02/08/2008 Sabbath Meeting Transcript

As I mentioned last week we will be examining the 3rd chapter of 2 Corinthians tonight.

Those that promote the idea that Yahweh's law is now abolished will often quote from this chapter to support their doctrine.

They like to say "the letter kills" and suggest that we are walking in death and our "minds are veiled" because we believe that the commandments in the so-called "Old Testament" are to be obeyed.

Because they say the "veil is taken away in Messiah," we don't have to heed the "Old Testament" precepts but we should only follow the "new Testament."

This study will examine the chapter from which they draw their conclusions, verse by verse in context.

It is very important that we read and understand the context from which each verse of scripture speaks. Quotes taken out of context are spiritually dangerous.

One could conceivably quote any number of various scriptures out of context and come up with all kinds of horrific doctrines.

So let's examine the 3rd chapter of 2 Corinthians in full detail:

2Corinthians 3:1 - Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you?

2Cor3:2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;

2Corinthians 3:3 clearly you are an epistle of the Messiah, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living Elohim, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

As a backdrop, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians as a defense to the ministry Yahweh had called him and others to do. False teachers were trying to persuade the Corinthians to follow them instead of the true apostles sent by Yahweh.

Paul's point here in the first three verses is that they do not need to commend or recommend themselves. They do not need some letter of recommendation from them or anyone because the Corinthians themselves are an epistle or 'letter' of the Messiah which is written and read by all. They are the only 'letter' anyone needs. Later in the epistle, he writes:

2Corinthians 10:18 For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom Yahweh commends.

This is also true of any believer in Yahushua. It is Yahushua the Messiah who commends us before all and before Yahweh.

In reality it is Yahushua the Messiah who founded the assembly at Corinth in Acts 18, though he did use Paul and others with him to do it.

2Corinthians 3:4 - And we have such trust through the Messiah toward Yahweh.

2Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from Yahweh,

So Paul recognizes that they themselves did not establish them, but in reality "Yahushua in them" established them and it is Yahweh that they are trusting in, through the Messiah. Paul rightly gives glory to Yahweh.

2Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

So they are sufficient as ministers of the new covenant because Yahweh made them sufficient. As we know, Yahushua is the mediator of that covenant.

Now notice that he contrasts two things, the Spirit and the "letter." He then expounds a little more on what he meant:

2Corinthians 3:7 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,

As we know, the ministry in Exodus through Deuteronomy centered much around Yahweh giving His commandments. As we have discussed in other studies, the law of Yahweh is holy, just and true:

Romans 7:12 - Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

However, while it is true that the law is actually spiritual, it does not give us life because we are carnal (unholy, unjust and not good):

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

For this reason, the law of Yahweh does not justify us.

The word "justify" means "to declare righteous." Because of our carnal sin, the law does not declare us righteous.

Instead, it declares us unrighteous.

For this reason, we cannot be saved by our own righteousness. Anyone trying to be saved by their own righteousness is seeking to establish their own righteousness, and that will not work unless one is actually righteous! (See last week's study)

So the law of Yahweh is indeed glorious as Paul said. In fact the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moshe (Moses) because of the glory of His countenance:

Exodus 34:29 - Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.

Exodus 34:30 - So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Exodus 34:31 - Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them.

Exodus 34:32 - Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

Exodus 34:33 - And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

Exodus 34:34 - But whenever Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.

Exodus 34:35 - And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.

So we see that brightness and glory are interrelated, just as Paul said in regards to this:

2Corinthians 3:7 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,

So the "ministry of death" was indeed glorious, and glorious to the point of where the children of Israel could not look steadily at Moshe's face because of the glory of his countenance.

But why is the giving of the law called the "ministry of death"?

The giving of the law is called "the ministry of death" because the law brings death to those who do not obey it. The law could have brought life if we had kept it, but instead it brings death:

Romans 7:10 - And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.

Romans 7:11 - For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

Romans 7:12 - Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

The wages of sin is death, and without the law sin is not laid to one's account:

Romans 5:13 - For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Since sin is not imputed (laid to one's account) when there is no law, once the law was given, man no longer had the excuse of ignorance. Sin would be imputed, and the law, which would give life to those who heed its precepts, actually only brought death because of our failure to do so.

The glory in the ministry of lawgiving (which was to us a the ministry of death/condemnation) will pass away in favor of a greater glory, the ministry of righteousness through Yahushua the Messiah!

2Corinthians 3:7 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,

2Corinthians 3:8 - how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

2Corinthians 3:9 - For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

2Corinthians 3:10 - For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.

2Corinthians 3:11 - For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

I think that we can all agree that Yahushua's ministry of bringing righteousness to us is more glorious than the ministry of death/condemnation. Death will one day be no more:

1 Corinthians 15:26 - The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

Without death, there is life forevermore. Therefore since the ministry of death and condemnation passes away, what remains is a ministry of righteousness that will endure forever.

2 Corinthians 3:11 - For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

Of course, modern Christianity likes to put a twist these things to say that the law is now passed away/abolished.

