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In 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:4, Paul equates the veiling of the face with hardness of heart and blind eyes of those who are perishing in slavery and shame under the law. The unveiled face otoh is free to proclaim the gospel, behold the glory of God and be transformed by the Spirit in mercy and righteousness.

Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


Do you consider this passage contains teaching regarding the use of face coverings by Christians today?
 

Gregorikos

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Do you consider this passage contains teaching regarding the use of face coverings by Christians today?

I don't. I think the veil Moses was wearing was a barrier to God's glory. That barrier is now taken away, and is more akin to the veil in the temple that covered the Holy of Holies. (Luke 23:45)

Paul speaks positively of women wearing veils in the assembly when praying or prophesying. (1 Corinthians 11:5)
 
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Radagast

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Paul speaks positively of women wearing veils in the assembly when praying or prophesying. (1 Corinthians 11:5)

But those are veils over the hair, of course, not over the face.
 
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I don't. I think the veil Moses was wearing was a barrier to God's glory. That barrier is now taken away, and is more akin to the veil in the temple that covered the Holy of Holies. (Luke 23:45)

So is there great symbolic power in the removal of the veil (to receive God's glory)?

And isn't that supported by Christ's revelation that the believer's body is the temple?
 
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Gregorikos

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So is there great symbolic power in the removal of the veil (to receive God's glory)?

And isn't that supported by Christ's revelation that the believer's body is the temple?

Yes, but in this cultural situation going out in public unveiled was an open sexual invitation to men. It may have been just a hair covering, or it may have been more.

Dr. Cynthia Westfall has done some really bombshell research on this topic as featured in the book, Paul and Gender. You can get a good explanation of that in this video starting at about 1:20:05-

 
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Hank77

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Yes, but in this cultural situation going out in public unveiled was an open sexual invitation to men. It may have been just a hair covering, or it may have been more.
But this scripture isn't talking about just women, so it can't have anything to do with that.
 
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Yes, but in this cultural situation going out in public unveiled was an open sexual invitation to men. It may have been just a hair covering, or it may have been more.

Don't think that's relevant, if even correct.

Paul's referring to the longstanding Jewish tradition from Moses to cover the face, but that practice is in Christ shown to be obsolete at best, slavish and ungodly at worst.

For freedom in Christ means the freedom to tear down any barriers to seeing the truth and proclaiming the gospel, both physical and spiritual. No?
 
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Hank77

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Do you consider this passage contains teaching regarding the use of face coverings by Christians today?
No, it was only Moses who needed to cover the radiance of his face after talking with God when receiving the law at Mt Sinai.
Exodus 34 - NASV
29It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. 30So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, 35the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.
 
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Hank77

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Paul's referring to the longstanding Jewish tradition from Moses to cover the face, but that practice is in Christ shown to be obsolete at best, slavish and ungodly at worst.
I've studied Jewish traditions and listened to Jewish rabbis, etc. and have never heard of any tradition about covering the face. If there were such a law or tradition, the Orthodox Jews would be doing that today and they don't. Orthodox women continue to cover their hair with cloth coverings of different sorts and many with wigs, but never face coverings.
 
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No, it was only Moses who needed to cover the radiance of his face after talking with God when receiving the law at Mt Sinai.
Exodus 34 - NASV
29It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. 30So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. 32Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, 35the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

That's correct, Paul tells us in the passage in the OP that:

But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.

I'd read a commentary somewhere that this practice was used by rabbis in certain synagogue worship, but that's unverified, so I'll withdraw it.

Still, the veil here is used by Paul with reference to Exodus as a symbolic obstacle to seeing and hearing the glory of God, and therefore a symbol of death/ perishing at the hands of the devil, is it not?
 
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Hank77

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Still, the veil here is used by Paul with reference to Exodus as a symbolic obstacle to seeing and hearing the glory of God, and therefore a symbol of death/ perishing at the hands of the devil, is it not?
I agree.
 
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In 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:4, Paul equates the veiling of the face with hardness of heart and blind eyes of those who are perishing in slavery and shame under the law. The unveiled face otoh is free to proclaim the gospel, behold the glory of God and be transformed by the Spirit in mercy and righteousness.

Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


Do you consider this passage contains teaching regarding the use of face coverings by Christians today?

Absolutely not!! I suggest that you study Scripture fairly and objectively instead of extracting ancient words to distort a modern situation.
 
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Gregorikos

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I've studied Jewish traditions and listened to Jewish rabbis, etc. and have never heard of any tradition about covering the face.

Why would Jewish traditions be the cultural norm in Corinth?
 
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In 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:4, Paul equates the veiling of the face with hardness of heart and blind eyes of those who are perishing in slavery and shame under the law. The unveiled face otoh is free to proclaim the gospel, behold the glory of God and be transformed by the Spirit in mercy and righteousness.

Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.


Do you consider this passage contains teaching regarding the use of face coverings by Christians today?
Why would God prohibit or condemn something that can save lives?
 
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We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at the end of what was fading away

Moses wore the veil to protect the people from the glory of God, for which they were ill prepared. There you go. Wear your mask to protect others from that which they are ill prepared. Be like Moses, wear your mask.
 
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Moses wore the veil to protect the people from the glory of God, for which they were ill prepared. There you go. Wear your mask to protect others from that which they are ill prepared. Be like Moses, wear your mask.

And don't proclaim the gospel for the same reason? For by that logic any hard-hearted and blind sinner needs to be shielded from the light of God.
 
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