II Corinthians 3:10 · Bible study
2 Corinthians 3:10 Commentary: The Surpassing Glory of the Gospel
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul contrasts the fading glory of the law with the surpassing glory of the gospel in 2 Corinthians 3:10, revealing the superiority of the new covenant.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The glory of the old covenant, though real, is completely eclipsed by the infinitely greater glory of the new covenant in Christ.
- Key words: dedoxastai/dedoxasmenon (perfect tense: state of having been glorified); huperballousēs doxēs (surpassing glory); en toutō tō merei (in this respect, i.e., in comparison).
- Main debate: Whether “in this respect” refers to the comparison itself or to the specific context of the law’s temporary glory (face of Moses).
- Theological theme: The superiority of the new covenant; law and grace; the temporary vs. the eternal; the glory of God in Christ.
- Best use: Clarifying how Christians are to view the Old Testament, as good and from God, but superseded by the fuller revelation in Jesus.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Indeed, what was once glorious has no glory now in comparison to the glory that surpasses it.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.
KJV King James Version 1769
For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasseth.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for also even that which hath been glorious, hath not been glorious--in this respect, because of the superior glory;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For also that [which was] glorified is not glorified in this respect, on account of the surpassing glory.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified by reason of the glory that excelleth.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque aun lo que fué glorioso, no es glorioso en esta parte, en comparación de la excelente gloria.
Pois o que já foi glorioso, em comparação, deixou de ter glória, por causa da glória superior.
Et, sous ce rapport, ce qui a été glorieux ne l’ a point été, à cause de cette gloire qui lui est supérieure.
Denn auch jenes Teil, das verklärt war, ist nicht für Klarheit zu achten gegen die überschwengliche Klarheit.
Want ook het verheerlijkte is zelfs niet verheerlijkt in dezen dele, ten aanzien van deze uitnemende heerlijkheid.
Anzi, quel che nel primo fu reso glorioso, non fu reso veramente glorioso, quando lo si confronti colla gloria di tanto superiore del secondo;
Albowiem i to, co chwałę miało, nie miało chwały w tej części, co się tknie onej przewyższającej chwały.
То прославленное даже не оказывается славным с сей стороны, по причине преимущественной славы последующего.
那從前有榮光的，因 這 極大的 榮光 就算不得 有榮光了；
For the glory of the first no longer seems to be glory, because of the greater glory of that which comes after.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · II Corinthians 3:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul here uses the language of Exodus 34 (LXX) to argue that the old covenant's glory, though real, is eclipsed by the gospel. The Greek phrase τὸ δεδοξασμένον οὐ δεδόξασται, “that which has been glorified has not been glorified”, is a paradox. Vincent notes that the perfect tense (dedoxastai and dedoxasmenon) describes a state that has been brought about and continues, yet Paul says it has not been glorified “in this respect.” Calvin and Barnes both use the image of the moon and stars fading before the sun: the law’s glory disappears when Christ’s glory appears. The “respect” (ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει) is the point of comparison, the law no longer retains glory when measured against the gospel. The Cambridge Bible ties the passage directly to the LXX of Exodus 34:29-35, where Moses’ face shone, and presents Paul as showing that the temporary glory of that shining has been surpassed by the permanent, transforming glory of Christ revealed in the gospel.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Comparative reading: The phrase 'in this respect' refers to the comparison: the law's glory is not glory when set against the gospel's greater glory (Wesley, Barnes).
- Specific reference to Moses' face: Paul draws directly on Exodus 34 LXX; the 'glory' is the shining of Moses' face, which was temporary and fading (Vincent, Cambridge Bible).
- Temporal eclipse reading: The law's glory was real in its own time but has now been surpassed and effectively nullified by the coming of Christ (Calvin, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown).
