LIFE-STUDY OF SECOND CORINTHIANS

MESSAGE FIVE

THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW COVENANT

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Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 2:12-17

After the introduction (1:1—2:11), Paul comes to the

ministry of the new covenant (2:12—3:11). The ministry
is absolutely different from the outward, miraculous
gifts. In 1940, while giving messages on 2 Corinthians,
Brother Nee strongly emphasized the difference
between 1 and 2 Corinthians. He pointed out that the
first book deals with the outward, miraculous gifts,
especially tongue-speaking. Brother Nee used the
illustration of Balaam’s donkey speaking a human
language, pointing out that that was a genuine
miraculous gift. It certainly was a miracle for a donkey
suddenly to receive the ability to speak a human
language. Brother Nee went on to say that a gift can be
received in a sudden way. However, he pointed out that
it may take twenty years to produce a ministry.

In speaking concerning the ministry, Brother Nee said

that Christ must be woven into our being. This means
that Christ must be constituted into us. The ministry is a
matter of constitution. We need to be constituted with
what Christ is, with what He has done, with what He has
attained, and with what He has obtained. Christ has
obtained the throne, the glory, and the highest power.
Christ also has certain attainments. His attainments are
the result of what He has accomplished and achieved.
Today what Christ is, what He has done, what He has
obtained, and what He has attained are all in the life-
giving Spirit. This means that the life-giving Spirit is the
embodiment of Christ in these four matters. The all-
inclusive Spirit is the embodiment of what Christ is, of
what Christ has done, of what Christ has obtained, and
of what Christ has attained. This all-inclusive Spirit is an
all-inclusive drink, a drink that has many ingredients.

As we have pointed out a number of times, the all-

inclusive Spirit is typified by the ointment in Exodus 30.
This ointment is composed of oil compounded with four
different kinds of spices: myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, and
cassia. This ointment portrays the all-inclusive life-giving
Spirit. This Spirit is now being constituted into us. The
result is a constitution of the processed God with
redeemed human beings. A believer who is so
constituted with this all-inclusive Spirit will become a
minister of Christ, and his work and service will be the
ministry in the New Testament.
The ministry in the New Testament is unique. The New
Testament has just one ministry. Both Paul and Peter
had a part of this ministry. All the apostles shared in the
one ministry in the New Testament. This unique ministry
is the ministry of the new covenant. Such a ministry is
not gained by prayer and fasting. Anything received in
that way would be a gift, not a ministry. The ministry is
brought forth as a result of being constituted of the all-
inclusive life-giving Spirit. Christ, with all that He is, has,
and has obtained and attained, must be constituted into
the fiber, into the very being, of God’s chosen and
redeemed people. This is the only way to have a
ministry.

My burden is not simply to preach the gospel or teach

the Bible. My burden is to carry out this New Testament
ministry and to help those who sincerely seek the Lord
and care for the desire of His heart to have a share in
this ministry. This is the ministry Paul talks about in 2
Corinthians, especially in chapter three, where the word
ministry is used a number of times. Paul compared this
ministry to that of the old covenant. The ministry of the
new covenant is far superior to that of the old covenant.
The new covenant ministry is not only a matter of life; it
is a constitution in life and of life. Therefore, this
ministry takes time to grow and mature.
In 1943 I contracted tuberculosis and came very close to
death. I thank the Lord that, for Himself and for His
ministry, He spared me and has kept me. Brother Nee
used to tell us that because it takes years for the Lord to
gain one who has been constituted of Himself, we need
to take care of our health in a proper way. This means
that we should do everything possible to prevent an
early death. If we are truly spiritual, we shall learn how
to take care of our health in order to have a long life.

It takes more than a few years to grow and be

constituted of the Triune God. As one who has passed
through many things over the years, I can testify that a
person needs to be at least sixty years of age before this
constitution reaches maturity. However, for this to take
place in a person by the age of sixty, he should be saved
before the age of twenty. One who is saved in his forties
probably cannot be matured in the divine constitution
by the age of sixty. During the first twenty years of our
Christian life, we need to learn certain matters. Then we
need another twenty years to be constituted of the life-
giving Spirit.

When the young people hear this word about how long
it takes to be constituted into a minister of the new
covenant, they may be disappointed. Young people, I
encourage you not to be discouraged by the fact that it
may take twenty years to learn things and another
twenty years to be constituted. We are dealing with the
highest life, the divine life, constituted into our human
life. Surely this requires time. Even in the natural human
life, a man is not adequately matured by the age of
forty. I certainly would not have confidence in a
president who is only forty years old. In everything we
do, we need experience. This is true even in driving a
car. The more years we drive a car, the more
experienced we become, and the more skillful. I do not
believe that a person under sixty years of age is mature
enough to be fully adequate as a president or head of
state. This is an illustration of the fact that life needs
time to grow.

There is the need of more among us who are matured. I

hope that in the years to come there will be a number of
fathers in the Lord’s recovery. It is a blessing to have
such fathers, such matured ones, among us. Their very
presence among us is a great blessing.

