What does the "veil" symbolize in 2 Corinthians 3:16, and how is it removed? Setting the Scene: Moses, the Veil, and Paul’s Point • Exodus 34:33–35 tells how Moses wore a veil after speaking with God so Israel would not gaze on the fading radiance of his face. • Paul uses that historical picture to talk about a different veil—one that covers hearts, not faces. • 2 Corinthians 3:14–15: “Their minds were closed. For to this day the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant… to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.” What the Veil Represents • Spiritual blindness—an inability to grasp the glory of Christ and the fullness of the new covenant. • Hardness of heart—persistent unbelief that clings to self-righteousness instead of God’s righteousness in Christ (cf. Romans 11:7–8). • A barrier between God and people—symbolized earlier by the temple curtain (Mark 15:37–38). Why the Veil Remains on Hearts • Attachment to the old covenant apart from its fulfillment in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14). • The blinding work of “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). • Human pride that resists grace (John 5:39–40). How the Veil Is Removed • 2 Corinthians 3:16: “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” • Turning = repentance and faith—a decisive, personal response to Jesus Christ. • The Spirit’s work: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (3:17). • Christ’s finished work made access possible: the temple veil was torn when He died (Mark 15:38); His body is “the curtain” that opens the way (Hebrews 10:19–20). Results of a Removed Veil • Clear sight of God’s glory in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). • Ongoing transformation: “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image” (3:18). • Freedom from the letter that kills and life in the Spirit who gives life (3:6). Living with Unveiled Faces Today • Approach God confidently, not fearfully, because the barrier is gone (Hebrews 4:16). • Let Scripture point you to Christ; don’t settle for outward religion. • Depend on the Spirit daily for continued clarity and growth in Christ-likeness. |
    |