How does 2 Corinthians 3:14 relate to understanding the Old Testament today? The Veil Over the Old Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:14) • “But their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant. It has not been lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.” • Paul pictures a literal veil that dulls spiritual perception, echoing Moses’ veil in Exodus 34. • The veil is not on the text itself but on the heart and mind of the reader who approaches the Old Testament without faith in Christ. Christ: The Remover of the Veil • “Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:16) • Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17); He is the key that unlocks their true meaning. • At conversion, the Holy Spirit illuminates the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:12–14); the Old Testament becomes living truth rather than a closed book. Reading the Old Testament Today • Approach every passage asking, “How does this point to Christ?” – Sacrifices: foreshadow His once-for-all atonement (Hebrews 10:1–10). – Feasts: anticipate His redemptive work and future kingdom (Colossians 2:16-17). – Prophecies: find literal fulfillment in His first and second comings (Isaiah 53; Zechariah 12:10). • Recognize the continuity of God’s plan: “Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction…” (Romans 15:4). • See the covenant progression: Law exposes sin; grace in Christ provides the remedy (Galatians 3:24). Practical Takeaways for Modern Believers • Read the Old Testament regularly—its narratives, poetry, and prophecies lay the foundation for the gospel. • Expect Christ to be present on every page; He taught the disciples the same (Luke 24:27, 45). • Depend on the Spirit for illumination; intellectual study alone cannot pierce the veil. • Let fulfilled prophecy strengthen confidence in Scripture’s accuracy and literal truth. • Apply moral lessons with a new-covenant lens: the same God who spoke at Sinai now writes His law on believers’ hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10). Key Cross-References to Deepen Understanding • John 5:39—“These are the very words that testify about Me.” • Hebrews 8:13—The old covenant is now obsolete because the new has come. • 1 Peter 1:10–12—Prophets spoke of the grace later revealed in Christ. The veil lifts the moment a person turns to Jesus, opening the Old Testament as a vibrant testimony of God’s unchanging, redemptive plan. |
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