The Ministration of Death
By R. Hare
SOMETIMES in reading the divine record the human mind reads its own thoughts rather than the thoughts of God. Preconceived ideas, crude limitations, and theological bias all tend to reveal themselves in our reading, as well as in our expositions, of the Word. Paul’s lesson on the “ministration of death” has often been subjected to misunderstanding and misinterpretation in this way. Yet men need not misinterpret the Book of life, for God has promised to be His own expositor. In this passage (2 Cor. 3:7-14) three things stand out prominently: the “ministration,” the law “on stone,” and the “glory.” The ministration has to do with the death-penalties demanded by the law engraven on stone, while the “glory” speaks of the splendour associated with the face of Moses when he came from the mountain after talking with God. Let it be clearly understood that the “ministration” of this passage is not the law. The Greek word is διακονία (diakonia) and signifies, “ministering, ministration, service, office, serving.”—Young. The same word, in both the original and authorised text is found in Acts 6:1. Here it has the idea of serving or dealing out provisions. In the statement made by Paul, it carries the same thought, only it is the dealing out of the death-penalty demanded by the law, rather than the dealing out of bread. The law referred to was the Sinai writ, engraven on the adamantine slabs and given to Moses at the close of his forty days’ conference with Deity. The “glory” lay in the splendour that flooded the person and face of the Hebrew mediator as he returned to converse with men. So bright was that glory that the uncovered eyes of Israel might not gaze upon the man from whom they had been so long separated. The reflection of that glory scene is still pictured in the halo that the artist throws round the head of his hero. Two of these things passed away. The “ministration”—the serving out of death—was superseded by the “ministration of life.” Under the theocracy of Israel the death penalty was direct and often immediate. But under the gospel the death-dealing hand is stayed and Jehovah declares, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” Life is now offered as direct to the offender as justice demanded death before. This is through the ministration of the Spirit. Again the “glory” passed away. When Moses came from the Mount bearing the immutable tables, there was an awfulness about his “ministration” that challenged the heart of all Israel. And there was a glory enshrouding the person of the man who walked as the divine executor which required a veil to be drawn that the glory might not destroy. But that glory faded, and after a time the people of Israel walked and talked with Moses as before. Paul speaks of “the glory that excelleth”; while Peter points to the “excellent glory.” 2 Peter 1:16-18. This was another mountain scene. Hermon is the place chosen this time for the revelation. The “glory that excelleth” was a reality, and it flooded and enfolded the Mediator of the New Covenant who in His ministration offers life to the transgressor. But let the reader notice that the offering of life and righteousness under the glory of Christ’s ministration does not in any way invalidate the writ from Sinai. Sin is still the transgression of the law, and the deferring of the death-penalty to a later time does not in any way lessen the exaction, for still—“The wages of sin is death.” Under the Old Covenant, made with Israel, there was no stipulation concerning the forgiveness of sin. But under the “ministration that excelleth in glory” Jehovah has pledged Himself to forgiveness in the words: “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Heb. 10:16, 17. But the fact that sin must still be forgiven demonstrates that the law “engraven on stone” still exists, for sin is the transgression of the law. The change of ministration has in no wise changed the law, for under the New Covenant that law is to be written on the fleshly tables of the heart. But if this is done, it must be a transcript from the stone law of Sinai—God has no other law. Heb. 8:10.343 Under the gospel God permits the transgressor to live on, but it is with the hope that he will learn to obey that holy law, the transgression of which brings death. Forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life are all offered by Heaven, but for the man who will not accept, the death penalty remains. In the path of loving obedience there is life. Choose life and live! Then the glory that excelleth will be yours also. I Peter 5:4.