For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
That which was made glorious was the former ministry of the law given through Moses, the ministration of death and condemnation written in stone and given from Sinai with its sacrificial system, and it has no glory by comparison with the glory that excels, which is Christ Himself and the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness in the gospel. The word was spoken to steady believers against teachers who exalted the law and its ceremonies that pointed to Christ above the gospel of Christ. What was to pass away and be abolished at His death was the ceremonial law with its typical offerings and services, not God's enduring moral law, so the greater glory does not set aside the claims of His law. The brightness on the face of Moses was the righteousness of Christ in the law, seen because he looked to the end of that which was to be done away when type would meet antitype, and while the law can only condemn the sinner with no power to pardon or save, Christ was revealed in those types as the sin-pardoning Saviour who bore its curse and penalty and places His perfect character in man's behalf. As Moses veiled his shining face because guilty Israel could not endure it, so Christ veiled His divinity with humanity that fallen men might endure His presence and be lifted up, and that excelling glory is imparted to every believing soul to make him a partaker of the divine nature, calling him to walk humbly before God without exalting self or ruling the consciences of others.
Old Glory Outshone
That which was made glorious is the former ministry of the law represented by Moses, the ministration of death and condemnation written and engraven in stones and given in awful grandeur from Sinai, including the Jewish economy and its sacrificial offering. It has no glory by comparison with the glory that excels, which is the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness, Christ Himself and the gospel dispensation. Whatever was made glorious has no glory of its own beside the glory that excels in Christ.
The verse was spoken to settle the minds of the Corinthians about the gospel of Christ against Judaizing teachers who exalted the law and the ceremonies that typified Christ above the gospel of Christ. Those teachers condemned Paul for not urging ceremonies that had no value since Christ's death, after those ceremonies were of no value since Christ's death.
What was to pass away and be done away and abolished at Christ's death was the ceremonial law and its sacrificial offering and typical services, with its types and shadows finding their meaning when type met antitype and losing force when Christ died as a sin-offering. This was not God's enduring moral law for the government of His family in heaven and on earth, with its ten moral precepts holy, just, and good and bearing the stamp of divinity expressing God's holiness, justice, and righteousness. So the greater glory of the Christian age, with the brighter glory of the reality revealed in the New Testament, does not destroy the claims of God's law.
The former economy was truly glorious because it came from God and foreshadowed Christ and pointed to Christ and the plan of redemption, and the gospel revealed its meaning. Christ prescribed every specification and stood revealed in all its symbols, Himself being the living representation and Substance of all things typified and promised in shadow, so it was never an age of darkness, and in His death the last specification was fulfilled. Its sanctuary services conveyed truths about Christ in which incense represented the righteousness that makes prayer acceptable to God, sacrifice pointed to the coming Redeemer, and the sign of God's presence in the holy of holies kept faith alive until the Messiah came. The Old Testament pointed forward to the true offering prefigured by typical offerings and the Saviour revealed in the New Testament.
The glory on the face of Moses was transient and has passed away, while the glory in the face of Jesus Christ ever remains. Though the former dispensation abolished at Christ's death was glorious, it is eclipsed by the far excelling glory of the reality, the life-giving sanctifying Spirit given through Christ to all who believe. Therefore the sacrificial offering has no continued glory by reason of the glory that excelleth, which is Christ Himself and the gospel dispensation whose light, spirituality, order and unity far exceed that of the Jews.
Christ Revealed and Applied
The brightness Israel could not steadfastly behold on the face of Moses was the righteousness of Christ in the law. Moses saw to the end of that which was to be abolished, when type should meet antitype in Jesus Christ. It was this seeing to the end and bringing to light the plan of salvation in Christ that illuminated his face. If that which was to be done away was glorious because Christ was revealed in it, much more glorious is that which remains.
It is the province of the law to condemn, as the utterance of condemnation to the sinner, bringing death without mercy. It leaves the transgressor under its curse with no hope of pardon, for there is no power in the law to pardon or save, and death entered through transgression of the law. But the slain lamb and typical sacrifices were glorious because their full significance pointing to Christ was unfolded. They revealed Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour and propitiation for transgression, whose perfection of character is placed in man's behalf and who took the curse of the law upon Himself. He bore its penalty and completed salvation so that obedient man could keep God's law and be accepted through His merits, shedding a halo of glory upon the law that reveals its changeless and exalted character. The law is holy, just and good, bearing the stamp of divinity and expressing God's holiness, justice and righteousness.
