"We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18 Recently my friends and I were discussing this scripture. Each one of us expressing its impact on our lives and our varying perspectives on it. Our conversation inspired and challenged me to dig a little deeper.
The veil in this scripture is not an actual veil - Paul is speaking figuratively. What he is referring to is the mind of the unbelieving Jew who lives with impaired vision and understanding. They are hard, unreceptive, stonelike. There is a resistance to the truth of Yeshua. In the time of Moses the presence of God was hidden behind a veil. And the unbelieving Jew still lives behind that veil.
The writer of the Jewish New Testament Commentary cites the use of "Adonai" in this text - which is not in this text, but what he believes to be Paul's sense - means "Spirit". He goes on to write:
Where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom to function within the framework of Torah without being enslaved by it. And thus all of us, not just Paul and his co-workers, but all believers, with faces unveiled, with open hearts, not stonelike but sincere and unclouded, see as in a mirror the glory of Adonai, and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit. This is how the Spirit "gives life".
This excites me. When Jesus Christ came, so did the fulfillment of the law. Where once we had to enter into the presence of God hidden behind a veil, we can now enter his presence with unveiled faces. When Christ died the veil in the Temple was torn in two. The significance of that amazes me. There are no barriers to entering the presence of God. And it is the Holy Spirit that brings this revelation. It is the Spirit that removes the veil from our faces and brings clarity and understanding.
I was driving to meet some friends for dinner this past week and happened to look over at the car next to me as we stood still at a red light. The woman driving the car was a Muslim. Her face was almost completely hidden behind her head covering. In fact, her veil was so prominent that I couldn't even make out the shape of her profile. Every part of her face, except for the eyes, was covered. I thought of this scripture. I thought of how many of us walk around blind and covered up to the truth of Jesus Christ. We are driving through life, believing in the restrictions and distortions of false hope and religion, our hearts hardened to the truth. We have yet to see clearly.
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12
Even as the veil drops, we have yet to see fully the magnificence of God. On earth we can only comprehend so much...we can only see in part, but one day we will see everything. "But when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." (vs. 10) What we have now is an imperfect awareness of God's glory, but when Christ returns the imperfection will disappear, and perfection will be fully known.
I wish I could have encouraged the woman in the car next to me that she doesn't need a veil to enter into God's presence. The veil was removed when Christ died for her sins. But I didn't get the opportunity to share this with her. The light eventually turned green, and we drove our separate ways.
I hope and pray that you will see clearly, that if you have been wearing a veil out of fear or stubborn rebellion you would allow the Holy Spirit to soften your heart to the truth. You don't have to live bound up behind a veil. You can have freedom. You can have life. You can know Jesus. You can remove your veil.