Donald Trump saying “Two” instead of “Second” Corinthians in his Liberty University speech, has created public debate. “I hear this is a major theme right here. Two Corinthians 3:17, that’s the whole ball game,” on Monday said Trump, the leading Republican presidential candidate, according to most polls. He then quoted the verse, “‘Where the spirit of the Lord is,’ right? ‘Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.’
“It is so true,” he continued. “It’s really, is that the one? Is that the one you like? I think that’s the one you like, ‘cuz I loved it. And it’s so representative of what’s taking place. But we are going to protect Christianity. If you look at what’s going on throughout the world. You look at Syria, if you’re Christian, they’re chopping off heads. You look at the different places, and Christianity, it’s under siege,” he said.
Then after reminding the students at Liberty University, an Evangelical institution, that he is a proud Presbyterian, Trump continued with the theme that he would be the protector of Christianity and unite the country under the banner of Christianity.
“Very bad things are happening. And we don’t, I don’t know what it is, we don’t band together, maybe? Other religions, frankly, they’re banding together and they’re using it. Here we have, if you look at this country — it’s got to be 70 percent, 75 percent, some people say even more, the power we have — somehow we have to unify, we have to band together. … Our country has to do that around Christianity. So, get together folks and let’s do it ‘cuz we can do it,” he said.
When Paul writes about liberty, or “freedom” in other translations, in 2 Corinthians 3:17, he’s writing about freedom from sin. One theologian from New York University, explained in greater detail the context of 2 Corinthians 3:17. He said “In this chapter, Paul is contrasting the new covenant with the Sinai covenant, contrasting the Spirit with the letter of the Law. He explains that the letter kills while the Spirit gives life. This is because under the Sinai covenant, God’s law was written on stone tablets, not on the people of Israel’s hearts. In stark contrast, the Spirit now writes God’s Law directly on our hearts, and when we read the words of the Old Testament, the Spirit opens our eyes to see Jesus, our Liberator”.
