Catholic Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Letters of Recommendation

Paul does not need letters of recommendation to the Corinthians or from them. They are themselves his letter, written on his heart, known and read by everyone. They are a letter of Christ, delivered by Paul, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. The allusion to Ezekiel 36:26 is deliberate: the new covenant promised by the prophets is the covenant of the Spirit written on the heart, and the Corinthian community is its living embodiment. Paul's competence as a minister comes not from himself but from God, who has made him a minister of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

The Fading and the Permanent Glory

If the ministry that brought death, engraved in letters on stone, came with glory such that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face because of its glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of the Spirit. Moses put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not see the end of what was passing away. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. The Catechism identifies this as the theology of sanctification: the Christian is not merely forgiven but progressively transformed into the image of Christ by the Spirit, from one degree of glory to another (CCC 1999).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory. This is not a process you can observe in yourself from day to day, any more than you can watch your hair grow. But it is happening, in every act of prayer, every reception of the sacraments, every choice to turn to the Lord instead of away. The veil is removed. Contemplate his glory. The contemplation is itself the transformation.

Prayer

Lord God, write your law on our hearts by your Spirit. Remove the veil from our faces so that we may contemplate your glory and be transformed into the image of your Son, from glory to glory. Where the Spirit is, there is freedom. Fill us with your Spirit. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

3
Ministers of a New Covenant
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, inscribed on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
 
4 Such confidence before God is ours through Christ. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6 And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The Glory of the New Covenant
(Exodus 34:10–35)
 
7 Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! 10 Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
 
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away.
 
14 But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed. 15 And even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
 
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

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