You have misread 2 Corinthians 3 ... more.
Now even from the Latin, it is rendered Masculine:
"3:7 quod si ministratio mortis litteris deformata in lapidibus fuit in gloria ita ut non possent intendere filii Israhel in faciem Mosi propter gloriam
vultus eius quae evacuatur" - 2nd Corinthians 3 -
2nd Corinthians 3 - Parallel Greek New Testament - HTML Bible by johnhurt.com
Now from the Spanish Reina Valera Antigua, renders in the Masculine:
"7 Y si el ministerio de muerte en la letra grabado en piedras, fué con gloria, tanto que los hijos de Israel no pudiesen poner los ojos en la faz de Moisés á causa
de la gloria de su rostro, la cual había de perecer," - 2 Corintios 3 RVA -
Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corintios 3 - Reina-Valera Antigua
Now also the Luther German Bible, rendering it in the Masculine:
"[3.7] Wenn aber schon das Amt, das den Tod bringt und das mit Buchstaben in Stein gehauen war, Herrlichkeit hatte, so daß die Israeliten das Angesicht des Mose nicht ansehen konnten wegen der Herrlichkeit
auf seinem Angesicht, die doch aufhörte," -
Bible, Luther Translation
Now the Wycliffe Bible, renders in the Masculine:
"7 And if the mynystracioun of deth write bi lettris in stoonys was in glorie, so that the children of Israel myyten not biholde in to the face of Moises, for the glorie of
his cheer, which is auoidid," -
http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/biblical_studies/wycliffe/2co.txt
Now the William Tyndale Bible, renders in the Masculine:
"7 Yf the ministracion of deeth thorow the letters figured in stones was glorious so yt the chyldren of Israel coulde not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of
his countenauce (which glory neverthelesse is done awaye)" -
http://wesley.nnu.edu/fileadmin/imported_site/tyndale/2co.txt
Now the Miles Coverdale Bible, renders in the Masculine [Right Hand Page, Top Left Paragraph, Line 3-4]:
"...for y clearnesse of
his countenassce..." - Coverdale Bible, 1535
- Coverdale Bible, 1535
http://ia600704.us.archive.org/Book...35_0533.jp2&scale=2.1310344827586207&rotate=0
Now for the Geneva Bible, renders in the Masculine:
"7 If then the ministration of death written with letters and engraven in stones, was [j]glorious, so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses, for the glory of
his countenance (which glory is gone away.)" - 2 Corinthians 3 GNV -
Bible Gateway passage: 2 Corinthians 3 - 1599 Geneva Bible
The Greek Interlinears each translate it in the Masculine, here are 4 major witnesses to testify:
“2Co 3:7 ειG1487 COND δεG1161 CONJ ηG3588 T-NSF διακονιαG1248 N-NSF τουG3588 T-GSM θανατουG2288 N-GSM ενG1722 PREP γραμμασινG1121 N-DPN εντετυπωμενηG1795 V-RPP-NSF ενG1722 PREP λιθοιςG3037 N-DPM εγενηθηG1096 V-AOI-3S ενG1722 PREP δοξηG1391 N-DSF ωστεG5620 CONJ μηG3361 PRT-N δυνασθαιG1410 V-PNN ατενισαιG816 V-AAN τουςG3588 T-APM υιουςG5207 N-APM ισραηλG2474 N-PRI ειςG1519 PREP τοG3588 T-ASN προσωπονG4383 N-ASN μωσεωςG3475 N-GSM διαG1223 PREP τηνG3588 T-ASF δοξανG1391 N-ASF τουG3588 T-GSN προσωπουG4383 N-GSN
αυτουG846 P-GSM τηνG3588 T-ASF καταργουμενηνG2673 V-PPP-ASF ” - E-Sword app GNT-TR+ [Greek New Testament of the Textus Receptus with Strong's Numbers and Robinson's Morphological Analysis codes]
“ 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:
...
proswpon
prosOpon
G4383
n_ Acc Sg n
face
mwsews
mOseOs
G3475
n_ Gen Sg m
OF-MOSES
dia
dia
G1223
Prep
THRU
because-of
thn
tEn
G3588
t_ Acc Sg f
THE
doxan
doxan
G1391
n_ Acc Sg f
esteem
glory
tou
tou
G3588
t_ Gen Sg n
OF-THE
proswpou
prosOpou
G4383
n_ Gen Sg n
face
autou
autou
G846
pp Gen Sg m
OF-him
thn
tEn
G3588
t_ Acc Sg f
THE
katargoumenhn
katargoumenEn
G2673
vp Pres Pas Acc Sg f
one
-
be
ING-DOWN-UN-ACTED
vanishing
:83 “ -
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/2co3.pdf
Now see also:
Greek New Testament Interlinear, which reads, “...into the face of Moses, on account of the glory of
his face, which is being annulled;...” -
The interlinear literal translation of the Greek New Testament
Another:
“ ...
