Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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2 Corinthians 3:15
What does 2 Corinthians 3:15 mean?
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2 Corinthians 3:15
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Even when the Law of Moses is read, a "veil" remains on people's hearts, preventing them from truly understanding or embracing it. This isn't about the words themselves, but an internal blindness that hinders the heart's ability to connect with God's truth.
Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Apostle Paul is contrasting the old covenant, represented by Moses' law, with the new covenant in Christ. He's been explaining how the glory of God that shone on Moses' face was veiled, a veil that remains even when the Old Testament is read today, preventing many from truly seeing Christ in the Scriptures. This leads into his powerful argument that through Christ, this veil is taken away, allowing believers to behold God's glory with unveiled faces.
Why would reading God's Law, as given through Moses, still be veiled for some today? Isn't God's Word supposed to be clear?
Paul is talking about a deep-seated spiritual blindness. Even when the words of Moses are read aloud – the very accounts of God's covenant, law, and promises – there's a veil that prevents full understanding and reception.
What the Veil Hides
This veil isn't about intellectual inability, but a heart that is resistant to seeing the truth of Christ in the Old Testament. It obscures the connection between the Law and its fulfillment in Jesus. Without Christ, the Law can seem like a burden or a set of impossible rules, rather than a pointer to the Savior.
A Veil Lifted by Christ
Paul later explains that this veil is removed in Christ. When people turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. The New Covenant in Jesus illuminates the Old Testament, revealing its true purpose and meaning.
When we read the Old Testament, are we just reading ancient history and laws, or is there more to it? Paul insists there's a deeper story.
Paul's argument hinges on the idea that the Old Testament, particularly the Law given through Moses, is incomplete without Christ. It served a vital purpose, but that purpose was to prepare the way and testify about Jesus.
The Law's Role
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The Law revealed God's perfect standard and humanity's utter inability to meet it. It exposed sin and created a need for a Savior. Without understanding this need, the Law remains a harsh judge.
Christ as the Fulfillment
When the 'veil' is lifted (as discussed in the previous concept), people begin to see how the sacrifices, prophecies, and even the structure of the Old Covenant find their ultimate meaning and completion in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. He is the key that unlocks the full message.
Understand the original words
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.
The veil over the hearts of those who read Moses, as Paul describes, points to a fundamental misunderstanding of the Law's purpose when it's separated from the fulfillment found in Christ. The Law was given, but its spirit and ultimate meaning were often missed, especially in the period leading up to and during the early church.
~1300 BC
Moses Receives the Law
Moses ascends Mount Sinai and receives the Ten Commandments and the Law from God, forming the covenant between God and Israel.
c. 1450 BC
The Exodus
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, a pivotal event recorded in the Torah.
c. 620 BC
Discovery of Deuteronomy
During repairs to the Temple, a scroll of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) is found, leading to religious reforms under King Josiah.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and destroy the Temple, leading to the exile of many Judeans. This event often intensified the focus on the Law as a symbol of identity.
c. 500 BC - 1st century AD— this verse
Widespread Reading of the Torah
The Pentateuch (Torah) becomes central to Jewish worship and identity, read regularly in synagogues and homes, especially after the return from exile.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus teaches and fulfills the Law, often critiquing its rigid interpretation by religious leaders. His death and resurrection offer a new covenant.
c. AD 50-60
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, preaching the Gospel of Christ and addressing the continued adherence to Mosaic Law among Jewish converts and its implications for Gentiles.
This passage describes Moses' face shining after meeting God, and how he would put a veil over his face so the people could bear to look; it's the origin of the 'veil' imagery.
Romans 11:25Paul speaks of a 'partial hardening' that has come over Israel until the full number of Gentiles has come in, directly paralleling the spiritual blindness mentioned in 2 Corinthians 3.
Isaiah 6:9-10This prophecy, also quoted by Jesus and Paul, foretells a people who will hear but not understand, and see but not perceive, which directly relates to the spiritual dullness and veiled hearts Paul addresses.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4Paul continues this thought, explaining that the gospel itself is veiled to those who are perishing, with the god of this age blinding their minds, reinforcing the idea of a spiritual barrier to understanding.
Even when the Law of Moses is read, a "veil" remains on people's hearts, preventing them from truly understanding or embracing it. This isn't about the words themselves, but an internal blindness that hinders the heart's ability to connect with God's truth.
The Apostle Paul is contrasting the old covenant, represented by Moses' law, with the new covenant in Christ. He's been explaining how the glory of God that shone on Moses' face was veiled, a veil that remains even when the Old Testament is read today, preventing many from truly seeing Christ in the Scriptures. This leads into his powerful argument that through Christ, this veil is taken away, allowing believers to behold God's glory with unveiled faces.
The Apostle Paul is contrasting the old covenant, represented by Moses' law, with the new covenant in Christ. He's been explaining how the glory of God that shone on Moses' face was veiled, a veil that remains even when the Old Testament is read today, preventing many from truly seeing Christ in the Scriptures. This leads into his powerful argument that through Christ, this veil is taken away, allowing believers to behold God's glory with unveiled faces.
"Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts." — Even when the Law of Moses is read, a "veil" remains on people's hearts, preventing them from truly understanding or embracing it. This isn't about the words themselves, but an internal blindness tha…
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Last reviewed October 2026