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, х noeemata (G3540)] - 'mental perceptions;' 'understandings.'
Blinded - rather х 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 through bondage to that letter without the spirit.
Away ... which veil - rather, 'the same veil ... remaineth untaken away' [literally, not unveiled: kalumma (G2571) mee (G3361) anakaluptomenon (G343)], so that they do not see THAT х hoti (G3754) Vulgate; not ho (G3739) ti (G5100) 'which veil'] it ("THE OLD TESTAMENT," or covenant of legal ordinances) is done away (2 Corinthians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 3:11; 2 Corinthians 3:13) in Christ: or, as Bengel, 'because it is done away in Christ' - i:e., it is not done away except in Christ: the veil therefore remains untaken away from them, BECAUSE they will not come to Christ, who does away with the law as a mere letter. If they once saw that the law is done away in Him, the veil would be no longer on their hearts in reading it publicly in their synagogues х anagnoosei (G320)]: so "read," Acts 15:21,
Verse 15. The veil is - rather, 'a veil lieth upon their heart' (their understanding, affected by the corrupt will (John 8:43; 1 Corinthians 2:14). Compare as to the Tallith, note, 1 Corinthians 11:4. The veil that lies upon the Old Testament (2 Corinthians 3:13) really lies upon their own heart: it is their own fault.
Verse 16. Moses took off the veil on going in before the Lord. So as to the Israelites whom Moses represents, 'whensoever their heart (it) turns (not as the English version, 'shall turn') to the Lord, the veil is by the very fact (not as the English version, 'shall be') taken away' х periaireitai (G4014)]. Exodus 34:34 is the allusion. Whenever the Israelites turn to the Lord, who is the Spirit of the law, the veil (like Moses' veil) is taken off their heart in the presence of the Lord: no longer resting on the dead letter, the veil, they by the spirit commune with God and with Christ, the inner spirit of the Mosaic covenant (answering to the glory of Moses' face unveiled in God's presence). The veil that prevented their seeing that the dead letter of the law is "done away" by its fulfillment in Christ, is itself "taken away."
Verse 17. The Lord - Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 4:5).
Is that Spirit - is THE Spirit; namely, that Spirit spoken of in 2 Corinthians 3:6, and here resumed after the parenthesis (2 Corinthians 3:7-16: Christ is the spirit and "end" of the Old Testament, who giveth life to it, whereas "the letter killeth" (1 Corinthians 15:45; Revelation 19:10, end). The spirit in the Word and the Spirit of the Lord are related as effect and cause. The glory behind the veil is the spirit; the veil is the letter. The Word is a dead letter until Christ's Spirit breathes life into it. The ministry of the spirit includes the law in all its essence.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is - in a man's "heart" (2 Corinthians 3:15; Romans 8:9-10).
There is liberty (John 8:36) - "there," and there only. No longer slaves to the letter, which they were while the veil was on their heart, they are free to serve God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:3); they have no longer the spirit of bondage, but of sonship (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:7). "Liberty" is opposed to the dead law-letter and to the veil, the badge of slavery; also to the fear which the Israelites felt in beholding Moses' glory unveiled (Exodus 34:30; 1 John 4:18). "The Spirit," which "the Lord" bestows, is prominent in the New Testament; the letter in the Old Testament. The Christian is made "one spirit" with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17).
Verse 18. But we all - Christians, contrasted with the Jews, who have a veil on their hearts answering to Moses' veil on his face. He does not resume ministers until 2 Corinthians 4:1.
With open face. Translate, 'with unveiled face' (the veil being removed at conversion), as Moses, unveiled before the Lord, reflected His glory; and as the Old Testament, when the veil is taken off, in its Spirit, beneath the letter, reflects plainly the glory of Christ: contrasted with "hid" (2 Corinthians 4:3).
Beholding - `reflecting' х katoptrizomenoi (G2734)] (Billroth).
As in a glass - a mirror, namely, the Gospel, which reflects the glory of God and Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 13:12; James 1:23; James 1:25).
Are changed (transfigured: the same word as in Matthew 17:2)
Into the same image - that of Christ's glory, spiritually now (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:3); an earnest of the bodily change hereafter (Philippians 3:21). However many they be, believers "all" reflect the same image, Christ, more or less-a proof of Christianity.
From glory to glory - from one degree to another. As Moses' face caught a reflection of God's glory from being in His presence, so believers are changed into His image by beholding Him.
Even as ... - just such a transformation "as" was to be expected, or as proceeds from, 'the Lord the Spirit' х apo (G575) kuriou (G2962) pneumatos (G4151)] (Alford, 5: 17). But the Vulgate supports "the Spirit of the Lord;" the Spirit glorifies Christ, and also Christians, by receiving of Christ's and showing it unto them (John 16:14: cf. as to hereafter, Psalms 17:15; Romans 8:11; Revelation 22:4).