CONCLUSION: law-19 -- 2 Corinthians 3: Were the Ten Commandments "Done Away"?¶
Evidence items registered in D:/bible/bible-studies/law-evidence.db
Question¶
Does 2 Corinthians 3 teach that the moral law (the Ten Commandments, written and engraved in stone) was abolished or "done away"? What is the grammatical subject of katargeo ("done away") in this chapter, and what does the stone-to-heart transition in verse 3 imply about the law's continuity?
Summary Answer¶
Second Corinthians 3 does not teach the abolition of the moral law. The word "law" (nomos) does not appear anywhere in the chapter; Paul's subject throughout is diakonia (ministry/ministration), and the grammatical subjects of every form of katargeo ("done away") are the fading glory of Moses' face (v.7, feminine participle agreeing with doxan), an abstract neuter entity (vv.11, 13), and the veil (v.14, nominative neuter). The stone-to-heart transition in verse 3 -- using the same Greek word plax for both surfaces -- indicates that the same law content moves from the old administrative medium to the new, precisely as foretold in Jeremiah 31:33 and Hebrews 8:10; Paul's conclusion (v.18) is not law-abolition but Spirit-empowered transformation from glory to glory.
Key Verses¶
2 Corinthians 3:3 -- "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
2 Corinthians 3:6 -- "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
2 Corinthians 3:7 -- "But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:"
2 Corinthians 3:11 -- "For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."
2 Corinthians 3:14 -- "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ."
2 Corinthians 3:16 -- "Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away."
2 Corinthians 3:18 -- "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Romans 3:31 -- "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
1. Explicit Statements Table¶
| # | Explicit Statement | Reference | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | "The ministration (diakonia) of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away." Paul describes a diakonia (ministry), not a nomos (law), and identifies the glory (doxa) as what was done away. | 2 Cor 3:7 | Neutral |
| E2 | "How shall not the ministration (diakonia) of the spirit be rather glorious?" The comparison is between two ministrations, not two laws. | 2 Cor 3:8 | Neutral |
| E3 | "For if the ministration (diakonia) of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration (diakonia) of righteousness exceed in glory." Paul names four diakoniai: death, spirit, condemnation, righteousness. | 2 Cor 3:9 | Neutral |
| E4 | "For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth." The old glory is eclipsed by surpassing glory. | 2 Cor 3:10 | Neutral |
| E5 | "For if that which is done away (to katargoumenon, neuter) was glorious, much more that which remaineth (to menon, neuter) is glorious." Both substantivized participles are neuter, matching neither nomos (masculine) nor diakonia (feminine). | 2 Cor 3:11 | Neutral |
| E6 | "And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished (tou katargoumenou, neuter genitive)." The participle is neuter, continuing the abstract reference from v.11. | 2 Cor 3:13 | Neutral |
| E7 | "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ." The subject of katargeitai is the veil (kalumma, neuter), not the old covenant (genitive) or the law. | 2 Cor 3:14 | Neutral |
| E8 | "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart." The impediment is the veil on the heart, not the content being read. | 2 Cor 3:15 | Neutral |
| E9 | "Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away." Turning to the Lord removes the veil, not the law. | 2 Cor 3:16 | Neutral |
| E10 | "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Paul's conclusion is about Spirit-empowered transformation, not law-abolition. | 2 Cor 3:18 | Neutral |
