Superiority of Christ (2 Cor. 3:12-18)

“Therefore, since we have such hope, we act very boldly and not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not look intently at the cessation of what was fading. Rather, their thoughts were rendered dull, for to this present day the same veil remains unlifted when they read the old covenant, because through Christ it is taken away. To this day, in fact, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:12-18).”

Christians can act and speak boldly because of the glory of their ministry, unlike with the old covenant where the Israelites had only a veiled understanding of Moses and his teaching (Ex. 34:29-35).  Freedom from the ‘old covenant,’ which leads to death (Heb. 8:7-13), can only be achieved because of Christ and through Christ.  The hearts of those who proclaimed Moses in the Synagogues were hardened (Is. 6:9-10).  The only way to clearly see God’s intention for us is to be converted through the Good News of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:32-39).  Those who are led by the Spirit are no longer under slavery to the law.  God acting through the Spirit conforms believers to Christ.

Almighty God, grant we pray that by your Spirit we may be conformed to Christ and our hearts may be made pure as we draw closer to you.  Help us to understand your Word and to live the Gospel in our lives.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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Reference:

Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.