The Corinthians, too, were such letters that God had written. God"s method of commending the gospel to others is through the supernatural change that he writes on the lives of believers by His Holy Spirit. In this instance the transformation of the Corinthians" lives was the strongest proof of the genuineness of Paul"s apostleship. For Paul to offer other letters written on paper would have been insulting and unnecessary. What God had said about Paul by blessing his ministry with fruit in Corinth spoke more eloquently than any letter he could have carried with him. [source][source][source]
"Proof of Paul"s genuineness was to be found not in written characters but in human characters." [1][source]
"Professing Christians are the Bible that men read and know." [2][source]
Context Summary
2 Corinthians 3:1-6 - The Savor Of The Knowledge Of Christ
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, imagines himself as part of his Master's procession passing through the world. First he is a captive in Christ's conquering train; then he is one of the incense-bearers, scattering fragrant perfume; then he conceives of his life as being in itself that perfume. As the captives in a triumphal procession would be divided into two bodies, of which one company was doomed to die while the other was spared, so inevitably all who come in contact with Christ, either directly in the preaching of the gospel or indirectly in the lives of His people, are influenced either for evil or for good.
The Apostle fancies himself challenged to furnish letters of commendation and he repudiates the claim. "No," he cries, "the lives and testimonies of those whom I have won for God, are all the credentials that I require!" Every Christian should be a clearly written and legible tractlet, circulating for the glory of God. Men will not read the evidences for Christianity as contained in learned treatises, but they are keen to read us. God alone can suffice us to sustain this searching scrutiny. [source]
Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 3
1Lest their false teachers should charge him with vain glory, 2he shows the faith of the Corinthians to be a sufficient commendation of his ministry 6Whereupon entering a comparison between the ministers of the law and of the gospel, 12he proves that his ministry is so far the more excellent, 17as the gospel of life and liberty is more glorious than the law of condemnation
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 3:2
Ye are our epistle [η επιστολη ημων υμεις εστε] Bold turn. Paul was writing in their hearts. [source]
Known and read [γινωσκομενη και αναγινωσκομενη] Play on the word. Literally true. Professing Christians are the Bible that men read and know. [source]
Our epistle [] The figure which follows is freely and somewhat loosely worked out, and presents different faces in rapid succession. The figure itself is that of a commendatory letter representing the Corinthian Church: “Ye are our letter.” This figure is carried out in three directions: 1. As related to the apostles' own consciousness. The Corinthian Church is a letter written on the apostles' hearts. Their own consciousness testifies that that Church is the fruit of a divinely accredited, honest, and faithful ministry. 2. As related to the Corinthians themselves. The Church needs no letter to commend the apostles to it. It is its own commendation. As the visible fruit of the apostles' ministry they are a commendatory letter to themselves. If the question arises among them, “Were Paul and his colleagues duly commissioned?” - the answer is, “We ourselves are the proof of it.” 3. As related to others outside of the Corinthian Church. The answer to the charge that the Corinthians have been taught by irregular and uncommissioned teachers is the same: “Behold the fruit of their labors in us. We are their commission.” At this point the figure again shifts; the letter being now conceived as written on the Corinthians' hearts, instead of on the hearts of the apostles: written by Christ through the apostles' ministry. This suggests the comparison with the law written on tables of stone, which are used as a figure of the heart, fleshy tables, thus introducing two incongruities, namely, an epistle written on stone, and writing with ink on stone tables. [source]
Written in our hearts [] See above. Compare Plato: “I am speaking of an intelligent writing which is graven in the soul of him who has learned, and can defend itself” (“Phaedrus,” 276). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 3:2
2 Corinthians 6:9As unknown and yet well known [ως αγνοουμενοι και επιγινοσκομενοι] “As ignored (as nonentities, obscure, without proper credentials 2 Corinthians 3:2) and yet fully recognized (by all who really matter as in 2 Corinthians 11:6).” [source]
2 Corinthians 6:10Yet making many rich [πολλους δε πλουτιζοντες] Old word from πλουτος ploutos (wealth), to enrich. Spiritual riches Paul has in mind as in 1 Corinthians 1:5 (cf. Matthew 5:37). As having nothing and yet possessing all things (ως μηδεν εχοντες και παντα κατεχοντες hōs mēden echontes kai panta katechontes). Contrast between μηδεν mēden (nothing) and παντα panta (all things, cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22) and εχω echō (to have) and κατεχω katechō (to hold down, to hold fast). Play on words (simple and compound) as in 2 Corinthians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 4:8. Climax of Paul‘s panegyric on the Christian ministry. He now resumes the thread of the story broken off in 2 Corinthians 2:14. [source]
2 Corinthians 6:10As having nothing and yet possessing all things [ως μηδεν εχοντες και παντα κατεχοντες] Contrast between μηδεν mēden (nothing) and παντα panta (all things, cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22) and εχω echō (to have) and κατεχω katechō (to hold down, to hold fast). Play on words (simple and compound) as in 2 Corinthians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 4:8. Climax of Paul‘s panegyric on the Christian ministry. He now resumes the thread of the story broken off in 2 Corinthians 2:14. [source]
What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 3:2 mean?