| E11 | katargoumenen in 2 Cor 3:7 is parsed as Present Passive Participle, Accusative Singular FEMININE, agreeing with ten doxan (the glory, Acc Sg Feminine), not with nomos (masculine) or diakonia (nominative). | 2 Cor 3:7 (grammar) | Neutral |
| E12 | to katargoumenon in 2 Cor 3:11 is parsed as Present Passive Participle, Nominative Singular NEUTER. to menon is also Nominative Singular NEUTER. Neither matches nomos (masculine) or diakonia (feminine). | 2 Cor 3:11 (grammar) | Neutral |
| E13 | tou katargoumenou in 2 Cor 3:13 is parsed as Present Passive Participle, Genitive Singular NEUTER. This continues the neuter abstract pattern from v.11. | 2 Cor 3:13 (grammar) | Neutral |
| E14 | katargeitai in 2 Cor 3:14 is Present Passive Indicative, 3rd Singular (no gender marking). The proximate nominative subject is to auto kalumma (the same veil, Nom Sg Neuter). The old covenant (palaias diathekes) is in the genitive case (object of reading), not the nominative subject. | 2 Cor 3:14 (grammar) | Neutral |
| E15 | The word nomos (G3551, "law") does not appear anywhere in 2 Corinthians 3. The subjects of the chapter are diakonia, doxa, kalumma, gramma, and pneuma. | 2 Cor 3 (vocabulary) | Neutral |
| E16 | "[Ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone (plaxin lithinais), but in fleshy tables (plaxin...sarkinais) of the heart." The same word plax is used for both stone and heart surfaces. | 2 Cor 3:3 | Continues |
| E17 | "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter (gramma), but of the spirit (pneuma): for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." The contrast is between gramma and pneuma as modes of administration. | 2 Cor 3:6 | Neutral |
| E18 | The participial modifier eteteteupomene ("having been engraved," Perf Pass Ptcp Nom Sg Feminine) in 2 Cor 3:7 agrees grammatically with diakonia (Nom Sg Feminine). The engraving is attributed to the ministry, identifying the ministry as associated with the stone-engraved commandments. | 2 Cor 3:7 (grammar) | Neutral |
| E19 | "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (eleutheria)." The climax of Paul's argument moves from veil/blindness to Spirit/liberty. | 2 Cor 3:17 | Neutral |
Tree 3 Positional Classification Walkthrough (E-Items)¶
E1-E10, E17, E19 (textual observations about what the passage says): - Step 1 Vocabulary Scan: E1-E10 and E17 and E19 describe what Paul says about the ministry, glory, veil, letter/spirit, and transformation. Both sides accept these as textual facts. V1 (continuation vocabulary)? No -- these are descriptive observations. V2 (cessation vocabulary)? No -- the cessation language applies to the glory/veil, not to the moral law. - Both V1 and V2 = NO -> Neutral.
E11-E15, E18 (grammatical facts): - Step 1 Vocabulary Scan: These are parsing data and vocabulary observations. Both sides must accept grammatical gender agreement and word absence as textual facts. - Both V1 and V2 = NO -> Neutral.
E16 (stone-to-heart transition with same word plax): - Step 1 Vocabulary Scan: V1 -- Does the verse use law-continuation vocabulary or distinguish between law categories? The verse identifies the Decalogue as what was on stone and states the same content is transferred to hearts by the Spirit. The use of the same word plax for both surfaces indicates content transfer, not content abolition. This uses distinction vocabulary (stone = Decalogue specifically) and is consistent with writing the law on hearts (continuation vocabulary). YES -> Candidate Continues. - Step 2 Gates: - Gate 1 (Subject/Object): The stone tablets are identifiable as the Decalogue (Exo 31:18; Deu 4:13). PASS. - Gate 2 (Grammar): plax is used for both surfaces; no ambiguous parsing. PASS. - Gate 3 (Genre): Didactic epistle. PASS. - Gate 4 (Harmony): Consistent with E282, E305, E038 (Jer 31:33), E039 (Heb 8:10). PASS. - Classification: Continues.