What is clear: The old covenant, for all its glory at Sinai, is now comprehensively surpassed by the new covenant in Christ, whose glory is permanent and transforming.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'in this respect' (ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει) | Christians agree that Paul is making a comparison between the old and new covenants. | Some (e.g., Cambridge Bible, Vincent) take it as 'in this point of comparison,' focusing on the face of Moses. Others (e.g., Wesley, Barnes) understand it more broadly as 'in comparison to the gospel.' Both readings point to the same conclusion: the law’s glory is relative. |
| The nature of the law's glory | All traditions affirm the law was given by God and had genuine glory at Sinai. | The extent and duration of that glory are debated. Some stress its intrinsic value (e.g., Gill, Matthew Henry), while others emphasize its temporary and fading character (e.g., Calvin, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown). Contemporary discussions ask whether the law remains normative for believers in any sense. |
| Continuity between old and new covenants | Both covenants come from God and reveal His character; Christ fulfills the law. | Protestants generally see a sharp law-gospel contrast here, while Catholics and some Reformed traditions emphasize a more organic development (the new covenant perfects the old). Orthodox tradition stresses the law as pedagogue leading to Christ. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes to a Corinthian church infiltrated by teachers who exalted the law of Moses. In 2 Corinthians 3, he defends his ministry by contrasting the old and new covenants. Verse 7 calls the law “the service of death, written engraved on stones”, a reference to the Sinai covenant that came with outward glory but brought condemnation (v. 9). The glory of Moses’ face (Exodus 34) was a visible sign of the law’s divine origin, but it was fading even as the Israelites saw it. Paul seizes on this: the glory that came through a mediator (Moses) and a written code was temporary. By contrast, the new covenant, mediated by Christ and written on hearts by the Spirit, brings a glory that does not fade but remains and increases (v. 11). Jewish tradition treasured the law as the highest revelation from God. Paul does not deny its glory, as Gill and Matthew Henry note, it was glorious in its author, its giving, and its content, but he insists it was always meant to point beyond itself to Christ. The present verse (v. 10) presses this point: the old covenant’s glory is now as if nothing when the surpassing glory of the gospel appears. This is not a rejection of the law but a relocation of its purpose. The gospel does not abolish the law’s righteous demands; it fulfills them in Christ and writes them on believers’ hearts by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33).
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts. The phrase οὐ δεδόξασται (has not been glorified) is read by all witnesses; the only minor variation is in word order among later Byzantine copies, which does not affect meaning.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Origen and Chrysostom read this verse as confirming the superiority of the gospel over the law, using it to argue that while the law was from God, it was always intended to give way to Christ. During the Reformation, Protestant commentators (Calvin, Luther) seized on this passage to contrast the letter of the law (which kills) with the Spirit of the gospel (which gives life). Wesley and Adam Clarke, in the Methodist tradition, echoed this, seeing the law’s glory as earthly and fading, while the gospel reveals the glory of God’s grace. In modern times, this verse is often used to affirm the new covenant as the lens through which believers read the Old Testament, without diminishing its divine origin.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The old covenant had real glory. Paul grants that the law came with splendor: the giving at Sinai, the face of Moses, the tabernacle. It was from God, holy and just.
- That glory fades before the gospel. The glory of the law was temporary and secondary. When the sun rises, the moon loses its brightness. So the law’s glory is “not glory” in comparison.
- The surpassing glory of the new covenant lies in Christ, the Spirit, and the transformation from glory to glory (v. 18). This is not a fading external glow but an abiding internal change that leads to eternal life.
Five-point outline
- The law’s glory was real but limited: it came through a mediator, on stone, with a fading glow.
- The law’s purpose was to expose sin and condemn, not to give life.
- The gospel’s glory is far greater: it brings righteousness, the Spirit, and eternal life.
- This surpassing glory does not diminish the law’s value; it fulfills and completes it.
- Believers now have boldness (v. 12) and transformation (v. 18) because they gaze on Christ, not on a fading face.
Illustration hooks
- A wedding photo from 50 years ago: beautiful in its day, but the couple now glows with a deeper love. The old glory is real but overshadowed by the current reality.
- The difference between a black-and-white photocopy and a high-definition photograph. The copy is recognizable but pales beside the original.
- A hiking guide map versus the actual mountain vista. The map is useful and even glorious in its precision, but it cannot convey the splendor of the real thing.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If the law is not glorious anymore, why do we still read the Old Testament?
- Does this mean my efforts to obey God are worthless?
