lectionary.com

Pentecost Season · Proper 3 · Year B

2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Ministers of the New Covenant

May 23, 2027

Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, with John Colet, Unknown illuminator, Flemish or working in England
Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, with John Colet, Unknown illuminator, Flemish or working in England, 1506The British Library, London
From a manuscript of Paul’s letters made for John Colet: Paul in a red cloak sits writing in a green Flemish landscape, a man with a sword stands beside him, and Colet himself kneels in prayer, with a walled town behind.You show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared 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.Unknown illuminator, Flemish or working in EnglandAn unnamed illuminator in the circle of the great Flemish book painters, working for the Dean of St Paul’s, who lectured in Oxford on these very letters.The British Library, LondonThe British Library in London, the national library of the United Kingdom.The British Library, London
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMark 2:13-22Mk 2:13-22
Epistle2 Cor. 3:1-62 Cor 3:1-6
Old TestamentHos. 2:14-20Hos 2:14-20
PsalterPs. 103:1-13, 22Ps 103:1-13, 22

Overview & Insights

“You are a letter from Christ... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.” (2 Corinthians 3:3)

For Paul, Satan is a conquered, yet still dangerous, foe. Although “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20), Satan is still “the god of this age,” who blinds the minds of unbelievers from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4), and he is “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph. 2:2). There can be no fellowship between the realm of Belial and unbelievers, on the one hand, and the realm of Christ and believers, on the other; for they are as mutually exclusive as darkness and light (2 Cor. 6:14–16). Nevertheless, Satan tries to thwart believers at every point, either by leading them astray to “another gospel” (11:3–4) or by tempting them (1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Cor. 7:5). Likewise, Satan tries to thwart the apostle, whether by afflicting him (2 Cor.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Commentary

2 Corinthians 2:12-3:62 Cor 2:12-3:6 Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary that reads the Corinthians themselves as Paul's living letter of recommendation.

2 Corinthians 32 Cor 3 Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse by verse evangelical commentary on the ministers of the new covenant of the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3 Commentary2 Cor 3 Commentary Precept Austin

Word studies and cross references working verse by verse through 2 Corinthians 3.

2 Corinthians 3:12 Cor 3:1 BibleHub

Parallel classic commentaries assembled for each verse of 2 Corinthians 3.

2 Corinthians 3, Expository Notes2 Cor 3, Expository Notes StudyLight

Thomas Constable's expository notes on Paul's defense of his ministry in 2 Corinthians 3.

Background & Word Study

2 Corinthians 3 Greek Interlinear2 Cor 3 Greek Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek text of 2 Corinthians 3 word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers.

The Church Fathers

2 Corinthians 3, patristic commentary2 Cor 3, patristic commentary Catena

A verse linked catena gathering patristic comment on 2 Corinthians 3.

Questions preachers ask

What makes a minister of the new covenant?

Paul's credential is the Corinthians themselves, a letter of Christ written on human hearts; his competence is from God, who makes servants of a covenant not of the letter but of the Spirit.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Mark 2:13-22
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.