2. Necessary Implications Table¶
| # | Necessary Implication | Based on | Why it is unavoidable |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | The grammatical subject of katargeo ("done away") in 2 Cor 3:7 is the glory (doxa) of Moses' face, not the law (nomos). | E11, E1 | katargoumenen is Feminine Accusative, agreeing with ten doxan (Feminine Accusative). nomos is masculine and does not appear in the verse. No reader can make a feminine participle agree with a masculine noun that is absent. |
| N2 | Paul's subject in 2 Cor 3:7-9 is diakonia (ministry/ministration), not nomos (law). | E1, E2, E3, E15 | Paul names diakonia four times (vv.7, 8, 9x2) as the grammatical subject. nomos does not appear in the chapter. The text identifies the subject by its own vocabulary. |
| N3 | In 2 Cor 3:14, what is "done away in Christ" (katargeitai) is the veil (kalumma), not the old covenant or the law. | E7, E14 | kalumma is the proximate nominative subject (Nom Sg Neuter). The old covenant (palaias diathekes) is genitive (object of the reading), not nominative. The verb's subject is determined by grammatical case. |
| N4 | Paul's argument in 2 Cor 3 concludes with transformation (metamorphoumetha, v.18) by the Spirit, not with abolition of the law. | E10, E19 | The final verse describes believers being transformed from glory to glory by the Spirit. The word "law" does not appear. The conclusion the text reaches is transformation, which is observable from the text's own vocabulary. |
Tree 4 Positional Classification (N-Items)¶
N1 (glory is the grammatical subject of katargeo in v.7): - Gate 0 (Foundation): - N-Test 1 (Universal agreement): Would an Abolished scholar agree that the feminine participle agrees with the feminine noun? Yes -- grammatical gender agreement is a mechanical fact. - N-Test 2 (No interpretation): Is there another possible grammatical agreement? No -- feminine accusative agrees with feminine accusative. - N-Test 3 (Zero added concepts): Does this add anything beyond E11 and E1? No -- it is the entailment of gender agreement. - PASS -> proceed to Tree 3. - Step 1 Vocabulary Scan: V1 or V2? This is a grammatical observation about what katargeo modifies. Both sides must accept it. Neither V1 nor V2. - Neutral.
N2 (diakonia is the subject, not nomos): - Gate 0: Universal agreement (yes -- word counts are facts), no interpretation needed, zero added concepts. PASS. - Step 1: Grammatical/vocabulary observation. Neither V1 nor V2. - Neutral.
N3 (the veil is done away in Christ, not the law): - Gate 0: Universal agreement on grammatical case? Yes -- genitive versus nominative is mechanical. No interpretation needed? The identification of the nominative subject is grammatical. Zero added concepts? No. - PASS -> Tree 3. - Step 1: V1 or V2? This identifies what is "done away" -- the veil, not the law. This is a grammatical observation both sides can verify. Neither V1 nor V2. - Neutral.
N4 (Paul concludes with transformation, not law-abolition): - Gate 0: Universal agreement? Both sides can observe that v.18 contains metamorphoumetha and "glory to glory" and does not contain nomos or katargeo. No interpretation needed? No -- it is what the verse says. Zero added concepts? No. - PASS -> Tree 3. - Step 1: Textual observation about the passage's conclusion. Neither V1 nor V2. - Neutral.
3. Inferences Table¶
| # | Claim | Type | What the Bible actually says | Why this is an inference | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I1 | 2 Corinthians 3:7-13 teaches the abolition of the Ten Commandments (Decalogue), since they were "written and engraven in stones" and the passage uses "done away." | I-B | E1 (2 Cor 3:7): the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious; which glory was to be done away. E11: katargoumenen is feminine, agreeing with doxan (glory), not nomos (law). E15: nomos does not appear in 2 Cor 3. E5 (v.11): to katargoumenon is neuter. E7 (v.14): the veil is done away in Christ. N1: the grammatical subject of katargeo in v.7 is the glory. N2: the chapter's subject is diakonia, not nomos. Against this inference: Rom 3:31 (E025): "Do we make void the law? God forbid: we establish the law." Rom 7:12 (E010): "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." | The text says "ministration of death, written and engraven in stones" and uses katargeo. But grammar shows katargeo's subject is the glory (v.7, feminine) or abstract neuter (vv.11, 13) or the veil (v.14). To read this as abolishing the Decalogue requires (a) overriding the gender agreement of katargoumenen, (b) adding nomos as the referent when the text uses diakonia, and (c) ignoring Rom 3:31 where the same author denies making the law void using the same verb. | #1 (adding law as referent when text says glory/ministry), #2 (choosing between glory and law as the referent), #4b (ignoring same-author counter-statements) |