But this could not be, since Yahushua's ministry is a "ministry of righteousness."

If it were a ministry that led people to breaking the commandments of Yahweh, it could not be so!

Romans 6:13 - And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to Elohim as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to Elohim.

1John 3:4 - Whoever commits sin trangresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

Our members are now instruments of righteousness to Elohim, not instruments of sin/transgression of Yahweh's law

Also, Paul said he was a minister of the "new covenant." In the new covenant, Yahweh does not abolish the law. If fact, He writes the law in our hearts!

Jeremiah 31:31 - Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah --

Jeremiah 31:32 - "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says Yahweh.

Jeremiah 31:33 - "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.

Of course, it's impossible for the law to be abolished if it is written in our minds and on our hearts.

He didn't say He would write a "new and improved law" in our minds. Yahweh didn't make a mistake and His law was already perfect:

Psalms 19:7 - The law of YAHWEH is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of YAHWEH is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalms 19:8 - The statutes of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes;

Psalms 19:8 - The statutes of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes;

Psalms 19:9 - The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of Yahweh are true and righteous altogether.

Psalms 19:10 - More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

So the ministry of the Spirit does not abolish the law, it causes us to be righteous and walk righteously in Yahweh's sight:

Ezekiel 36:27 - And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

In Yahushua we are made righteous because it is no longer we who live but Yahushua who lives in us:

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been impaled with Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of Elohim, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

So we are not made righteous by the law, but by His Spirit we are made righteous through Yahushua the Messiah.

This same Spirit also empowers us and gives us the strength to walk in righteousness.

The law is still righteous, it is still holy and it is still good. Surely we who love Yahweh will want to live justly, and walk in the ways of holiness and goodness!

And for those who say that Yahushua "internalized" the law, as if the law wasn't originally "internal" to begin with, I would encourage you to read the study "Not so much new under the SON" at http://www.eliyah.com/transcripts/12142007.html

Getting back to 2 Corinthians 3:

2 Corinthians 3:12 - Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech --

2 Corinthians 3:13 - unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

Notice carefully in the above verse, Moshe kept the children of Israel from looking at "the end of what was passing away". What is called "the end of what was passing away"?

What were the children of Israel looking at? Moshe's face, which had the "lesser" glory of Yahweh on it. This "lesser glory" was the 'end' (result) of what was passing away (the ministry of death).

What is passing away is the ministry of death/condemnation with its glory, not Yahweh's standard of righteousness.

It was the veil that prevented the children of Israel from seeing the full glory of the ministry of death, which to us is outshone by the glory of Yahushua's ministry.

So unlike Moses who needed to put a veil on his face when giving Yahweh's commandments (His face shone) to prevent the children of Israel from looking steadily at its glory, we need to let the greater glory (from the ministry of salvation through Yahushua the Messiah) shine when proclaiming the ministry of the Spirit, which gives righteousness and life through Yahushua.

Therefore, we can use "great boldness of speech" (vs. 12) because we have hope in the promises of Yahweh.

2Corinthians 3:14a - But their minds were blinded....

A more correct translation here would be "hardened" (not blinded, see Lexicon word #4456).

Why were the minds of that generation (the generation in the desert, not, for instance, Ezra's generation) hardened?

As a whole, that generation of the children of Israel did not believe and did not want to hear Moshe's words. Paul parallels that with the generation he was living in:

2Corinthians 3:14 - But their minds were blinded (hardened). For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in the Messiah.

2Corinthians 3:15 - But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart

This same veil remains on the hardened hearts of those who read the Torah without accepting Yahushua.

It should not remain, for the condemnation would cease and the veil could be removed if they would soften their hard hearts and believe in Yahushua.

The present veil is evidence of a hardened heart because in Yahushua that veil is removed.

I don't find scriptural evidence that the veil was an evil thing originally, otherwise Moshe sinned in putting on the veil. It seems to indicate that the veil was necessary at that time, for Yahushua had not come yet.

But if the veil is there now, it is evidence of one's hardened heart and rejection of Yahweh's Messiah.

2Corinthians 3:16 - Nevertheless when one turns to Yahweh, the veil is taken away.

If a person will truly turn to Yahweh from their heart, and receive Yahushua, they will have that veil taken away.

The law is just too holy, spiritual and righteous when we read it unless we have Yahweh's righteousness in us through the Messiah. But for those of us who have Yahushua, we can read the law of Yahweh and not receive condemnation.

2Corinthians 3:17 - Now Yahweh is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of Yahweh is, there is liberty.

Not liberty to sin (transgress the law) again (like a dog returning to its vomit), but liberty to come unto Yahweh without fear of condemnation if we have sinned.

1John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yahushua the Messiah the righteous.

1John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yahushua the Messiah the righteous.

1John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1John 2:3 - Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yahushua the Messiah the righteous.

1John 2:2 - And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

1John 2:3 - Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

1John 2:4 - He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1John 2:5 - But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of YAHWEH is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

1John 2:6 - He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Knowing that we ought to walk as He walked, surely we should not transgress the law of Yahweh.

