“With Unveiled Face”

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

     Someone told me that 2 Cor 3:14-17 does away with the seventh day Sabbath.  They told me that the veil is the Sabbath which was done away with.  What is the real meaning of the text?

Sincerely,
Not Buying It

Dear Not Buying It,

2 Cor 3 does teach that the Old Law (which would include keeping the Sabbath) is done away with, but the veil doesn’t represent the Sabbath.  The key verse for understanding that the Sabbath is done away with is 2 Cor 3:7 which clarifies that all of the Old Law (even the commands engraved on the stones Moses brought down from God) are no longer applicable.  The veil that 2 Cor 3:14-17 refers to is the veil that Moses wore over his face after speaking with God, so the Israelites wouldn’t see the shining of his face fade.  Ex 34:33-35 tells us that when Moses came out after speaking to God, his face shone.  Moses would cover his face, so the Israelites weren’t discouraged by the fading of that shine.

That veil that Moses wore is a picture of the Old Testament law.  The Old Testament law was holy, righteous, and good (Rom 7:12), but it was never intended to last forever.  The Old Law was a tutor to lead people to Christ, but now that Christ is here, the Old Law has faded and been replaced by Christ’s New Law (Gal 3:23-25).

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