Jesus was removing the veil

JESUS WAS REMOVING THE VEIL
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
2 COR. 3 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a
veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns
to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
When it shall turn to the Lord - When the Israelitish nation shall turn to the
Lord Jesus, the veil shall be takenaway;the true light shall shine; and they
shall see all things clearly.
There is an evident allusion here to the case ofMoses, mentionedExodus
34:34. When he came from the Lord, and spoke to the Israelites, he put the
veil over his face;but when he returned to speak with the Lord, then he took
off the veil. So, when the Israelitish nation shall return to speak with and pray
to the Lord Jesus, the veil of darkness and ignorance shall be taken awayfrom
their hearts; but never before that time. The words seemto imply:
That there will be a conversionof the Jews to Christianity; and,

2. That this conversionwill be en masse;that a time will come when the whole
nation of the Jews, in every place, shall turn to Christ; and then the Gentiles
and Jews make one fold, under one Shepherd and Bishopof all souls.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/2-
corinthians-3.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Nevertheless -This is not always to continue. The time is coming when they
shall understand their own Scriptures, and see their true beauty.
When it shall turn to the Lord - When the Jewishpeople shall be converted.
The word “it” here refers undoubtedly to “Israel” in 2 Corinthians 3:13; and
the sense is, that their blindness is not always to remain; there is to be a period
when they shall turn to God, and shall understand his promises, and become
acquainted with the true nature of their own religion. This subject the apostle
has discussedatmuch greaterlength in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to
the Romans;see the notes on that chapter.
The vail shall be takenaway - They shall then understand the true meaning of
the prophecies, and the true nature of their own institutions. They shall see
that they refer to the Lord Jesus, the incarnate Sonof God, and the true
Messiah. The genuine sense of their sacredoraclesshallbreak upon their view

with full and irresistible light. There may be an allusion in the language here
to the declarationin Isaiah25:7, “And he will destroy in this mountain the
face of the covering castoverall people, and the vail that is spread over all
nations.” This verse teaches:
(1) That the time will come when the Jews shallbe converted to Christianity;
expressedhere by their turning unto the Lord, that is, the Lord Jesus;see the
note, Acts 1:24.
(2) it seems to be implied that their conversionwill be a conversionof “the
people” at large;a conversionthat shall be nearly simultaneous; a conversion
“en masse.”Sucha conversionwe have reasonto anticipate of the Jewish
nation.
(3) the effectof this will be to make them acquainted with the true sense of
their own Scriptures, and the light and beauty of the sayings of their own
prophets, Now they are in deep darkness onthe sub ject;then they will see
how entirely they meet and harmonize in the Lord Jesus.
(4) the true and only wayof having a correctand full meaning of the Bible is
by turning unto God. Love to Him, and a dispositionto do His will, is the best
means of interpreting the Bible.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Barnes'Notes onthe
Whole Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/2-
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
But whensoeverit shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
It shall turn to the Lord ... The marginal reading is, "any man shall turn";
this being true of course, but the "it" would seemto be a reference to Israel.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/2-corinthians-3.html.
Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Nevertheless,whenit shall turn to the Lord,.... The heart, upon which the veil
now is; or the body of the Jewishnation, as in the latter day; when they "shall
turn", or "be turned", by the Spirit, power, and grace ofGod, to the Lord

Jesus Christ, and look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn, and
embrace him as the true Messiahandonly Saviour:
the veil shall be takenaway;the veil of blindness and ignorance, respecting
themselves, case,state, andcondition, and the way of salvationby Christ; the
veil of unbelief, with regardto his person, offices, and grace, and of error in
points of the greatestmoment and importance; then all the darkness and
obscurity that is upon the books of Mosesand the prophets, and which is now
upon their hearts in reading them, will be gone. The prophecies of the Old
Testamentwill be seenin their proper light, and to be evidently fulfilled in
Christ; the true nature, use, and end of the law, will be discovered;and both
they and that will be freed from all darkness that now attends them. The Jews
themselves acknowledge, that though the law is light, yet there is an obscurity
in it, by reasonof the severalways of interpreting it; and therefore,
"he that studies in it, has need to remove, ‫הוסמ‬ ‫רחא‬ ‫,הוסמ‬ "veil after veil",
which is upon the face of it, in order to come at the light of itF7:'
and intimate, that the veil on Moses'sface was anemblem of this obscurity,
which agrees with what the apostle hints in this context; and also own, that
there is now upon them a veil of ignorance;and, saytheyF8, God has
promised to remove, ‫ךסמ‬ ‫תולכסה‬ ‫לעמ‬ ‫,ונלכש‬ perhaps it should be ‫,הוסמ‬ "the veil
of folly off of our understanding", referring, as is thought, to Isaiah25:7.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.

A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "The New John Gill
Exposition of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/2-corinthians-3.html.
1999.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Moses took offthe veil on entering into the presence ofthe Lord. So as to the
Israelites whom Moses represents, “whensoevertheir heart (it) turns (not as
English Version, ‹shall turn‘) to the Lord, the veil is (by the very fact; not as
English Version, ‹shall be‘) takenaway.” Exodus 34:34 is the allusion; not
Exodus 34:30, Exodus 34:31, as Alford thinks. Wheneverthe Israelites turn to
the Lord, who is the Spirit of the law, the veil is takenoff their hearts in the
presence ofthe Lord: as the literal veil was takenoff by Moses in going before
God: no longerresting on the dead letter, the veil, they by the Spirit commune
with God and with the inner spirit of the Mosaic covenant(which answers to
the glory of Moses‘face unveiled in God‘s presence).
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.

Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on 2
Corinthians 3:16". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/2-corinthians-
3.html. 1871-8.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
It shall turn (επιστρεπσει — epistrepsei). The heart of Israel.
The veil is takenaway(περιαιρειται το καλυμμα — periaireitaito kalumma).
Presentpassive indicative of περιαιρεω — periaireō old verb, to take from
around, as of anchors (Acts 27:40), to cut loose (Acts 28:13), for hope to be
takenaway(Acts 27:20). Here Paul has in mind Exodus 34:34 where we find
of Moses that περιηιρειτο το καλυμμα — periēireito to kalumma (the veil was
takenfrom around his face)wheneverhe went before the Lord. After the
ceremonythe veil is takenfrom around (περι — peri̇) the face of the bride.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Robertson'sWord
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/2-corinthians-3.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.

Vincent's Word Studies
It shall turn
The heart of Israel.
Shall be takenaway( περιαιρεῖται )
Rev., correctly, is takenaway. The verb occurs twice in Acts (Acts 27:20, Acts
27:40)of the taking awayof hope, and of the unfastening of the anchors in
Paul's shipwreck;and in Hebrews 10:11, of the taking awayof sins. There is
an allusion here to the removal of the veil from Moses'face wheneverhe
returned to commune with God. See Exodus 34:34.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Vincent's
Word Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/2-corinthians-3.html.
Charles Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes

Nevertheless whenit shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be takenaway.
When it — Their heart.
Shall turn to the Lord — To Christ, by living faith.
The veil is takenaway — That very moment; and they see, with the utmost
clearness,how all the types and prophecies of the law are fully accomplished
in him.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "JohnWesley's
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/2-corinthians-3.html.
1765.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
When it shall turn; that is, when the heart of the children of Israel shall turn.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon 2 Corinthians 3:16".
"Abbott's Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/2-corinthians-3.html.
1878.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
16.Butwhen he shall have turned to the Lord. This passagehas hitherto been
badly rendered, for both Greek and Latin writers have thought that the word
Israelwas to be understood, whereas Paulis speaking of Moses.He had said,
that a veil is upon the hearts of the Jews, whenMosesis read. He immediately
adds, As soonas he will have turned to the Lord, the veil will be takenaway.
Who does not see, that this is saidof Moses, that is, of the law? For as Christ is
the end (407)of it, (Romans 10:4,)to which it ought to be referred, it was
turned awayin another direction, when the Jews shut out Christ from it.
Hence, as in the law (408)they wander into by-paths, so the law, too, becomes
to them involved like a labyrinth, until it is brought to refer to its end, that is,
Christ. If, accordingly, the Jews seek Christin the law, the truth of God will
be distinctly seenby them, (409)but so long as they think to be wise without
Christ, they will wander in darkness, and will never arrive at a right
understanding of the law. Now what is said of the law applies to all Scripture
— that where it is not taken as referring to Christ as its one aim, it is
mistakingly twisted and perverted. (410)
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Calvin's Commentary
on the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/2-
corinthians-3.html. 1840-57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
16 Nevertheless whenit shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be takenaway.
Ver. 16. When it shall turn] Of the Jews’conversion, and what hinders it. {See
Trapp on "Romans 11:7"}{See Trapp on "Romans 11:8"}{See Trapp on
"Romans 11:25"}
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/2-
corinthians-3.html. 1865-1868.

Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
16.]Here, the tertium comparationis is, the having on a vail, and taking it off
on going into the presence ofthe Lord. This Moses did; and the choice of the
same words as those of the LXX, shews the closenessofthe comparison;ἡνίκα
δʼ ἂν εἰσεπορεύετο ΄ωυσῆς ἔναντι κυρίου λαλεῖν αὐτῷ, περιῃρεῖτο τὸ
κάλυμμα. This shall likewise be done in the case ofthe Israelites:when it (i.e.
ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν,—notIsrael, as Chrys., Theod., Theophyl., Erasm., al.,—nor
Moses,as Calv., Estius,—norτίς, as Orig(4), al.) shall turn to the Lord (here
againἐπιστρέψῃ πρός is carefully chosen, being the very expressionof the
LXX, when the Israelites, having been afraid of the glory of the face of Moses,
returned to him after being summoned by him:— ἐφοβήθησανἐγγίσαι αὐτῷ·
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτοὺς ΄ωυσῆς, καὶ ἐπεστράφησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν.…,—andκύριον
appears to be used for the same reason)the vail is takenaway(not, shall be,
because ἡ καρδία is the subject, and thus the taking away becomes an
individual matter, happening wheneverand whereverconversiontakes place).
Let me restate this,—as it is all-important towards the understanding of 2
Corinthians 3:17-18. ‘When their heart goes in to speak with God,—ceasesto
contemplate the dead letter, and begins to commune with the Spirit of the old
covenant(the Spirit of God), then the vail is removed, as it was from the face
of Moses.’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". Greek Testament
Critical ExegeticalCommentary.

https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/2-corinthians-3.html.
1863-1878.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
2 Corinthians 3:16. When, however, it shall have turned to the Lord, shall
have come to believe on Christ, the veil, which lies on their heart (2
Corinthians 3:15), is takenaway; i.e., when Moses is read before them, it will
no longer remain unperceived by them that the Old Covenant ceases in
Christ. The subject to ἐπιστρέψῃ is ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, 2 Corinthians 3:15
(Luther in the gloss, Beza, Grotius, Bengel, and severalothers, including
Billroth, Olshausen, de Wette, Hofmann), not ὁ ἰσραήλ (Chrysostom,
Theodoret, Theophylact, Pelagius,Erasmus, and many others, including
Osiander), nor ΄ωϋσῆς (Calvin, Estius(173)), nor the generalτίς (Origen,
Storr, Flatt).
The common supposition, that in 2 Corinthians 3:16 there is an allegorical
reference to Moses, who, returning from the people to God, conversed
unveiled with God (Exodus 34:34), is in itself probable from the context, and
is confirmed even by the choice ofthe words (Ex. l.c.:ἡνίκα δʼ ἂν
εἰσεπορεύετο ΄. ἔναντι κυρίου … περιῃρεῖτο τὸ κάλυμμα), thoughthe same
veil with which Moses was veiled( τὸ αὐτὸ κάλ., 2 Corinthians 3:14) is no
longerspokenof, but a veil on the hearts of the Jew.
ἡνίκα with ἄν and the subjunctive aorist(174)denotes:then, when it shall have
turned (Luther wrongly: when it turned itself), and that as something
conceived, thought of, not as an unconditioned fact. The πρὸς κύριον,
however, does not affirm: to God, who is now revealedin the Lord
(Hofmann), but, in simple accordancewith ἐν χριστῷ of 2 Corinthians 3:15 :
to Christ. The conversionof Israel which Paul has in view is, now that it is

wholly relegatedto the experience of the future, the conversionas a whole,
Romans 11:25. It was, however, obvious of itself that what is affirmed finds its
application to all individual cases whichhad already occurred and were still
to be expecte.
περιαιρ. has the emphasis, both of its important position at the head of the
clause (removed is the veil) and of the future realized as present. The passive
is all the more to be retained, seeing that the subject of ἐπιστρ. is the heart;
the sense ofself-liberation (Hofmann) may not be imported on accountof
Exodus 34:34. The conversionand deliverance of Israel is God’s work. See 2
Corinthians 3:17 and Romans 11:26 f. The compound corresponds to the
conceptionof the veil covering the heart round about. Comp. Plato, Polit. p.
288 E: δέρματα σωμάτωνπεριαιροῦσα, Dem. 125,26:περιεῖλε τὰ τείχη, 802, 5
: περιῃρηται τοὺς στεφάνους, Judith 10:3 : τὸν σάκκον, Baruch4:34; Baruch
6:58; Acts 27:40.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Meyer, Heinrich. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". Heinrich Meyer's
Critical and ExegeticalCommentary on the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hmc/2-corinthians-3.html.
1832.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament

2 Corinthians 3:16. ἡνίκα δʼ ἂν— περιαιρεῖται τὸ κάλυμμα, but when the veil
is takenaway) This is a paraphrase on Exodus 34:34, ἡνίκα δʼ ἂν
εἰσεπορεύετο ΄ωῦσης ἔναντι κυρίου λαλεῖν αὐτῷ περιῃρεῖτο τὸ κάλυμμα.But
when Moses wentin before the Lord to speak to Him, the veil was takenaway.
Therefore ἡνίκα, meaning not if, but when, evidently affirms, as in the
preceding verse, and frequently in the LXX., ἡνίκα ἐὰν, ἡνίκα ἂν, Genesis
24:41;Genesis 27:40;Exodus 1:10; Exodus 34:24;Leviticus 6:4; Leviticus
10:9; Deuteronomy 25:19. ἡνίκα δʼ ἂν, Exodus 33:8; Exodus 33:22; Exodus
40:36.— ἐπιστρέψῃ, shall be turned) namely their heart. The truth is
acknowledgedby repentance, 2 Timothy 2:25. The method, not of disputation,
but of conversion, is to be applied to the Jews.—πρὸς κυρίον, to the Lord)
Christ, 2 Corinthians 3:14. A distinguished appellation, 2 Corinthians 4:5.—
περιαιρεῖτιαι)περιαιροῦμαι is passive, Acts 27:20, and in the LXX., Leviticus
4:31; Leviticus 4:35; but middle very often in the LXX., and that too in the
very passageto which Paul refers. The antithesis of 2 Corinthians 3:15-16
shows, however, that here the significationis passive. The veil lies [ κεῖται, 2
Corinthians 3:15]; the veil is takenaway. The present, is [that moment, and
by that very fact] takenaway, is emphatic [not as Engl. shall be takenaway.]
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". Johann
Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/2-corinthians-3.html.
1897.

Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
When it shall turn, may be understood of the whole, or of the generality (at
least)of the Jews;when they shall be convertedto the faith of Christ, or when
any particular person shall be converted to Christ, then
the veil shall be takenaway;not the veil with which Godcoveredand veiled
the mysteries of the gospel, (that was already takenawayupon Christ’s
coming in the flesh), but the veil of blindness, which they had drawn over
their own souls. Though the light of the gospelshineth clearly, and Christ be
unveiled, yet until men, by a true faith, receive Christ, and turn from sinful
courses to the obedience ofthe gospel, they see little or nothing of Christ. The
taking awayof this veil, and the turning to the Lord, are things done in souls
at the same time; therefore nothing is to be concluded here, from the apostle’s
naming the removal of the impediment, after the effectof which that is a
cause.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon 2 Corinthians 3:16". Matthew Poole's
English Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/2-corinthians-3.html.
1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament

It; the heart of the Jewishpeople.
Turn to the Lord; embrace Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
The veil shall be takenaway; they shall understand the meaning of the Old
Testamentscriptures, and see their application to Christ. The reasonwhy the
Jews misunderstand the Old Testamentand rejectthe New, is their hardness
of heart and blindness of mind. These, with regardto many, the Holy Ghostat
some future day will remove. Then they will see that Jesus is their long
promised Messiah, and will embrace him as their hope of glory.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/2-
corinthians-3.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
16. ἡνίκα δὲ ἐάν. But whensoeverit shall turn to the Lord. The nominative is ἡ
καρδία αὐτῶν, or possibly τις: ‘whensoevera man.’ The ἡνίκα here balances
ἡνίκα in 2 Corinthians 3:15 : whenever they hear the Law read, they fail to
understand: whenever they turn to the Lord (Christ) the true meaning is
revealedto them. He probably has Exodus 34:34 in his mind; but περιῃρεῖτο

becomes περιαιρεῖται, ‘he then and there removes.’The verb is used of taking
awaywhat envelopes or surrounds a thing: τὰ ἱμάτια, τὸνδακτύλιον, πᾶντὸ
στέαρ (Genesis 38:14;Genesis 41:42;Leviticus 4:8), and hence τὰς ἁμαρτίας,
τὰ ἀδικήματα (Hebrews 10:11;Zech. 3:15). As in Exod., the verb is probably
middle, not passive;‘but wheneverone turns, he ipso facto takes awaythe
veil: his own act of conversionremoves it.’ The subjectof the verbs is left
characteristicallyindefinite; Israel, any typical Israelite. S. Paul saw the
turning to the Lord of the ἐκλογή (Romans 11:7-10), and foresaw that of all
Israel(2 Corinthians 11:25). Here he may have his own conversionin his
mind. The veil was takenoff by Moses, wheneverhe turned to the Lord; and
the heart of Israeltakes it off, wheneverit turns to the Lord. For ἡνίκα δὲ ἐάν
(‫א‬ A) many authorities have ἡνίκα δʼ ἄν (BDFGKLP): but this looks like a
correction. In popular language ἐάνfor ἄν seems to have been common (1
Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 16:3; Galatians 6:7; Matthew 5:19; Matthew
5:32; Matthew 10:42; Matthew 11:27, &c.). Winer, p. 390;Blass, § 26. 4, 65. 7.
This passagemay have suggestedthe variant κεκαλυμμένη ofthe δ-text in
Luke 24:32.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor
Schools and Colleges". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/2-
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible

‘But wheneverit shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.’
Here we have to interpret ‘it’. So, it could mean ‘but wheneverthe heart
(referring back to 2 Corinthians 3:15) of a man turns to the Lord’, or
‘whenever there is a turning to the Lord’ or ‘whenever a person turns to the
Lord’, the veil is taken away. The overall idea is the same and the verb gives
the impressionof the swiftness of it. The person looks and lives.
‘To the Lord.’ Takenin context we would expect‘the Lord’ to mean Jesus
Christ (compare 2 Corinthians 1:2-3; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 2
Corinthians 4:10; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 11:17 and see 1
Corinthians 8:6 and Paul’s regular unquestionable references to Jesus Christ
in that letter as ‘the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1
Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 10:21; 1 Corinthians 11:20;1 Corinthians
11:26-27;1 Corinthians 11:29;1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 12:5; 1
Corinthians 15:47). Then the idea would be the generalone that all men have
a veil over their hearts, and when they turn to the Lord Jesus Christit results
in the veil being takenaway(see 2 Corinthians 4:4).
But strictly the veil is in context said to be over the hearts of those who hear
‘Moses’. So alternatelyit may mean ‘whenever anyone (who is listening to the
reading of the Law) turns to the Lord the veil is taken away’signifying those
who listen to the reading of ‘Moses’(2 Corinthians 3:15). It is then declaring
that any such who genuinely reachout to the Lord, here referring back to the
Lord of the Old Testament, (Who howeveris Jesus Christ) will in that be
enlightened, with the necessaryresult that they turn to Jesus Christ. The
corollaryis that those who cling to Mosesare still veiled.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "PeterPett's Commentary
on the Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/2-
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
16. Nevertheless—St. Paulrelieves the dark view with a ray of light. As the
vail was once upon Moses, so it is now on the Jewishheart; but as when Moses
went in to the Lord the vail “was takenoff,” (Exodus 34:34,) so when the
Jewishheart shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be takenaway.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Whedon's
Commentary on the Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/2-corinthians-3.html.
1874-1909.

Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Only when the light of the glory of God shines on a personfrom Jesus Christ
(i.e, he or she perceives the gospel)canthat individual fully understand that
revelation. Before God removes that veil that person cannotperceive it
clearly. This applies to all people, but in the context Paul was speaking ofJews
particularly. Whenevera person comprehends that Jesus Christ fulfilled the
Mosaic Law ( Romans 10:4), that one then understands that the dispensation
of grace has supersededthe dispensationof the law ( John 1:17). [Note:
Harris, p338.]"Turns to the Lord," means conversionto Jesus Christ.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Expository
Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/2-corinthians-3.html.
2012.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
2 Corinthians 3:16. But whensoeverit (i.e. their heart) shall turn to the
Lord—to the Lord Christ—the veil is takenaway—the present tense, here
used, signifying that it vanishes at once on their “looking onHim whom they
pierced.”

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Schaff's Popular
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/2-corinthians-3.html.
1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
2 Corinthians 3:16. ἡνίκα δʼ ἄν κ. τ. λ.: but whensoeverit, i.e., Israel, shall
turn to the Lord, the veil is takenaway; a paraphrase of Exodus 34:34, ἡνίκα
δʼ ἄν εἰσεπορεύετο ΄ωσῆς ἔναντι κυρίου λαλεῖν αὐτῷ, περιῃρεῖτο τὸ κάλυμμα
ἔως τοῦ ἐκπορεύεσθαι.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/2-corinthians-3.html.
1897-1910.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
it. i.e. the heart of Israel.
turn. Greek. epistrepho. Oftentranslated "return", or be converted". See
Matthew 13:15. John 12:40. Acts 3:19; Acts 28:27.
Lord. App-98.
takenaway. Greek periaireo. See Acts 27:20.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/2-corinthians-3.html.
1909-1922.
The Bible Study New Testament

But it is removed. Paul paraphrases Exodus 34:34 and uses it to show that
when they go into the presence ofGod IN FACT, this veil will be removed!
Compare Romans 11:23-26 and notes. When the Jews believe the gospel, then
the veil will be removed!
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "The Bible Study
New Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/2-
corinthians-3.html. College Press,Joplin, MO. 1974.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(16) Neverthelesswhenit shall turn to the Lord.—Better, But when it shall
turn. The allegorising process is still carried on. Moses removedthe veil when
he went into the tabernacle to commune with the Lord (Exodus 34:35); so, in
the interpretation of the parable, the veil shall be taken awaywhen the heart
of Israel shall turn, in the might of a realconversion, to the Lord of Israel.
The very word for “turn” is taken from the same context: “Mosescalledthem,
and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregationturned to him” (Exodus
34:31).
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Ellicott, Charles John. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "Ellicott's
Commentary for English Readers".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ebc/2-corinthians-3.html.
1905.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
Nevertheless whenit shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be takenaway.
when
Exodus 34:34;Deuteronomy 4:30; 30:10;Lamentations 3:40; Hosea 3:4,5;
Romans 11:25-27
the vail
Isaiah25:7; 29:18;54:13;Jeremiah 31:34;John 6:45,46
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:16". "The Treasury of
Scripture Knowledge". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/2-
corinthians-3.html.

Commentary by J.C.Philpoton selecttexts of the Bible
2 Corinthians 3:16
"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away." 2
Corinthians 3:16
The blessedSpirit, as a needful preparation for his own divine instruction,
convinces us of our ignorance, ofthe veil of unbelief that is by nature spread
over our heart, and of our utter inability to take it away. So greatis this
darkness, as a matter of personalinward experience, that like the darkness in
Egypt—so dark that it may be "felt;" so deep this ignorance that all
knowledge orcapability of knowledge seems utterly gone;so strong, so
desperate this unbelief that it seems as if thoroughly incurable.
And yet amid all this deep and dense cloud of ignorance, darkness and
unbelief, rays and beams of light every now and then break through, which,
though they seemat the time only to show the darkness and make it deeper,
yet really are a guiding light to the throne of God and the Lamb. There Jesus
sits enthroned in glory, not only as an interceding High Priestto save, not only
as an exaltedKing to rule, but as a most gracious Prophetto teach. Thus, in
soul experience, as the veil is felt to be thick and strong over the heart, there is
a turning to the Lord with prayer and supplication that he would take it
away;and as Hebrews , in answerto prayer, is pleasedto do this, light is seen
in his light, his truth drops with savor and sweetnessinto the soul, and the
word of his grace sways and regulates the heart, lip, and life.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES

WILLIAM BARCLAY
THE VEIL WHICH HIDES THE TRUTH (2 Corinthians 3:12-18)
3:12-18 It is because we possess sucha hope that we speak with such freedom.
We do not draw a veil over things, as Moses did over his face so that the
children of Israel should not gaze at the end of the glory which was doomedto
fade away. But their minds were dulled. To this very day the same veil
remains, still not drawn aside, when they read the record of the old
relationship betweenGod and man, because only in Christ is that veil
abolished. Yes, to this day, wheneverthe books that Moses wrote are read, the
veil rests upon their heart. But, whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is
takenaway. The Lord is the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty. And we all, with no veil upon our faces, seeas in a mirror the glory of
the Lord, and we go on changing this image from glory to glory, even as it
comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
All the pictures in this passageemerge directly from the passagewhichgoes
before. Paul begins from the thought that when Moses came downfrom the
mount the glory upon his face was so bright that no one could gaze steadily
upon it.
(i) He thinks back to Exodus 34:33. The King James Version has it that Moses
put a veil upon his face until he had finished speaking;but the correct
translation of the Hebrew, is that Moses, as in the R.S.V., did this when he had
finished speaking. Paultakes this to mean that Moses veiledhis face so that
the people should not have to see the slow fading of the glory that once was
there. His first thought is that the glory of the old covenant, the old
relationship betweenGod and men, was essentiallya fading one. It was
destined to be overpassed, not as the wrong is overpassedby the right, but as
the incomplete is overpassedby the complete. The revelation that came by
Moses was true and great, but it was only partial; the revelation that came in

Jesus Christ is full and final. As Augustine so wisely put it long ago, "We do
wrong to the Old Testamentif we deny that it comes from the same just and
goodGod as the New. On the other hand we do wrong to the New Testament,
if we put the Old on a level with it." The one is a stepto glory; the other is the
summit of glory.
(ii) The idea of the veil now takes hold of Paul's mind and he uses it in
different ways. He says that, when the Jews listento the reading of the Old
Testament, as they do every Sabbath day in the synagogue,a veil upon their
eyes keeps them from seeing the real meaning of it. It ought to point them to
Jesus Christ, but the veil keeps them from seeing that. We, too, may fail to see
the realmeaning of scripture because our eyes are veiled.
(a) They may be veiled by prejudice. We, too, often go to scripture to find
support for our own views rather than to find the truth of God.
(b) They may be veiled by wishful-thinking. Too often we find what we want
to find, and neglectwhatwe do not want to see. To take an example, we may
delight in all the references to the love and the mercy of God, but pass over all
the referencesto his wrath and judgment.
(c) They may be veiled by fragmentary thinking. We should always regardthe
Bible as a whole. It is easyto take individual texts and criticize them. It is easy
to prove that parts of the Old Testamentare sub-Christian. It is easyto find
support for private theories by choosing certaintexts and passages and
putting others aside. But it is the whole messagethat we must seek;and that is
just another way of saying that we must read all scripture in the light of Jesus
Christ.

(iii) Notonly is there a veil which keeps the Jews from seeing the realmeaning
of scripture; there is also a veil which comes betweenthem and God.
(a) Sometimes it is the veil of disobedience. Very often it is moral and not
intellectual blindness which keeps us from seeing God. If we persist in
disobeying him we become less and less capable of seeing him. The vision of
God is to the pure in heart.
(b) Sometimes it is the veil of the unteachable spirit. As the Scots saying has it,
"There's none so blind as those who winna see."The best teacheron earth
cannot teachthe man who knows it all already and does not wish to learn.
God gave us free will, and, if we insist upon our own way, we cannot learn his.
(iv) Paul goes onto say that we see the glory of the Lord with no veil upon our
faces, and because ofthat we, too, are changed from glory into glory. Possibly
what Paul means is that, if we gaze at Christ, we in the end reflect him. His
image appears in our lives. It is a law of life that we become like the people we
gaze at. People hero-worshipsomeone and begin to reflect his ways. If we
contemplate Jesus Christ, in the end we come to reflecthim.
Paul sets for many a theologicalproblem when he says, "The Lord is the
Spirit." He seems to identify the RisenLord and the Holy Spirit. We must
remember that he was not writing theology;he was setting down experience.
And it is the experience of the Christian life that the work of the Spirit and the
work of the RisenLord are one and the same. The strength and guidance we
receive come alike from the Spirit and from the Risen Lord.
Where the Spirit is, says Paul, there is liberty. He means that so long as man's
obedience to God is conditioned by obedience to a code of laws he is in the

position of an unwilling slave. But when it comes from the operationof the
Spirit in his heart, the very centre of his being has no other desire than to
serve God, for then it is not law but love which binds him. Many things which
we would resentdoing under compulsion for some strangerare a privilege to
do for someone we love. Love clothes the humblest and the most menial tasks
with glory. "In God's service we find our perfect freedom."
-Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)
BRIAN BELL
2 Corinthians 3 9-5-12
Veil Removal!
I. Slide#1 Intro:
A. Slide#2 Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelledto
change by forces
impressed upon it. Issac Newton, FirstLaw of Motion.
1. As human beings we normally do not like change, but it is inevitable.
2. As Christians we normally do not like change, but it is inevitable.
B. Have you ever cried out to God, “God, what are You doing? What do you
want from me?
Why did you leave me here”
1. If He only had 1 verse to sum up what He wants...Ithink He’d answer
2Cor.3:18.

