Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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S E C O N D   C O R I N T H I A N S.

CHAP. III.

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The apostle makes an apology for his seeming to commend himself, and is

careful not to assume too much to himself, but to ascribe all praise

unto God,

ver. 1-5.

He then draws a comparison between the Old Testament and the New, and

shows the excellency of the later above the former

(ver. 6-11),

whence he infers what is the duty of gospel ministers, and the

advantage of those who live under the gospel above those who lived

under the law,

ver. 12, to the end.

Apology for Seeming Self-Commendation.	A. D. 57.

     

1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some

others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of

commendation from you?

  2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of

all men:

  3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle

of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the

Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy

tables of the heart.

  4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

  5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as

of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

     

In these verses,

     

I. The apostle makes an apology for seeming to commend himself. He

thought it convenient to protest his sincerity to them, because there

were some at Corinth who endeavoured to blast his reputation; yet he

was not desirous of vain-glory. And he tells them,

1. That he neither needed nor desired any verbal commendation to them,

nor letters testimonial from them, as some others did, meaning the

false apostles or teachers,

v. 1.

His ministry among them had, without controversy, been truly great and

honourable, how little soever his person was in reality, or how

contemptible soever some would have him thought to be.

2. The Corinthians themselves were his real commendation, and a good

testimonial for him, that God was with him of a truth, that he was sent

of God: You are our epistle,
v. 2.

This was the testimonial he most delighted in, and what was most dear

to him–they were written in his heart; and this he could appeal

to upon occasion, for it was, or might be, known and read of all

men. Note, There is nothing more delightful to faithful ministers,

nor more to their commendation, than the success of their ministry,

evidenced in the hearts and lives of those among whom they labour.

     

II. The apostle is careful not to assume too much to himself, but to

ascribe all the praise to God. Therefore,

1. He says they were the epistle of Christ,
v. 3.

The apostle and others were but instruments, Christ was the author of

all the good that was in them. The law of Christ was written in their

hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad in their hearts. This

epistle was not written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living

God; nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of

God given to Moses, but on the heart; and that heart not a stony

one, but a heart of flesh, upon the fleshy (not fleshly,

as fleshliness denotes sensuality) tables of the heart, that is,

upon hearts that are softened and renewed by divine grace, according to

that gracious promise, I will take away the stony heart, and I will

give you a heart of flesh,
Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

This was the good hope the apostle had concerning these Corinthians

(v. 4)

that their hearts were like the ark of the covenant, containing the

tables of the law and the gospel, written with the finger, that is, by

the Spirit, of the living God.

2. He utterly disclaims the taking of any praise to themselves, and

ascribes all the glory to God: “We are not sufficient of

ourselves,
v. 5.

We could never have made such good impressions on your hearts, nor upon

our own. Such are our weakness and inability that we cannot of

ourselves think a good thought, much less raise any good thoughts or

affections in other men. All our sufficiency is of God; to him

therefore are owing all the praise and glory of that good which is

done, and from him we must receive grace and strength to do more.” This

is true concerning ministers and all Christians; the best are no more

than what the grace of God makes them. Our hands are not sufficient for

us, but our sufficiency is of God; and his grace is sufficient for us,

to furnish us for every good word and work.

Law and Gospel Compared.	A. D. 57.

     

6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;

not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but

the spirit giveth life.

  7 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:

  8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather

glorious?

  9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more

doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

  10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this

respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

  11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more

that which remaineth is glorious.

     

Here the apostle makes a comparison between the Old Testament and the

New, the law of Moses and the gospel of Jesus Christ, and values

himself and his fellow-labourers by this, that they were able

ministers of the New Testament, that God had made them so,

v. 6.

This he does in answer to the accusations of false teachers, who

magnify greatly the law of Moses.

     

I. He distinguishes between the letter and the spirit even of the New

Testament,

v. 6.

As able ministers of the New Testament, they were ministers not merely

of the letter, to read the written word, or to preach the letter of the

gospel only, but they were ministers of the Spirit also; the Spirit of

God did accompany their ministrations. The letter killeth; this

the letter of the law does, for that is the ministration of death; and

if we rest only in the letter of the gospel we shall be never the

better for so doing, for even that will be a savour of death unto

death; but the Spirit of the gospel, going along with the ministry

of the gospel, giveth life spiritual and life eternal.

