In verse 10 Paul continues, “For that which has also been glorified has not been glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.” The ministry of the old covenant was glorified temporarily in the shining of Moses’ face, but it was not glorified in the fact that the glory of the ministry of the law was a temporary glory shining on Moses’ face. In this respect, it was being done away, on account of the surpassing glory. Because of the glory of the new covenant ministry (which is the glory of God, even God Himself, manifested in the face of Christ forever, surpassing the temporary glory of the old covenant ministry shining on Moses’ face), the temporary glory of the ministry of law disappears and no longer exists.
To understand the contrast between the glory of the old covenant ministry and the glory of the new covenant ministry, we may compare artificial light with sunlight. The lights in the meeting hall may seem rather bright. But if it were possible for the room to be filled with sunlight, the artificial light would seem to be no light at all. In the same principle, when we compare the glory of the New Testament ministry with that of the Old Testament ministry, the glory of the old seems to be no glory at all.
In verse 10 Paul uses the word glorified in a very careful way. The old covenant ministry was glorified because it did shine upon the face of Moses. Therefore, in this sense it was glorified. When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone, and the children of Israel could gaze upon that shining. No doubt, that was the glorification of the ministry which brought the law to God’s people. However, glorification is one thing, and the glory itself is another thing. Something may be glorified, but it still may not have any glory. The old covenant ministry was glorified temporarily, but it never had any glory, on account of the surpassing glory. With the old covenant ministry there was glorification, but with the new covenant ministry there is the glory itself, even the surpassing glory. When the glorification of the Old Testament ministry is compared to the surpassing glory of the New Testament ministry, that glorification becomes nothing.
Verse 11 says, “For if that which was being done away was through glory, much rather that which remains is in glory.” “Being done away” refers to the process of abolition through the spreading of the new covenant ministry.
In verse 11 Paul does not say that that which was being done away was with glory or in glory. As we have pointed out, in verse 7 he says that it came in glory. Here he says that it was through glory. But the new covenant ministry is in glory. The one was through glory temporarily, whereas the latter remains in glory permanently.
Furthermore, the glory of the old covenant ministry shone upon the face of one man. However, the glory of the new covenant ministry shines within millions of believers. The glory came merely as a visit to Moses, staying on his face only for a while. But once the glory of the new covenant ministry comes, it remains forever. It will never leave. Even though it shines, it does not shine upon the surface of the believers, that is, on the skin of our face. Instead, this new glory shines from within our being. Instead of coming to visit us, this glory comes to invade, pervade, permeate, soak, and saturate us. It comes first to saturate us and then to shine forth from within us. The old glory shone on Moses’ face individually, but the New Testament glory shines from many different believers.
As we consider all these points related to the glory of the new covenant ministry, we shall realize that it is much superior to that of the old covenant ministry. Hallelujah, the glory of the ministry of the New Testament is shining in us all!
I can testify that when I came to this country for the Lord’s ministry, the Lord was shining within me. He honored the ministry and used it. Doors were opened here and there, and I was invited to visit different places. No doubt, God was leading me in Christ’s triumphal procession. I was a captive in this procession and also an incense-bearer scattering the sweet knowledge of Christ. A good number of believers received spiritual help. Today the Triune God as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit is shining in many believers. This is very different from the glory of the old covenant. The New Testament glory does not come to visit us; it comes to remain in us and to shine out from within us.