| I2 | The "ministration of death" cannot be separated from the law itself -- if the ministry is done away, the law behind it is done away. | I-B | E1 (2 Cor 3:7): the ministration of death was glorious, which glory was done away. E3 (2 Cor 3:9): ministration of condemnation vs. ministration of righteousness. N2: the subject is diakonia, not nomos. Against this inference: E16 (2 Cor 3:3): same content transfers from stone to heart (stone to heart = same law, different medium). E282 (2 Cor 3:3): content moves from stone to heart; surface changes, content remains. Heb 7:12 (E-item from prior studies): the priesthood changes, implying a ministry can change while the underlying moral standard continues. | The text distinguishes diakonia (ministry) from its content. Verse 3 shows the same content (plax) on two media. To claim the ministry cannot be separated from the law requires adding a concept (inseparability of ministry and content) that the text does not state and that the text's own stone-to-heart transition contradicts. | #1 (adding inseparability concept), #2 (choosing whether diakonia = nomos or diakonia administers nomos) |
| I3 | The "letter vs. spirit" contrast in 2 Cor 3:6 means the law itself is the "letter" that kills and is replaced by the Spirit. | I-B | E17 (2 Cor 3:6): "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Against this reading: Rom 7:6 uses the same gramma/pneuma contrast: "serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter." Rom 7:12, 14 (E010, E011): the same Paul calls the law "holy, just, good" and "spiritual." Rom 8:4 (E026): "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk...after the Spirit." The Spirit fulfills the law rather than replacing it. | The text says gramma (letter) kills. To identify the law itself as the "letter" that is replaced requires (a) ignoring that Paul calls the law "spiritual" (Rom 7:14), which contradicts equating the law with the merely external "letter," and (b) ignoring Rom 8:4 where the Spirit fulfills the law's righteousness. The text presents gramma as a mode of administration (external code without Spirit), not as the law's identity. | #1 (equating gramma with the law itself rather than a mode), #2 (choosing between "law as letter" and "external administration as letter") |
| I4 | 2 Corinthians 3 teaches that the old-covenant administration (ministry of condemnation) is superseded by the new-covenant administration (ministry of righteousness/spirit), while the moral law continues as the content written on hearts. | I-A | E1-E3 (diakonia contrast: death/condemnation vs. spirit/righteousness). E16/E282 (stone-to-heart transition: same content, different medium). E17 (letter vs. spirit as modes). E10 (conclusion: transformation by Spirit). N1 (glory, not law, is done away). N2 (subject is diakonia, not nomos). N3 (veil, not law, is done away in Christ). Jer 31:33 (E038): "I will put my law in their inward parts." Heb 8:10 (E039): "I will put my laws into their mind." | This systematizes the E and N items into a broader claim. All components are found in the E/N tables. It requires only criterion #5 (systematizing multiple textual observations into a doctrinal claim). | #5 (systematizing) |
| I5 | The neuter substantivized participles to katargoumenon (v.11) and tou katargoumenou (v.13) refer to the entire old-covenant glory-system (the mode of administration with its fading glory), not to the law itself or the ministry per se. | I-A | E5 (to katargoumenon, neuter, matches neither nomos nor diakonia). E12 (grammatical parsing: Nom Sg Neuter). E13 (grammatical parsing: Gen Sg Neuter). N1 (in v.7, the feminine form agrees with glory). The neuter pattern continues the glory-focused argument. | This identifies the referent of the neuter participles by combining the grammatical data (E12, E13) with the established glory-reference (N1). All components are in the E/N tables. It is an inference only because it names what the abstract neuter refers to (systematizing). | #5 (systematizing) |
I-B Resolution Subsections¶
I-B Resolution: I1 -- 2 Cor 3:7-13 abolishes the Decalogue¶
Step 1 -- Tension: - FOR (Abolished): E1 -- the passage references something "written and engraven in stones" and uses katargeo ("done away"). The stone reference is to the Decalogue. - AGAINST (Continues): E11 -- katargoumenen is feminine, agreeing with glory, not law. E12, E13 -- subsequent uses are neuter, not masculine. E15 -- nomos does not appear in the chapter. N1 -- glory is the grammatical subject of katargeo in v.7. N2 -- the chapter's subject is diakonia. N3 -- in v.14, the veil is done away. E025 (Rom 3:31) -- same author, same verb, denies making law void. E010 (Rom 7:12) -- same author: "the law is holy, just, good." E011 (Rom 7:14) -- same author: "the law is spiritual." E026 (Rom 8:4) -- same author: Spirit fulfills the law's righteousness. E282/E305/N057 -- the stone-to-heart transition transfers the same content.
