The Letter Killeth

[complete]

'Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament (covenant);
not of the letter, but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
.. But if the ministration of death,
.... written and engraven in stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses
for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?'
(2 Corinthians 3:6-8)

Hello there,

The words, ' ... the letter killeth ... ' are used very often to undermine and discredit the word of God: but when looked at within it's context, it so obviously applies to the law received and administered by Moses, and not to the written word of God.

The contrast being between 'the ministration of death' in the law, and 'the ministration' of life (or 'of the spirit') in the gospel: using the words, 'letter' and 'spirit' to represent law and gospel respectively.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Merlin]

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

John 6:63 My words are SPIRIT and Life

Taking any of the word by the letter is death, the whole Word of God can be understood on the spiritual level, the spiritual mind understands.

 

[complete]

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

John 6:63 My words are SPIRIT and Life

Taking any of the word by the letter is death, the whole Word of God can be understood on the spiritual level, the spiritual mind understands.

'Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; (or covenant)
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance;
which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?'
(2 Corinthians 3:2-5)

Hello @Merlin,

The context does not agree with you, I'm afraid.

I agree that the natural man cannot receive the things of God for they are spiritually discerned (1Corinthians 2:14). However it is the entrance of God's word that brings light and understanding to the simple. So the word of God itself does not kill, but brings life. No, the context of the above verses have particular reference to 'tables of stone' and 'the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones', received by the children of Israel, through Moses as part of the Old Covenant made by God with Israel. Paul and his co-workers were' ministers of the new testament' (or covenant)', 'The ministration of the spirit', which is glorious.

Praise God!

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[amadeus2]

'Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament (covenant);
not of the letter, but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
.. But if the ministration of death,
.... written and engraven in stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses
for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?'
(2 Corinthians 3:6-8)

Hello there,

The words, ' ... the letter killeth ... ' are used very often to undermine and discredit the word of God: but when looked at within it's context, it so obviously applies to the law received and administered by Moses, and not to the written word of God.

The contrast being between 'the ministration of death' in the law, and 'the ministration' of life (or 'of the spirit') in the gospel: using the words, 'letter' and 'spirit' to represent law and gospel respectively.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Does it so obviously apply only to the OT law given to Moses? What if what is written in scripture is only the flesh of Jesus to be consumed so as to hopefully then be quickened by the Spirit or Blood of Jesus within the consumer?

 

[Merlin]

'Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; (or covenant)
not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance;
which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?'
(2 Corinthians 3:2-5)

Hello @Merlin,

The context does not agree with you, I'm afraid.

I agree that the natural man cannot receive the things of God for they are spiritually discerned (1Corinthians 2:14). However it is the entrance of God's word that brings light and understanding to the simple. So the word of God itself does not kill, but brings life. No, the context of the above verses have particular reference to 'tables of stone' and 'the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones', received by the children of Israel, through Moses as part of the Old Covenant made by God with Israel. Paul and his co-workers were' ministers of the new testament' (or covenant)', 'The ministration of the spirit', which is glorious.

Praise God!

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

I see you're taking II Cor 3:2-6 by the Letter - The Alpha and Omega heralded, "My words are Spirit and Life" (John 6:63).
Essentially, you're magnifying the Logos and leaving out the Rhema.

What really matters though in the Christian Life is Romans 8:13 "For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live".

If you don't think so, you might muse upon Hebrews 7:16 "Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." This of course is akin to good old John 10:10.

 

[complete]

Does it so obviously apply only to the OT law given to Moses? What if what is written in scripture is only the flesh of Jesus to be consumed so as to hopefully then be quickened by the Spirit or Blood of Jesus within the consumer?

Hello there, @amadeus2,

I can only go by the context of Corinthians 3, in which the words, 'the letter killeth' appears. What you are saying is not suggested within that context. However, what you have suggested brings to my mind verses such as:-

'I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven,
that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is My flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world.'
(John 6:48-51)


' Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise Him up at the last day.
For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father:
so He that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven:
not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead:
he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.;
(John 6:53-58)

* 'Eating' and 'drinking' of Christ, refers to the receiving of the doctrine of Christ by faith and believing it, thereby digesting it and assimilating it, and through it (the Holy Spirit's sword) the believer is quickened into spiritual life. Is this what you are referring to? For,Jesus said, 'It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.' (Joh 6:63)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[complete]

I see you're taking II Cor 3:2-6 by the Letter - The Alpha and Omega heralded, "My words are Spirit and Life" (John 6:63).
Essentially, you're magnifying the Logos and leaving out the Rhema.

