This article explains from 2 Corinthians 3:8 how the Holy Spirit and the special offices of the church belong together.

3 pages.

2 Corinthians 3:8 – The Spirit and the Special Offices

... will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

2 Corinthians 3:8

To many people there is a sharp contrast between the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the ecclesiastical offices in the church. Especially Pentecostal groups and the charismatic movement ask critical questions about the structure of the special offices as known in the Reformed churches. Do the special offices not threaten the spontaneous, all-penetrating work of the Spirit? Does the ministry of office-bearers not stifle the freedom of the congregation? Should a truly charismatic congregation not get rid of all those traditional official structures?

How little they understand Scripture is immediately evident from the fact that in the New Testament there is not the least contrast between the Holy Spirit and the special offices in the church. It strikes us immediately that the special office is called a charisma, a gracious gift of Christ through the Spirit. Paul speaks of the grace of his apostleship (cf. Rom 1:5; 1 Cor 3:10; 15:10). In Ephesians 4:11 the same apostle teaches the congregation to consider the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers as Christ’s festal gifts to his people.

That the Spirit and the special offices really belong together is made clear also in the impressive farewell words of Paul to the elders at Ephesus, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28.) Paul says here that it is the Holy Spirit who has appointed the elders over the congregation. The elders are instruments of the Spirit of Christ. It pleases him to do his work in the hearts and lives of people through office-bearers of the church.

That the Spirit and the special offices do not form a contrast is also very evident from 2 Corinthians 3. In this chapter we clearly find the Spirit and the apostleship together. In our text Paul even characterizes his apostolic work as “the ministry of the Spirit that will be even more glorious.”

Someone typified Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians as the “apostolate in oppression and consolation.” Something can be said for this, for in none of his letters does Paul speak so much about his apostleship as he does in this one. There was a reason for that. In the congregation at Corinth some people spoke very critically about the apostle Paul. Some considered him a second-rate apostle. Paul had great pretensions but was he for real? Could Paul actually demand recognition for his work among them, which often was all but spectacular?

In this chapter the apostle goes deeper into these critical questions. Paul does not need letters of recommendation. The congregation at Corinth herself is his letter of recommendation, a letter from Christ, written with the Spirit, known and read by everybody. The existence of the congregation is proof that Paul is indeed an apostle and can demand to be recognized. The existence of the congregation demonstrates unmistakably the rich fruit of Paul’s labor in Corinth. There are believers in Corinth, there is a congregation, and there are rich gifts of the Spirit. All this should convince the Corinthians that Paul’s apostleship is legitimate. For tangible proof they only have to look at themselves!

Speaking about the wonderful fruit of his apostleship, Paul goes so far as to compare his ministry to that other very important Old Testament ministry, the ministry of Moses.

That ministry too came with glory. In Exodus 34 we read that Moses’ face was radiant because he had spoken with God on Mount Sinai. The radiance of Moses’ face was so glorious that the Israelites could not bear it. Moses had to spread a veil over his face so that he could associate with the people.

Yet in comparison with Paul’s apostleship, Moses’ ministry was very imperfect. Very strikingly Paul calls it “the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone.” From Mount Sinai Moses did bring the stone tablets engraved with the Ten Words of the covenant, but he did not bring the power needed to keep this holy and good law of God (cf. Rom 7:12).

In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul does not deny the work of the Spirit in the old covenant. He knows that some Israelites feared the Lord. But he calls the ministry of Moses according to what characterized this ministry most: it led to death. Israel’s history was one of ongoing apostasy and unfaithfulness to the covenant. It was a history that finally ended in the rejection of Israel in the exile.

Over against this sad result of Moses’ ministry, Paul now proclaims the glory of his apostleship. It is the ministry of the Spirit that is even more glorious. All the glory of Moses’ ministry is surpassed by this greater glory. For Paul as an apostle may work on the basis of the new covenant in Christ’s blood (cf. Lk 22:20). And the great gift of this new covenant is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who changes and renews hearts and lives, who does not kill but who makes alive (cf. 2 Cor 3:6). This Spirit works what the law demands and gives the power to also live according to the law. Therefore Paul can typify his ministry as the ministry that brings righteousness (2 Cor 3:9). Where people listen to his preaching, they are brought into the right relationship with God and walk as righteous people.

Moses gave Israel the letter of the law. But Paul’s ministry is more: his apostleship brings the Spirit to the congregation of the new covenant, the Spirit who fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:27. Therefore Paul’s ministry is infinitely more glorious than that of Moses. For by means of Paul’s ministry the congregation receives the Holy Spirit!

Anyone who thinks that the Spirit and the special offices are in opposition to each other, fails to recognize the way in which the Spirit of Pentecost wants to work. The special offices are the instruments of the Spirit. Through the ministry of the offices the Spirit wants to impart to the believers what they have in Christ. In this way he brings into our lives all the salvation obtained by Christ.

The book of Acts shows clearly that the offices are the ministry of the Spirit in glory; that is the point here. The apostles preach the gospel. Paul makes his missionary journeys, led by the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 13:2; 16:6). Through all this labor of the office-bearer, the Spirit works and establishes congregations everywhere.

When congregations are established by the miracle of the Spirit, Paul and Barnabas appoint elders (cf. Acts 14:23). When it comes down to it, they are appointed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 20:28). They have to tend the flock; they are the overseers. But they are in the service of the Spirit who makes alive. Whoever despises the offices and questions their legitimacy, fails to recognize the way in which the Spirit works.

A minister preaches, elders bring home visits, the deacons care for the needy. But it is the Spirit who through all this does his glorious work.

It all looks so simple and unimpressive. But it is the ministry of the Spirit in glory. This glory far surpasses the glory of Moses’ ministry! For through this work of the office-bearers the powers of the Spirit come to us and the congregation becomes a letter of Christ, known and read by all people.

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