Step 2 -- Clarity Assessment:
| Item | Level | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| E11 (grammar: fem = glory) | Plain | Grammatical gender agreement is mechanical and unambiguous. |
| E12/E13 (neuter forms) | Plain | Parsing data is mechanical. |
| E15 (nomos absent) | Plain | Word absence is verifiable. |
| N1 (glory = subject of katargeo) | Plain | Direct entailment of E11; no interpretation needed. |
| N2 (diakonia = subject) | Plain | Direct observation from word usage. |
| N3 (veil done away) | Plain | Grammatical case identifies the subject. |
| E025 (Rom 3:31) | Plain | Direct statement by same author denying katargeo of the law. |
| E010 (Rom 7:12) | Plain | Direct characterization of the law. |
| E1 (stone reference + katargeo) | Contextually Clear | The verse does reference something on stone and does use katargeo, but grammar requires identifying what katargeo modifies -- which the context (feminine = glory) specifies. |
Step 3 -- Weight: FOR the Abolished reading: one Contextually Clear item (E1 -- the surface reading before examining grammar). AGAINST the Abolished reading: six Plain items (E11, E12/E13, E15, N1, N2, N3) plus three Plain same-author statements (E025, E010, E011).
Step 4 -- SIS Application: The plain grammatical data (E11: feminine participle = glory, not law) determines the reading of the contextually clear surface impression (E1). The clear passage (Rom 3:31) uses the same verb (katargeo) and the same author emphatically denies making the law void. The plain governs the ambiguous.
Step 5 -- Resolution: Strong (toward Continues/Neutral) Multiple plain grammatical facts and same-author statements converge against reading 2 Cor 3 as abolishing the Decalogue. The feminine gender agreement of katargoumenen with doxan, the absence of nomos from the chapter, the identification of the veil as what is done away in v.14, and Paul's emphatic denial of making the law void in Rom 3:31 using the identical verb all point in the same direction. The Abolished reading requires overriding grammatical gender agreement and ignoring same-author counter-statements.
I-B Resolution: I2 -- Ministry inseparable from law¶
Step 1 -- Tension: - FOR (Abolished): E1 -- "the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones." The ministry is identified with the stone content. If the ministry goes, its content goes. - AGAINST (Continues): E16/E282 -- same content (plax) transfers from stone to heart. N2 -- Paul distinguishes diakonia (subject) from its content. E038 (Jer 31:33) -- God writes "my law" on hearts (same law, new medium). E039 (Heb 8:10) -- "I will put my laws into their mind."
Step 2 -- Clarity Assessment:
| Item | Level | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| E16/E282 (same plax, stone to heart) | Plain | The text uses the same word for both surfaces and states content is written on hearts. |
| E038 (Jer 31:33) | Plain | Direct statement: "I will put my law (torati) in their inward parts." |
| E039 (Heb 8:10) | Plain | Direct quotation of Jer 31:33 in the NT. |
| N2 (diakonia = subject) | Plain | Observable from the text. |
| E1 (ministry identified with stone content) | Contextually Clear | The ministry is described as "written and engraven in stones," but the grammar (eteteteupomene, fem, modifying diakonia) connects the description to the ministry, not independently to the law. |
Step 3 -- Weight: FOR inseparability: one Contextually Clear item. AGAINST: four Plain items establishing that the content transfers from one medium/ministry to another.
Step 4 -- SIS: The plain passages (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10, 2 Cor 3:3) establish that the law content is written on hearts in the new covenant. This determines the reading of the ministry-stone connection: the ministry changes, the law content continues.