What really matters though in the Christian Life is Romans 8:13 "For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live".

If you don't think so, you might muse upon Hebrews 7:16 "Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." This of course is akin to good old John 10:10.

Hello @Merlin,

No, I am not magnifying the word at the expense of the spirit: though I am taking what is written literally, and attempting to keep within the context of what is written in order to understand exactly what is meant by the words, 'the letter killeth', and keeping within the boundaries the context intends.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Merlin]

Hello there, @amadeus2,

I can only go by the context of Corinthians 3, in which the words, 'the letter killeth' appears. What you are saying is not suggested within that context. However, what you have suggested brings to my mind verses such as:-

'I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven,
that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is My flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world.'
(John 6:48-51)


' Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise Him up at the last day.
For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father:
so He that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven:
not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead:
he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.;
(John 6:53-58)

* 'Eating' and 'drinking' of Christ, refers to the receiving of the doctrine of Christ by faith and believing it, thereby digesting it and assimilating it, and through it (the Holy Spirit's sword) the believer is quickened into spiritual life. Is this what you are referring to? For,Jesus said, 'It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.' (Joh 6:63)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris
[/QUOTE

Hello @Merlin,

No, I am not magnifying the word at the expense of the spirit: though I am taking what is written literally, and attempting to keep within the context of what is written in order to understand exactly what is meant by the words, 'the letter killeth', and keeping within the boundaries the context intends.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Nice to see you quoting John 6:49-51

 

[amadeus2]

Hello there, @amadeus2,

I can only go by the context of Corinthians 3, in which the words, 'the letter killeth' appears. What you are saying is not suggested within that context. However, what you have suggested brings to my mind verses such as:-

'I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven,
that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is My flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world.'
(John 6:48-51)


' Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise Him up at the last day.
For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father:
so He that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven:
not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead:
he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.;
(John 6:53-58)

* 'Eating' and 'drinking' of Christ, refers to the receiving of the doctrine of Christ by faith and believing it, thereby digesting it and assimilating it, and through it (the Holy Spirit's sword) the believer is quickened into spiritual life. Is this what you are referring to? For,Jesus said, 'It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.' (Joh 6:63)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Thank you for your kind response. The verses you quoted in John 6 are exactly where I was coming from...
As I see it even the very written words of the Bible are dead until and if they are quickened by the Holy Spirit in the heart of a believer who has heard or read them. When we read or hear the Bible we are eating the flesh of Jesus. Is He not the Word of God as per John 1:14? We are also to drink his Blood, which I see as the Holy Spirit, rather than the physical red blood spilled from his body of Calvary.

But if a skeptical atheist or even an ignorant believer reads them for the wrong purpose, will he receive the Truth? Will understand what he is reading? Remember the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading from Isaiah but could not understand? He was apparently hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God [Matt 5:6] so God sent Philip to him to explain or interpret the whole thing... to bring it to Life by the Holy Spirit, the quickening Spirit!

 

[complete]

Thank you for your kind response. The verses you quoted in John 6 are exactly where I was coming from...
As I see it even the very written words of the Bible are dead until and if they are quickened by the Holy Spirit in the heart of a believer who has heard or read them. When we read or hear the Bible we are eating the flesh of Jesus. Is He not the Word of God as per John 1:14? We are also to drink his Blood, which I see as the Holy Spirit, rather than the physical red blood spilled from his body of Calvary.

But if a skeptical atheist or even an ignorant believer reads them for the wrong purpose, will he receive the Truth? Will understand what he is reading? Remember the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading from Isaiah but could not understand? He was apparently hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God [Matt 5:6] so God sent Philip to him to explain or interpret the whole thing... to bring it to Life by the Holy Spirit, the quickening Spirit!

Hello @amadeus2,

My thanks to you, too, for the thought process that your response to me has engendered.

Yet in Hebrews 4:12 the word of God is described as 'quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.; What a description that is! It is also the means whereby faith enters into the heart of the seeker after truth, for 'faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God' (Romans 10:17).

I agree that those who are reading the word of God with a hard and unreceptive heart will receive nothing. For, ' ... the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' (1Cor. 2:14)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris