Author: Charlie Garrett

Friday, 10 July 2015

But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 2 Corinthians 3:15

In the previous verse, Paul notes this concerning the Jews – “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.” As explained in that verse evaluation, the “veil” should be rendered “the old covenant.” In support of that, Paul continues with, “But even to this day…”

It has to be remembered that Paul wrote this epistle about 30 years after the time of Christ. The temple was still standing, the Jews attended their synagogues and read weekly from the Torah, and the veil remained over their hearts concerning the work of the Lord. He was just as hidden to them then as He was before He came. Now, it is about 2000 years later and the same truth applies. When Jews meet to discuss the Torah, the details of Christ are hidden from them.

The time for this is ending though. Jews are converting to Christ at an ever-increasing rate. Israel has been returned to the land of Israel as prophesied. The nations of the world are coming against them just as the Bible showed would happen. All of this is preparing them for one final seven-year period where a temple will stand and they will finally understand what Daniel was talking about in verses 9:24-27 of his book.

In the end, the Jewish nation will finally call out to Jesus and He will return to rescue them. But until that happens, the veil lies on their heart. We are witnessing the coming end of the church age, and the time of Daniel’s 70th week which will end with the veil finally being removed.

Life application: It is a messy world and it is getting messier, but God has a plan which He is working on through it all. Stand back and watch the Lord work! Israel is being prepared for a meeting with their true Messiah.

Heavenly Father, Your word said that Israel would be returned again to occupy the land of Israel. It also says that this group of people is being prepared for a meeting with their Messiah. They will call and He will answer; the veil will be lifted and the glory of Jesus will finally be realized. Both testaments show this as clearly as could be… may it be soon. Even so – come Lord Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, 9 July 2015

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. 2 Corinthians 3:14

Referring to the Jews, and any others who would follow in the misguided notion about the purpose and continuance of the Old Testament, Paul states that “their minds were blinded.” The word for “blinded” is poroo. It properly means, “made of stone; (figuratively) insensible; dull, unperceptive as a rock; calloused (hardened); i.e. unresponsive (dense), completely lacking sensitivity or spiritual perception.” For this reason, many translations prefer the word “hardened” instead of “blinded.”

The hardening of one’s eyes indicates a spiritual blindness, so the same concept is understood. However, this action is often as much self-willed and purposeful in some as it is lacking in others. In other words, there are those who have been told that Jesus permeates the Old Testament and is revealed in the New, but they willingly harden their minds to this fact.

The New Testament on numerous occasions shows that the law is fulfilled in Christ and thus it is nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14); annulled (Hebrews 7:18); obsolete (Hebrews 8:13); and taken away (Hebrews 10:9). These and multiple other references show that those who cling to the Old Testament for the application of their spiritual doctrine have “until this day the same veil” covering their spiritual senses that kept them from seeing Christ (or the fullness of His work) in the very law which is now abolished.

Paul couldn’t be clearer on this, and yet it is not only the Jewish people, but countless heretical sects which reintroduce the law and thus bring condemnation on themselves. In Christ is found the embodiment of the law. Therefore, in Christ is where we are to place our hopes. This veil which remains in place is “unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament.” Anytime the law is read to a person who is trying to be justified by the law, the veil remains. They have missed Christ and are attempting to seek a right-standing before God based on personal merit. It is a self-condemning act.

Finally, the NKJV ends this verse with, “because the veil is taken away in Christ.” This is a possible translation, but it is not the intent of Paul’s words. Notice that the word “veil” is inserted (italicized words are inserted); it is not in the Greek. In their translation they have incorrectly assumed that it is the veil which is taken away in Christ. But this is properly explained in verse 16. Rather, Paul’s words here are speaking of the law itself. In Christ, the law is taken away. Only when one realizes this is the veil then removed. Here is John Darby’s translation of this verse, rightly showing Paul’s intent –

“But their thoughts have been darkened, for unto this day the same veil remains in reading the old covenant, unremoved, which in Christ is annulled.” Darby

Once it is understood that the old covenant is annulled and a turning to the Lord has taken place, then verse 16 can occur – “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

Life application: If you are in a church which mandates precepts from the Old Testament – circumcision, Sabbath worship (meaning Saturday), tithing, etc. then get out of there. We do not reinsert into the New what has been annulled in the Old!

Lord God, would I sing songs about the work of Christ for me and then reinsert a law which is fulfilled in Him? Will I pick and choose certain precepts from the Old Covenant which is annulled in Him and decide that they need to be adhered to? Will I mandate Sabbath-day worship when He is my rest? Will I tell people that they need to tithe in order to be pleasing to You? No way! Jesus fulfilled the law and the law is obsolete. I stand on the work of Christ and my doctrine comes from the New Testament epistles. Thank You for Jesus who did the hard work for me so that I can rest in Him and follow in obedience to the New Covenant in His blood! Hooray for Jesus! Amen.

Wednesday, 8 July 2015

…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. 2 Corinthians 3:13

When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone. Because of this, he veiled his face other than when he spoke to the Israelites the words of the Lord. However, when he went before the Lord, he would again take it off. The reason for the veiling then was to hide the brightness of the reflected glory of God because it was so difficult to look upon him.

That reason seems to correspond with what Paul said earlier in verse 3:7, but in this verse Paul seems to indicate another reason altogether. It was “so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.” In Romans 10, Paul shows that the law had an end which is found in the work of Christ. This is why the law “was passing away” –

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4

Therefore, Paul is using the account of the Israelites before Moses as a parable of the time in which we live. The law is ended in Christ, but the Israelites could not see the end of it. They looked at the law as permanent and as a means to an end. But the law was intended to lead us to Christ. Because they missed this, they “could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.” And this is exactly what has happened in the dispensational model of history.