Step 5 -- Resolution: Strong (toward Continues) The stone-to-heart transition, the new covenant promises, and Paul's own distinction between diakonia and its content establish that a ministry can be superseded while the underlying law continues.
I-B Resolution: I3 -- "The letter" = the law itself, replaced by the Spirit¶
Step 1 -- Tension: - FOR: E17 -- "the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." Surface reading: the law kills and is replaced. - AGAINST: E010 (Rom 7:12) -- "the law is holy, just, good." E011 (Rom 7:14) -- "the law is spiritual" (pneumatikos -- same root as pneuma). E026 (Rom 8:4) -- "the righteousness of the law fulfilled in us, who walk after the Spirit." Rom 7:6 uses the same gramma/pneuma contrast: "serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter."
Step 2 -- Clarity Assessment:
| Item | Level | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| E011 (law is spiritual) | Plain | Paul directly calls the law "spiritual" -- it cannot simultaneously be the "mere letter" that is replaced by the spiritual. |
| E026 (Rom 8:4) | Plain | The Spirit fulfills the law's righteousness -- the Spirit and the law work together, not as replacements. |
| E010 (law is holy, just, good) | Plain | Same author's direct characterization. |
| E17 (letter kills, spirit gives life) | Contextually Clear | Requires determining what gramma means: the law itself or the law as external code without Spirit. |
Step 3 -- Weight: FOR: one Contextually Clear item. AGAINST: three Plain items from the same author.
Step 4 -- SIS: Paul's statement that the law is "spiritual" (Rom 7:14) rules out equating the law with the mere "letter." The Spirit fulfills the law (Rom 8:4), not replaces it. The plain statements govern the ambiguous gramma.
Step 5 -- Resolution: Strong (toward Continues) Equating gramma with the law itself contradicts Paul's own characterization of the law as "spiritual" and his statement that the Spirit fulfills the law's righteousness.
4. Verification Phase¶
Step A: Verify explicit statements¶
- E1-E10: Each directly quotes or closely paraphrases 2 Cor 3 verse text. Verified.
- E11-E14: Each states grammatical parsing data from the Greek text. Verified.
- E15: Verifiable by searching the Greek text of 2 Corinthians 3 for nomos. Verified.
- E16: Directly quotes 2 Cor 3:3 with the observation about plax. Verified.
- E17: Directly quotes 2 Cor 3:6. Verified.
- E18: States grammatical parsing of eteteteupomene. Verified.
- E19: Directly quotes 2 Cor 3:17. Verified.
- No E-item states an inference -- each is either a quotation, close paraphrase, or grammatical fact.
Step A2: Verify positional classifications of E-items¶
- E1-E15, E17-E19 classified Neutral: These are textual observations (what the passage says, grammatical data, vocabulary facts) that both sides must accept. Neither continuation nor cessation vocabulary applies to grammatical facts and quotations of what Paul says about ministry/glory/veil. Verified.
- E16 classified Continues: The stone-to-heart transition with the same word plax, echoing Jer 31:33, uses continuation vocabulary (law written on hearts = continuation of the law's content). Gate 1: Referent (Decalogue on stone) is identified by OT passages. Gate 2: plax grammar is unambiguous. Gate 3: Didactic epistle. Gate 4: Consistent with E282, E305. Verified.
Step B: Verify necessary implications¶
- N1: Does the feminine gender agreement between katargoumenen and ten doxan unavoidably entail that the glory is the grammatical referent? Yes -- gender agreement is mechanical. Both sides must accept this grammatical fact. Verified.
- N2: Does the fourfold use of diakonia and the absence of nomos entail that the chapter's subject is diakonia? Yes -- word usage determines subject. Verified.
- N3: Does the nominative case of kalumma vs. the genitive case of diathekes entail that the veil is the grammatical subject of katargeitai? Yes -- nominative = subject is a grammatical rule. Verified.
