05 Why Paul’s Ministry Outshines Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)

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Paul takes the dramatic story of Moses’ shining face and uses it to explain what God is doing in every believer today. In this episode, Krisan walks through 2 Corinthians 3:7–18, tracing Paul’s comparison between the old covenant under Moses and the new covenant in Christ. We see how the law came with real glory, yet could only condemn, while the gospel comes with an even greater glory that brings forgiveness, transformation, and boldness before God.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How Exodus 34 and Moses’ veiled, radiant face set the background for Paul’s argument in 2 Corinthians 3
• Why Paul calls the law a “ministry of death” and “condemnation,” even though it came from God and carried glory
• What Paul means when he says the new covenant “far exceeds” the old in glory and is permanent rather than passing
• The significance of the veil—first on Moses’ face, then over Israel’s heart and how it pictures both separation and spiritual blindness
• How the Holy Spirit “removes the veil” so that believers have direct, free access to God’s glory
• What it looks like, in practical terms, to be “transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another”
• How Paul holds together two truths: we are weak “jars of clay,” yet entrusted with a glorious message that is worth proclaiming with courage
• The tension between speaking the gospel clearly without watering it down and caring wisely about how our words land on others

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer sense of what it means to live as someone whose face is “unveiled” before God. You’ll be encouraged to honor the courage of Paul’s ministry, to take your own opportunities to speak about Christ seriously, and to cling to the glory of the gospel even when it is misunderstood, resisted, or costly to share.

Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts

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