Author: ARCHIVE
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Minister of the New Covenant
2 Corinthians 3:4-6 The threads of verse 3, “tablets of stone” and “tablets of the human heart written on by the Spirit,” are taken up and expanded upon verses 4-6. Paul moves on in these verses to exalt his ministry as a true ministry by grounding it in the redemptive historical reality of the new covenant. By…
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Letters of Christ
2 Corinthians 3:1-3 As Paul pivots from the narrative of his recent pastoral interaction with the Corinthians to an extended discussion of his theology of ministry, he begins by taking on a challenge posed by the false teachers in Corinth. The language of “letters of commendation” in verse one indicates that Paul is responding to a concern…
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Triumphal Preaching
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 In a text alive with vivid metaphors which had wide circulation in the culture of the day, Paul speaks of the triumph of preaching. Using language and imagery taken from the world of conquering military generals, Paul applies a victory parade metaphor to the divine conquest made through preaching. Paul explains that the divine…
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In Search of Titus
2 Corinthians 2:12-13 Having been bounced out of Ephesus after three years of ministry, Paul headed for Troy in order to plant a church. However, when Paul arrived at Troy, he could not focus on his labors because he could not find Titus in the city. Overwhelmed with anguish, Paul left troy for Macedonia in search of…
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Restoration of the Penitent
Christ has given to His church “keys” which are to be exercised by the elders of the church to open and close the kingdom of God. Sadly, these “keys” must be used to close the kingdom of God in cases where professing Christians engage in gross sin and refuse to repent and turn from it.…