3:7 But if the
ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so
that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses
because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing
away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more
glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory,
the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even
what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that
excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what
remains is much more glorious.
Paul is doing what Paul does best and if you don't know what
he is talking about it sounds like a riddle. The reality is that it's very
simple. In the Old Testament altars and sacrifices and later the temple and the
priesthood all had glory attached to them. They had a level of sacredness. The
Ark of the Testimony/Covenant was to be treated as holy yet none of it was. The
sacrifices were to be understood as removing sin from the guilty but they didn't.
They couldn't. They were just animals. All of it was symbolic. All of it was
props in a type of living drama designed to point to something else.
What Paul is saying is that if the system of symbols was
glorious how much more glorious is the reality? What makes more heat - the sun
or a picture of the sun? What provides more flavour and nourishment - a plastic
decorative apple or the real thing?
The answer is so obvious it begs the question as to why Paul
is even wasting the time making the point? Here's why. The people were denying
the work of the Spirit in their lives. They were treating Him as nothing. They
were ignoring His counsel and guidance. Just as the Jews has turned the lesser
glory of the temple into a moneymaking racket and a farce, so we're these baby
Christians making a mockery of the work of the Spirit in the temple of their
hearts and minds. He was calling them to forgive while they were healing
endless guilt on a brother who was genuinely sorry for his sin.
Who are we, who am I to deny the leading of God's Spirit? Who
am I to send the forgiven on endless guilt trips? If the cold stone of the
written law held glory even before we knew the heart of the Lawgiver, how much
more reverence is due Him? How should I treat others knowing they are a Temple
of His Spirit? Talk about glory... They weren't permitted to even touch the
mountain when God was giving the law to Moses. How dare I touch my brother in
any way that is out of harmony with God while God is giving him His Spirit?
When you are dealing with the heart of another person, take
off your shoes, you are on holy ground...
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