In the foregoing message we pointed out that in the Epistles of 1 and 2 Corinthians we have the divine transmission, the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity. In this message we shall consider further Paul’s concept of this dispensing as expressed in 2 Corinthians.
In the book of 2 Corinthians Paul’s thought is very deep and rich. In this Epistle he presents a comparison of his ministry, the ministry of the new covenant, with that of Moses, the ministry of the old covenant. For example, in 3:7-9 Paul says, “Now if the ministry of death, in letters engraved in stone, came in glory, so that the sons of Israel were not able to gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which was being done away, how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit be in glory? For if the ministry of condemnation came in glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.” In verse 7 we have the ministry of the old covenant, a covenant of dead letters that kill. In verse 8 we have the apostolic ministry of the new covenant, a covenant of the living Spirit, who gives life.
Moses was used by God to give the law. God called Moses to the mountain, prepared the two tablets of the law, and gave these tablets to him. Then Moses brought these tablets of the law to the children of Israel. This was the decree of the law, the giving of the law. In the words of John 1:17, “The law was given through Moses.” We may say that Moses was a mediator, a middleman, used by God to give His law to His people.
According to our understanding, the gospel was preached by or through the apostles, just as the law was given through Moses. Actually, this understanding is not accurate. It is, of course, correct to say that the law was given through Moses. But, strictly speaking, the gospel was not preached through Paul or the other apostles. You may find such a statement surprising, even shocking. However, this statement is based on what is revealed in the book of 2 Corinthians.
Especially the first four chapters of this Epistle indicate that Paul actually did not preach the gospel. Here Paul tells us first what God did. In 1:21 Paul says, “He who firmly attaches us with you unto Christ and has anointed us is God.” Here we see that God attached the apostles with the believers to Christ, the anointed One.
According to the Bible, God has anointed Christ. All of the divine ointment is upon this One. Therefore, as the anointed One, Christ becomes the source of the divine anointing. Apart from Him, there is no anointing, for God has poured out His ointment entirely upon Christ.
In 1:21 we see that God has attached us, the apostles and believers, unto Christ as the source of the anointing. Paul indicates clearly that, as an apostle, he has been attached to Christ by God. Because we have been firmly attached to Christ, God has anointed us. Through our being attached to Christ, the anointing spontaneously comes from Christ to us. Now we also are anointed with the Spirit, or we may say that we are “oiled” with the Spirit.
In 1:22 Paul goes on to say that God “has also sealed us and given the pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.” How marvelous is this sealing and pledging of the Spirit!
It was a simple matter for God to give the law. In giving the law, God only had to call Moses to the mountaintop, prepare the stone tablets, and give them to Moses. Moses then gave the law to the people. That was the Old Testament ministry.