προσώπου
prosōpou •
face
αὐτοῦ
autou •
his
τὴν
tēn •
which
καταργουμένην,
katargoumenēn •
fading
” -
2 Corinthians 3 Interlinear Bible
And finally:
“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 :
Eij {COND} de; {CONJ} hJ {T-NSF} diakoniva {N-NSF} tou' {T-GSN} qanavtou {N-GSM} ejn {PREP} gravmmasin {N-DPN} ejntetupwmevnh {V-RPP-NSF} livqoi? {N-DPM} ejgenhvqh {V-AOI-3S} ejn {PREP} dovxh/, w&ste {CONJ} mh; {PRT} duvnasqai {V-PNN} ajtenivsai {V-AAN} tou;? {T-APM} uiJou;? {N-APM} #Israh;l {N-PRI} eij? {PREP} to; {T-ASN} provswpon {N-ASN} Mwu>sevw? {N-GSM} dia; {PREP} th;n {T-ASF} dovxan tou' {T-GSN} proswvpou {N-GSN}
aujtou' {P-GSM} th;n {T-ASF} katargoumevnhn, {V-PPP-ASF}
” - 2 Corinthians 3:7 KJV - Interlinear Bible - Online Bible Study Tools
...now even beyond all of that evidence of the mere translations of the greek scholars and some of the greatest and finest minds of the reformation itself, which actually translated under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we see that the very context itself dictates the Masculine, for notice:
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 3:7
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 2 Corinthians 3:8
What we have here is structurally built:
"But if.... so that..." [vs 7]
"How shall... be rather..." [vs 8]
The "if" is realized in vs 8, not in vs 7. Even moreso, when looking at the text, we can see further parallels, in that the word for "face" ["the face of Moses"] is repeated again in the Masculine, "his countenance".
Thus "face" and "countenance" are pointing to the same thing, and sharing, in other words they both speak of Moses face. Both glories in the latter portion of the text speak of Moses face which the Children of Israel could not behold, and which was to be done away, having the veil removed, no longer needing type. Thus the first portion of vs 7 and the whole of vs 8 are related speaking of "ministration". Thus we have a true A1 B1 B2 A2 pattern in vs 7-8. Ministration, glory of Moses face, glory of Moses face, Ministration... It is as sealed in the Masculine, "his [Moses] face", as it is going to get.
The immediate context of "which [glory] was to be done away" is already the text just before it, which is, "the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses..."; Why? "...for the glory of his [masculine pronoun pointing back to the masculine proper Noun-Moses, not the feminine noun "ministration"] countenance...". It is speaking about that which was given by Moses, through a veil, even a covering, a shrouded mystery of types and shadows, speaking of the ceremonial law, handwritten by Moses. The type was glorious, even behind the veil, but it was only temporary, even as the reality [Jesus] of those shadows [ceremonies, sacrifices, etc] was far more glorious shedding His light upon the Ten Commandments, upholding them even unto Death, the Death of the cross.
The typological shed glory upon the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, but were temporary, while the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, as seen in the face of Christ Jesus is much more glorious, since Christ Jesus paid with His life to uphold, honour, and magnify them. The very context speaks of this which remaineth is far more glorious, even the Ten Commandments:
For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious. 2 Corinthians 3:11
[1] For it is obvious there were two major portions seen in the past, the one, the ceremonials/sacrifices/shadows/types under the veil of Moses, so to speak as Paul, which had a temporary glory pointing unto the sacredness of the Ten Commandments and of the Character of God in it, pointing to a yet future reality [Jesus],
[2] and the latter, the Ten Commandments in Christ, blazing with the full light of the Gospel, which remains forever.
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed [each other]. Psalms 85:10
Thy Law is the Truth, all thy Commandments are Truth, etc, and all thy commandments are righteouness... etc.
Law and Grace. No need for Grace without a transgressed Law.
Here is the passage again, from E-Sword, module GNT-TR+:
2Co 3:7 ειG1487 COND δεG1161 CONJ ηG3588 T-NSF διακονιαG1248 N-NSF τουG3588 T-GSM θανατουG2288 N-GSM ενG1722 PREP γραμμασινG1121 N-DPN εντετυπωμενηG1795 V-RPP-NSF ενG1722 PREP λιθοιςG3037 N-DPM εγενηθηG1096 V-AOI-3S ενG1722 PREP δοξηG1391 N-DSF ωστεG5620 CONJ μηG3361 PRT-N δυνασθαιG1410 V-PNN ατενισαιG816 V-AAN τουςG3588 T-APM υιουςG5207 N-APM ισραηλG2474 N-PRI ειςG1519 PREP τοG3588 T-ASN προσωπονG4383 N-ASN μωσεωςG3475 N-GSM διαG1223 PREP τηνG3588 T-ASF δοξανG1391 N-ASF τουG3588 T-GSN προσωπουG4383 N-GSN
αυτουG846 P-GSM τηνG3588 T-ASF καταργουμενηνG2673 V-PPP-ASF
The word for
"his" αυτουG846 P-GSM, in "his countenance", is from Robinson's Morphological Analysis codes:
Part of Speech: Personal pronoun
Case: Genitive
Number: Singular
Gender: Masculine
This
cannot be referring to the
"διακονιαG1248" or "ministration" as it is
N-NSF", but we see directly that
"μωσεωςG3475 N-GSM" or Moses it does refer to, since Moses is the
"Noun", "Genetive", "Singular" "Masculine" to which the
"αυτουG846 P-GSM" is now referring to, since it is the
"personal pronoun" of such.
Therefore it is the
"glory of his [Moses] countenance" "which ... was to be done away",
not the glory of the Law
as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, since as it is written, that which was not to pass away, remains, "For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which
remaineth [is] glorious." 2 Corinthians 3:11
That is to say the Ten Commandments are more "glorious" and "remaineth" because as they are seen in the face/chracter/life of Christ Jesus, who even came to "magnify" and "make honourable " the Law. Jesus fully demonstrated how to live them in the likeness of sinful (fallen) flesh as we have by and through the Holy Ghost.
