Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Corinthians
Book: 2 Corinthians
Chapter: 3
Overview:
The preference of the
Gospel to the
Law given
By Moses.
(1-11)
The preaching of the
Apostle was suitable to the excellency and
evidence of the
Gospel, through the power of the
Holy Ghost.
(12-18)
1-11 Even the appearance of self-praise and courting human
applause, is painful to the humble and spiritual mind. Nothing
is more delightful to
Faithful ministers, or more to their
praise, than the success of their ministry, as shown in the
spirits and lives of those among whom they labour. The
Law of
Christ was written in their hearts, and the
Love of
Christ shed
abroad there. Nor was it written in
Tables of
Stone, as the
Law
of
God given to
Moses, but
On the fleshy
(not fleshly, as
fleshliness denotes sensuality) Tables of the
Heart, Eze
36:26. Their hearts were humbled and softened to receive this
impression,
By the new-creating power of the Holy
Spirit. He
ascribes all the
Glory to
God. And remember, as our whole
dependence is upon the
Lord,
So the whole
Glory belongs to him
alone. The
Letter killeth: the
Letter of the
Law is the
ministration of
Death; and if we
Rest only in the
Letter of the
Gospel, we shall not be the better for
So doing: but the Holy
Spirit gives
Life spiritual, and
Life eternal. The Old
Testament
Dispensation was the ministration of
Death, but the New
Testament of
Life. The
Law made known
Sin, and the wrath and
Curse of
God; it showed us a
God above us, and a
God against us;
but the
Gospel makes known
Grace, and
Emmanuel,
God with us.
Therein the
Righteousness of
God By Faith is revealed; and this
shows us that the just shall live
By his
Faith; this makes known
the
Grace and
Mercy of
God through
Jesus Christ, for obtaining
the forgiveness of sins and eternal
Life. The
Gospel So much
exceeds the
Law in
Glory, that it eclipses the
Glory of the
legal
Dispensation. But even the New
Testament will be a killing
Letter, if shown as a mere system or form, and without
dependence
On God the Holy
Spirit, to give it a quickening
power.
12-18 It is the duty of the ministers of the
Gospel to use
great plainness, or clearness, of speech. The Old
Testament
believers had only cloudy and passing glimpses of that glorious
Saviour, and unbelievers looked
No further than to the outward
institution. But the great precepts of the
Gospel, believe,
Love, obey, are truths stated as clearly as possible. And the
whole doctrine of
Christ crucified, is made as
Plain as human
language can make it. Those who lived under the
Law, had a
Veil
upon their hearts. This
Veil is taken away
By the doctrines of
the
Bible about
Christ. When any person is converted to
God,
then the
Veil of ignorance is taken away. The condition of those
who enjoy and believe the
Gospel is happy, for the
Heart is set
at liberty to run the ways of
God's
Commandments. They have
Light, and with open
Face they behold the
Glory of the
Lord.
Christians should prize and improve these privileges. We should
not
Rest contented without knowing the transforming power of the
Gospel,
By the working of the
Spirit, bringing us to seek to be
like the temper and tendency of the glorious
Gospel of our
Lord
and
Saviour Jesus Christ, and into union with Him. We behold
Christ, as in the
Glass of his
Word; and as the reflection from
a mirror causes the
Face to shine, the faces of Christians shine
also.