2 Corinthians 3:14

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. Parenthetical: of Christians in general. He resumes the ministry (2 Corinthians 4:1). Verse 14. MINDS, [ noeemata (G3540)] - 'mental perceptions;' 'understandings.' BLINDED - rather [ epooroothee (G4456)] 'hardened:' the opposite to 'looking stedfastly at the end' of the law (2 Corinthians 3:13). The veil on Moses' face (answering to the mere letter) is further typical of the veil that is on their hearts...

14._Their understandings were blinded. _He lays the whole blame upon them, inasmuch as it was owing to their _blindness, _that they did not make any proficiency in the doctrine of the law. He afterwards adds, _That veil remaineth even until this day. _By this he means, that that dulness of vision was not for a single hour merely, but prefigured what the condition of the nation would be in time to come. “That _veil _with which Moses covered his face, when publishing the law, was the emblem of a stupidity, that would come upon that people, and would continue upon them for a long period. Thus at this day, when the law is preached to them, in hearing they hear not, and in seeing they see not. (Matthew 13:13.) There is no reason, however, why we should be troubled, as though some new thing had happened.

12-18 It is the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness, or clearness, of speech. The Old Testament believers had only cloudy and passing glimpses of that glorious Saviour, and unbelievers looked no further than to the outward institution. But the great precepts of the gospel, believe, love, obey, are truths stated as clearly as possible. And the whole doctrine of Christ crucified, is made as plain as human language can make it. Those who lived under the law, had a veil upon their hearts. This veil is taken away by the doctrines of the Bible about Christ. When any person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance is taken away. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is happy, for the heart is set at liberty to run the ways of God's commandments. They have light, and with open face they behold the glory of the Lord. Christians should prize and imp...

Verse 14. _BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED_] By resting in the letter, shutting their eyes against the light that was granted to them, they contracted a _hardness_ or _stupidity_ of heart. And the veil that was on the face of Moses, which prevented the glory of his face from shining _out_, may be considered as emblematical of the veil of darkness and ignorance that is on their hearts, and which hinders the glory of the Gospel from shining _in_. _UNTIL THIS DAY REMAINETH THE SAME VEIL_] They are still ignorant of the spiritual meaning and intention of their own law, called here παλαια διαθηκη, _the old covenant_. See the word explained in the _preface_ to St. Matthew. _IN THE READING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT_] Here is an evident allusion to the conduct of the Jews in their synagogues: when they read the law they cover their whole head with a veil, which they term the טלית tallith, ve

BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED - The word used here (πωρόω pōroō) means rather to harden; to make hard like stone; and then to make dull or stupid. It is applied to the heart, in Mark 6:52; Mark 8:17; to persons, in Romans 11:7; and to the eyes, in Job 17:7. Paul refers here to the fact that the understandings of the Jews were stupid, dull, and insensible, so that they did not see clearly the design and end of their own institutions. He states simply the fact; he does not refer to the cause of it. The fact that the Jews were thus stupid and dull is often affirmed in the New Testa

EXPOSITION Defence against the charge of self-recommendation, which St. Paul does not need (2 Corinthians 3:1). His sufficiency comes from God (2 Corinthians 3:4), who has made him minister of a covenant far more glorious than that given to Hosea (verses 7-11). This ministry needs no veil upon the face (verses 12, 13), such as to this day darkens the hearts of the Jews (verses 14, 15), though it shall one day be removed (verses 16-18). 2 CORINTHIANS 3:1 _St. Paul's ministry is his sufficient letter of commendation. _ 2 Corinthians 3:1

BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED,.... This confirms the sense given of the foregoing verse, and shows, that not the Israelites only in Moses's time, but the Jews in the times of the Gospel, had their minds so blinded, that they could not behold the glory of the Gospel, nor Christ the end of the law; see Romans 11:7. FOR UNTIL THIS DAY, to this very time, REMAINETH THE SAME VEIL UNTAKEN AWAY; not the selfsame veil that was on Moses's face, but the veil of blindness, darkness, and ignorance, upon the hearts of the Jews: IN THE READING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT; the books of the Old Testament, which were used to be read in their synagogues every sabbath day; the true spiritual meaning of which, as they respect Christ and the Gospel dispensation, they understood not; of which darkness, the veil on the face of Moses was a type and emblem:...

VAIL Omit the word italicized "vail"....

4. THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW COVENANT IN CONTRAST WITH THE OLD. CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The Epistle of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:1)_ 2. The True Sufficiency. (2 Corinthians 3:4) 3. The Old and New Ministry Contrasted. (2 Corinthians 3:7) 4. The Glory in the Face of Moses and the Glory in the Face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:12 .) It was customary in the church to give letters of commendation (Acts 18:27; Rom

This opens the way for a comparison between the ministry under the one covenant and the ministry under the other. The former, even though its issue was historically failure, condemnation, and death, and while its inferiority was shown by its being engraved on tables of stone (though it was destined to pass away), was nevertheless promulgated in circumstances of dazzling splendour though even that was a splendour that was fading. How much greater must be the splendour belonging to the new covenant, and to its ministry, which has the Spirit in place of a written law, creates righteousness where the other wrought condemnation, and moreover is destined to abide. Even the real glory which attached to the former covenant is cancelled, at least to this extent, by the surpassing glory of the new one. For the glory of the new covenant neither passes away nor is it obscured by any veil, as the old...