I say again, the ministry cannot be formed in a short

time. I am happy that I heard such a word concerning
the ministry from Brother Nee in 1940. Approximately
twenty years later, the Lord sent me to this country.

Now we are ready to consider 2:12-17, some verses

which are the introduction to the section on the ministry
of the new covenant. Chapter 1:1—2:11 is the
introduction to the entire book of 2 Corinthians. But
2:12-17 is the introduction to the section on the
ministry. Following this section, we have a long section
concerning the ministers of the new covenant (3:12—
7:16).

I. ITS TRIUMPH AND EFFECT

A. Caring for the Church

More Than for the Gospel

Paul introduces the ministry in a very personal, intimate

way, in a way that is not at all doctrinal. In 2:12 Paul
does not say, “I have finished my introduction. Now I
want to give you some doctrine concerning our
ministry.” On the contrary, Paul says, “Furthermore,
when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, a door
also being opened to me in the Lord, I had no relief in
my spirit when I did not find Titus my brother; but taking
my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia” (2:12-
13). In addition to what he has mentioned in verses 10
and 11, the apostle furthermore tells the Corinthian
believers of his concern for them. Although a door was
opened to him in Troas, even in the Lord, not of human
effort, he had no relief in his spirit when he did not find
Titus there. He was anxious to meet Titus to receive
information concerning the effect of his first Epistle
among them. Therefore, he left Troas and went forth to
Macedonia (v. 13), being anxious to meet Titus for the
information because of his great affection for them. His
concern for the church was much more than that for the
preaching of the gospel.

Paul was one who lived and acted in his spirit, as

indicated in 1 Corinthians 16:18. A door had been
opened to him in the Lord. Paul deliberately inserted the
phrase “in the Lord” to indicate that he did not open the
door through any kind of natural skill or maneuvering.
The door was opened by the Lord, not by human effort.
But even though a door had been opened in the Lord,
Paul had no relief in his spirit. How can we reconcile the
fact that the door was open by the Lord and yet Paul did
not have the relief in his spirit to remain there? This
seems contradictory. Before we answer this question, I
wish to emphasize that the reason Paul did not have
relief was that he had not yet found Titus. His concern
was not mainly for the preaching of the gospel; it was to
find Titus in order to know the situation among the
Corinthians. Paul was waiting for Titus to give him a
report concerning how the believers at Corinth had
responded to his first Epistle. Therefore, Paul went forth
into Macedonia. This Epistle was written in Macedonia
after his stay in Ephesus on the third journey of his
ministry (8:1; Acts 20:1).
We have seen that the Lord opened the door, but Paul
left that open door. It seems that he did not go along
with the Lord’s opening of the door, but only went along
with what gave relief to his spirit. Here we find the
answer to the question concerning the open door and
the relief in the spirit. When you have something done
by the Lord outwardly, but inwardly your spirit is not at
rest, which will you follow, the outward situation or the
sense in your spirit? Paul followed the sense in his spirit.
Sometimes the Lord will do two things at once: He will
open up something outwardly, but inwardly He will not
give you a feeling of relief. This leaves you in a position
of needing to choose between the outward
circumstance and the inward feeling. If in this kind of
situation you exercise your spirit to take care of the
spirit, you are truly spiritual. This means that if you obey
the inner feeling and do not go along with the outward
open situation, you are a truly spiritual person. This was
the case with Paul in these verses. He went along with
what gave relief to his spirit, departing into Macedonia
in order to gain information from Titus regarding the
believers at Corinth.
 B. A Triumphal Procession for the Celebration
of Christ’s Victory

In verse 14 Paul says, “But thanks be to God, Who

always leads us in triumph in the Christ, and manifests
through us the savor of the knowledge of Him in every
place.” Concerning this verse, Conybeare has this to say:
“The verb here used means to lead a man as a captive in
a triumphal procession; the full phrase means, to lead
captive in a triumph over the enemies of Christ....God is
celebrating His triumph over His enemies; Paul (who had
been so great an opponent of the gospel) is a captive
following in the train of the triumphal procession, yet (at
the same time, by a characteristic change of metaphor)
an incense-bearer, scattering incense (which was always
done on these occasions) as the procession moves on.
Some of the conquered enemies were put to death
when the procession reached the Capitol; to them the
smell of the incense was an odor of death unto death; to
the rest who were spared, an odor of life unto life.” The
same metaphor is used in Colossians 2:15. God always
leads the apostles in such a triumphant way in their
ministry. The word “us” here refers to the conquered
captives in the train of Christ’s triumph, celebrating and
participating in Christ’s triumph. The apostles are such
captives; their move as captives of Christ in their
ministry for Him is God’s celebration of Christ’s victory
over His enemies.

In the second section of this Epistle, from 2:12 through

7:16, the apostle speaks about his ministry and that of
his co-workers. He first likens their ministry to a
celebration of Christ’s victory. Their move in their
ministry for Christ is like a triumphal procession from
one place to another under God’s leading. Paul and his
co-workers were Christ’s captives, bearing the fragrant
incense of Christ for His triumphant glory. They had
been conquered by Christ and had become His captives
in the train of His triumph, scattering the fragrance of
Christ from place to place. This was their ministry for
Him.

