-Tim Hegg
In my last essay, I explained what was so “new” in the new covenant. The new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34 is not a new covenant because Israel’s responsibilities are new; but instead, because of God’s new promises, all of Israel will have a new and different response – faith and obedience. The newness isn’t in Israel’s responsibilities, but in her response. Thus, because her responsibilities are not new, but renewed in the heart, the covenant should be understood as a “renewed covenant”. This new covenant predicts a time when God will cause all of Israel to be: 1) gathered together as one nation 2) faithful to His covenant 3) forgiven through faith in Messiah and thus “all of Israel will be saved”. However, I briefly touched on the idea that individual believers in every generation can enter in as members of the new covenant by being first-fruits of the future harvest of Israel. Because this is the new covenant, one should ask, “What was the old covenant”? To answer this question, it is best to visit the parts of Scripture that speak about the old covenant. Remarkably, the phase “old covenant” is only found once in all of Scripture – 2 Corinthians 3:14. Let’s examine this chapter to find what exactly is so “old” about the old covenant.
Context of the letter of 2 Corinthians
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, his primary purpose for writing is to defend his ministry. Apparently, there were those at Corinth who had attacked and challenged his ministry and were questioning his credentials to be a qualified apostle. This was probably due to the fact that he was very successful in bringing Gentiles to faith in Messiah. It is in the third chapter of this letter that Paul compares the ministry of old covenant with his ministry of the new covenant.
2 Corinthians 3
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
Those who were against Paul’s ministry may have been trying to discredit his ministry by claiming that he didn’t have letters of recommendation to validate his ministry. Here, Paul uses imagery of letters written on hearts rather than letters written with ink. The proof of his ministry is in the changed lives to whom he ministered. They went from idolatry to serve the one and true living God. Paul and his readers can be confident in the legitimacy of his ministry because of the Corinthians’ changed lives. Notice the connection when he is contrasting ink and the tablets of stone with the Spirit and tablets of human hearts. Ink is what man uses to write with, while the Spirit is what God uses to write with. The “tablets of stone” is where God wrote the Torah the first time at Mt. Sinai and “tablets of human hearts” is where God writes the Torah the second time in the renewed covenant.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as {coming} from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who also made us adequate {as} servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
What exactly does Paul mean by, “not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”? Is he saying that the Torah (letter) is opposed to the Spirit of life? Not at all! Remember the new covenant is the Spirit writing the Torah on the heart that produces obedience. What exactly then is the letter that kills? The letter is the Torah written externally on “tablets of stone” without being written internally on “tablets of hearts” by the Spirit of God. When a person attempts to keep Torah (write with ink) without the Spirit, it can only result in condemnation (kills), for without the Sprit, obedience is impossible (Romans 8:4-8). God is able to make Paul an adequate servant of the new covenant because it is God who writes on the heart.
7 But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading {as} it was [literally: being made ineffective], 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.
Here Paul says that the ministry of death and condemnation are the letters written on stones. He is certainly referring to the Torah God gave to Moses on Mt Sinai, for the Ten Commandments (the summery of Torah) was written with the finger of God on stones. However, by emphasizing that the Torah were “letters engraved on stones,” Paul is not saying that the Torah itself is the ministry of death, but instead, the Torah written externally (only written on stone) is the ministry of death. The ministry that brings righteousness (and life) is the ministry of the Spirit (writing the Torah on the heart). The glory of the face of Moses is referring to the time when Moses’ face was radiant with glory (because he was speaking with the Lord) as he came off the mountain with the two (stone) tablets (Exodus 34:29-35). After Moses would speak to the people about everything the Lord had commanded, he would put a veil over his face to hide the light (or glory) on his face until he would enter the Lord’s presence. Some translations use the word “fading” to translate the Greek word katargeo, here in verse 7 (and in 11, 13 and 14), but this is a poor translation [1]. Katargeo means “to render ineffective,” “to annul,” “to do away with,” but it never means, “to pass or fade away” [2]. This is important to Paul’s point; it is because of the veil that was put over Moses face that this glory is made “ineffective”.