- How can I experience the surpassing glory of the gospel in my daily life?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of Paul's argument that the new covenant in Christ surpasses the old covenant in glory. The law had its own splendor, but when the light of the gospel blazes, the law's glory is no longer visible, not because it was bad, but because something better has come. As you discuss, help your group see both the dignity of the law and the supremacy of Christ.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 34:29-35. What do you notice about the glory on Moses’ face? Why did he cover it?
- Paul calls the law “the service of death” (v. 7) and “the service of condemnation” (v. 9). How can something so glorious be described so negatively?
- In verse 10, why does Paul say the law “has no glory” when he just admitted it had glory? What does “in this respect” mean?
- How does the glory of the gospel surpass the law? Think about what the gospel offers that the law could not: forgiveness, the Spirit, transformation.
- What are some ways Christians today might cling to a “fading glory”, habits, traditions, or rules, while missing the greater glory of Christ?
- How does the surpassing glory of the gospel affect the way you live? Does it bring confidence (v. 12) or humility, or both?
- Share one way you have seen God’s glory in Christ transform something in your life recently.
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 25:5 | Behold, even the moon has no brightness, and the stars are not pure in his sight; |
| Isaiah 24:23 | Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem; and glory will be before his elders. |
| Haggai 2:3 | ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? |
| Haggai 2:7 | and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies. |
| Haggai 2:9 | ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says Yahweh of Armies; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says Yahweh of Armies.” |
| Acts 26:13 | at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. |
| Philippians 3:7 | However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. |
| Philippians 3:8 | Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the temporary glory of the Mosaic law, seen at its giving and in the tabernacle and first temple, as something that has fully passed away. The law is no longer performed anywhere, even by its adherents. The surpassing glory belongs to the gospel, which reveals God's justice, holiness, goodness, mercy, and majesty.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes acknowledges that the law of Moses had real glory, seen in its majestic giving, pure moral teaching, and impressive worship rituals. But he insists that this glory is completely overshadowed by the far greater splendor of the gospel, much as moonlight vanishes when the sun rises.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin compares the law's glory to that of the moon and stars, which are genuine but vanish before the sun's brightness. In the same way, the law's glory is eclipsed by the far greater splendor of the gospel. He warns that the gospel is mishandled and profaned when it lacks the manifest power of the Spirit to lift hearts to heaven.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that Paul is making a relative comparison: the old covenant's glory, typified by Moses' shining face, is so completely surpassed by the new covenant's glory that it loses its standing as glorious. Paul uses the Septuagint's language from Exodus to underline this contrast.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that the former glory was real but ceases to count as glory when measured against the far greater glory that follows. The comparison is not a denial of its past radiance but a demonstration that the new surpasses it so completely that the old is no longer glorious at all.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill grants that the law truly was glorious in its origin, delivery, content and lasting qualities. Yet he argues that every dimension of its glory is completely outshone by the gospel, which surpasses it in its author, its proclamation, its substance and its effects on the soul.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the law once carried genuine glory at Sinai, but that glory has now been eclipsed by the far greater glory of the gospel. He compares this to starlight and moonlight fading entirely when the sun rises: the older glory is not destroyed, but overwhelmed and outshone.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the Corinthians themselves are Paul's living letter of recommendation, written by the Spirit on hearts, not with ink on stone tablets. This contrast defines the entire passage: the old ministry of the letter condemns and kills, while the new ministry of the Spirit gives life and permanent glory that far surpasses the fading radiance of Moses' face.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry distinguishes the New Testament ministry from the Old by contrasting the letter, which kills, with the Spirit, which gives life. While the law carved in stone brought death and condemnation, the gospel ministry of the Spirit brings righteousness and a glory that far exceeds the temporary glory of Moses.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent argues that when Paul says the old ministry "had no glory," he means it no longer counts as glorious. The fading shine on Moses' face was temporary glory, but it vanishes completely next to the eternal brightness of Christ ministering the gospel.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that something possessing glory can nonetheless be said to have no glory at all when set beside a far greater glory. The comparison itself destroys any claim to shine, just as a lesser light vanishes when a brighter one appears.