvation. At Corinth, God had written not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts". Paul truly desired his readers to see the genuine nature of his ministry compared to the false brethren. And he used his very own readers' lives to prove it.
There is no doubt that Paul was a very confident person, however, in ministry Paul always explained why he was able to be confident: because he knew that the power to transform lives was not with him but in Christ. Paul continues to defend his ministry, "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God". This statement can be looked at two ways. For Paul, he could be confident in his ministry in front of God because he boldly proclaimed Christ. He knew that the power of Christ was his ministry, and Christ had the power to truly change lives. This can also be looked at from the perspective of the readers. They could come before God with confidence because of what Christ had done for them. With Christ as their advocate, they can now with confidence boldly approach the throne of God.
As Paul always does after speaking of his confidence he brings it back to humility to show that, yes he is confident, but it does not come from within his own self. "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate". In his own strength Paul recognized he would utterly fail. Apart from the power of God, Paul's ministry was utterly useless. In fact, Paul recognized and admitted that he had nothing to add, nothing came from himself, it was all an outflow of God. MacArthur writes, "Apart from God's power and wisdom, Paul was not adequate to rightly assess or judge his ministry. Nor did he concoct his own plans but instead followed God's leading (cf. Acts 16:6-10). He did not trust in anything coming from himself; on his own he was useless and powerless". Here we can see Paul's confidence and humility on display at the same time. A perfect mix of what is needed to be an effective minister.
Lastly, Paul explains his message to them. He wants his readers to understand the difference in his message with the message of the false brethren. He explains that in God's power he was made adequate "as [a] servant of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life". This section shows us what Paul was trying to combat. Its seems likely that the false brethren that came in to attack Paul's ministry were Judaizers that wanted to negate the gospel of grace by instilling the old law/works based salvation. With the death of Christ, it was made clear to the New Testament believers this was a new covenant. What was once a mystery was now made evident in Christ. However, many of the Jews were unable to see that Christ was preached to them all along. They neglected to recognize Christ as the Messiah spoken of all throughout scripture. Instead they had settled into a works based righteousness from the law. They were relying on the letter (or adhering to the written law) as their way of salvation, rather than on the Spirit coming in to change a heart who trusts in Jesus Christ. Following a religious system based on the letter, or the law, MacArthur writes, "kills in two ways. First it kills through the living death of grief, frustration, unfulfillment, guilt, and shame that results from people's inability to keep the Law. Paul wrote, 'I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me' (Rom. 7:9-11). Second, the letter kills through eternal death (damnation in hell), the penalty for not keeping it". As we can see throughout Paul is trying to help the Corinthians fully grab hold of the gospel he has unwaveringly preached numerous times to them. He wants them to see God using the power of his gospel to change lives. He wants them to understand the truth of Christ and not to be persuaded by those who would come in to tell them they can only be saved through circumcision, birthright, and following the law.
As Paul does so often he brings it back to the gospel and its transforming power. He does not rely on externals (ie letters of commendations) he gives his proof in hearts transformed by Christ. Paul writes, "You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men". Here Paul explains that the Corinthians transformed heart in response to Paul's gospel message was his letter of commendation. Their lives proved that Paul's ministry was sincere and approved by God. Not only was this a testimony to Paul to see the fruits of his labor, but it should have been a testimony to the Corinthians, as they would be persuaded to see the motive of Paul's heart being genuine and true. Their lives were the letter of commendation that were seen by all men. Paul continues, "being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts". Paul again is coming down to the Corinthians level to say, "Do you really need some letter written with ink to prove that you are a true apostle? If that's the proof you crave for someone to be legitimate, let me take you a step further and show you a transformed life, a true living heart being transformed". Paul preached the true gospel message and the lives that were truly transformed were a letter of Christ's powerful work in their lives. Paul wanted to show he had a true genuine care for their souls, while the false apostles came in to get what they wanted, spread lies, and then leave. MacArthur writes, "Unlike the false apostles letters, Paul's was written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. Human words written in ink are silent; they just sit fading on a page. Anyone can write a dead letter with ink, but only Christ, through the supernatural power of the Spirit of the living God, can write a living letter". MacArthur also explains, "Paul notes that his letter of commendation was not written on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. With this statement the apostle directly confronted the false apostles, who preached a false gospel that mixed Christianity with circumcision, old covenant ceremony, and legalism. The tablets of stone were those on which God supernaturally inscribed the Ten Commandments (Ex. 31:18; 32:15-16). But the miracle of Sinai cannot match the miracle of salvation. At Corinth, God had written not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts". Paul truly desired his readers to see the genuine nature of his ministry compared to the false brethren. And he used his very own readers' lives to prove it.
There is no doubt that Paul was a very confident person, however, in ministry Paul always explained why he was able to be confident: because he knew that the power to transform lives was not with him but in Christ. Paul continues to defend his ministry, "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God". This statement can be looked at two ways. For Paul, he could be confident in his ministry in front of God because he boldly proclaimed Christ. He knew that the power of Christ was his ministry, and Christ had the power to truly change lives. This can also be looked at from the perspective of the readers. They could come before God with confidence because of what Christ had done for them. With Christ as their advocate, they can now with confidence boldly approach the throne of God.
As Paul always does after speaking of his confidence he brings it back to humility to show that, yes he is confident, but it does not come from within his own self. "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate". In his own strength Paul recognized he would utterly fail. Apart from the power of God, Paul's ministry was utterly useless. In fact, Paul recognized and admitted that he had nothing to add, nothing came from himself, it was all an outflow of God. MacArthur writes, "Apart from God's power and wisdom, Paul was not adequate to rightly assess or judge his ministry. Nor did he concoct his own plans but instead followed God's leading (cf. Acts 16:6-10). He did not trust in anything coming from himself; on his own he was useless and powerless". Here we can see Paul's confidence and humility on display at the same time. A perfect mix of what is needed to be an effective minister.
Lastly, Paul explains his message to them. He wants his readers to understand the difference in his message with the message of the false brethren. He explains that in God's power he was made adequate "as [a] servant of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life". This section shows us what Paul was trying to combat. Its seems likely that the false brethren that came in to attack Paul's ministry were Judaizers that wanted to negate the gospel of grace by instilling the old law/works based salvation. With the death of Christ, it was made clear to the New Testament believers this was a new covenant. What was once a mystery was now made evident in Christ. However, many of the Jews were unable to see that Christ was preached to them all along. They neglected to recognize Christ as the Messiah spoken of all throughout scripture. Instead they had settled into a works based righteousness from the law. They were relying on the letter (or adhering to the written law) as their way of salvation, rather than on the Spirit coming in to change a heart who trusts in Jesus Christ. Following a religious system based on the letter, or the law, MacArthur writes, "kills in two ways. First it kills through the living death of grief, frustration, unfulfillment, guilt, and shame that results from people's inability to keep the Law. Paul wrote, 'I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me' (Rom. 7:9-11). Second, the letter kills through eternal death (damnation in hell), the penalty for not keeping it". As we can see throughout Paul is trying to help the Corinthians fully grab hold of the gospel he has unwaveringly preached numerous times to them. He wants them to see God using the power of his gospel to change lives. He wants them to understand the truth of Christ and not to be persuaded by those who would come in to tell them they can only be saved through circumcision, birthright, and following the law.
posted by amesfam | 11:03 PM
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