Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 3 | Sabbath: April 19, 2025
Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
2 Corinthians 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2 Corinthians 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Weekly Proverb: Proverbs 11:25
Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Introduction: This chapter has been used to claim that Christ abolished the Ten Commandments. Did He do away with them or are they written in a different place?

1. What was written and engraved on tables of stone? Exodus 32:15, 16; 2 Corinthians 3:7
Exodus 32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
Exodus 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2. How is Moses's face connected to the Ten Commandments? Exodus 34:28-35; 2 Corinthians 3:7
Exodus 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Exodus 34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
Exodus 34:30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
Exodus 34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
Exodus 34:32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
Exodus 34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
Exodus 34:34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
Exodus 34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
3. Why does Paul call the Ten Commandments the ministration of death? Numbers 15:32-36; 2 Corinthians 3:7
Numbers 15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
Numbers 15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
Numbers 15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
Numbers 15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
Numbers 15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
4. Was the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments, the ministration of death considered to be glorious? Is the New Testament, the Ten Commandments, the ministration of the spirit glorious? Are both glorious? 2 Corinthians 3:7, 8
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2 Corinthians 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?
5. Which is more glorious? Which excels in glory? 2 Corinthians 3:9-11
2 Corinthians 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Corinthians 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2 Corinthians 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
6. How do we know that the Ten Commandments are with us today? What is the significance of the word "remaineth? 2 Corinthians 3:11
2 Corinthians 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
7. How do we know that Paul is speaking of the same law, two applications of the same law? 2 Corinthians 3:6
2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
8. We read about the literal vail on the face of Moses. What is this figurative vail on the hearts of the Jewish nation? 2 Corinthians 3:12-16
2 Corinthians 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2 Corinthians 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2 Corinthians 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
9. How does their vail manifest itself? John 8:1-11; John 9:1-7, 13-16
John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
John 8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
John 8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
John 9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
John 9:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
John 9:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
John 9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
John 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
10. What power does the vail have on the mind? 2 Corinthians 3:14
2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
11. What can those in bondage to the laws and practices of the Pharisees experience in Christ? 2 Corinthians 3:16, 17
2 Corinthians 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
12. The Old Testament law was written in tables of stone. Where is the New Testament law written? 2 Corinthians 3:3
2 Corinthians 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Special Note: In the last verse of this chapter, verse 18, the phrase "glory to glory" refers to the Saints being freed from the glory of the Old Testament and joined with Christ in the glory of the New Testament, from the glory of the letter of the law, to the exceeding glory of the New Testament.
Conclusion: Did you find any verse in this chapter that abolishes the Ten Commandments? No. Paul refers to the spirit of the law, the spirit of the Ten Commandments. He calls it the ministration of righteousness, and states that it exceeds in glory. Paul is teaching the Ten Commandments.