10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses {it.} 11 For if that which fades away [literally: being made ineffective] {was} with glory, much more that which remains {is} in glory.
Paul is continuing to use his rabbinic argument, “minor to major” (kal va-khomer) to teach that the ministry of righteousness surpasses the glory of the ministry of death. Why does the ministry of righteousness surpass the ministry of death? This is because, as we will see later, the glory in the ministry of the Spirit remains and is not hidden by a veil (unlike the glory on Moses’ face).
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in {our} speech, 13 and {are} not like Moses, {who} used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end [or goal] of what was fading away [literally: being made ineffective].
Why does Paul have hope and uses great boldness of speech in verse 12? Because, unlike Moses’ ministry, his ministry does not hide the glory of the Torah with a veil in order to make the goal [3] of the Torah ineffective. What then is the goal and glory of the Torah? It is the Messiah Himself who is the image of God [4]. By Moses putting a veil over his face, we are to learn that the purpose and glory of the Torah, which is the Messiah, was made ineffective to Moses’ listeners and therefore his ministry was a ministry of condemnation.
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [literally: being done away with] in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Now we arrive to the phrase “old covenant” that is only found here in the Scriptures. What is being read that he calls the “old covenant”? It is the Torah given to Moses. He makes this connection in verse 15 when he said, “whenever Moses is read”. Someone might argue, “Well there you have it, you just admitted that the old covenant is the Torah and that it is a ministry of death, therefore we don’t need to keep Torah”. However, that would be an incorrect conclusion. In order to get a proper meaning of the phrase “old covenant”, it would be best to find out what it means in light of the point of Moses putting a veil over his face and its connection with “their minds were hardened”. It is important to see that verse 14 and verses 15 and 16 are saying the same thing but in different ways. Notice the parallel statements between vs. 14 and vs. 15-16:
| Verse 14 | Verses 15-16 |
| “their minds were hardened…the same veil remains unlifted” | “a veil lies over their heart” |
| “until this very day” | “But to this day” |
| “at the reading of the old covenant” | “whenever Moses is read” |
| “because it is removed in Christ” | “whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” |
What can we conclude from this? The reading of the old covenant in verse 14 refers to reading the Torah with a veil and thus reading the Torah without seeing the glory of Messiah. The only time that the phrase “old covenant” is used in scripture is used in connection with reading the Torah (the letters) without Messiah (without the Spirit). Remember, Paul is contrasting the new covenant ministry is with the old covenant ministry. Paul described his new covenant ministry in verse 6 by writing: “[God] who also made us adequate {as} servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”. If the new covenant describes the covenant in which one has a renewed life empowered by the Spirit of God writing on the heart (i.e. regeneration), what is the old covenant? It must describe life in the covenant before the Spirit writes on the heart. That is, the old covenant describes the Torah being obeyed without Messiah and thus obeyed in one’s own strength (i.e. unregenerate person). This is why Paul uses the word “old” to describe the covenant in vs. 14. In all of his letters, Paul uses the word “old” primarily to mean the “old self,” that is, the life before faith in the Messiah. Here are a few examples in which he contrasts “old” and “new” [5]:
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.
Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.
Notice that “old” doesn’t refer to one’s responsibilities or certain commandments in a past dispensation that no longer apply for believers today. Instead, “old” refers to the unregenerate one. It refers to one’s evil inclinations and disobedience. Similarly, the old covenant doesn’t describe a body of scriptures (Torah) that do not apply for believers. Paul himself teaches in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." There is no doubt that the Torah is included in this body of scripture [6]. The phrase “old covenant” instead describes the covenant made at Sinai the way God described it in Jeremiah 31:32 – “a covenant in which they broke.” That is, “old covenant” describes the old and disobedient response to the covenant made at Sinai [7]. Therefore, when one reads the Torah (the covenant made at Sinai) without the gift of faith, having the glory of Messiah hidden by the veil over one’s heart, the Torah functions as an “old covenant” to him. However, when one reads the same Torah with the gift of faith and with the veil removed having the glory of the Messiah shine forth, it is a “new covenant” to him.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, {there} is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
What is this liberty that the Spirit brings? Some have said it is freedom from the Torah, which it no longer needs to be obeyed. However, that is not what the passage says. This liberty is freedom from the veil to see the glory of Messiah, thus being set free from the old man, sin, condemnation, and death. The believer is now free to love God with his heart and obey His commandments and the result – being transformed into the image of the Messiah from glory to glory.
