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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
2 Cor. 1-2
I was just talking to my husband yesterday about how marketing is in everything. It isn’t just for selling products. People also use it to sell thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. Governments, other authorities, religions, and even friends and family use marketing in order to sway you in a certain direction. It can very easily, and often does, become a form of manipulation. Or even brainwashing. And it isn’t a conservative vs. liberal, this religion vs. that religion thing. It happens literally everywhere.
So once again we see that God’s ways are different. Paul wrote, “For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.” (2 Cor. 2:17) I don’t think the profit Paul mentioned was merely monetary. They did not preach Christ for any personal gain at all. They weren’t looking for a following, for power, position, recognition, validation, or any of the things people look for when they try to push an idea onto others. Witnessing isn’t about brainwashing or persuading. It is simply testifying to what is true. People are free to accept or reject it as they choose.
2 Cor. 3
The old covenant came in the form of letters, chiseled on stone, and it brought about death. And that covenant was never the first or the last word. Yet even that covenant, limited in power, scope, and duration as it was, came with glory because it came from God. It was, however, a veiled glory; only a glimpse of God. With Christ, though, came something so much better. We now have a new covenant. This one is written by the Spirit of God on our hearts. Instead of death, it brings righteousness, and it endures forever. And it comes with the full, unveiled glory of God, which shows the former glory for the mere shadow that it was.
What’s the point in all of this? Paul hit on it when he wrote, “Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” (2 Cor. 3:15-16). Through Christ, and only through Christ, we can turn from the shadow to the light. He removes the veil by setting aside the old and bringing in the new, allowing us to see and know God more fully. And we no longer need to turn away or hide from His glory because He transforms us into His own glorious image. How amazing is that?! Still, we need to understand that this only takes place with our willingness to set aside the old, which is our own efforts at righteousness, and step out of the shadow of self into God’s true light.