SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:7
Y si el ministerio de muerte en la letra grabado en piedras, fue para gloria, tanto que los hijos de Israel no pudiesen poner los ojos en la faz de Moiss a causa de la gloria de su rostro, la cual había de perecer,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 3:7
Verse 7. The ministration of death] Here the apostle evidently intends the law. It was a ministration, diakonia or service of death. It was the province of the law to ascertain the duty of man; to assign his duties; to fix penalties for transgressions, &c.; and by it is the knowledge of sin. As man is prone to sin, and is continually committing it, this law was to him a continual ministration of death. Its letter killed; and it was only the Gospel to which it referred that could give life, because that Gospel held out the only available atonement. Yet this ministration of death (the ten commandments, written on stones; a part of the Mosaic institutions being put for the whole) was glorious-was full of splendour; for the apostle refers to the thunderings, and lightnings, and luminous appearances, which took place in the giving of the law; so that the very body of Moses partook of the effulgence in such a manner that the children of Israel could not look upon his face; and he, to hide it, was obliged to use a veil. All this was intended to show the excellency of that law, as an institution coming immediately from God: and the apostle gives it all its heightenings, that he may compare it to the Gospel, and thereby prove that, glorious as it was, it had no glory that could be compared with that of the Gospel; and that even the glory it had was a glory that was to be done away-to be absorbed, as the light of the stars, planets, and moon, is absorbed in the splendour of the sun. See the notes on the 7th chapter of Romans; and see those on Exodus 19, 20, and Exod. xxxiv. 29, &c., where this subject is treated in all its details.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. But if the ministration of death , etc..] The apostle having observed the difference between the law and the Gospel, the one being a killing letter, the other a quickening spirit, enlarges upon it, and more, fully explains it; and proceeds to take notice of other things in which they differ; and to show the superior glory and excellency of the one to the other; for that by the ministration of death, he means the law, as delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai, is clear from its being said to be written and engraven in stones ; as that was by the finger of God himself: rightly does the apostle say, that it was both written and engraven; for the two tables of the law are expressly said to be written with the finger of God, ( Exodus 31:18) meaning either the Spirit of God, who is sometimes so called, ( Luke 11:20) compared with ( Matthew 12:28) or the power of God, which at once caused this writing to exist; and it is in so many words affirmed, that the writing was the writing of God; and not of man, nor of any creature, no not of an angel, ( Exodus 32:16) yea, even the two tables which were hewn out by Moses, after the first were broken, were written upon by the Lord himself, and not Moses, ( Exodus 34:1). So that as the work of the tables was the work of God, and wonderfully made, the form of the letters, as Abarbinel observes, were miraculously made by him; for this law was, en grammasi , in letters, as the apostle here says; and as it was written in the Hebrew language, very likely it was in the same form of letters now in use with the Jews; though some have thought that the Samaritan letters are the original ones: moreover, the law was not only written, but engraved; for so it is said, that the writing was graven upon the tables, ( Exodus 32:16) and though the word so rendered is no where else used but there, it is rightly rendered graven, as appears by the apostle in this place; and which may lie confirmed by the Targumist on that, who renders it by qyqj , engraven; and by the Septuagint kekolammenh , which signifies the same; and so in the book of Zohar f23 , the letters are said to be wpylgta , engraven on the tables: and that the tables were tables of stone, it is certain; they are often so called, ( Exodus 24:12 31:18 34:1 Deuteronomy 9:9,10 10:1) wherefore the apostle very properly says, that the law was engraven in stones; but what stones these tables were made of cannot be said; the Jews, who affect to know everything, will have them to be precious stones, but what they were they are not agreed in; for though they generally say f24 they were made of the sapphire stone, and sometimes say they were hewed out of the sapphire of the glorious throne of God; yet at other times they call them marble tables f26 ; and Aben Ezra was of opinion, that the tables which Moses hewed were not of any precious stone, for he asks where should a precious stone of such size be found? though others pretend to say f28 , that Moses in a miraculous manner was shown a sapphire quarry in the midst of his tent, out of which he cut and hewed the stones; but very likely they were common ones; however, certain it is, that the tables of stone, as written and engraven by the Lord himself, were made, as the apostle here says, in glory, egenhye en doxh ; and so Jarchi on ( Exodus 32:16) and the tables were the work of God, says, this is to be understood literally wdwbkbw , and in or for his glory; or by his glorious power he made them: now this law, though thus written and engraven, and glorious, it was the ministration of death; and is so called, because it threatened and punished the transgressors of it with a corporeal death; they that sinned against it died without mercy upon proper evidence and witnesses; every precept of it had this penalty annexed to it, in ease of disobedience; as the having any other goals but one, making of graven