a) It is vital that day by day we live w/in this conceptualframework so that in
everything we
do or think we promote the growth of Christlikeness (orglorification) within
our lives.1
b) See, the gospelof Christ not only illuminates our darkened lives; equally
remarkably, it
transforms them little by little so that they increasinglyresemble the moral &
spiritual
characterof the Lord Jesus.
C. Slide#3 Paul points out to us 4 greatcomparisons betweenthe OT Law &
the NT Grace:
1. [1] From Tablets of Stone to Tablets of Flesh[2] From Deathto Life
[3] From Fading Glory to Lasting Glory [4] From Bondage to Freedom
II. Slide#4 FROM TABLETS OF STONE TO TABLETS OF FLESH! (1-3)
A. (1) Commendations & Credentials!
B. Paul here defends himself againstthe Jewishlegalists.
C. Slide#5,6 Diogenes, the cynic philosopher, was once askedto give a letter of
commendation for
someone & he answered, Thatyou are a man he will know at a glance;but
whether you are a
goodor a bad man he will discoverif he has the skill to distinguish between
good& bad, & if
he is without that skill he will not discoverthe facts even though I write to him
1000’s oftimes.
D. These letters were popular in Paul’s day.

1. Here’s one that was found on papyri, “To Julius Domitius, military tribune
of the
legion, from Aurelius Archelaus, his beneficiaries (a soldierexempt from
menial
duties), greeting. I have already before this recommended to you Theon, my
friend
& now also, I ask you sir, to have him before your eyes as you would myself.
For he
is man such as to deserve to be loved by you, for he left his own people, his
goods
& his business & followedme, & through all things he has kept me safe. I
therefore
pray you that he may have the right to come & see you. He can tell you
everything
about our business…Ihave loved the man…I wish you, sir, greathappiness &
long
1
1 Paul Barnett, BST, Pg.75
life w/your family & goodhealth. Have this letter before your eyes & let it
make you
think that I am speaking to you. Farewell.”
E. Paul sees a need to give one of these commendations in Rom.16:1,2 I
commend to you Phoebe
our sister, who is a servantof the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive
her in the Lord in a
manner worthy of the saints, and assisther in whatever business she has need
of you; for indeed

she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
1. Yet Paul here says he needs no letter of commendation…because “the
Corinthian
believers” were his commendation!
a) The change in their character& life is the only commendation that he
needs.
F. Slide#7,8 Notw/ink – years before Plato had said, “The goodteacherdoes
not write his
messagein ink that will fade; he writes it upon men.”
1. Jobsaid, Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a
book!
That they were engravedon a rock With an iron pen and lead, forever!
19:23,24.
2. This is what Jesus had done. He wrote His messageupon the Corinthians
hearts,
…through his servant Paul. - Notw/Fading Ink but w/His Permanent Marker
Spirit; not on tablets of stone (as they were 1stwritten) but on the tablet of
their hearts.
a) The Law was external - You could hold the tablets of stones in your hands
your whole
life & it could never change your life.
b) The NT ministry is internal – The Spirit of God living inside & empowering
you.
3. We ought to be Christians in large type, in bold font, underlined,
highlighted, &
exclamationmarked!

G. The Law only reveals sin; it cannot do anything about it!
H. (2) All men - Christianity is essentiallya lay movement.
1. Every believer is an open letter for Jesus.
2. Every Christian is an advertisement for Christianity.
a) We judge a store by the quality of goods it sells;
We judge a craftsman on his quality of work;
We judge a Church by the kind of Christians it produces;& therefore
The world judges Christ by His Followers!
(1) Dick Sheppard said, “The greatesthandicapthe church has is the
unsatisfactorylives of professing Christians. ”
b) Slide#9 When we step out into our world everyday we are “openletters”,
“advertisements” forChrist & His church. We are “Sandwichboards for the
Savior”!
3. Slide#10 Poem:You are writing a Gospel, a chapter every day,
By the deeds that you do & the words that you say.
2
Men read what you write, whether faithful or true.
Just what is the gospelaccording to you?
I. The Spirit wants to write a new version of His Word on your heart…Will
you let Him?
J. George Whitefieldsaid, “Godhas condescendedto become an Author, and
yet people will not
read his writings. There are very few that evergave this Book of God, the
grand charter of

salvation, one fair reading through.”
K. What are your thoughts when I say, “you may be the only letter from
Christ that some people
ever read?”
III. Slide#11 FROM DEATHTO LIFE! (4-6)
A. (6) Our sufficiency is from God – At one time Paul tried to find his
sufficiency in his pedigree,
background, & education.
1. We often work overtime to get people to notice us. We want to show them
how
adequate we are, how competent, how gifted, how important. [Dr.Bell -
Hhmmmm, has a sort
of ring to it!]
2. It’s not important that they see us, only HIM!
3. Often our impressive qualifications & accomplishments only obscure the
view!
B. Slide#12 New covenant – The Greek has 2 main words for “new”.
1. neos – new in point of time. Like a young person because he is a newcomer
into
the world.
2. kainos – new in quality. It brings something fresh into the situation.
a) This is the word used here.
C. How was the Old Cov. a deadly thing?
1. Note:the letter kills(6); the ministry of death(7); the ministry of
condemnation(9).

2. The Law was never given to impart life!
3. Becauseit produced a legalrelationship betweenGod & man.
a) It basically said, “keepthese laws if you want to maintain relationship
w/God.”
4. God was the judge, & man was the criminal forever in default before the
bar of
God’s judgment.
5. Slide#13 The OT law was deadly because it killed Hope (just frustrated
man); killed
life (for it only brought condemnation); & killed strength (for it could only
“tell” a
person what to do but gave them no power to “do it”!)
D. The New Cov. was much different!
1. It is a relationship of Love!
2. It is no longer a Judge/criminal relationship; but now a Father/son
relationship!
3
3. It changes a man, not imposing a new law but by changing his heart!
4. It not only tells man what to do but gives him power to do it (via the H.S.)
E. The Old Cov. wasn’ta bad thing; it was a step on the way!
1. “Whenthe sun rises the lamp is no longer needed!”
a) Some still bring the lamp out in the sunlight though???
IV. Slide#14 FROM FADING GLORYTO LASTING GLORY! (7-16)
A. Background:ReadEx.34:29-35.

B. There definitely was a glory to the OT Law: the Temple, the priesthood, the
ceremonies, the
awesome revelationsofGods power, the cloud by day & the pillar of fire by
night!
1. But it doesn’t compare to the Glory of the New Covenant which grows more
& more
glorious.
a) Prov.4:18 the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever
brighter unto the
perfect day.
2. Augustine said, “We do wrong to the OT if we deny that it comes from the
same just
& goodGod as the New. On the other hand we do wrong to the NT, if we put
the
Old on a level with it.”
a) “The one is a step to glory; the other is the summit of glory!”
3. Picture glory as light! – The stars & moon have their certain shine at night;
but
when the sun comes up in the morning, these other luminaries pale in
comparison!
a) Why? Becausethe glory of the sun outshines that of the moon & stars!
C. Slide#15,16 (13)Passing away – Why do you think Mosescoveredhis face
from Ex.34?
1. Paul let’s us know why Moses coveredhimself. Notbecause the people were
scaredof his glow, but so people couldn’t see it fading away!

a) But God never meant for it to stay…it was supposedto fade before the
abounding glory
of the gospel.
b) Maybe like going to the beach& getting a bad sunburn. After a few days it
starts to fade.
(Of course this was a Godburn!…what does that look like?)
D. (14-16)Spiritual application to Moses’Veil:
1. There is still a veil over the hearts that keeppeople from seeing Christ.
a) The Scriptures are a lockedbook to the heart that knows not Christ.
b) Readch.4:3,4.
V. Slide#17 FROM BONDAGETO FREEDOM!(17,18)
A. (17) This passagehas beengrosslymisused & misquoted to be a loose “free-
for-all”.
4
1. He gives us liberty…“from Spiritual bondage”!
2. The OT Law brought bondage. Acts 15:10 Now therefore, why do you test
God by
putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we
were
able to bear?
3. Liberty is not license![It’s freedom from…fear, sin, the world, & legalistic
religious
practices]
a) Gal.5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us
free, and do not be

entangledagain with a yoke of bondage.
4. Slide#18,19Freedom– ever have to catcha wild bird in your house? (came
down fireplace)
a) I chasedit till it was so tired it had to land. [I’m sure it had some terrible
misconceptions
of me “coming at it with different instruments to drive it to the ground!”]
b) Then I gently caughtthe bird, folding my fingers around its wings and
body. It must have
felt so powerless andvulnerable, tired & hopeless. Ireleasedit, and the bird
flew away.
(1) As I did with the bird, “Godtakes us captive only to set us free”.
B. (18) Do you know the only reasonyou are here instead of heaven?
1. We are being transformed…
a) When we come to Jesus our lives are transformed.
b) We come to the cross, confessing ourown inadequacy; we go away,
claiming only His
adequacy!
(1) “Nothing in my hand I bring only to the cross I cling!”
2. Here we have the meaning of sanctification& growing in grace.
3. How long does it take to become a Christian?…In a moment (justification)
and over
a lifetime (Sanctification).
a) Interesting…The God of miracles isn’t into instant discipleship!
b) Heaven never hangs the sign, “Overnight transformations. Inquire
Within!”

4. God doesn’tdo overnight makeovers!…but over lifetime transformations!
C. Being transformed into the same image – “It is not the business of the
church to adapt Christ to
men, but men to Christ.”
1. Slide#20 It has been saidthat When the people of God, look into the Word
of God,
& see the Glory of God, the Spirit of God, transforms them, to be like the Son
of God
2. Rom.8:29 Forwhom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to
the
image of His Son,
D. Slide#21,22 Fromglory to glory - (i.e. Salv-Sanct-Glorif)Eachday you can
have your own personal
transfiguration as you worship the Lord & yield to the Spirit.
5
1. Some say we should be invisible in ministry. Paul says they should see
you…
see your reflection…see Jesus’reflectionin you!
2. Maybe this is why no portrait of Jesus exists, becauseHe desires to be seen
in
eachof our faces/lives!
a) We know what Augustus Caesarlookedlike!And he was just before the
time of Christ?
E. CM, I see Jesus in you more & more! - Allow Him to continue to transform
you day by day!

Paul on Moses and the Veil
2 Corinthians 3: 12-16
Dr. S. Lewis Johnsoncontinues his exposition of Paul's analogyof the glory of
gospelministry with Moses'encounterwith Yahweh on Mt. Sinai.
SLJ Institute > Pauls Epistles > 2 Corinthians > Paul on Mosesand the Veil
Listen Now
Audio Player
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase ordecrease volume.
Readthe Sermon
Transcript
Mr. Pryor saidthat he really enjoyed that hymn there, and I know it was
because I was standing by him singing because thatwas the first time I had
ever sung that hymn, and I and the melody occasionallymet while we were
going. And, Mark, I want to saythat reminded me againof how much we
appreciate having you here, because were it not for you singing, I don’t know
how that hymn would have sounded. [Laughter] But anyway, I think it’s a

goodidea to sing it againand maybe the tune and I can have closerfellowship
than we did last time.
At 8:30 this morning, there were two things that happened that were rather
interesting. First of all, I was reminded againof my past sins, and Wilfred
Webb got up and mentioned my mistake of three or four years ago when I
forgotto move my clock forward. And I got up and reminded the
congregation, whichwas rather small, that it was not a mistake. He said that
he doesn’t make many mistakes but he did make this mistake. And I said that
wasn’t a mistake. Thatwas an oversight. And I said, furthermore, that there
was quite a bit of discussionin the papers about that and the big question, the
big issue three or four years ago was:what did he know? But now, I did not
get a single response — thank you, Ross. [Laughter] This morning that crowd
was so dead that I don’t think they made the connectionwith President
Reagan, andmaybe they haven’t yet. I don’t really know. Anyway it went
over like a lead balloon, too. And then I realized that probably the reason
there were so few people here this morning was that the restof the crowd was
out listening to Oral this morning out at Church on the Rock.
So I’m glad you’re back now. And you heard him at the first service out there.
And heard the report of what he’s been able to do, and now you can settle
down to the exposition of the word. Well, it’s nice to look out and realize that
you have arrived and that you’ve turned your clock forward. And I turned —
I was so anxious that I would not make another — have another oversight,
that I turned my clock forwardbefore two o’clock in the morning. I really
turned it forward about eight o’clock in order to be absolutely certain. It’s the
one that goes offright by my head in the morning with an alarm that wakes
me up on Sunday morning. But I turned it in advance, and Martha was
almost ready to turn it another hour forward and I – I’ve alreadyturned it
forward.

So anyway let’s turn to 2 Corinthians, and we’re going to read verse 12
through verse 16. But before we do, I want to read againthe passagein
Exodus chapter 34 which is the backgroundof Paul’s comments here in this
part of 2 Corinthians chapter 3.
So Exodus 34 verse 29, and this event that Paul will use in 2 Corinthians 3 is
an event that occurred at the secondgiving of the Law of Moses. And verse 29
of Exodus chapter 34 reads,
“And it came about as Moses came downfrom Mount Sinai (and the two
tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’hand as he was coming down from
the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because
of his speaking with Him. So when Aaron and all the sons of Israelsaw Moses,
behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
(Now notice that particularly because I’m going to make a comment based on
that statement: They were afraid to come near him.) Then Moses calledto
them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and
Moses spoketo them. And afterwardall the sons of Israel came near, and he
commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spokento him on
Mount Sinai. And when Moseshad finished speaking with them, he put a veil
over his face. But wheneverMoses wentin before the LORD to speak with
Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out
and spoke to the sons of Israelwhat he had been commanded, the sons of
Israelwould see the face of Moses,that the skin of Moses’face shone, so
Moses wouldreplace the veil over his face, until he went in to speak with
Him.”
Now, turning to 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and reading verse 12 through verse
16, the apostle writes — 2 Corinthians chapter 3 in verse 12,

“Having therefore, such a hope, we use greatboldness in our speech — and
are not as Moses, who usedto put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel
might not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But in their minds
were hardened. For until this very day at the reading of the old covenant, the
same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day,
wheneverMoses is read, a veil lies over their heart. But whenever a man turns
to the Lord, the veil is takenaway.”
Now, the New American Standard Bible translates verse 16 whenever a man
turns to the Lord. The original text says simply wheneverit turns to the Lord,
and so, consequently, there is natural discussionamong translators as to what
the “it” may refer to. And since in the immediately preceding verse we have
reference to the heart, probably the reference is to the heart. But it is the
heart of the man. And, furthermore, in the context it seems plain that Paul has
primarily in mind the heart of a Jewishunbelieving man in his day. And so,
it’s possible that we should render it when a man — that is, a Jewish,
unbelieving man — for that is obviously Paul’s primary thought here. But
we’ll leave it simply whenevera man or wheneverthe heart turns to the Lord,
the veil is taken away.
And since I’m on that verse, I’d like to mention one other point. The word
“takenawaymay be a passive” voice or a mental voice in Greek. Now, you
don’t have to understand that although you understand what a passive voice
is from English. If it is passive, then we should render it simply, the veil is
takenaway. Now, we may take this in the Greek as a mental voice in which
case once cantranslate it as we would translate an active verb. And therefore,
it would mean he takes awaythe veil. Then, of course, we have to ask
ourselves the question: to whom would the he refer? Some commentators
refer it to the Lord. That is, when a man turns to the Lord, he takes awaythe
veil. In my mind, that is probably not the wayin which that should be taken.
But it is a possibility, and I mention it, simply, because it is a possibility. If we
read when a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away, it’s obviously taken

awayby the Lord. And so the sense is really no different so far as spiritual
and theologicalsignificanceis concerned. Maythe Lord bless this reading of
His word, and let’s bow togetherin a moment of prayer.
[Prayer] Father, we thank Thee for the word of God and specificallyfor this
portion of the word of God to which we have turned today and which is the
subject of our thoughts as we reflectupon the things that the apostle desired
for the Corinthians to understand in their situation and which have direct
bearing upon us as we seek, by Thy grace, to live the Christian life today.
We thank Thee and praise Thee for this beautiful day, and we thank Thee and
praise Thee for all of the blessings that are ours by virtue of the fact that we
are, as we have sung today, creatures createdby Thee. We worship Thee and
praise Thee our great, creating God. And we thank Thee especiallythat,
though Thou art our creator, Thou hast also in Christ loved us and brought us
to the knowledge ofhim whom to know his life eternal. And therefore, Thou
hast delivered us from our sins, brought us into the relationship of righteous
before God, marvelous, indescribable blessing that is ours through faith in
Christ.
We are so grateful, Lord. We thank Thee that we have the righteousness that
satisfies Thee. We thank Thee, too, Lord, for the whole church of Jesus
Christ, and we ask Thou blessing upon the whole body today as the word of
God is preached, whether over the radio, in the pulpits, or whereverChrist is
proclaimed, may the Holy Spirit bless the ministry of the word of God to the
accomplishmentof the eternal purposes of our Triune God.
We pray particularly for those who have requested our prayers today. We
remember them, Lord. We pray Thy blessing upon them; upon those who are
bereaving, those who are sick, those who have askedfor our prayers

concerning questions and problems and things that face us in our daily lives.
We bring them all to Thee. We thank Thee for Thou art well able to answer
the petitions in a way that will glorify Thy name and bless Thy people.
We pray for the Believer’s Chapel, its outreach, its elders, deacons, its
members and friends, and the visitors who are here with us today. May this be
a significant experience for all of us as we sing togetherand as we listen to the
word of God.
We pray in Jesus’name. Amen.
[Message]The subjectfor today is “Paulon Mosesand the Veil”. The apostle
has been discussing the passing of the old covenantand the surpassing glory of
the new. And if we had the opportunity of asking the apostle, how would he
contrastthe old covenantand the new, I think the apostle would probably
have expatiated along these lines — perhaps other ways as well, but at least
along these lines. He would have said the old covenantwas a conditional
covenantand, therefore, could never be fulfilled by sinful men. The new
covenantis an unconditional covenant, one guaranteedby God and, therefore,
one that canbe sure and final and permanent for those for whom Christ has
died. He, no doubt, would have pointed out that the priesthoodof the old
covenantwas a priesthood of sinful men; men who lived, ministered, and then
died and were unable to secure the permanent blessings of the saving ministry
of the Messiahto come. Whereas the priesthoodof the new covenantis an
eternal priesthood; the Lord Jesus, not only is an eternal priest but an infinite
priest and, therefore, well able to secure allof the blessings that he has won by
his purchase through his blood on Calvary’s cross. And the apostle would no
doubt, also, have pointed out that the many sacrificesofthe Old Testament
could never take awaysin because they were animal sacrifices. Butthe Lord
Jesus has offered the once-and-for-allsacrifice by which sins are forevertaken
care of.

