Compare the glory of the Spirit's ministry with the old covenant's glory.

Setting the Scene: Two Ministries on Display

- 2 Corinthians 3:7–8 sets up the comparison:

“Now if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?”

- Paul contrasts two real, God-given revelations:

• The old covenant at Sinai, etched on stone.

• The new covenant ushered in by the Holy Spirit.

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The Old Covenant’s Fading Brilliance

- Exodus 34:29-35 recounts Moses’ shining face—so bright that Israel asked for a veil.

- Key traits:

• External: commandments chiseled on tablets (Exodus 31:18).

• Condemning: “the ministry of death” (2 Colossians 3:7), “ministry of condemnation” (v. 9).

• Temporary: “its glory was to be set aside” (v. 7).

• Veiled: Israel could not handle sustained exposure (Exodus 34:33).

- Purpose: to reveal sin (Romans 3:20) and point to the need for a greater work.

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The Spirit’s Ministry: Surpassing Glory

- Internal: the Spirit writes on “tablets of human hearts” (2 Colossians 3:3).

- Life-giving: “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (v. 6).

- Justifying: “the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory” (v. 9).

- Permanent: “what remains is much more glorious” (v. 11).

- Unveiled and transformative: “We all, with unveiled faces…are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (v. 18).

- Liberating: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (v. 17).

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Side-by-Side Contrast

• Medium

– Old: stone tablets

– New: human hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3)

• Result

– Old: condemnation and death

– New: righteousness and life (Romans 8:2)

• Duration

– Old: fading, provisional

– New: lasting, eternal (Hebrews 9:12)

• Visibility

– Old: veiled glory on Moses’ face

– New: unveiled glory in every believer

• Access

– Old: fearful distance (Exodus 20:18-19)

– New: “with confidence by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18)

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Why the Greater Glory Matters Today

- Assurance: righteousness is granted, not earned (2 Corinthians 5:21).

- Transformation: continual inward change replaces external pressure (Galatians 5:22-23).

- Freedom: believers serve willingly, not under fear (Romans 8:15).

- Mission: the Spirit’s radiance in us draws others to Christ (Matthew 5:16).

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Supporting Verses at a Glance

- Jeremiah 31:31-34 – promise of the new covenant written on hearts.

- Ezekiel 36:26-27 – Spirit placed within to move us to obey.

- Romans 8:1-4 – law’s requirement fulfilled in believers by the Spirit.

- Hebrews 8:6 – Christ’s “more excellent ministry” under the better covenant.