Second Corinthians 3:1-18

Continuing from the end of chapter 2 where Paul wrote, "^2:17For we are not as many-people adulterating the word of God but (we are) as out-from genuineness, but (we are) as out-from God – before God we utter-forth in Christ," he says:

II Corinthians 3:1-3:

^3:1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or, we do not need commendatory letters towards you or from you, as some-people, do we? – (no.) ^.2You are the letter of us, (the letter) having been in-written² in our hearts, (the letter) being known and being read by all men, ^.3(you are) being manifested that you are Christ’s letter, (the letter) having been ministered by us and having been in-written² not with black-ink but with (the) spirit of (the) living God, not in stony tablets but in tablets (which are) fleshy hearts.

Paul asks the Corinthian church and all the holy-people in the whole of Achaia: do we (myself and those with me) make a beginning (start) now another-time to favorably-introduce ourselves to you? Is that the reason why I am writing a letter to you again? Or let me ask you, we don't need (have a necessity to use), in comparison to some-people, introductory letters about ourselves towards you or out-from you, do we? Paul does not specifically answer these questions, but according to the Greek structure of the second question the answer to it must be "no."

Perhaps some people wanted proof that Paul was still carrying-out his apostleship, that he and those with him were really doing what God and the Lord Jesus Christ wanted them to do. If anyone felt that they indeed needed a commendatory letter (epistle, that-which is sent by a messenger, a courier whether verbal or in writing), Paul tells them where they can find it: you holy-people are…

• the letter of/relative-to us (there should be no reason for any other letter),
• the letter that has been and still is in-written in our hearts (engraved, a lasting writing, inscribed, not on top of but written inside of us within the center/core of our beings, and so this letter cannot be taken-away or erased – this letter is not written on paper or some other physical thing that someone could mail, post, send via messenger, a courier or a friend to someone else),
• the letter that is being personally known and being read by all men (mankind can physically see you and your behavior, and myself and those with me and our behavior).

Paul explains: you are being manifested (evidenced, brought to light, shown-forth) that you are…

• Christ’s letter (the letter belonging-to, proceeding-from, and pertaining-to Christ, you are Christ’s letter sent from him),
• the letter that was ministered by us (we served to benefit you, not 'being-subject' to you but doing work to bring you profit, we were the instrumental or efficient agents in the ministry serving you, as couriers bringing the letter making it available to you),
• the letter that was and still is in-written (engraved, a lasting writing, inscribed, not on top of but written inside):
• not with/by black-ink, which is normally used to write physical pen-and-paper letters,
  • but on the contrary, this letter of Christ was in-written and is still in-written with/by the spirit of, proceeding-from the living God (God is presently and actively living, being alive); Paul and those with him did not actually write this letter, but it was engraved with/by the holy spirit-life which the living God has given all holy-people by means of Christ;
• not within stony tablets (in the literal sense of broad and flat surfaces made of stone, for example where the law given to Moses was written by God),
  • but on the contrary, this letter of Christ was in-written and is still in-written in tablets which are fleshy hearts (in the figurative sense of broad and flat surfaces that are hearts made of flesh; our physical bodies are the temporary house of the gift of holy spirit).

[Reference: Exodus 24:12, 31:18, and 32:15, 16; Deuteronomy 9:9-10:5; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 11:19, 20, and 36:26, 27; Acts 18:27; Romans 2:29, 5:5, 8:27, 15:15, 16, and 16:1; I Corinthians 9:1 and 2; II Corinthians 1:22; Galatians 4:6. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

A printed paperback book of the complete study of Second Corinthians may be purchased at:

Amazon.com

or

True Bible Study - Second Corinthians