The light shining from the face of Moses carried two glories together, the sacred exalted character of God's law and the glory of the gospel revealed through Christ. Moses was shown on the mount not only the tables of the law but the plan of salvation, with the sacrifice of Christ prefigured by all the types and symbols. The radiance came no less from the heavenly light streaming from Calvary than from the glory of the law.
That divine illumination symbolized the glory of the dispensation of which Moses was the visible mediator, as representative of the one true Intercessor. It illustrates that through the mediation of Christ God's commandment-keeping people receive blessing. The closer their communion with God and the clearer their knowledge of His requirements, the more fully they are conformed to the divine image and become partakers of the divine nature.
As Israel's intercessor veiled his countenance, so Christ the divine Mediator veiled His divinity with humanity and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Moses veiled his face because the guilty people could not endure its brightness, being transgressors under Satan's control of thought and affection. Had Christ come clothed with the brightness of heaven, sinful men could not have endured His presence nor given Him access, so He humbled Himself to reach the fallen race and lift them up. As Moses veiled his face, so the glory of Christ's ascension was veiled from human sight, so the disciples could keep attention on His earthly character and carry out their mission. In the face of Jesus the glory of God is unveiled, so all who look may live and have that glory reflected upon them, as Christ sheds light and brightness and glory and joy into the law of God.
The excelling glory in Christ is imparted to the soul as he is made a partaker of the divine nature. Every soul must therefore walk humbly and meekly before God, depending on that imparted glory instead of glorifying self. One entrusted with sacred responsibilities must not have a large estimate of self, dictate and control the consciences of others, usurp authority, or exercise lordly authority in the church. He must daily subordinate his will to the will of Christ, practice the virtues of Christ's character in meekness and lowliness of mind, and show forth the meekness and wisdom of Christ as a representative of His character and methods. Trust must be in faith which works by love and purifies the soul, giving those benefited by his ministration the freedom of the liberty of the children of God to act out the grace bestowed upon them as members of the body of Christ.
That which was made glorious was the former ministry of the law given through Moses, the ministration of death and condemnation written in stone and given from Sinai with its sacrificial system, and it has no glory by comparison with the glory that excels, which is Christ Himself and the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness in the gospel. The word was spoken to steady believers against teachers who exalted the law and its ceremonies that pointed to Christ above the gospel of Christ. What was to pass away and be abolished at His death was the ceremonial law with its typical offerings and services, not God's enduring moral law, so the greater glory does not set aside the claims of His law. The brightness on the face of Moses was the righteousness of Christ in the law, seen because he looked to the end of that which was to be done away when type would meet antitype, and while the law can only condemn the sinner with no power to pardon or save, Christ was revealed in those types as the sin-pardoning Saviour who bore its curse and penalty and places His perfect character in man's behalf. As Moses veiled his shining face because guilty Israel could not endure it, so Christ veiled His divinity with humanity that fallen men might endure His presence and be lifted up, and that excelling glory is imparted to every believing soul to make him a partaker of the divine nature, calling him to walk humbly before God without exalting self or ruling the consciences of others.
Old Glory Outshone
That which was made glorious is the former ministry of the law represented by Moses, the ministration of death and condemnation written and engraven in stones and given in awful grandeur from Sinai, including the Jewish economy and its sacrificial offering. It has no glory by comparison with the glory that excels, which is the ministry of the Spirit and righteousness, Christ Himself and the gospel dispensation. Whatever was made glorious has no glory of its own beside the glory that excels in Christ.
The verse was spoken to settle the minds of the Corinthians about the gospel of Christ against Judaizing teachers who exalted the law and the ceremonies that typified Christ above the gospel of Christ. Those teachers condemned Paul for not urging ceremonies that had no value since Christ's death, after those ceremonies were of no value since Christ's death.
What was to pass away and be done away and abolished at Christ's death was the ceremonial law and its sacrificial offering and typical services, with its types and shadows finding their meaning when type met antitype and losing force when Christ died as a sin-offering. This was not God's enduring moral law for the government of His family in heaven and on earth, with its ten moral precepts holy, just, and good and bearing the stamp of divinity expressing God's holiness, justice, and righteousness. So the greater glory of the Christian age, with the brighter glory of the reality revealed in the New Testament, does not destroy the claims of God's law.