Many things could be said about the believer in the Mosaic Law. Forexample,
what’s the relationship of the believer and the law? Let me just summarize in
a few statements my own personalviews. First, the nature of the law is that it
is a covenantof work’s righteousnessnota covenant of grace. It is composed
essentiallyof a command, obligation, and sanctions or penalties. And, second,
the Mosaic Law is a unity. It’s moral, civil, and ceremonialfeatures all belong
to the one law; therefore, to break any aspectofthe Law of Moses is to be
guilty of breaking all. And, third, the purpose of the law included at least
these aims, to give the knowledge ofsin, to insight to sin with that aim in
mind, and, finally, to prepare men for Christ. And, fourth, the Mosaic Law as
law had a temporary validity. The apostle makes that quite plain in this
particular chapterand in others as well. And, fifth, the believer is not under
the Mosaic Law as a final criterion of the Christian life today. There are some
things that one might say in support of that, such as Scriptures saythe Lord
Jesus died to the law. The Scriptures saythat we have freedom from the law.
There are, however, some evasive answers thatare frequently given to this
question and include this: the believer is under the moral law but not the
ceremoniallaw. But the law that is done awayis specificallysaid to be
inclusive of the Ten Commandments. That’s found right here in this
particular chapter. It’s that which was written and engraven in stone that
Paul says here is done away. Another evasive answeris the believer is under
the moral law but not under the penalties of the law. But, again, the sanctions
or the penalties are part of the law. And thus to be under law is to be under
the penalties and sanctions. Otherwise,it’s not the law. And then, third, it’s
sometimes saidthat he’s under the moral law as rule of life but not for
salvation. But, of course, the believer was never under the moral law for
salvationeven in Old Testamenttimes. And then finally, it’s sometimes said,
he’s under the Sermon on the Mount but not under the Law of Moses.The
Scriptures saysimply that the believer today is not under law.

Now, one can argue in greatmore — in much more detail, and I don’t want to
do that because it’s not really the place to do it here. But to my mind, the
Scriptures teachthat the believer today is under the Spirit of God as guide
and under the Apostolic messageas his detailed criterion of life. We should
remember that nine of the Ten Commandments are found in the New
Testament. The fourth, the law concerning the Sabbath, being the only
exception. In other words, the will of God and the content of grace, as
revealedin the entire word, is the believer’s responsibility. Life under the
Spirit by the mercies of God will fulfill the law and its righteous requirements.
And so the believer who by God the Holy Spirit’s direction lives in harmony
with his guidance and teaching, will live the kind of life, Paul says, that the
law canfind no flaw in it.
The professing Christian whose life is characterizedby a life out of harmony
with the moral law as seenin the Mosaic Law as, according to the New
Testamentand according to the Old Testamentas well, is not a true believer.
In other words, there has to be evidence, if not to us — and it doesn’t have to
be in our eyes – but to the Lord. There has to be evidence of a true faith. If
one has life, there will be a definite response. Liberty does not mean license. In
fact, it means, as Paul puts it in Romans 7, marriage service of the Lord in the
spirit.
Now, it’s my own personalopinion and, again, I reiterate it’s my own personal
opinion, that a lot of the heatgeneratedover the believer’s relationship to the
law is semantic. Or to put it in other words, the intensity of the heat generated
over the issue of the believer and the law is largely unnecessary. And that if
we realized that if these two positions are compatible in the factthat the man
who lives by the spirit will not violate the moral principles of the Law of
Moses,then it seems to me we should permit freedom of how we analyze the
relationship of the believer and the law. I think I’ve given you what the
Scriptures teach, but I do have goodfriends who like to say we are under the
Ten Commandments. In that case, I canonly say that the believer who walks

by the Spirit, with the exception of the fourth commandment, will not violate
— willingly — the commandments that Moses was given.
Now, the passagethat we’re looking at today is a — not an easypassage. And
I hope you will bear with all of the expositionthis morning. And if you find it
rather difficult to follow, I’m sure that almost all of us who have tried to
understand Paul’s thought as he moves through this sectionwill have a great
deal of sympathy with you. In the backgroundis the enactedparable
illustrating the inability of Israelto behold the glory of the Lord permanently
due to their iniquities. And so, when Moses came forth with the law and the
glory shining upon his face and gave the words of God, when he finished with
the words of God, he put the veil on his face, wentback into the presence of
the Lord, took the veil off, receivedfurther message from the Lord, came out
with his face shining, gave the message,and when he finished, put the veil on.
That particular event is, in Paul’s thinking, a kind of enactedparable of the
truth that he would like to getover. And one of the truths that he wants to get
over, no doubt, is that we are unable – that is, speaking as an Israelite —
we’re unable to behold the glory of the Lord permanently due to their
iniquities, speaking of Israelat that particular time. And then also, due to the
fact that Mosesspoke withthe glory of the Lord upon his face — that
afforded irrefutable proof of the fact that Moses had an authentic ministry at
this particular time.
But now let’s look at the section. We’re going to begin at verse 12 and verse 13
where Paul speaks ofthe boldness of himself and the concealmentof Moses.
He writes, “Having therefore, such a hope, we use great boldness in our
speech.” You’ll notice the little word, the connecting conjunction “therefore”
which introduces an inference from the preceding context. And he has just
said in verse 11 for if that which fades awaywas with glory — now he’s
talking about the law; gravenand stones. If that which fades awaywas with
glory, much more of that which remains — that is the new covenant ministry
— is in glory. Therefore, becauseofthe abiding glory of the new covenant

ministry, the apostle states, therefore, having such a hope, we use great
boldness of speech. We have greatopenness in the proclamationof the new
covenant. We do not, as Moses, have to use the veil for the messagenow is not
the messageofthe law. The messagenow is the messageofgrace, mercy, and
life for believers. And faith may behold the glory of God without ceasing.
Moses’face shone, andthose who were looking at Moses couldobserve the
glory of God upon his face, though it was fading for a limited time. Paul says
now we are able to observe the glory of God permanently.
Now, I’d like for you to drop down to chapter 4 in verse 4 through 6 because
Paul is still talking in — along the same lines. And he says in verse 4 of 2
Corinthians chapter 4, “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the
minds of the unbelieving that they might not see the light of the gospelof the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God, for we do not preach ourselves but
Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’sake.For
God who said light shall shine out of darkness, is the one who has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of
Christ.”
So the apostle is simply saying this that because of what transpired, a new
covenant, ratification and ministry, we actually are able to see the light of the
knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Christ. And therefore, having
such a hope, we use greatboldness of speech. We’re not like Moses who had to
put a veil over his face and had, in a sense, to be to that extent embarrassedby
the revelationthat he was giving. It was an impermanent one. The apostle
says, no, we have a permanent message. And not only e a permanent message,
but one that is full of grace and mercy by virtue of the fulfillment of the
unconditional new covenantin the Lord Jesus Christ.
Looking now at verse 13 where he says, “and are not as Moses, who used to
put a veil over his face that the sons of Israelmight not look intently at the end

of what was fading away.” I’d like for you to remember that when we read the
Scriptures, I made reference to the factthat it was important to notice that
when Moses came down, the children of Israelwere afraid to look upon his
face. Once might ask the question: why were they afraid? Well, in the
preceding chapters in chapter 33, chapter 32 and the earlier part of chapter
34, Moses made it very plain that there was greatstress by the Lord God upon
the wickednessofthe children of Israel. Severaltimes they are calledpeople
who have stiff-neckedattitudes to the Lord God. They were rebellious in
heart. Severaltimes that’s stated with reference to them in the immediately
preceding contextin Exodus chapter 33.
Here, let me read just one of them — or one or two of them. In chapter ‘ in
verse 5, we read, “Forthe LORD had said to Moses,“Sayto the sons of Israel,
‘You are an obstinate people.” That’s a word that means stiff-necked. In
chapter 34 in verse 9, we read, “If now I have found favor in Thy sight, O
Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so
obstinate.” Or it is a people who are stiff-necked. And another time in this
particular context, the same thing is stated.
So in the preceding context, there is a great dealof stress onthe fact that
Israelwas a stiff-neckedand rebellious people. And, furthermore, in the
immediately preceding context, it was statedthat no one — the Lord said this
— no one can look upon my face and live. So when Moses came downwith the
glory shining upon his face, they were fearful, first of all, because in the
presence ofa Holy God being sinful meant they felt their own wickednessand
unholiness, very much like Peter in the boat when the Lord Jesus Christ was
revealedand the miracle he performed, he burst forth with “Lord, depart
from me for I am a sinful soul.” So the same kind of thing was true there. But
there was another thing that the apostle sees there that’s not found in the Old
Testament. And this is an applicationthat he makes becausehe says that the
sons of Israelmight not look intently at the end of what was fading away.

Now, Mosesdoesn’tmake any reference to that so far as I can tell in that
Exodus 34 passage, but the apostle sees in this an application of the truth that
he has come to know by virtue of his own conversion. And it was this: not
simply was Israela sinning people, but the law itself was a revelation, an
administration that was to fade away. It was a temporary thing, and it was
reflectedin the fact that Mosescame from the presence ofthe Lord with the
Lord, the glory upon his face beganto fade. And so the apostle sees in that an
evidence of the fact that one could anticipate that the Law of Moseswas a
temporary administration that came from the Lord God.
Now, of course, Paulwrites after the fact so to speak, ex postfacto. It’s
already done. And therefore, he canwrite with a greatdeal of application of
what he sees in the Old Testamentalthough Moses,so far as I can tell, does
not sayspecificallythat. Now, I know that that’s not easyto follow what Paul
is saying here. It reminds me of a well-knownpreacherin his day who was
preaching to his congregation, andhe was a very learned man. And being a
very learned man, he often gotvery far aheadof his very unlearned
parishioners. And one day, he was particularly deep in the truth, and they
were lost. And after many tedious sentences andmany a complicated
paragraph, he said to them, “Perhaps some ofyou at this point are suspecting
me of Eutychianism” which was probably the lastthing that came to their
minds if they understood what a Eutychianism was. But in case youhave been
suspecting me of Eutychianism, as I have been trying to explain what Paul is
talking about, I am not a followerof Eutyches who confusedthe two natures
of Christ in such a way that there could be no real atoning work. But it’s
important for us, in expounding the word of God, to expound the difficult
passagesas wellas the simple.
W.R. Maltby, who was a well-knownBritish preacher, once said concerning
Penielwhere Moses wrestledwith the Lord. He said, “RememberPenieland
wrestle with the greatthemes even though they throw you.” So perhaps you
think that I’ve been thrown by this theme, but I’m wrestling with it anyway.

Now, we turn to verse 14 and verse 15, and the apostle goes onto make
further applications. Here the past and present hardening of Israel. Verse 14
and verse 15 and we read, “But in their minds were hardened. For until this
very day at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains unlifted,
because it is removed in Christ. But to this day, wheneverMoses is read, a veil
lies over their hearts.” So the apostle sees Israel’s inability and unwillingness
to receive God’s word in his day though they possessedthe glory of God in the
Mosaic Law as an enactedparable, as a kind of spiritual illustration of the
present inability of Israel’s descendants. The glory seedhas been interrupted
by their disobedience.
That word but that begins verse 14 contrasts their response with glorious
revelation of the moral law. But their minds were hardened. That’s why they
were unable to respond to the revelationof God in the Mosaic Law. Their
minds were hardened, and having fallen in the Garden of Eden and having
persistedis — as sinning men when the Law of Mosescame, it simply pointed
out their own sin. And as the years and the ages passed, Israel, as a nation,
became a hardened nation. The apostle emphasizes this truth in Romans
chapter 9 and chapter 10 and chapter 11 using even some of the same words
that are found here.
Now, he moves from the past: But their minds were hardened, to the present
in verse 14 by saying: For until this very day at the reading of the old
covenant, the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
Now, that’s a kind of bold transference of thought. That’s one reason,
incidentally, why we find this difficult because the illustration has Moseswith
the veil on his face. But suddenly the apostle has, I say, boldly transferred the
veil and now it’s not on Moses’face,but it’s on the face of the children of
Israelwho, in their synagogues, are hearing the Law of Moses read. So that’s

why people find this difficult. But their minds were hardened. For until this
very day at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains unlifted.
The veil that was on Moses’face, thatprevented Israelfrom seeing the fading
glory, is now upon the minds and hearts of the children of Israel in preventing
them from seeing the glory of God, not simply in the old covenantbut also in
the new. So just as unbelief curtained their hearts from the knowledge ofGod
by his word then, so now at the presenttime unbelief has drawn a curtain
over the hearts of Israelfrom the knowledge ofGod through his word.
There is something that the Lord Jesus says that, I think, has very direct
bearing upon this. You may remember the statement that the Lord made in
his encounters with the Jewishpeople of his day. In John chapter5 in verse
46, he made a very interesting application of the Old Testament. He said, “For
if you believed Moses,you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do
not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” You can see from
this that the Lord Jesus identified the Old Testamentand the New Testament
as being revelations of God. There is no such thing as saying, I believe Jesus
Christ, but I do not believe the Old Testament. In other words, if we believe
the Lord Jesus Christ, we will believe the Old Testament. If we believe Moses,
we will believe in Christ. If you do not believe Moses’writings, how will you
believe the words of Christ? So all of the greattruths setout in the Old
Testamentby Moses as he gave the law of God, are truths that the believer in
the Lord Jesus Christby the word of the Lord Jesus is to believe — and must
believe as Jesus said. So the things that are said in the Old Testamentare
equated with the things that are said in the New Testamentso far as our
obligation to believe them is concerned.
It’s very interesting that this question of the veil lying upon the hearts of the
children of Israel has had an impact upon Christian art. For example, in the
Cathedral in Strasbourg in France and also in Rochesterin England, there is
Christian sculpture which portrays a blindfolded synagogue alongside ofa
clearly seenchurch in both of these cathedrals. So you have a synagogue

sculptured and by the side of it a church. But over the synagogue the sculptor
has placeda blindfold to illustrate the truth. You remember in the Book of
Acts, Luke says Moseshad him — had those who read him in every one of the
cities today and so a reference made to the reading of the Old Testamentin
the worship of the synagogue and now Paul says in the reading of the
synagogue there is a veil. But he says that veil is removed in Christ. Notice the
last statementthere in verse 14. The same veil remains unlifted because it is
removed in Christ. Only in Christ is the failure to understand the word of
God removed. Only there is there justifying righteousness.Israelsoughtto
find righteousness by their works. Only in Christ and his saving work on
Calvary’s cross may one find righteousness. Butthat righteousness is not a
works righteousness, it’s a faith righteousness and only in Christ is there a
living spirit to enable us to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord God. So
only in Christ is the veil removed. Obviously the apostle is making application
of the truth and of this enactedparable of Exodus chapter34.
And, finally, in verse 16 he comments on the path to the unfading glory in
Christ. But whenevera man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now,
this is, as you cansee, a generalprinciple that is extracted from Exodus
chapter 34 in verse 34. Let me read Exodus 34, verse 34. Perhaps you canget
some idea of how the apostle readthe Old Testamentfrom this. Now the text
reads, “But wheneverMoses wentin before the LORD to speak with Him, he
would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and
spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded. The sons of Israel
saw the face of Moses, thatthe skin of Moses’face shone.”But notice the first
part, wheneverMoses wentin before the Lord to speak with Him, he would
take off the veil. Now, that’s the thing that the apostle uses when he says in
verse 16, “But whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is takenaway.”
Now, actually, that’s what we might call an applicationof the passagein
Exodus 34, verse 34. Exodus 34 says that when Moses wentin before the Lord,
the veil was takenoff. But Paul sees in that a generalprinciple. That is, when

a person turns to the Lord, the blindness and dullness that come from unbelief
are removed. So you cansee how he applies the statements of chapter 34 to
the truth of his day. So what we have then is a generalprinciple extracted
from that verse. And, furthermore, what makes it even more significant to me
is the word “turn.” Whenever a man turns to the Lord, that’s the standard
New Testamentword for conversion; used a half a dozen times,
approximately, for a Christian conversion. So the apostle on the basis of the
Old Testamentis now applying the truth that when a person turns to the
Lord, the dullness and blindness of unbelief is removed by the Lord God.
But he doesn’t sayis removed by the Lord, he says it’s removed. As I
mentioned, some do translate it: he removed the veil; that is, the Lord. But
under any circumstances the dullness and blindness canonly be removed by
the Lord. So the human activity is men turning to the Lord. I guess you notice
that Moses,that term “Moses”whichis used in Exodus 34, verse 34, is omitted
here. The apostle is not talking about the historical act, but he’s applying the
truth illustratively. So he says, but whenever a man turns to the Lord. So he
sees in Moses’actan illustration of the generaltruth that when a man turns to
the Lord, the heart — I think is the subject of that — the divine result is the
veil is removed.
Now, I want to say a few things about this because I think it’s important for us
to note this. We have, occasionally, people saying that you may believe the
New Testament, and you may forgetthe Old Testament. We’ve already said
that our Lord’s statements in John chapter 5 refute that idea. But one either
believes all of the Bible — that is inclusive of the Mosaic Law — or he doesn’t
believe the New Testamentwords of the Lord Jesus Christ. They stand
together, the Old and the New Testaments. But there is another thing that is
sometimes said, and that is that the Old Testamentdoes not really reflectthe
ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. People occasionallysaywords that are very
close to that. I won’t bother to stop and talk specificallyabout it. But one
thing I would like for you to notice is that when we find the Old Testament

describedin Paul’s writings here, he says:But whenevera man turns to the
Lord. To whom does he refer when he says when a man turns to the Lord?
Well, it’s clearfrom the context that he’s talking about turning to the Lord
Jesus Christ. When a man turns to the Lord — the Lord Jesus Christ — the
veil is takenaway. But now in the Old Testamentwe read when Moses wentin
to the Lord. The Hebrew text has Yahweh. Who was the Yahweh?
Well, we know from the study of Scripture that the God that the Christians
worship is a Triune God; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
In fact, the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Spirit is Lord. So when we
read the Lord in the Old Testament, we have options: the Father, the Lord the
Son, the Lord; the Spirit, the Lord. Or turn it around, the Lord, the Father;
the Lord, the Spirit; the Lord, the Son. Now, it’s clearfrom the apostle’s
reasoning here that he regards the Lord to whom Moses turned as the second
person of the Trinity, the Lord the Son. In other words, the covenant-keeping
God, to whom Israel was relatedin the Old Testament, is the one who has
ratified the new covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ. So whenevera person turns
to the Lord, Yahweh, the secondpersonof the Trinity, the covenantkeeping
God, the veil is takenaway. So when a personturns to the Lord Jesus Christ,
the veil is taken away.
Now, whenevera Jewishpersoncomes to faith in Christ, that really transpires
in their experience. It also transpires in ours. Now, Paul goes onto say in
Romans chapter 11 that there is coming a day when this will take place with
reference to the nation as a whole. He says in Romans chapter11 in verse 25,
“ForI do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lestyou
should be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening (that is, not
everybody, there is a remnant according to the electionof grace. A partial
hardening, that’s the same root that is used in but there hearts were
hardened.) A partial hardening has happened to Israeluntil the full number
of the Gentiles has come in. And thus, all Israel shall be saved.” Notsimply a
remnant, but there is coming a day when the nation as a whole shall turn to

