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"We use great boldness of speech"

Text: 2 Corinthians 3:12

BOLDNESS OF SPEECH

Paul certainly used very bold language in describing the significance of the New Covenant ministry.

“Therefore, since we have such hope,
we use great boldness of speech-
unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face
so that the children of Israel could not
look steadily at the end of what was passing away.”
2 Corinthians 3:12-13

1. “Therefore, since we have such hope”

a) The word “hope” needs to be carefully understood.

b) The hope Paul wrote about was not something uncertain.

c) The word simply means “something not fully realised yet”.

d) Faith and hope are closely associated.

e) Our faith in the Lord is something we may be very confident about.

2. “We use great boldness of speech”

a) Paul was able to say that the New Covenant was far more significant than the Old Covenant.

b) He wrote with great conviction about how the Spirit of God was involved in the New Covenant that promised life and imputed righteousness.

3. “Unlike Moses”

a) Once again Paul made reference to Moses.

b) This does not mean that he had something personal against Moses though.

c) He was just trying to point out the difference between the ministry of the Spirit and the ministry of Moses.

4. The veil on the face of Moses

a) Moses put on a veil because the people were afraid (Exodus 34:30-31).

b) Paul commented that Moses kept the veil on.

i) So that the children of Israel could not see that the glory on his face was fading away.

ii) This was probably revealed to Paul because it was not specifically mentioned in Exodus 34.

c) We can understand why Moses did that.

i) The children of Israel went astray easily.

ii) The shining face of Moses gave them a sense of awe (fear).

iii) The shining face of Moses reflected the glory of God.

iv) Moses was concerned that when the glory faded so would the awe of the people fade away.