2 Corinthians 3:13-15 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his faceto prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
Paul now reflects on the experience of Moses in Exodus 34:33-35. Moses asked to see God’s glory in ch. 33. In 33:21-23, the Lord said to Moses, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” Moses’ face had a glow after this experience and each time he went into the tent to meet with the Lord. It was so bright that he had to wear a veil over his face for the sake of other people. Paul makes the curious comment about v. 13 about this experience passing away and how the Israelites were kept from looking intently into the ending or completion of what was passing away.
This verse may have a deeper meaning that simply watching the afterglow disappearing from Moses’ face. As v. 14 implies, Paul may be alluding to how the Israelites failed to see how the law was temporary. What God really wanted was relationship in covenant, not simply obedience to a set of rules, which Israel could never keep anyway. The veil on Moses’ face represents to Paul the spiritual veil that covers the hearts of Israel. Ancient Israel got trapped in the failure of trying to obey the law without faith. Obedience without faith leads to legalism and spiritual defeat, eventually resulting in slavery to sin. When the law is read, it ensnares the heart by causing the sinful self to exert itself against God’s sovereignty. Paul uses this Old Testament illustration to help the Corinthians realize the futility of the message of the opponents who were probably preaching a legalistic version of Christianity. So-called Judaizers followed Paul’s mission work and preached this wrong version of the gospel. Paul wants the Corinthians to find freedom in Christ. But this freedom is a freedom to do anything a person wants but to walk in faithful obedience governed by love (see 5:14-15).
As v. 15 indicates, the Jews of Paul’s day still fell into this trap. It is not just a trap for first-century Jews but for anyone who takes his or her eyes off of Christ and tries to be righteous on one’s own strength. This letter is all about relying on the grace of God in Christ. Paul calls the believers in Corinth to get back to the core of the gospel. This gospel stands behind all he writes in this letter.
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