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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

2 Corinthians 3:14-15

2 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 2 Corinthians 3:14 Despite Paul’s ministry, Israel’s minds, which were hardened in Moses’ day (Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3, Exodus 33:5; Exodus 34:9), remained so to this day. See also Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10. This is seen by the fact that that same veil remains unlifted in Paul’s day whenever Moses is read. Here Paul uses Moses’ veil as a symbol for the people’s hardened condition. This hardness kept most Jews in Paul’s day from recognizing that the law of Moses itself points to Jesus as the Messiah.

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See also 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    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 t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 Con...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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, a...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    It is because we possess such a hope that we speak with such freedom. We do not draw a veil over things, as Moses did over his face so that the children of Israel should not gaze at the end of the glo...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    EACH MAN A LETTER OF CHRIST (2 Corinthians 3:1-3)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MINDS. thoughts. Greek. _noema._ See 2 Corinthians 2:11. BLINDED. hardened. Greek. _poroo._ Sea Romans 11:7; Romans 11:26 _(poroeis)._ THIS DAY. to-day. Greek. _semeron._...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _But their minds were blinded_ They neither obeyed the Law when it was given, nor would cease to obey it when it was superseded. The word rendered _blinded_properly signifies hardened, and is so trans...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Ministration of the Spirit superior to that of the Law 7. _But if the ministration of death_ He does not say -which causeth," but -the ministration of death," for that which _caused_death was sin...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    12–18. This overwhelming superiority of the Gospel inspires its ministers with great boldness. An Apostle has no need to veil the glory which he has received, for there is no fear of its being seen to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἈΛΛᾺ ἘΠΩΡΏΘΗ ΤᾺ ΝΟΉΜΑΤΑ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν. _But their minds were blinded_. This suits those whose power of perception is covered with a veil, whose ‘minds the god of this world has blinded’ (2 Corinthians 4:4)....

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE VEIL IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST 2 CORINTHIANS 3:12-15:_ The hope of the perpetual nature of the New Testament gave Paul the courage to speak freely or with boldness. Just as the veil covered Moses' f...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΠΩΡΏΘΗ _aor. ind. pass. от_ ΠΩΡΌΩ (G4455) ужесточать, делать нечувствительным, покрывать грубой кожей, превращать в камень (RWP). ΝΌΗΜΑ (G3540) ум. Здесь слово означает: "способность к мышлению" (Pl...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    UNTAKEN AWAY—WHICH VAIL IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST.— _Not discovered that in Christ it is done away._ Castalio. _Not uncovered, because in Christ_ [_only_] _it is done away._ Piscator, Bengelius, and Heyl...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTARY SECTION 3 It Divests People of Freedom (2 Corinthians 3:12-17) 12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelit...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _Hardened Minds Scripture_ 2 Corinthians 3:14-15. But their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    6 The covenant of the letter is the law of Moses which was engraven in stone, to symbolize its unyielding sternness. There is no reference to the letter of Scripture. It is the law that kills, just as...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    3:14 darkened, (b-6) As 'hardened,' Mark 3:5 ; 'blinded,' Romans 11:7 . annulled. (c-25) I have no doubt that the text is right, and that Moses covered his face _ while_ he talked to the people, and...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BLINDED] RV 'hardened.' THE SAME VAIL] Note the quick transition from history to allegory. The veil with which Moses covered his face to keep the Israelites from seeing the glory fading is typical of...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter is closely connected with what goes before, and carries on the vindication of the Apostle's conduct....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARAPHRASE. 'Since our hopes of the future of the gospel are so great, we speak frankly and boldly. (13) We do not seek to conceal anything as Moses concealed his face with a veil lest the people shou...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD SHOWS HIS POWER WHEN WE ARE WEAK 2 CORINTHIANS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 3 V1 But we are not trying to recommend ourselves. And we do not need letters to recommend us, like some people. V2 You a...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED. — The Greek verb expresses strictly the callousness of a nerve that has become insensible, as in Mark 6:52; Mark 8:17; Romans 11:7. Here, as applied to the faculties of p...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 10 THE TRANSFIGURING SPIRIT 2 Corinthians 3:12 (R.V) THE "hope" which here explains the Apostle's freedom of speech is to all intents and purposes the same as the "confidence" in 2 Corinthia...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἀλλʼ ἐπωρώθη τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν : _but their minds were blinded, sc._, in reference to what they saw (_cf._ Romans 11:25); they took the brightness for an abiding glory (_cf._ Deuteronomy 29:4). πῶρος,...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    THE MINISTRY OF THE NEW COVENANT IS (_b_) OPEN, NOT VEILED, AS WAS THAT OF THE OLD. The illustration from the O.T. which is used in these verses has been obscured for English readers by the faulty ren...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE VEIL UPON THE HEART 2 Corinthians 3:7 By a quick turn of thought, Paul passes from the idea of the fleshly tablets of the heart, where God writes His new name, to the Law graven on the ancient ta...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The apostle declared that the Church is the supreme credential of the power of the ministry. The Corinthian Christians are "known and read of all men." This, however, was not the deepest truth. They w...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    SEEING CHRIST'S GLORY WITH THE VEIL REMOVED Just as Moses used a veil to cover the glory shining on his face (Exodus 34:33), so he used types and shadows to cover the glory of the Lord. Christians can...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _But the senses and minds of the Jews have been dulled, hardened, and blinded, so that to this day we may say the veil remains over their eyes and minds, and hearts; that is, the greatest part of them...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; whic...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES_ ‘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.’ 2 Corinthia...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    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 afterwar...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    These words give rise to an exposition of the gospel in contrast with the law, which the false teachers mixed up with the gospel. He gives this exposition with the most touching appeal to the heart of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 mind...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 14. _But their minds_] Unless God...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Seeing then_ Upon these grounds spoken of from 2 Corinthians 3:5; _that we have such hope_ Such confidence of the excellence of our ministry, or such an assurance that the gospel excels the law in it...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED; not only did God place a veil on the dispensation, but there was a veil on their minds also-that of unbelief and hardness of heart. In this natural and easy way does the...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The effect of the two ministries:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED; FOR UNTIL THIS DAY REMAINETH THE SAME VEIL UNTAKEN AWAY IN THE READING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT; WHICH VEIL IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Did the Corinthians assume that Paul was merely commending himself or defending himself in penning the last verse of chapter 2? It was not so; but necessity demanded that they should recognize that he...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 unb...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Here the apostle expoundeth what he meant before by the mystical veil, viz. the blinding of the eyes of the Jews; of which we read often in the New Testament, Matthew 13:14 Mark 4:12 Luke 8:10...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Shepherd of Hermas Commandment Twelfth but their hearts hardened,[12] Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book IV So far the apostle respecting knowledge; and in the second Epistle to the Corinthians he...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Corinthians 3:14 But G235 their G846 minds G3540 blinded G4456 (G5681) For G1063 until G891 day G4594 sam

