2 Corinthians 3:7-18

The Ministration of the Spirit superior to that of the Law

7. But if the ministration of death He does not say -which causeth," but -the ministration of death," for that which causeddeath was sin, while the Law made the sin manifest, but did not cause it. Chrysostom. See Romans 7:7; 1 Corinthians 15:56; Galatians 3:10; Galatians 3:21. As St Paul was the minister of Christ when he proclaimed the good tidings of salvation to mankind, so the law was the minister of death when it proclaimed the sentence of death to the soul that had sinned. See Ezekiel 18:4.

written and engraven in stones Wiclif, nearer to the original, writun lettris in stones. The reference is to the two tables of the law, Exodus 31:18. Some editors read -the ministration of death in the letter, engraved in stones."

was glorious Perhaps rather, was constituted, came into being, in glory, i.e. accompanied by glory. Exodus 19:16-20; Exodus 24:6-11; Exodus 34:4-8.

so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold(literally, gaze at) the face of Moses The brightness of God's glory was reflected upon the face of Moses (Exodus 34:29-30) to such an extent that the children of Israel dared not approach him. See note on 2 Corinthians 3:13. The Hebrew word used for the rays of light emitted by Moses" face is derived from a word signifying a horn, according to a simile common among Eastern writers by which the first rays of the sun are called horns, and even the sun itself a gazelle by the Arabs. This the Vulgate renders by cornuta, a rendering which, as Dr Plumptre reminds us, has been the cause why the celebrated Moses of Michael Angelo, familiar to all who have visited Rome and to many who have not, is represented with beams of light in the shape of horns upon the head.

which glory was to be done away Rather, was being brought to nought. The original meaning of the word rendered - done away," which (see note on 1 Corinthians 13:8) is rendered in various ways in the A. V. is to make thoroughly useless or unprofitable, and hence to do away with, abolish, bring to nought. The Apostle does not mean to say here that the brightness on Moses" face was destined to fade, but that it was fading.