- N4: Does v.18 containing metamorphoumetha, "glory to glory," and no mention of law-abolition entail that the conclusion is transformation? Yes -- observable from the text. Verified.
Step C: Verify inference classifications (source test)¶
- I1 (I-B): Text-derived -- uses E/N items about the passage. Both sides have E/N items. Verified as I-B.
- I2 (I-B): Text-derived -- uses E/N items. Both sides cite text. Verified as I-B.
- I3 (I-B): Text-derived -- uses E/N items. Both sides cite text. Verified as I-B.
- I4 (I-A): Strip systematization -- remaining components are E1-E3, E16, E282, E17, E10, N1-N4, E038, E039. All in E/N tables. Verified as I-A.
- I5 (I-A): Strip systematization -- remaining components are E5, E12, E13, N1. All in E/N tables. Verified as I-A.
Step D: Verify inference classifications (direction test)¶
- I1: Requires katargoumenen to refer to the law rather than its lexical referent (glory). Conflicts with E/N. -> I-B. Verified.
- I2: Requires diakonia to be inseparable from nomos, which the text does not state. Conflicts with E16. -> I-B. Verified.
- I3: Requires gramma to mean the law itself, conflicting with E011 ("law is spiritual"). -> I-B. Verified.
- I4: Does not require any E/N statement to mean other than its lexical value. Aligns. -> I-A. Verified.
- I5: Does not require any E/N statement to mean other than its lexical value. Aligns. -> I-A. Verified.
Step E: Consistency checks¶
- I1 (I-B): E/N items on both sides? FOR: E1 (stone reference + katargeo). AGAINST: E11, E12, E13, E15, N1, N2, N3, E025, E010. Both sides have E/N support. Verified.
- I2 (I-B): FOR: E1 (ministry identified with stone). AGAINST: E16, E282, E038, E039, N2. Both sides have support. Verified.
- I3 (I-B): FOR: E17 (letter kills). AGAINST: E010, E011, E026. Both sides have support. Verified.
- I4 (I-A): Only requires #5 (systematizing). Does not require #1, #2, or #3. Verified.
- I5 (I-A): Only requires #5 (systematizing). Verified.
Step F: Verify SIS connections¶
- I1 Resolution uses #4a: Rom 3:31 (same author, same verb katargeo, denies making law void) -- verified shared vocabulary (katargeo) and same author. E11 (grammatical data) -- no cross-referencing needed; same verse. Verified.
- I2 Resolution uses #4a: Jer 31:33 / Heb 8:10 connection to 2 Cor 3:3 -- verified by shared vocabulary (stone tablets, writing on hearts, same word plax) and OT quotation in Hebrews. Verified.
- I3 Resolution uses #4a: Rom 7:14 (same author) shares vocabulary (pneumatikos from same root as pneuma in 2 Cor 3:6). Rom 8:4 (same author, same Spirit/law theme). Verified.
5. Evidence DB Registration¶
Existing Items (already in database -- record also-in)¶
| Local # | Master ID | Action |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | E048 + E283 | also-in law-19 |
| E11 | E251 | also-in law-19 |
| E16 | E282 + E305 | also-in law-19 |
| E17 | E431 | also-in law-19 |
| N1 | N041 | also-in law-19 |
| I1 | I046 | also-in law-19 |
New Items Registered¶
| Local # | Master ID | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| E2 | E442 | 2 Cor 3:8 |
| E3 | E443 | 2 Cor 3:9 |
| E4 | E444 | 2 Cor 3:10 |
| E5 | E445 | 2 Cor 3:11 |
| E6 | E446 | 2 Cor 3:13 |
| E7 | E447 | 2 Cor 3:14 |
| E8 | E448 | 2 Cor 3:15 |
| E9 | E449 | 2 Cor 3:16 |
| E10 | E450 | 2 Cor 3:18 |
| E12 | E451 | 2 Cor 3:11 (grammar) |
| E13 | E452 | 2 Cor 3:13 (grammar) |
| E14 | E453 | 2 Cor 3:14 (grammar) |
| E15 | E454 | 2 Cor 3 (vocabulary) |
| E18 | E455 | 2 Cor 3:7 (grammar) |
| E19 | E456 | 2 Cor 3:17 |
| N2 | N094 | diakonia is subject, not nomos |
| N3 | N095 | veil done away in Christ, not law |
| N4 | N096 | conclusion is transformation |
| I2 | I118 | ministry inseparable from law (I-B, Abolished) |
| I3 | I119 | letter = the law itself (I-B, Abolished) |
| I4 | I120 | administration superseded, law continues (I-A, Continues) |
| I5 | I121 | neuter participles = glory-system (I-A, Continues) |
