THE GLORY THAT EXCELS

“For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the GLORY THAT EXCELS” – 2 Corinthians 3:10

The New Testament speaks specifically of the GLORY that EXCELS: “For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the GLORY THAT EXCELS” (v.10).  The Glory of God’s Grace is the Glory that excels! Scriptures distinguish clearly between two ministry-manifestations and two Grades of Glory: “For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in Glory” (2Cor. 3:9). The verses in today’s meditation text proclaim a significant difference between the glory of the Old Covenant of Law and the glory of the New Covenant of Grace. This difference is seen in various contrasting phrases:

• “If the ministry of death…WAS GLORIOUS” versus “how will the ministry of the Spirit not be MORE GLORIOUS?” (vv.7-8).

• “The ministry of condemnation HAD GLORY” versus “the ministry of righteousness EXCEEDS MUCH MORE IN GLORY” (v.9).

• “What was made glorious had NO GLORY” versus “the GLORY THAT EXCELS” (v.10).

• “What is passing away WAS GLORIOUS” versus “what remains is MUCH MORE GLORIOUS” (v.11)

Note the distinctions between: the “ministry of death” and the “ministry of the Spirit”; the “ministry of condemnation” and the “ministry of righteousness”; the era of “no glory” and “the Glory that excels”; and “what is passing away” as against “what remains”! Praise the Lord for the excellence of the New Covenant! In Christ, old things have passed away; all things have become new (2Cor.5:17). The scriptures testify concerning Jesus: “By so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant….But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Heb.7:22; 8:6). We who believe in Christ have entered into a better covenant. We have transited from “what is passing away” into “what remains”; from the temporal to the eternal! We have been called into a “more excellent ministry” – ours is a much more glorious calling!

The Old Covenant of Law was characterized by substantial glory, whereas the New Covenant of Grace is characterized by EXCELLING GLORY. The glory of the Law is past – “was glorious”, whereas the Glory of Grace is a present-tense reality! It is certainly true that the Law was glorious, in terms of the holy character of God revealed in the standards of the law: “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Lev.20:7-8). However, this revelation of God's holiness in the law also exposed the sinfulness and ungodliness of man, and pronounced his guilt: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rom.3:19). Comparatively, the Law appeared to have “no glory” when placed side-by-side Grace – “the glory that excels” (v.10).

It is agonising to be suffering an undiagnosed condition; but glorious when someone is able to reveal what the problem actually is. Part of the glory of the law is that it reveals the basic problem under which all humanity struggles: sin. Yet, it is a far more glorious matter to have a remedy for a problem revealed. Grace is that remedy. "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom.5:20-21). Therein lays the Glory of Grace! We thank the Lord of glory for the glory of His Law, revealing humanity’s sin problem. But, we praise Him even more for the Glory of His grace, in providing a remedy for Sin.

As we humbly feed on the Holy Scriptures and commune intimately with the Holy Spirit, the excelling glory of God’s triumphant Grace shall impart increasing righteousness into our daily lives, in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.