However, the German scholar Hermann Olshausen asks, “How could St Paul say that Moses covered his countenance in order that the Israelites should not behold Christ?” His question seems to imply that it would be wrong for Israel, who was looking for their Messiah, to be denied seeing Christ. However, this is an incorrect analysis. They were not denied this actively. Instead, they chose to deny Him. They were offered Christ in Acts 2. From there, and throughout Acts, it shows the truth that Jesus was rejected by them. Paul explains this in Romans 11 –

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Romans 11:25

God knew in advance that Israel would reject their Messiah, but it served a greater purpose in that the nations received Him and became the called-out Gentile church. Israel was set-aside during this dispensation “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” And yet, even during this dispensation, there has always been a remnant of Israel who is saved by grace (see Romans 11:5).

There is a time coming when the Gentiles will have reached their fullness and they will be raptured home to be with the Lord. At that time, the focus will be on the nation of Israel once again. On that day, the veil will be taken away and they will see that Christ is, in fact, the end of the law for all who believe.

Life application: Let us pray for Israel as a nation to have their collective eyes opened to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. God is working on them now and that wondrous day is coming. May it be soon!

Heavenly Father, Your word says that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. But many have had a veil over their eyes so that they could not see what was passing away in the Law of Moses. Lord, lift that veil and show them that there is an exceeding glory in the work of Jesus Christ that has brought the law to its end and which has bestowed marvelous grace on all who will but believe. I pray that many eyes will be opened to what You have done through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 2 Corinthians 3:12

The word “therefore” is given as a general summary of what has been thus far stated. He has been speaking of the supremacy of the New Covenant which is written on our hearts and which exceeds even the glory of the Old which came at Sinai in such a wondrous display. It was written on tablets of stone by the very finger of God, and yet it cannot compare to what we now have in Christ. In verse 4, Paul spoke of “trust through Christ toward God.” Now he builds on that by saying, “…since we have such hope.”

It is the future of what the “trust” implied. We have trust now and that leads us to hope in what the future holds. And because of this hope he says “we use great boldness of speech.” This again builds on a previous verse. Towards the end of the previous chapter, he said –

“For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

His words are in sincerity “as from God.” Therefore, because they are and because they carry a weight and a glory which even surpasses that of the Old Covenant, he is able to use this boldness, knowing that it has God’s sure stamp of approval. Paul’s confidence in the message he spoke was grounded in the very workings of God in redemptive history!

Today, Christians have Paul’s words, written and recorded in his epistles. They carry all of the same weight, glory, and power as what Paul spoke to the masses he met along his journeys. How can we not feel the same confidence as he? How can we not speak with the same boldness? If God be for us (and He is if we rightly proclaim His word), than who can be against us?

Life application: Who cares if your life is threatened for speaking out the truth of the gospel? If it be the gospel you speak, it is the very message that saved you and will continue to save you. Speak it!

Heavenly Father, the immense amount of moral perversion which is being exercised in the world today was anticipated by You. Your word told us this was coming. But Your gospel truth is more powerful to save us than the threats of those people are to harm us. In the end, the world can even take our lives, but our souls are safe with You. Come what may, I will proclaim Jesus Christ is Lord; His word is fixed, firm, and unchanging; and He is the only path to salvation for mankind. I stand on the truth of Jesus. Amen.

Monday, 6 July 2015

For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. 2 Corinthians 3:11

Again Paul shows the contrast between the Law of Moses and the New Covenant in Christ’s blood. Here he uses a term “is passing away” which is a present participle. Why, if the New Covenant has replaced the Old, has he termed it this way? One could argue that it was because the temple was still standing in Jerusalem until it was destroyed in AD70. However, Paul is writing doctrine for the church age – all of it. What he wrote then still applies now. So what does this mean?

The answer is that Israel has not yet received Jesus Christ as a collective whole. Daniel 9 shows that they have seven more years in the prophetic timeline to do so. These years are yet future and a temple will be rebuilt, sacrifices will be made, and the Old Covenant will be employed during those seven years. This does not mean it is acceptable for a relationship with God, but that it is a time which is preparing them for an acceptable relationship with Him through Jesus, exactly as Daniel prophesied. This is the same type of terminology which is found in Hebrews –

“In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 8:13

Based on the structure of the Bible, the letters after Paul’s epistles which begin with Hebrews are specifically directed to the Jews of the end times. This is why the terminology is used. God reaches out, one last time, to the Jews of the end times for reconciliation to Him. It is coming and may it be soon that they receive their Messiah!

Understanding this, Paul says that this which is “passing away” was glorious. It was received in glory and it bears the holy character of God. Jesus alone fulfilled it, demonstrating His glory. And He remains through it, having shed His blood in fulfillment of the passing glory and being resurrected to lead us to that which is “much more glorious.” We have an eternal glory before us in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. This glory is now bestowed upon all who receive Him.

Life application: Reinserting the law, which Christ has fulfilled, is to reject the work He accomplished for us. Let us stand firm on the truth that He is the fulfillment of the law and He is where our hope and trust must lie. Not in works, but in faith.

Heavenly Father, I will boast in Christ the Lord and in Him alone. No work on earth will get me one inch closer to You. Instead, He fulfilled the law which only brought condemnation, and He prevailed over that law. Now, through faith in His work, the law is nullified to me. I stand reconciled through the work of Another! Thank You God for Jesus Christ my Lord! Amen.