4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2 but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Paul continues his message about the ministries of death and life that he began in 2 Corinthians 2:15-3:1. Because he has received this ministry of life (the new covenant) by the mercy of God, he does not corrupt the word of God by using deceitfulness and craftiness to bring others to his ministry, unlike his accusers. The success of his ministry is measured not by man’s carnal judgment, but the clear presentation of the truth to man’s conscience in the site of God.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The imagery of the veil has applied to Moses, to the glory, and to the Lord Messiah. Now it is applied to the Gospel. The unbelieving perish not as a result of Paul’s ministry, but because the god of this world blinds them from the light of the Gospel. Here, Paul plainly states that the light and the glory is in fact the Messiah.
5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Paul again emphasizes that he is only a servant and that it is not for his glory that he seeks to gain, but his master’s, Yeshua Messiah. It is God alone who has removed the darkness (old covenant) and caused the light of Messiah to shine in their hearts (new covenant). It is in beholding the face of Messiah unveiled that forgiveness, righteousness, and the glory of God can only be found.
Conclusion
So, what is so “old” about the old covenant? It’s the old nature and response to God and to His Covenant. It’s life without Messiah and God’s forgiveness. It’s the Torah written on stone and not on the heart. It’s the response of disobedience and faithlessness. It’s the punishment of condemnation and death. It’s to live life veiled without the glory and righteousness of Messiah. Therefore, the newness in the new covenant is the new nature and the response to God and His covenant. It’s life with Messiah and with God’s forgiveness. It’s the Torah written on the heart. It’s the response of obedience and faithfulness. It is the reward of righteousness and life. It’s to live life unveiled, beholding the glory of Messiah. “For the “old’ and “new” are not time-bound, they are faith-bound.”[8] It is in this way that every believer, both Jew and Gentile, in every generation becomes the first-fruits of the future harvest of Israel, when King Yeshua will rule over all His people in the Land under a united kingdom of God and all His people will know Him from the least to the greatest of them [9].
Notes
1 Nowhere in Exodus 34:29-35 is the idea that the glory of Moses’ face faded away.
2 Nowhere else in the Apostolic Writings is katargeo used to mean fading. Luke 13:7; Rom 3:3; 3:31; Rom. 4:14; Rom. 6:6; Rom. 7:2; Rom 7:6; 1 Cr. 1:28; 2:6; 6:13; 13:8, 10, 11; 15:24, 26; Gal. 3:17; 5:4, 11; Eph. 2:15; 2 Th. 2:8; 2 Ti. 1:10
3 Here the Greek word for "end" is telos and should be understood as goal, aim, or purpose as also seen in Romans 10:4. This is where we get the words "telephone" and "telegraph".
4 2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 10:4
5 All other times Paul uses the term “old”: Rom 6:6; Eph 4:22-24
6 One should note that every usage of the term “scripture” used by Paul (and the other disciples) is always used to refer to the Hebrew Scriptures (Romans 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2, Galatians 3:8, 22; 4:30; 1 Timothy 5:18).
7 Moses also describes the “old covenant” in Deuteronomy 29:3-4; 31:16-18. Notice to connection with their disobedience and the LORD hiding His face (Glory).
8 Tim Hegg The Letter Writer: Paul’s background and Torah Perspective pg 252
9 Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:24-28; 37:21-28
A special thanks to my friend Ryan in his help in editing this essay
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