A folio of
Papyrus 46 (written ca. AD 200), containing 2 Corinthians 11:33–12:9. This manuscript contains almost complete parts of the whole
Pauline epistles.
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;[4]
"Epistle written in our hearts": Paul (and Timothy) call the readers their "epistle" in a similar sense to Paul's earlier description of them as his "work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostleship", in
1 Corinthians 9:1–2.[5]
Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.[6]
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.[7]
"The epistle of Christ ministered by us": The apostles and ministers of the Word were only "
amanuenses", whereas Christ was the "author and dictator" (i.e., who dictates the Word).[8]
"Written... with the Spirit of the living God": the believers become the "living epistles of Christ" as a "living disposition of the soul in likeness to Him."[8]
"Tables of stone": on
Mount Sinai the primary (Mosaic) law was written on tables of stone. They were made twice: the first by God Himself, the latter were hewed by Moses, at the command of God,
Exodus 32:16;
Exodus 34:1). The former are said to be "miraculously made, and not by the means and artifice of men", [9] which, the Jewish writers say, were made of
sapphire,[10] but they were broken by Moses when he came down from the mount. Both the former and the latter were of two stones of an equal size,[11] in the form of small tables, such as for children to learn to write,[12] each with the dimensions of six hands long, six hands broad and three hands thick,[13] weighing forty "seahs" (a miracle that Moses should be able to carry them).[14] On these stones were written the "Ten Commandments", that five were written on one table, and five on the other, as noted by
Josephus,[15]Philo,[16] and the Talmudic writers,[17] and were written on both sides (
Exodus 32:15).[8]
"Fleshly tables of the heart" alluding to
Ezekiel 36:26, not "carnal hearts", but the one "made soft and tender by the Spirit of God". The phrase "table of the heart" is found in the books of the
Old Testament (
Proverbs 3:3;
Proverbs 7:3;
Jeremiah 17:1) and very frequently in the writings of the Jews.[8][18]
Verse 6
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.[19]
"Made us sufficient as ministers": This is an answer to the question in (
2 Corinthians 2:16: who is sufficient for these things?) that 'our sufficiency' is of God, for he had enabled Paul and his co-workers to be "sufficient ministers", which is totally God's making.[20]
Verse 17
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.[21]
"Liberty": this means freedom from the law (cf. Galatians 5:18) and the transformation of believers.[22]
Verse 18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.[23]
"By the Spirit of the Lord": or "from the Lord, the Spirit"[24]
A folio of
Papyrus 46 (written ca. AD 200), containing 2 Corinthians 11:33–12:9. This manuscript contains almost complete parts of the whole
Pauline epistles.
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men;[4]
"Epistle written in our hearts": Paul (and Timothy) call the readers their "epistle" in a similar sense to Paul's earlier description of them as his "work in the Lord, and the seal of his apostleship", in
1 Corinthians 9:1–2.[5]
Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.[6]
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.[7]
"The epistle of Christ ministered by us": The apostles and ministers of the Word were only "
amanuenses", whereas Christ was the "author and dictator" (i.e., who dictates the Word).[8]
"Written... with the Spirit of the living God": the believers become the "living epistles of Christ" as a "living disposition of the soul in likeness to Him."[8]
"Tables of stone": on
Mount Sinai the primary (Mosaic) law was written on tables of stone. They were made twice: the first by God Himself, the latter were hewed by Moses, at the command of God,
Exodus 32:16;
Exodus 34:1). The former are said to be "miraculously made, and not by the means and artifice of men", [9] which, the Jewish writers say, were made of
sapphire,[10] but they were broken by Moses when he came down from the mount. Both the former and the latter were of two stones of an equal size,[11] in the form of small tables, such as for children to learn to write,[12] each with the dimensions of six hands long, six hands broad and three hands thick,[13] weighing forty "seahs" (a miracle that Moses should be able to carry them).[14] On these stones were written the "Ten Commandments", that five were written on one table, and five on the other, as noted by
Josephus,[15]Philo,[16] and the Talmudic writers,[17] and were written on both sides (
Exodus 32:15).[8]
"Fleshly tables of the heart" alluding to
Ezekiel 36:26, not "carnal hearts", but the one "made soft and tender by the Spirit of God". The phrase "table of the heart" is found in the books of the
Old Testament (
Proverbs 3:3;
Proverbs 7:3;
Jeremiah 17:1) and very frequently in the writings of the Jews.[8][18]
Verse 6
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.[19]
"Made us sufficient as ministers": This is an answer to the question in (
2 Corinthians 2:16: who is sufficient for these things?) that 'our sufficiency' is of God, for he had enabled Paul and his co-workers to be "sufficient ministers", which is totally God's making.[20]
Verse 17
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.[21]
"Liberty": this means freedom from the law (cf. Galatians 5:18) and the transformation of believers.[22]
Verse 18
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.[23]
"By the Spirit of the Lord": or "from the Lord, the Spirit"[24]