the Lord. Now, Paul doesn’t sayanything about that particularly in 2
Corinthians chapter 3, but that lies in the background.
Let me conclude then. Not only Israelbut the church also may be under a veil
from understanding Scripture. I don’t know whether you’ve noticed this or
not but the dullness of the Jewishheartand the blindness of the Jewishheart
is one of the strangestanomalies ofhistory. Think about it for a moment. As a
people, the Jews are one of the most brilliant in the world. They excelin art.
They excelin science. Theyexcelin literature. By per capita count, their skill
and attainment probably exceedthose of all the other races. I trace that to the
sovereignprovidence of the Lord God. Just think of how they’ve distinguished
themselves in all walks of life; in astronomy, Sir William Herschel;in music, a
Mendelssohn;in philosophy, a Maimonides; in state craft, a Disraeli;in
history, a Nehanda; in archeology, a Cyrus Adler and also today a Nelson
Blick;in juris prudence, a BarronRedding, we could also add Felix
Frankfurter in our own experience in this country; in science, Albert Einstein.
When this national brilliance is brought to the Bible, which they have given
us, there’s a mysterious lack of understanding. Even Jewishmen today in
many of their most significantperiodicals will acknowledge thatin Israel,
Judaism is largely a system of ethics, and that’s all. The Jewishnation, which
gave us the Scriptures and the Saviorand yet their mind is dull to the
Scriptures and their head is dead to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s
one of the strangestthings in human history, only explainable — it seems to
me — by the teaching of the word of God.
But think also of the Christian church. We tend to look at Israel and we say:
with all of those marvelous privileges, they turned againstthe Lord God, their
hearts became hardened. They were rebellious, stiff-neckedpeople and the
Lord God had to discipline them. And finally, the discipline, as His word set
forth, became the scattering to the four corners of the earth which we see
today. And so often — and Paul has a word in Romans 11 addresseddirectly
to us Gentiles that we should be carefuland be carefulthat we do not actin

conceitfor we stand by faith just as they stoodat one time, by faith. And just
as He castthem away, He may castus away, too. And we know from the
teaching of the New Testamentthat the end of the church shall be largelyan
apostate end. And as we look at the status of the Christian church today and
reflectupon the fact that when the word of God is preachedtoday, the veil
that lies over the minds of so many people who are in our congregationis truly
amazing. One of the things that I constantlypray about by my bedside is that
when I finish what ministry God has given me at Believer’s Chapel, that I may
not leave a people who are blind and dull to the things of the word of God.
Think of all of these veils that are characteristic ofus. The veil of prejudice.
There are people in Christian churches today who saythings like, “You
cannot believe all of the Bible. You really cannot believe everything in
Scripture. No one, with a sound mind, can believe everything in scripture and
take it at its normal sense.”
Always I wish that people would saythat in my presence becauseI like to say,
now of course I believe that the Scriptures are verbally and plenary inspired,
but I’d like to say to such something like this, “Okay. Let’s forgetabout a
verbal plenary inspiration of Scripture, but let’s just saythat you’re a
Christian, you’re a member of a Christian church, so obviously you’re not
going to believe everything in the Bible, you say. But, listen, you at leastwould
believe the main story of the Bible, wouldn’t you, the thing that the Bible is all
about, regardless ofthese other little things which you may have some doubts?
All right. What’s the main point of the Bible? Christ, the Son of God, who
offered a sacrifice forsinners. Have you really trusted him for your eternal
salvation? If you believe just what the Bible says in its main message,that’s it
— and I’ve usually found that when people come to Christ and believe that
essentialmessageand then they begin to read the Bible, it’s not long before
having become acquaintedwith the Bible they say, “You know, the Bible
impresses me that it’s the word of God throughout.” And it’s not long before
they believe the Bible is verbal and plenary inspired. And some of those
people even believe it’s inherent. Think of that.

There’s the veil of wishful thinking. Believe in the love and mercy of God but
not in the wrath and judgment of God. The veil of fragmentary thinking;
choosing certaintexts and believing in them but other texts, just passing by
because they’re not the kinds of text we like. The veil of disobedience, moral
blindness, the pure in heart see God, so we read in Scripture, and the veil of
an unteachable spirit. No one canlearn if they’re not willing to learn. As the
Scots sayin one of their little sayings, “There’s none so blind as those who will
not see.”So when a personwill not see, you cannotteachhim anything, even
the greattruths of the word of God.
I close with this because the time is up. Paul’s words, I say, are an enacted
parable of Moses’experience.He saw in that an evidence of Israel’s sin. He
saw in it some indication that the law was a temporary enactment of God, a
temporary revelationgiven on Mt. Sinai, destined to pass awayon Mt.
Calvary with the death of Christ. He saw also in the things that transpire,
things that were true to his own experience. In fact, that’s how he described
his experience. In Philippians chapter 3 in verse 4 and following, he saidthis,
and I close with the citing of these words. He said,
“Although I myself might have confidence evenin the flesh. If anyone else has
a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcisedthe eighth day,
of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews;as to
the Law, a Pharisee;as to zeal, a persecutorof the church; as to the
righteousness whichis in the Law, found blameless. But whateverthings were
gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake ofChrist. More
than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be
found in Him, not having a righteousnessofmy own derived from the Law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness whichcomes from
God on the basis of faith.”

That’s a man from whose eyes and heart the veil has been lifted. And as he
says in verse 17, Brethren, may I say to you, brethren and sisters — Paul says
joined in following my example — may God in His wonderful grace enable us
to see that through the Lord Jesus Christ a new covenanthas been
consummated in which the forgiveness ofsins that offeredunconditionally on
the basis of Christ’s suffering the merits of his saving worth impudent to
those, by God’s grace, have come to understand their sin and need and who
flee to Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Come to Christ. Believe in Him. Trust
in Him. The veil having been lifted from your hearts, you will find the in the
Lord Jesus the answerto all the problems of life, not the answerto all of your
trials and troubles but to all of the problems of life. We invite you as an
ambassadorofthe Lord Jesus to come to Him. Maywe stand for the
benediction.
[Prayer] Father, we are grateful indeed for these marvelous words written by
the apostle. There are many things about them, concerning which we may
have some questions, but it’s clearthat the apostle had reasonfor boldness in
the expressionofthe truth. For being a minister of the new covenant, he was a
minister of the forgiveness ofsins through the saving work of Christ based
upon an unconditional covenant made with sinners.
O God, if there are those in this audience who have never believed in Christ,
may the obtuseness and the stiff-neckedcondition, the rebellious condition of
our hearts, be recognizedthrough the Spirit’s conviction, and may we flee to
Christ for forgiveness ofsins.
For Jesus’sake. Amen.

JOHN MACARTHUR
The Glory of the New Covenant, Part 5
Sermons 2 Corinthians 3:12–16 47-19 Jun12, 1994
A + A - RESET
Turning your bible to 2 Corinthians Chapter 3 we come back to this text from
verses 6-18 on the glory of the New Covenant againthis morning, and I
confess to you that I’m having a terrible time getting through this text. I knew
I would, but it’s even exceeding my own expectations. There is so much here
and there’s so many issues that arise out of this text that I want to address
that we’re taking our time going through it. As we look at this text just to
remind you that the Apostle Paul here is defending himself againstsome
accusationsthat he is a false teacher.
He is saying that he is a true teacherfor a number reasons;not the leastof
which is that he preaches the New Covenant as he notes in verse six, he is a
minister or a servant of the New Covenant. As he defends himself by
identifying himself with the New Covenanthe then launches into a discussion
which compares the New Covenant to the Old Covenant because the false
teachers, the real false teachers who came into Corinth where the Judea, the
circumcisionparty who were teaching the Old Covenant. So Paul wants the
Corinthians to understand that a true servant of God, a true minister, a true
preacher, a true prophet, a true apostle will preachNew Covenant truth not
Old Covenantand that is the essence ofwhat launches him into this
discussion.
Once he’s identified himself as a preacher of the New Covenant he then goes
on to explain the superiority of the New Covenantto the Old Covenant;we’ve
been sort of wandering through that field for the lastfour weeks andthis is
number five. Now let me give you a little bit of background just to bring you
up to this text. Satan’s most effective deceptionis religion. That is why he is
disguisedas an angelof light and that is why his ministers are disguisedalso
as angels of light. While in fact they are all demons of darkness and
damnation they masquerade through religion.

Satan’s subtlest and most powerful impact is through designing religion that
does not save, but damns people under the illusion that all is well between
them and God. The world is obviously engulfed in that satanic deception, the
world is engulfed in religion that does not save, religion that damns them to
eternal hell. It is the satanic religionof ceremonyor ritual or self-righteous
works, it is the religion of performance, the religionof human effort, the
religion of sacraments and it sends people into a Godless eternity deceived
about their real condition.
As I’ve told you many times through the years there are only two religions in
the world, just two. There is true Christianity, salvationby grace, through
faith in Christ alone, and there is one other religionand that is the religion of
human achievement, human accomplishment, human effort, human ceremony
and all religion in the world apart of true Christianity is really another form
of that same one false damning deception. That a person can be made right
with God through some external effort, through some moral activity, through
some ceremony. That is a damning deceptionthat engulfs most of the world.
This explains, for example, how the Pope can say that Buddhist worship the
same God he worships, and should be considers as brothers. This explains
how he can say that the Muslims should be consideredas brothers and sisters
who worship the same Godhe worships. This explains why Mother Teresa
and her home for the sick and dying in Calcutta can have a picture of a Hindu
God. Becauseit is all the religion of ceremony, it is all the religion of human
achievement, self-achievedrighteousnessorrighteousness achievedthrough
sacrament, ceremony, ritual or whatever.
In fact the RomanCatholic Church and certain forms of Greek Orthodoxy
and certainforms of high church Protestantismhave more in common with
non-Christian religions than with the true Gospelof Jesus Christ. They are
more akin to them because they are religions of external works and ceremony
and sacramentand performance and ritual, they are more like non-Christian
religions than true Christianity and that is why we’re not shockedwhenwe
see the Pope make some kind of comment that embraces people who are
distinctively non-Christian.

Jesus was removing the veil

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Similar to Jesus was removing the veil

Similar to Jesus was removing the veil (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (19)

Jesus was removing the veil