Can you please explain 2 Corinthians 3:12-13 about Moses and the vail?
Let’s begin by reading 2 Corinthians 3:6-8, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?”
The Apostle Paul shows how that he, and those who labored with him, had been empowered of the Lord to be ‘able ministers of the new testament’. He uses this term in contrast with ‘the letter’, or the Law, which he refers to as the ‘ministration of death, written and engraven in stones’. Still, the law was glorious; so much so that the children of Israel could not look upon Moses’s face after he had received the Ten Commandments from the Lord. We read in Exodus 34:29-30, “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE; and they were afraid to come nigh him.”
In comparing the New Testament with the Law, we read in verses 9 and 11, “For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, MUCH MORE DOTH THE MINISTRATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEED IN GLORY…For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.” The Law, or the ministration of condemnation was glorious, but it was fading and has been “done away”. How much greater and eternal is the glory of the New Testament, or the ministration of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 3:12-14 tells us, “Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.” As often as Moses spoke in public to the people, he put a vail on his face so that this fading glory of the Law could not be seen. But when he entered into the tabernacle to converse with the Lord, he removed this veil. We read about this in Exodus 34:33-35, “And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.”
Moses vailed his face to hide a ‘fading glory’. But Israel has been blinded. The people who boasted in the ministration of the law did not believe, and as a result their minds (and hearts) were blinded. The Apostle Paul uses the example of a ‘literal’ vail to teach us about a ‘spiritual’ vail that still covers the eyes and hearts of the unbelievers. He goes on to explain that in verses 15-16, “But even unto this day, when Moses (the Law) is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” What a glorious statement! When the heart turns to the Lord, the vail is removed. Then comes proper understanding of the Law. Salvation does not come from obeying the Law. We read in Galatians 3:24-25, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” The Law was given to show man his utter sinfulness and helplessness. It is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, the ONLY way of salvation. So we learn that the “vail is done away in Christ.” (320.6)