In verse 14 Paul indicates that he was a captive of Christ.

He fought against Christ, the heavenly General, but
eventually he was defeated, subdued, and captured, and
thereby became a captive of Christ. Saul of Tarsus
fought against Christ, against God’s economy, and
against the churches. But while he was fighting, he was
defeated and subdued by Christ on the way to
Damascus. At that time, the Lord Jesus told him not to
kick against the pricks, that is, not to fight against Him. It
seems as if the Lord Jesus was saying to Saul, “What are
you doing? Why are you kicking against the pricks? Don’t
you know that it is easy for Me to subdue you? All I need
to do is move My little finger, and you will be defeated,
subdued, and captured.” After Saul of Tarsus was
captured, he was placed in Christ’s triumphal
procession. The first three captives in this procession
were Peter, John, and James. As one of the captives in a
train of defeated foes, Paul was being led in Christ’s
triumphal procession.

Paul uses the metaphor of a procession held in honor of

the victory of a Roman general to illustrate what he was
in the ministry. Paul’s ministry was a triumphal
procession of a victorious General, the Lord Jesus,
leading many captives. Paul and his co-workers were
captives in that procession. This indicates that the
proper ministry of the New Testament is a triumphal
procession celebrating Christ’s victory. Inwardly, I also
have the sense that I am a captive in Christ’s triumphal
procession. As such a captive, I am a witness that once I
was an enemy, but I have been defeated, subdued,
captured, and made submissive to Christ.

The ministry of the New Testament is to testify of Christ

as the Winner and the Victor. I believe that as Paul was
marching in Christ’s triumphal procession, he could
praise the Lord for His victory and in this way testify of
Him. Likewise, as a captive of Christ, I also witness of
Him today. I can testify that I have been defeated by
Him, captured by Him, and subdued by Him. Now I am a
submissive captive, saying amen to His victory and
praising Him. This is our ministry. We in the Lord’s
recovery are in a procession celebrating Christ’s victory.
If someone asks you what you are doing in the church
life, you may want to answer, “We are having a
procession, a triumphal procession celebrating Christ’s
victory. We have all been defeated, subdued, and
captured by Him, and now we are submissive to Him.”

We have pointed out that Paul first likens the ministry to

a celebration of Christ’s victory. The apostles’ move in
the ministry was like a triumphal celebration from one
place to another under God’s leading. Wherever that
procession moved, they celebrated the victory of Christ
and witnessed of Christ’s triumph over them. Hallelujah,
we all have been defeated by Christ! Now we are
submissive captives in Christ’s procession.

Perhaps you have been a Christian for years without

realizing that the New Testament ministry is a
procession celebrating the victory of Christ. Who has
defeated us, subdued us, captured us, and made us
submissive? The victorious Christ has done this.
Hallelujah for the New Testament ministry being a
procession celebrating the triumph of Christ!
In verse 14 Paul also likens himself and his co-workers to
incense-bearers scattering the savor of the knowledge of
Christ in His triumphant ministry as in a triumphal
procession. The apostles are such incense-bearers in
their ministry of Christ as well as captives in the train of
His triumph. Concerning the phrase “the savor of the
knowledge,” Vincent says, “According to the Greek
usage, savor and knowledge are in apposition, so that
the knowledge of Christ is symbolized as an odor
communicating its nature and efficacy through the
apostle’s work.” The apostles’ excellent knowledge of
Christ became a sweet savor.

In verse 15 Paul goes on to say, “For we are a fragrance

of Christ to God in those who are being saved and in
those who are perishing.” The apostles, being
permeated with Christ, become a fragrance of Christ.
They are not merely a sweet savor produced by Christ,
but Christ Himself is the savor being exhaled in their life
and work to God, both in those who are being saved, as
a savor from life to life, and in those who are perishing,
as a savor from death to death.

Verse 16 says, “To the one a savor from death unto

death, to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is
sufficient for these things?” The phrases “unto death”
and “unto life” mean resulting in death or resulting in
life. This refers to the different effects of the apostles’
ministry upon different persons. It is a matter of life and
death! Only the captives of God in Christ, who are
saturated with Christ by the Spirit, are sufficient and
qualified for this (3:5-6). The Greek word rendered
sufficient also means competent, qualified, fit, worthy.
The same word is used in 3:5.

C. Ministering the Word of God

In verse 17 Paul says, “For we are not as the many,

peddling the word of God; but as out of sincerity, but as
out of God, before God we speak in Christ.” In this verse
to speak in Christ is to minister the word of God. The
word peddling also means retailing, hawking, the selling
of inferior things at high prices by low class peddlers in a
tricky way. Many engaged in this kind of hawking,
adulterating the word of God for their profit. However,
the apostles did not do this. Out of sincerity and out of
God in their ministry, they spoke in Christ the word of
God in the sight of God. How sincere and genuine was
the apostle’s ministry!