     

II. He shows the difference between the Old Testament and the New, and

the excellency of the gospel above the law. For,

1. The Old-Testament dispensation was the ministration of death

(v. 7),

whereas that of the New Testament is the ministration of life.

The law discovered sin, and the wrath and curse of God. This showed us

a God above us and a God against us; but the gospel discovers grace,

and Emmanuel, God with us. Upon this account the gospel is more

glorious than the law; and yet that had a glory in it, witness the

shining of Moses’s face (an indication thereof) when he came down from

the mount with the tables in his hand, that reflected rays of

brightness upon his countenance.

2. The law was the ministration of condemnation, for that

condemned and cursed every one who continued not in all things

written therein to do them; but the gospel is the ministration

of righteousness: therein the righteousness of God by faith is

revealed. This shows us that the just shall live by his faith. This

reveals the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, for obtaining

the remission of sins and eternal life. The gospel therefore so much

exceeds in glory that in a manner it eclipses the glory of the legal

dispensation,

v. 10.

As the shining of a burning lamp is lost, or not regarded, when the sun

arises and goes forth in his strength; so there was no glory in the Old

Testament, in comparison with that of the New.

3. The law is done away, but the gospel does and shall remain,
v. 11.

Not only did the glory of Moses’s face go away, but the glory of

Moses’s law is done away also; yea, the law of Moses itself is now

abolished. That dispensation was only to continue for a time, and then

to vanish away; whereas the gospel shall remain to the end of the

world, and is always fresh and flourishing and remains glorious.

Superiority of the Gospel.	A. D. 57.

     

12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness

of speech:

  13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the

children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that

which is abolished:

  14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth

the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament;

which vail is done away in Christ.

  15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon

their heart.

  16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall

be taken away.

  17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the

Lord is, there is liberty.

  18 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.

     

In these verses the apostle draws two inferences from what he had said

about the Old and New Testament:–

     

I. Concerning the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great

plainness or clearness of speech. They ought not, like Moses, to put a

veil upon their faces, or obscure and darken those things which they

should make plain. The gospel is a more clear dispensation than the

law; the things of God are revealed in the New Testament, not in types

and shadows, and ministers are much to blame if they do not set

spiritual things, and gospel-truth and grace, in the clearest light

that is possible. Though the Israelites could not look stedfastly to

the end of what was commanded, but is now abolished, yet we may. We

may see the meaning of those types and shadows by the accomplishment,

seeing the veil is done away in, Christ and he is come, who was the end

of the law for righteousness to all those who believe, and whom Moses

and all the prophets pointed to, and wrote of.

     

II. Concerning the privilege and advantage of those who enjoy the

gospel, above those who lived under the law. For,

1. Those who lived under the legal dispensation had their minds blinded

(v. 14),

and there was a veil upon their hearts,
v. 15.

Thus it was formerly, and so it was especially as to those who remained

in Judaism after the coming of the Messiah and the publication of his

gospel. Nevertheless, the apostle tells us, there is a time coming

when this veil also shall be taken away, and when it (the

body of that people) shall turn to the Lord,
v. 16.

Or, when any particular person is converted to God, then the veil of

ignorance is taken away; the blindness of the mind, and the hardness of

the heart, are cured.

2. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is much more

happy. For,

(1.) They have liberty: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, and

where he worketh, as he does under the gospel-dispensation, there is

liberty

(v. 17),

freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and from the servitude of

corruption; liberty of access to God, and freedom of speech in prayer.

The heart is set at liberty, and enlarged, to run the ways of God’s

commandments.

(2.) They have light; for with open face we behold the glory

of the Lord,
v. 18.

The Israelites saw the glory of God in a cloud, which was dark and

dreadful; but Christians see the glory of the Lord as in a glass, more

clearly and comfortably. It was the peculiar privilege of Moses for God

to converse with him face to face, in a friendly manner; but now all

true Christians see him more clearly with open face. He showeth them

his glory.

(3.) This light and liberty are transforming; we are changed

into the same image, from glory to glory

(v. 18),

from one degree of glorious grace unto another, till grace here be

consummated in glory for ever. How much therefore should Christians

prize and improve these privileges! We should not rest contented

without an experimental knowledge of the transforming power of the

gospel, by the operation of the Spirit, bringing us into a conformity

to the temper and tendency of the glorious gospel of our Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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