6. Tally Summary¶
- Explicit statements: 19
- Necessary implications: 4
- Inferences: 5
- I-A (Evidence-Extending): 2 (I4, I5)
- I-B (Competing-Evidence): 3 (I1, I2, I3) -- all 3 resolved Strong
- I-C (Compatible External): 0
- I-D (Counter-Evidence External): 0
Positional Summary (This Study Only)¶
| Tier | Continues | Abolished | Neutral | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explicit (E) | 1 | 0 | 18 | 19 |
| Necessary Implication (N) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| I-A | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| I-B | 0 | 3 (all resolved Strong against) | 0 | 3 |
| I-C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| I-D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 22 | 28 |
Note: The 3 Abolished I-B items were all resolved Strong against the Abolished reading by the SIS protocol. The Abolished position in 2 Corinthians 3 is supported only by inferences that require overriding grammatical gender agreement and ignoring same-author counter-statements.
7. What CAN Be Said / What CANNOT Be Said¶
What CAN be said (Scripture explicitly states or necessarily implies):¶
- Paul's subject in 2 Corinthians 3 is diakonia (ministry/ministration), not nomos (law). The word nomos does not appear in the chapter.
- In 2 Cor 3:7, the grammatical subject of katargeo ("done away") is the glory (doxa) of Moses' face. The participle katargoumenen is feminine, agreeing with doxan, not with nomos or diakonia.
- In 2 Cor 3:11 and 3:13, the forms to katargoumenon and tou katargoumenou are neuter, matching neither nomos (masculine) nor diakonia (feminine).
- In 2 Cor 3:14, the subject of katargeitai is the veil (kalumma, neuter nominative), not the old covenant (genitive).
- Paul contrasts two ministries: the ministration of death/condemnation and the ministration of the spirit/righteousness.
- Paul states that the old ministry was glorious (en doxe) -- he affirms the glory of the Sinai event.
- The stone-to-heart transition in 2 Cor 3:3 uses the same word plax for both surfaces, and the new covenant promises (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10) specify that God writes "my law" (the same torah) on hearts.
- The veil, not the law, is what is "taken away" when one turns to the Lord (v.16).
- Paul's conclusion (v.18) is about Spirit-empowered transformation from glory to glory.
What CANNOT be said (not explicitly stated or necessarily implied by Scripture):¶
- It cannot be said that 2 Corinthians 3 states the Ten Commandments are abolished. The word "law" (nomos) does not appear, and the grammatical subject of katargeo in every instance is the glory, an abstract neuter substantive, or the veil -- not the law.
- It cannot be said that the "ministration of death" is interchangeable with "the law." Paul's terminology distinguishes between the ministry (diakonia) and the content it administers.
- It cannot be said that "the letter killeth" means the law is evil or replaced. The same Paul calls the law "holy, just, good" and "spiritual" and states the Spirit fulfills the law's righteousness.
- It cannot be said that the passage teaches the old covenant's moral content is replaced by new moral content. The text's stone-to-heart imagery indicates the same content on a different medium.
- It cannot be said that the passage proves the moral law continues unchanged merely because the glory is what fades. The passage addresses the ministry, not the full scope of the law's continuing application. Further passages must be consulted for the complete picture.
- It cannot be said on the basis of this passage alone what the precise scope of "that which remaineth" (to menon, v.11) is. The neuter form is abstract and the text does not specify whether it refers to the new ministry, the gospel, or the Spirit's work -- only that it is permanent and glorious.