But if we do sin out of weakness or ignorance, we have an advocate with the Father... Yahushua the Messiah the righteous!

Thus, we are given liberty to come bodly to His throne without condemnation.

2Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of Yahweh, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of Yahweh.

2Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of Yahweh, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of Yahweh.

The reason that we with an "unveiled face" are looking "in a mirror" at the glory of Yahweh is because the fullness of the Messiah's glory / righteousness is in us. So when we look at the full glory of Yahweh, we see:

1. The lesser glory of Yahweh in the ministry of condemnation which was the 'light', the 'word', showing us our sin. This glory does not need to be veiled to us who are in Messiah.

2. The greater glory of Yahweh in the righteousness of Yahushua the Messiah. (Which lives in in us because He lives in us!)

As we grow in the Spirit, we see, as in a mirror, the full glory of Yahweh.

In that mirror we see the light/the torah/the standard for righteousness, and therefore our sins also.

The light/the word is what convicts us of our sins (but without death/condemnation). This is the lesser glory.

But also in that "mirror" we also see the righteousness of Yahushua in us, this is the greater glory!

For it is no longer we who live, but Yahushua who lives in us. Therefore "as by the Spirit of Yahweh" we grow in His knowledge and become more and more obedient to His will, we are being transformed from "glory to glory" or from one glory to another by the Spirit of Yahweh.

If we look into the "mirror" and refuse to be subject to Yahweh's law, we are only a hearer and not a doer. Therefore, we are not transformed.

James 1:23 - For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;

James 1:24 - for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

James 1:25 - But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

and again..

Romans 12:2 - And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of YAHWEH.

Let's continue to read into chapter 4:

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 - Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of Elohim deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of Elohim.

2 Corinthians 4:3 - But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,

2 Corinthians 4:4 - whose minds the elohim of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah, who is the image of Elohim, should shine on them.

2 Corinthians 4:5 - For we do not preach ourselves, but Messiah Yahushua the Master, and ourselves your bondservants for Yahushua' sake.

2 Corinthians 4:6 - For it is the Elohim who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of Elohim in the face of Yahushua Messiah.

The good news of the 'glory of Yahushua the Messiah' is veiled to those who do not know Him and therefore are perishing in their sins, being condemned in the ministry of death.

It is veiled because satan has blinded them who do not believe.

For if they believed, then "the LIGHT of the glad tidings of the glory of Messiah" would SHINE ON THEM and they would be declared righteous before Yahweh.

What is the glad tidings/good news of the glory of the Messiah?

It is this:

Instead of us trusting in our own glory (the glory of Adam) to be in Yahweh's presence (which would cause our sins to be made manifest), we can now come to Yahweh with the glory and image of Yahushua the Messiah dwelling fully in us!

We were created in the image of Elohim:

Genesis 1:26 - And Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

At this time, all was perfect and Adam was indeed in the image of Elohim.

However, as we all know, Adam sinned. Because of Adam's sin, man's image and glory is no longer the true image and glory of Elohim.

After all, the image of Elohim is a righteous image, and His glory is a righteous glory. But since we are sinners, we are no longer in that image and glory:

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of YAHWEH;

So how can a sinner be restored and once again become the image and glory of Elohim? Only through Yahushua the Perfect One who was indeed the image and glory of Yahweh:

Hebrews 1:1 - Elohim, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

Hebrews 1:2 - has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

Hebrews 1:3 - who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

"the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person"

So Yahushua is the true image and glory of Elohim. Yahushua never sinned and fell short of His glory.

For this reason, we need Him to restore us to the image of Elohim again.

We don't want Yahweh to see the glory of Adam, we want Him to see His own glory through Yahushua.

For this reason, we allow His Glory to SHINE when in the presence of Yahweh.

For this reason women should cover their heads (woman is the glory of man) and men should not cover their heads during prayer or prophesying, but that will be addressed next week (Yahweh willing)

So if Yahushua does indeed shine in us, we are given the righteousness we need to be in Yahweh's presence for all eternity, and we are given the strength to walk in His Spirit, which causes us to keep His statutes and judgments. This is the work of Elohim, all done by His power and not our own:

 2 Corinthians 4:7 - But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of Yahweh and not of us.

And what a treasure it is! Therefore, let's press on and overcome!

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

2 Corinthians 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed --

2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Master Yahushua, that the life of Yahushua also may be manifested in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Yahushua' sake, that the life of Yahushua also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Therefore, as we carry about in the body the dying of Yahushua, being "crucified/impaled with Messiah..."

...may the life of Yahushua also be manifest in your mortal flesh, the life of the one who submitted Himself fully to the law of His Elohim.

May it be so that we all walk together with Him... walking as He walked..

...in His Spirit, and in His love as we dwell upon the earth. In this, the glory of Yahweh is seen in all the earth, and we are the city on the hill that cannot be hidden.

The light of the world.

May Yahweh bless you and have mercy on us all!