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO COVENANTS (2 CORINTHIANS 3:12) ‘Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, and are not as Moses, who put a veil on hi...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    2 Corinthians 3:14. BUT THEIR MINDS (_Gr._ ‘thoughts') WERE HARDENED they were of blunted spiritual perception, FOR (_i.e._ in proof of this) UNTIL THIS VERY DAY AT THE READING OF THE OLD COVENANT (th...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    BUT THEIR MINDS WERE HARDENED (αλλα επωρωθη τα νοηματα αυτων). Their thoughts (νοηματα) literally. Πωροω (first aorist passive indicative here) is late verb from πωρος, hard skin, to cover with thi...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

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

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Corinthians 3:12 Mirrors of Christ. I. Note first what St. Paul means when he speaks of why Moses put the veil upon his face. You think it was because it was too bright that he did so. Not at all....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The ministry of Christ accredited. Its spiritual and glorious character. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Paul, Moses. CONCLUSION: True ministers are Christ's instruments, for He is th...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Corinthians 3:1. _Do we begin again to commend ourselves?_ A happy mode of recovery, as though he had slidden unawares into self-applause, when contrasting his ministry with that of false teachers....

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    WERE CLOSED. Stephen used the same reasoning (Acts 7:51-53). The reason for the Jewish leaders rejecting Christ was that they did not understand the intent and purpose of The Law from the earliest tim...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech _ THE DUTY OF OUTSPOKENNESS ON RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS True religion is very simple and very deep. A s simple as this statement, “Go...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER III. SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. Paul asserts that he does not seek or need the praise of men, as the Judaising false apostles sought it: the fruit of his preaching is, he says, sufficient co...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _But their minds were blinded._ They were blinded by the brightness of the face of Moses, and, allegorically, blinded by the Gospel light. As this clause is the antithesis to the preceding both meanin...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ N.B. A _continuous outpour_ of argument and appeal, all “alive,” and quivering, thrilling, with quick emotion, _from_ 2 Corinthians 2:17 _to_ 2 Corinthians 6:10. 2

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 coven...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn tonight to the third chapter of II Corinthians. Paul the apostle, it seemed, had the detractors to his ministry, men that followed him around seeking to discredit him. There are always t...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Corinthians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Acts 16:14;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Minds [ν ο η μ α τ α]. Originally, things which proceed out of the mind. Compare hearts and minds, Philippians 4:7, and devices, 2 Corinthians 2:11. Hence, derivatively, the minds themselves. The word...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The same veil remaineth on their understanding unremoved — Not so much as folded back, (so the word implies,) so as to admit a little, glimmering light. On the public reading of the Old Testament — Th...

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