2 Corinthians 3
Psalm 69
11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
2 Corinthians 3:11
An old story tells of a little boy who saves his money so he can buy a ticket to go to the circus when it comes to town. He proudly clenches his ticket tightly in his hand and watches with glee as performers in the circus parade by on the street as they march into town. When the parade ends, the boy thanks the ringmaster and heads home, oblivious to the fact that the show hadn’t even begun.
Perhaps the Corinthian Jewish believers were tempted to do the same. The old covenant was more familiar ground, and this territory of the new covenant perhaps seemed like too good of a deal. False prophets had been luring them back to the old covenant of the law, but that covenant brought death, and not life. They had heard the stories of the glory of God on Moses’ face being too overwhelming to look at directly, so he wore a veil until it faded. Having seen that glory, they may have been happy to settle for what was familiar.
But settling for the old covenant and its fading glory would be like seeing the circus parade, but missing the full ‘glory’ of the show itself. Paul reminds these believers that when they turned to the Lord through the work of the Holy Spirit, the veil was taken away. Now the best is to come, as Paul urges the Corinthian believers, and us, to reflect Christ’s glory, being transformed into His likeness.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for removing the veil so that we have access to You through faith in Christ. Help us to enjoy the freedom of living in the Spirit, and to not revert to following the law that condemns us. Amen.