Theletterof usyouarehaving been inscribedintheheartsbeing knownandbeing readbyallmen
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γινώσκω
Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel.
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀναγινώσκω
Sense: to distinguish between, to recognise, to know accurately, to acknowledge.
Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 3:2
Bold turn. Paul was writing in their hearts. [source]
Play on the word. Literally true. Professing Christians are the Bible that men read and know. [source]
The figure which follows is freely and somewhat loosely worked out, and presents different faces in rapid succession. The figure itself is that of a commendatory letter representing the Corinthian Church: “Ye are our letter.” This figure is carried out in three directions: 1. As related to the apostles' own consciousness. The Corinthian Church is a letter written on the apostles' hearts. Their own consciousness testifies that that Church is the fruit of a divinely accredited, honest, and faithful ministry. 2. As related to the Corinthians themselves. The Church needs no letter to commend the apostles to it. It is its own commendation. As the visible fruit of the apostles' ministry they are a commendatory letter to themselves. If the question arises among them, “Were Paul and his colleagues duly commissioned?” - the answer is, “We ourselves are the proof of it.” 3. As related to others outside of the Corinthian Church. The answer to the charge that the Corinthians have been taught by irregular and uncommissioned teachers is the same: “Behold the fruit of their labors in us. We are their commission.” At this point the figure again shifts; the letter being now conceived as written on the Corinthians' hearts, instead of on the hearts of the apostles: written by Christ through the apostles' ministry. This suggests the comparison with the law written on tables of stone, which are used as a figure of the heart, fleshy tables, thus introducing two incongruities, namely, an epistle written on stone, and writing with ink on stone tables. [source]
See above. Compare Plato: “I am speaking of an intelligent writing which is graven in the soul of him who has learned, and can defend itself” (“Phaedrus,” 276). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 3:2
The heart is, first, the physical organ, the center of the circulation of the blood. Hence, the seat and center of physical life. In the former sense it does not occur in the New Testament. As denoting the vigor and sense of physical life, see Acts 14:17; James 5:5; Luke 21:34. It is used fifty-two times by Paul. Never used like ψυχή , soul, to denote the individual subject of personal life, so that it can be exchanged with the personal pronoun (Acts 2:43; Acts 3:23; Romans 13:1); nor like πνεῦμα spiritto denote the divinely-given principle of life. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- It is the central seat and organ of the personal life ( ψυχή ) of man regarded in and by himself. Hence it is commonly accompanied with the possessive pronouns, my, his, thy, etc. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Like our heart it denotes the seat of feeling as contrasted with intelligence. 2 Corinthians 2:4; Romans 9:2; Romans 10:1; 2 Corinthians 6:11; Philemon 1:7. But it is not limited to this. It is also the seat of mental action, feeling, thinking, willing. It is used - -DIVIDER- 1. Of intelligence, Romans 1:21; 2 Corinthians 3:15; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 1:18. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- 2. Of moral choice, 1 Corinthians 7:37; 2 Corinthians 9:7. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- 3. As giving impulse and character to action, Romans 6:17; Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22. The work of the law is written on the heart, Romans 2:15. The Corinthian Church is inscribed as Christ's epistle on hearts of flesh, 2 Corinthians 3:2-3. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- 4. Specially, it is the seat of the divine Spirit, Galatians 4:6; Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:22. It is the sphere of His various operations, directing, comforting, establishing, etc., Philemon 4:7; Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:5. It is the seat of faith, and the organ of spiritual praise, Romans 10:9; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- It is equivalent to the inner man, Ephesians 3:16, Ephesians 3:17. Its characteristic is being hidden, Romans 2:28, Romans 2:29; Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 14:25. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- It is contrasted with the face, 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 5:12; and with the mouth, Romans 10:8. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
“As ignored (as nonentities, obscure, without proper credentials 2 Corinthians 3:2) and yet fully recognized (by all who really matter as in 2 Corinthians 11:6).” [source]
Old word from πλουτος ploutos (wealth), to enrich. Spiritual riches Paul has in mind as in 1 Corinthians 1:5 (cf. Matthew 5:37). As having nothing and yet possessing all things (ως μηδεν εχοντες και παντα κατεχοντες hōs mēden echontes kai panta katechontes). Contrast between μηδεν mēden (nothing) and παντα panta (all things, cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22) and εχω echō (to have) and κατεχω katechō (to hold down, to hold fast). Play on words (simple and compound) as in 2 Corinthians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 4:8. Climax of Paul‘s panegyric on the Christian ministry. He now resumes the thread of the story broken off in 2 Corinthians 2:14. [source]
Contrast between μηδεν mēden (nothing) and παντα panta (all things, cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22) and εχω echō (to have) and κατεχω katechō (to hold down, to hold fast). Play on words (simple and compound) as in 2 Corinthians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 4:8. Climax of Paul‘s panegyric on the Christian ministry. He now resumes the thread of the story broken off in 2 Corinthians 2:14. [source]