images, taking the name of God in vain, the violation of the sabbath, dishonouring of parents, murder, adultery, theft, and covetousness; instances there are of each of these being punishable by this law with a bodily death: and besides, it is the ministration of eternal death, the wages of sin the transgression of the law; which is that wrath of God, a sense of which it is said to work; the curse it threatens with and the second death or lake of fire it casts into: and may be said to be the ministration of it; as it shows persons they are deserving of it, pronounces the sentence of it on them, and will execute it upon them, if grace prevent not; now though it was the ministration of death, yet it was glorious . There were many things which made it so; but what the apostle here particularly takes notice of is the glory that was upon the face of Moses, when he received it and brought it from the Lord, which was very great; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away .
The history of this may be read in ( Exodus 34:29,30,35) it was a real visible glory that was upon the skin of his face, so that it shone again; it is said, the skin of his face shone; and this shining of his face the apostle very properly calls the glory of his countenance: agreeably to the Septuagint version, which renders it, the appearance of the skin, or colour of his face, was glorified; and still nearer to the paraphrase of Onkelos, which is, the splendour of the glory of his countenance was great; and to the Targum of Jonathan, which also assigns the reason of it, and which seems to be the true one, the splendour of the form of his countenance was glorious, because of the splendour of the glory of the majesty of God, at the time he talked with him. The Vulgate Latin version has led many wrong, to paint Moses with two horns, rendering it, his face was horned, the Hebrew word having the signification of an horn in its derivative; because glory darted from him like horns, as rays of light do from the sun; see ( Habakkuk 3:4 *marg) and this brightness and glory were so very great, and so dazzling, that Aaron and the people of Israel were afraid to come nigh; which Jarchi, a Jewish writer, imputed to their sin, and shame, and fear, having worshipped the calf; but our apostle ascribes it to the lustre of his countenance, which was such that they could not steadfastly look upon it; they saw it indeed, as it is said in ( Exodus 34:35) yet they could not look wistly at it, nor bear the splendour of it; though this was only a glory, which was to continue but a while; according to the opinion of Ambrose f29 , this glory continued on Moses's countenance as long as he lived; but be it so, it at last was done away: now this glory was put there to bear a testimony to the divine authority of the law, that it came from God, and was to be received at the hands of Moses, with awful reverence as from God, and to make them afraid of violating a law which came with such majesty and glory; and also to command awe and respect from the Israelites to Moses, whom they were inclined at every turn to treat with contempt, and to let them see that he had communion with God, which this was the effect of: now this was a circumstance which rendered the law glorious, and was expressive of a real glory in it; which, though as this on Moses's face, was to be done away; wherefore the apostle argues; Ver. 8. How shall not the ministration of the Spirit , etc..] By the ministration of the Spirit, is meant the Gospel; so called not only because it ministers spiritual things, as peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation, spiritual joy and comfort, and even spiritual life; but because it ministers the Spirit of God himself, by whom it is not only dictated, and by him at first confirmed, and who qualities persons for the preaching of it; but by it he conveys himself into the hearts of men, and makes it powerful for illumination, consolation, edification, and an increase of every grace; and therefore must be rather glorious, or much more glorious than the law, the ministration of death.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Even the appearance of self-praise and courting human applause, is painful to the humble and spiritual mind. Nothing is more delightful to faithful ministers, or more to their praise, than the success of their ministry, as shown in the spirits and lives of those among whom the labour. The law of Christ was written in their hearts, and the love of Christ shed abroad there. Nor was it written in tables of stone, as the law of God given to Moses, but on the fleshy (not fleshly, a fleshliness denotes sensuality) tables of the heart, Eze 36:26. Their hearts were humbled and softened to receive this impression, by the new-creating power of the Holy Spirit. He ascribes all the glory to God. And remember, as our whole dependence is upon the Lord, so the whole glory belongs to him alone. The letter killeth: the letter of the law is the ministration of death; and if we rest only in the letter of the gospel, we shall not be the better for so doing: but the Holy Spirit gives life spiritual, and life eternal. The Old Testamen dispensation was the ministration of death, but the New Testament of life. The law made known sin, and the wrath and curse of God; it showe us a God above us, and a God against us; but the gospel makes know grace, and Emmanuel, God with us. Therein the righteousness of God by faith is revealed; and this shows us that the just shall live by his faith; this makes known the grace and mercy of God through Jesu Christ, for obtaining the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The gospel so much exceeds the law in glory, that it eclipses the glory of the legal dispensation. But even the New Testament will be a killin letter, if shown as a mere system or form, and without dependence of God the Holy Spirit, to give it a quickening power.
