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Book of 2 Corinthians - Chapter 3 - Verse 13

3:13
And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

Meaning

In this verse, the apostle Paul is contrasting the ministry of Moses with the ministry of Christ. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after speaking with God, his face shone with such radiant glory that the children of Israel could not even look at him. So, Moses would put a veil over his face to shield the people from the brightness of God's glory that reflected off him. However, this veil also served as a symbol of the spiritual blindness that the Israelites had towards the truth of God's word. Paul uses this image as a metaphor to illustrate how the Old Covenant of the law, represented by Moses, was temporary and fading away. In contrast, the New Covenant of grace brought by Christ is unveiled, clear, and everlasting. Through Christ, believers can now behold the glory of God without any hindrance or veil, and the truth of salvation is no longer hidden but made known to all who believe.

Theological Overview

One theological interpretation of the verse 'And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:' highlights the idea that the veil over Moses' face symbolizes the blindness of the Israelites to the truth of the gospel. In this context, the veil represents the law given to the Israelites, which served as a temporary measure until the coming of Christ. The verse suggests that the Israelites were unable to see beyond the law to the fulfillment of God's plan through Jesus. The phrase "which is abolished" implies that the old covenant has been replaced by the new covenant in Christ, and believers are called to look to Him as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. By removing the veil of the law, believers can now see clearly the glory and grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

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