How does 2 Corinthians 3:7 connect with Exodus 34:29-35 about Moses' face? Setting the Scene in Exodus 34 • “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… the skin of his face shone because he had spoken with the LORD” (Exodus 34:29). • The brightness startled Israel; Moses “put a veil over his face” whenever he addressed the people (v. 33). • Each return to God’s presence renewed the radiance, but the glow diminished in ordinary life, so Moses re-veiled (vv. 34-35). • Key truths: God’s glory is real, intense, and transformational, yet the reflection on Moses was temporary and external. 2 Corinthians 3:7 in Focus “Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory…” (2 Colossians 3:7). What Paul highlights: • “Ministry of death” = Mosaic Law written on stone, exposing sin (Romans 7:9-11). • “Came with such glory” = direct allusion to Moses’ shining face (Exodus 34). • “Fleeting glory” = the radiance faded; the veil concealed both the light and its decline (2 Colossians 3:13). Why Paul Reaches Back to Exodus 34 • To prove the Law was indeed glorious—God’s own presence stamped it. • To underscore that even such radiance was temporary, pointing to something greater. • To show the veil was a symbol: it hid glory from a people “their minds were closed” (2 Colossians 3:14). Contrast: Old Covenant vs. New 1. Medium – Old: “letters on stone” (2 Colossians 3:7). – New: “Spirit on hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3). 2. Result – Old: condemnation and death (2 Colossians 3:9). – New: righteousness and life (2 Colossians 3:9). 3. Duration – Old: fading (2 Colossians 3:11). – New: permanent glory (2 Colossians 3:11). The Veil Removed in Christ • “Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Colossians 3:16). • Believers now “with unveiled faces” behold the Lord’s glory and “are being transformed… from glory to glory” (2 Colossians 3:18). • Christ fulfills what Moses prefigured; His face shone at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2), yet His glory never fades (John 1:14; Hebrews 1:3). Key Takeaways • Exodus 34 supplies the historical event; 2 Corinthians 3 gives Spirit-inspired interpretation. • Moses’ fading brightness illustrates the temporary, preparatory nature of the Law. • The surpassing, enduring glory now rests on the new covenant, written by the Spirit, centered in Christ. • What was once veiled is now revealed; every believer can live in unveiled, ever-increasing light. |
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