2 Corinthians 4:1

Paul now returned to the theme of being a minister of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6). Since we have a ministry in which the Spirit opens people’s eyes and transforms their characters we can feel encouraged. Our job is not simply to lay God’s high standards on people, as Moses did, but to provide God’s grace to them as the Holy Spirit’s agents. Paul acknowledged that God has given us this privilege in His mercy, not because we deserve to be the ministers of a superior covenant.

". . . since the glory of the new covenant ministry ’remains’ (2 Corinthians 3:11), as opposed to the old that is ’abolished’ (2 Corinthians 3:11), it is appropriate that the new covenant minister ’remains,’ that is, ’perseveres,’ ’does not give up.’" [Note: Barnett, p. 212.]