Greek Textus Receptus
ει 1487 COND δε 1161 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF διακονια 1248 N-NSF του 3588 T-GSM θανατου 2288 N-GSM εν 1722 PREP γραμμασιν 1121 N-DPN εντετυπωμενη 1795 5772 V-RPP-NSF εν 1722 PREP λιθοις 3037 N-DPM εγενηθη 1096 5675 V-AOI-3S εν 1722 PREP δοξη 1391 N-DSF ωστε 5620 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N δυνασθαι 1410 5738 V-PNN ατενισαι 816 5658 V-AAN τους 3588 T-APM υιους 5207 N-APM ισραηλ 2474 N-PRI εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN προσωπον 4383 N-ASN μωσεως 3475 N-GSM δια 1223 PREP την 3588 T-ASF δοξαν 1391 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSN προσωπου 4383 N-GSN αυτου 846 P-GSM την 3588 T-ASF καταργουμενην 2673 5746 V-PPP-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. The ministration of death (h diakonia tou qanatou). Because it is the ministry of the letter which killeth. The law meant death to the sinner. Written and engraven in stones (en grammasin entetupwmenh liqoiv). Lit., engraven on stones by means of letters. The use of these words to describe a ministration is peculiar. The ministration of death (see above) is that of Moses, and does not apply to his entire career as Israel's lawgiver, but to his particular ministry in receiving on Sinai and transmitting to the people the law of God. The ministration may be said to have been graven on stones, since the whole purport of that economy which he represented was contained in the tables, and he was its minister in being the agent through whom God delivered it to the people.Was glorious (egenhqh en doxh). A very inadequate translation. Egenhqh means came to pass or took place, not simply was. A glory passed from God to Moses, so that his face became shining. It is much more graphic and truthful to render ejn doxh literally, in or with glory, than to convert the two words into a single adjective, glorious. Rev., much better, came with glory.
Steadfastly behold (atenisai). See on Luke iv. 20.
Passing away (katargoumenhn). Lit., being done away or brought to nought. See on Luke xiii. 7; Rom. iii. 3.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:7 {Of death} (tou qanatou). Subjective genitive, marked by death in its outcome (cf. #1Co 15:56; Ga 3:10). The letter kills. {Engraven on stones} (entetupwmene liqois). Perfect passive participle of entupow, late verb, to imprint a figure (tupos). Used by Aristias (67) of the "inlaid" work on the table sent by Ptolemy Philadelphus to Jerusalem. liqois in locative case. {Came with glory} (egeneqe en doxei). In glory. As it did, condition of first class, assumed as true. See #Ex 34:29,35. {Look steadfastly} (atenisai). Late verb from atenes (stretched, intent, teinw and a intensive) as in #Lu 4:20; Ac 3:4. {Was passing away} (katargoumenen). Late verb, to render of no effect, and present passive participle here as in #1Co 2:6.
