Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. — 2 Corinthians 4:12-18

Second Corinthians 3:12-18 gives us a glimpse of Paul’s use of the Old Testament in adorning the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here, I do not want to write an exegetical paper, but I only want to provide words of encouragement as we pilgrim through this week together. We have a hope that reaches beyond the veil Moses wore all those years ago. While Moses, our blessed law-man, saw the backside of God’s glory as he hid in the cleft of the rock, we now stare, with an unveiled face, upon the glory of the eternally blessed God-man. What a glorious thing it is to be received into a New Covenant relationship with God, through the testamentary blood of Christ Jesus.

The children of Israel were shaded from the glory-face of Moses, and their minds were blinded. Even now, just as in Paul’s day, Jews everywhere read the Old Testament with blinded eyes, unable to conceive of God’s Gospel. Paul says they read it with blinded hearts. For the veil is only removed in Christ. “Nevertheless,” Paul says, “when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” As Christians, if we truly be in Christ, we have turned to the Lord, and our veils have been taken away. If a Jew turns to Christ and only Christ, they will begin to understand the Old Testament correctly. We have, by the power of the Spirit, been made able to see God’s glory in both the Old and New Testaments, and that glory is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Now, coming to the last couple verses: Paul says the Lord is the Spirit in v. 17a, then he goes on to make a distinction between the Lord and the Spirit in v. 17b. The Lord and the Spirit are one, yet the Lord and the Spirit are distinguished. The Lord is the Spirit, but the Spirit is also referred to as the Lord’s Spirit or the Spirit of the Lord. This is important for our doctrine of the Trinity. But, here, I have not written you a doctrinal treatise on the Trinity, but a letter of encouragement. As Paul says, “we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.” What is the glory of the Lord? Paul says we are being transformed into the image of this glory, “from glory to glory,” by the Spirit of the Lord. To understand what he means, we need to reference something else he’s written in Romans 8:28-29. There we see that God is conforming us to the image of Christ. Therefore, Christian, by the power of the Spirit, you are being transformed into the image of God’s glory, which is Christ.

You now have access to God because of the blood and righteousness of the Son. With an unveiled face, you can now approach the throne of glory in acceptable worship and prayer. No longer are you blinded to His will, no longer are you blinded to the Scriptures; but you have been enlightened by the Spirit of light. Moreover, not only are your eyes opened, but you are being transformed by the Master Craftsman to appear in the image of Christ. Thus, do not be discouraged, but encouraged. Do not be downtrodden, but upbeat. For you have everything going for you. You are liberated from sin, death, and the devil—and even when you do sin, you have a faithful Mediator who intercedes for you (1 Jn. 2:1-2). Trust in this Christ, the very glory of God, as you pilgrim through this week.

-JS