Tuesday
Apparently some of the “false apostles” had come bearing letters from other places introducing them to the people of the Corinthian church.
This was a common practice in ancient times to have letters of introductions written so that the person with those letters would be received well. Paul says he didn’t need to have such letters, because the work he was doing with the Corinthians was proof enough of his good intentions and the sincerity of his heart. They (the Corinthian Church) were his “letter of introduction” their conversions were his “letter of recommendation” for all to see.
Paul uses the scripture text to prove that his letter is the more important one. The in-the-heart writing fulfilled the prophets’ predictions for the end-time. Changed lives are more important to see than any letter written or tablet of stone. Do you see how Paul is using this image to talk about the contrast between the Old Testament covenant and the new covenant found only in Jesus.
What was the Old Testament covenant? I’m glad you asked.
Well, a covenant is a formal and binding agreement in which each party agrees to a specific term or expectation. In terms of the Old Testament, God required Israel to obey whatever He commanded and in exchange, God would watch over and protect Israel. The old covenant that Paul is talking about was the covenant given to Moses on Mount Sinai – remember the Ten Commandments? This was the covenant written on stone tablets.
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” (Exodus 19:5-6)
The new covenant as Jesus points out to us, during the last supper (Luke 22:20), is one that is “written on the tables of human hearts” (Jeremiah 31:31-33).
So Paul contrasts the old and the new covenant in this way.
1. Tablets of stone, written on hearts, the difference between head knowledge versus heart knowledge and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
- The old covenant brings condemnation and death; the new covenant brings about a new creation and life, freedom from the bondage of sin. 3. The old covenant came with glory, but the new covenant is even more glorious (vs 8). God’s purpose is fully realized through the new covenant.
What a great privilege it is for us to know that God has done all of this for us. His plan for our salvation was from the very beginning to restore us back into a full relationship with him, and that was through the awareness that was generated with the old covenant and the fulfillment through the new covenant which was given to us through the body and blood of our Lord Jesus.
Praise God for His love for us and His desire to make us one with Him.
Grace and Peace
Pastor Kathy