The former economy was truly glorious because it came from God and foreshadowed Christ and pointed to Christ and the plan of redemption, and the gospel revealed its meaning. Christ prescribed every specification and stood revealed in all its symbols, Himself being the living representation and Substance of all things typified and promised in shadow, so it was never an age of darkness, and in His death the last specification was fulfilled. Its sanctuary services conveyed truths about Christ in which incense represented the righteousness that makes prayer acceptable to God, sacrifice pointed to the coming Redeemer, and the sign of God's presence in the holy of holies kept faith alive until the Messiah came. The Old Testament pointed forward to the true offering prefigured by typical offerings and the Saviour revealed in the New Testament.
The glory on the face of Moses was transient and has passed away, while the glory in the face of Jesus Christ ever remains. Though the former dispensation abolished at Christ's death was glorious, it is eclipsed by the far excelling glory of the reality, the life-giving sanctifying Spirit given through Christ to all who believe. Therefore the sacrificial offering has no continued glory by reason of the glory that excelleth, which is Christ Himself and the gospel dispensation whose light, spirituality, order and unity far exceed that of the Jews.
Christ Revealed and Applied
The brightness Israel could not steadfastly behold on the face of Moses was the righteousness of Christ in the law. Moses saw to the end of that which was to be abolished, when type should meet antitype in Jesus Christ. It was this seeing to the end and bringing to light the plan of salvation in Christ that illuminated his face. If that which was to be done away was glorious because Christ was revealed in it, much more glorious is that which remains.
It is the province of the law to condemn, as the utterance of condemnation to the sinner, bringing death without mercy. It leaves the transgressor under its curse with no hope of pardon, for there is no power in the law to pardon or save, and death entered through transgression of the law. But the slain lamb and typical sacrifices were glorious because their full significance pointing to Christ was unfolded. They revealed Christ as the sin-pardoning Saviour and propitiation for transgression, whose perfection of character is placed in man's behalf and who took the curse of the law upon Himself. He bore its penalty and completed salvation so that obedient man could keep God's law and be accepted through His merits, shedding a halo of glory upon the law that reveals its changeless and exalted character. The law is holy, just and good, bearing the stamp of divinity and expressing God's holiness, justice and righteousness.
The light shining from the face of Moses carried two glories together, the sacred exalted character of God's law and the glory of the gospel revealed through Christ. Moses was shown on the mount not only the tables of the law but the plan of salvation, with the sacrifice of Christ prefigured by all the types and symbols. The radiance came no less from the heavenly light streaming from Calvary than from the glory of the law.
That divine illumination symbolized the glory of the dispensation of which Moses was the visible mediator, as representative of the one true Intercessor. It illustrates that through the mediation of Christ God's commandment-keeping people receive blessing. The closer their communion with God and the clearer their knowledge of His requirements, the more fully they are conformed to the divine image and become partakers of the divine nature.
As Israel's intercessor veiled his countenance, so Christ the divine Mediator veiled His divinity with humanity and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. Moses veiled his face because the guilty people could not endure its brightness, being transgressors under Satan's control of thought and affection. Had Christ come clothed with the brightness of heaven, sinful men could not have endured His presence nor given Him access, so He humbled Himself to reach the fallen race and lift them up. As Moses veiled his face, so the glory of Christ's ascension was veiled from human sight, so the disciples could keep attention on His earthly character and carry out their mission. In the face of Jesus the glory of God is unveiled, so all who look may live and have that glory reflected upon them, as Christ sheds light and brightness and glory and joy into the law of God.
The excelling glory in Christ is imparted to the soul as he is made a partaker of the divine nature. Every soul must therefore walk humbly and meekly before God, depending on that imparted glory instead of glorifying self. One entrusted with sacred responsibilities must not have a large estimate of self, dictate and control the consciences of others, usurp authority, or exercise lordly authority in the church. He must daily subordinate his will to the will of Christ, practice the virtues of Christ's character in meekness and lowliness of mind, and show forth the meekness and wisdom of Christ as a representative of His character and methods. Trust must be in faith which works by love and purifies the soul, giving those benefited by his ministration the freedom of the liberty of the children of God to act out the grace bestowed upon them as members of the body of Christ.