2 Corinthians 3:14-15
But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse points out that the "hardening" isn't about a lack of access to the words, but a fundamental inability to grasp their true meaning. That "veil" isn't just on the Scripture, but on the hearts of those reading, blocking Christ's light from shining through the Old Testament's promises. It's a powerful reminder that understanding God’s Word isn’t just about reading; it’s about having our hearts opened by Jesus.
Paul is talking about the Israelites' difficulty in understanding the Old Testament when it's read without Christ as the key. He's contrasting the old covenant, which leads to condemnation for those who can't meet its demands, with the new covenant in Christ, which brings freedom and righteousness. This passage highlights that the "veil" of misunderstanding can only be removed by recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law.
Why did reading the Old Testament feel so different for some Jews in Paul's day? What kept them from seeing what we see?
The apostle Paul uses powerful imagery here to describe a spiritual blindness that affected many in his audience. When they read the Law and the Prophets (the 'old covenant'), a 'veil' remained over their minds.
A Hidden Meaning
This wasn't about a physical cloth, but a spiritual inability to grasp the fullness of what those Scriptures pointed toward. They saw the words, the commands, the history, but the deeper truth—the Messiah—was obscured.
More Than Just Words
It highlights that understanding God's Word isn't just an intellectual exercise. A spiritual element is at play, and without the right perspective, even sacred texts can remain shrouded in mystery.
Paul offers a solution to this spiritual blindness. What is it, and why is it exclusively found in Jesus?
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The crucial point of this verse is the liberating power of Jesus Christ. Paul emphatically states, 'only through Christ is it taken away.'
The Exclusive Solution
This isn't a 'pick and choose' situation. The veil that obscures the truth of the Old Testament, and indeed all of God's revelation, is removed solely through a relationship with Jesus.
A New Perspective
When someone turns to Christ, the Holy Spirit illuminates their understanding. The Law that once condemned now reveals our need for a Savior. The prophecies that were cryptic become clear portraits of Jesus. Christ is the interpretive key that unlocks the true meaning of Scripture and God's plan for humanity.
Understand the original words
pōroō · Greek Verb
To make dull, obtuse, or insensitive. It refers to a state of spiritual stubbornness or the inability to perceive and respond to divine truth.
diathēkē · Greek Noun
The formal agreement or relationship established by God with His people, specifically referring here to the Mosaic law and the Sinai covenant.
Christos · Greek Noun
The Anointed One, the Messiah. He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises and the sole mediator through whom spiritual blindness is removed and access to God is granted.
kardia · Greek Noun
The center of human personality, encompassing the intellect, will, and emotions. In this context, it refers to the seat of spiritual understanding and the primary place where one accepts or rejects God's truth.
Paul's metaphor of a veil on the hearts of Jewish people reading the Old Testament speaks to the deep theological and cultural chasm that had opened between early Christianity and Judaism.
c. 135 AD
Bar Kokhba Revolt Crushed
The Roman Empire brutally suppresses the Bar Kokhba revolt, leading to a widespread dispersal of Jewish people and a hardening of Roman-Christian relations.
c. 150-200 AD
Early Christian Writings on Judaism
Prominent Christian theologians like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus write extensively, often polemically, against Jewish interpretations of Scripture, solidifying a growing divide.
c. 250-300 AD
Rise of Marcionite and Gnostic Influences
Though eventually deemed heretical, movements like Marcionism, which rejected the Old Testament God, and Gnosticism, with its secret knowledge, influenced some Christian thought and contributed to debates about the Law and the Prophets.
c. 400 AD
Jerome Completes the Latin Vulgate
Jerome's translation of the Bible into Latin standardizes biblical texts for Western Christianity, often solidifying existing interpretations and divisions in understanding the Old Testament.
c. 400-430 AD— this verse
Augustine's Writings on the New Covenant
Augustine of Hippo profoundly shapes Christian theology, emphasizing the fulfillment of the Old Covenant in Christ and the spiritual understanding available through faith.
c. 500-600 AD
Codification of Jewish Oral Law
The Babylonian Talmud is compiled, preserving and systematizing Jewish legal traditions and interpretations that developed after the Temple's destruction and continued to shape Jewish identity.
This passage describes Moses' face shining after meeting God, but the people were afraid to approach him, highlighting a veil of fear and misunderstanding that separated them from God's presence even through Moses.
Isaiah 6:10This prophetic word speaks of a hardening of hearts and dulling of ears, a spiritual blindness that prevents people from understanding and turning to God, directly foreshadowing the spiritual condition Paul addresses.
John 12:40Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:10, explaining that despite his miracles, many still refused to believe and be healed, because their hearts were hardened and their eyes closed, showing the persistent spiritual resistance to God's truth.
Romans 11:7-8Paul echoes Old Testament passages to explain how Israel, in their pursuit of righteousness through the Law, missed Christ, and how a spiritual blindness has been permitted to cover them, mirroring the veil mentioned in 2 Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4This passage directly follows, explaining that the gospel itself is veiled to those who are perishing, and Satan, the god of this world, blinds the minds of unbelievers, further elaborating on the spiritual forces at play behind the hardened minds.
The verse points out that the "hardening" isn't about a lack of access to the words, but a fundamental inability to grasp their true meaning. That "veil" isn't just on the Scripture, but on the hearts of those reading, blocking Christ's light from shining through the Old Testament's promises. It's a powerful reminder that understanding God’s Word isn’t just about reading; it’s about having our hearts opened by Jesus.
Paul is talking about the Israelites' difficulty in understanding the Old Testament when it's read without Christ as the key. He's contrasting the old covenant, which leads to condemnation for those who can't meet its demands, with the new covenant in Christ, which brings freedom and righteousness. This passage highlights that the "veil" of misunderstanding can only be removed by recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law.
Paul is talking about the Israelites' difficulty in understanding the Old Testament when it's read without Christ as the key. He's contrasting the old covenant, which leads to condemnation for those who can't meet its demands, with the new covenant in Christ, which brings freedom and righteousness. This passage highlights that the "veil" of misunderstanding can only be removed by recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law.
"But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts." — The verse points out that the "hardening" isn't about a lack of access to the words, but a fundamental inability to grasp their true meaning. That "veil" isn't just on the Scripture, but on the hea…
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