The Apostle Paul contrasts the New Covenant with the Old Covenant in 2Corinthinians 3:6-11.

Paul points out that “the letter,” of the Old Covenant "Law," with its requirements and penalties, “killeth.” Therefore, the dispensation of "the Law" is called “the ministration of condemnation” and “the ministration of death” (2Cor. 3:7, 9).

The "ministration of the Law" began in a literal blaze of glory. God intended to make Israel His peculiar people through whom He would recover and "bless all the families of the earth." Mount Sinai was “altogether on a smoke… as the smoke of a furnace.” There were thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake. There was the sound of a trumpet, “exceeding loud.” There was the glorious Shekinah cloud in which God Himself appeared and “spake all these words” (Ex. 19:9-20:1).

But when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of stone containing "the (righteous) Law," the people were already breaking the very first commandment, dancing like heathens around a golden calf they had crafted with their own hands.

From here on the administration of "the Law" took on another aspect. Nobody could escape the Law's just sentence of "condemnation and death." Judgment had to be pronounced and penalties inflicted. Moses was given more than 600 additional laws to instruct, mitigate and adjudicate "the Law" in the hope of the Savior to come.

So, what had begun in glory led to gloom, “because the law worketh wrath…” (Rom. 4:15). “…for it is written: cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal. 3:10).

By contrast, we today live under the "dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph 3:2) wherein "... ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14). There is no gloom associated with the ministration of "the New Covenant."

Under the "New Covenant," imputed righteousness and a new righteous life are administered freely to all who will receive them by faith when they personally receive Jesus Christ as Savior. This is possible because the claims of the Old Covenant Law have already fully met by Christ at Calvary's Cross... on behalf of all who will believe.

Thus the ministration of the "New Covenant" outshines the ministration of the "Old Covenant" in every respect.

But wasn't the "New Covenant" originally promised to and made “with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,”(Jer 31:31) rather than with "the body of Christ" today?

Yes, that's true. However, with Israel’s rejection of Christ and the resultant present temporary "blindness" (cf., 2Cor 3:14, Rom 11:25), the blessings of the New Covenant are now bestowed freely, ... by God's grace, upon those who do receive Christ today.

Therefore it wasn't Peter or "the twelve" as the ministers of Israel (cf., Matt 10:5-6), but rather it was Paul, "the Apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom 11:13), who, with his associates, who were made “able minister(s) of the New Testament” (2Cor. 3:6).

One day coming, in the Messianic Kingdom, Israel will be restored and also enjoy the promised blessing of the "New Covenant."

(A longer version of this Article may be seen the Study Series called "Two Ministrations" at the website, http://www.angelfire.com/al4/artlicursi.)