Paul has his work cut out for himself. He is needed in Macedonia and Troas as new churches are just beginning to form in these regions. At the same time he has promised to visit the struggling church in Corinth. The church at Corinth has been a problem child for Paul. Paul has sent letters of discipline chastising the church there for disunity, disorder, pagan influences, sexual immorality, and most recently for allowing a false teacher to influence the gospel. So what is Paul to do? From the map below one can visualize Paul's dilemma. From his home base in Antioch he needs to travel to Macedonia (Troas would be located in Asia nearly midway between Philippi and Ephesus). He has promised the Corinthians a double visit, yet the route to Macedonia via Troas is not only more direct but also enables him to make additional visitations along the way.
As we read beginning in verse 12 Paul determined to travel via Troas, "Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there." Paul had sent Titus to Corinth with another "tearful" letter and Paul was anxious to hear from Titus how the letter was received. Therefore, and despite the positive reception to his preaching in Troas, Paul continued on to Macedonia. Paul noted in verse 13 that he had no peace of mind while in Troas. I think the burden of the Corinthian church was one of the primary reasons that Paul notes this. Paul's primary ministry destination was Macedonia and it was likely that Paul would meet up with Titus along the journey (which he did).
Paul's countenance improves in verse 14 where he writes, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of of the knowledge of him." Paul writes that those in ministry are to God the aroma of Christ among the saved and the unsaved. To one the smell of death, to the other the fragrance of life. (Very similar to the language that Moses uses in Deuteronomy in reference to sacrifices.) Then Paul asks a question in verse 16, "And who is equal to such a task?" Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit but rather, in Christ we speak with sincerity. Paul quickly notes that he is not commending himself, as he (and Timothy) are not in need of a letter of recommendation. Rather, Paul notes, the proof of our ministry is in such people as you. Writes Paul in chapter 3 verse 2, "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody." You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not in ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (A second similar reference to the Pentateuch, this time the ten commandments.)
Paul confidence comes through Jesus Christ. Not that we (Paul and Timothy) are competent but we are competent via God. God has made us ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now finally we can connect the dots of Paul's message. Paul is comparing (contrasting) the old Covenant with the new Covenant. The old Covenant was the law as given to Moses, which requires animal sacrifices and which results in death. The new Covenant as provided in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and attested to by the Holy Spirit, which results in life!
Now, writes Paul, "...if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading through it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the old Covenant (which brings death) was glorious, how much more glorious will be the new Covenant which brings righteousness and life. This is the reason that Paul has such hope. This is the reason that Paul can speak boldly and continue despite trials and burdens and persecution.
Paul continues to contrast the old with the new by stating that we (the apostles) are not like Moses - who needed to wear a veil to protect the Israelites from the glory of his face. For Paul's glory came from the actions of Jesus Christ - a permanent glory that doesn't fade. Even to this day, writes Paul, "When Moses is read, a veil covers their (Jewish nation) hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." Each Christian believer is a reflection of the glory of God in Christ. And each of us (Christians) are being "transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Please God, continue the work of transforming me into the likeness of your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank you for Paul's simply comparison of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant and I am grateful for the gift of salvation. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Take aways:
1) Paul and the Apostles are ministers of the New Covenant, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2) Like Paul, we have Hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Gospel is documented in the Bible and attested to our spirit by the Holy Spirit.
3) Each Christian is being transformed into the likeness of Jesus!
