According to 2 Corinthians 3:14, how is the veil not removed when the old covenant is read?

In 2 Corinthians 3:14, the apostle Paul delves into a profound and evocative metaphor, drawing on the imagery of a veil that obscures understanding and perception. This passage offers a compelling insight into the transformative power of the new covenant and the removal of the veil that hinders spiritual insight and illumination.

The verse in question states, "But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away." This verse encapsulates the essence of Paul's message regarding the contrasting dynamics of the old and new covenants and the transformative impact of Christ's redemptive work.

The metaphor of the veil serves as a potent symbol of spiritual blindness and the impediment to perceiving the fullness of God's truth and grace. Paul alludes to the veil that shrouded the face of Moses as he descended from Mount Sinai, signifying the veiled nature of the old covenant and the limited revelation of God's glory under the Mosaic law. This imagery conveys the notion that the old covenant, while serving as a preparatory and provisional framework, veiled the complete and unmediated revelation of God's redemptive plan and the fullness of His grace.

Paul's assertion that "the same veil remains when the old covenant is read" underscores the enduring impact of the old covenant in obscuring spiritual insight and understanding. This highlights the inherent limitations of the old covenant in facilitating a direct and unobstructed encounter with the transformative power of God's redemptive love and grace. The veiled nature of the old covenant speaks to the inadequacy of legalistic and ritualistic observances to remove the spiritual impediments that hindered a profound and intimate communion with God.

However, Paul's message does not end with the acknowledgment of the veiled nature of the old covenant. He goes on to proclaim the transformative power of Christ in removing the veil and ushering in a new and unobstructed access to the redemptive truths of God. By asserting that "only in Christ is it taken away," Paul emphasizes the centrality of Christ's atoning work and the revelation of God's grace in dispelling the spiritual blindness and veiled understanding perpetuated by the old covenant.

The removal of the veil, according to Paul, is intrinsically tied to the redemptive work of Christ, who serves as the ultimate mediator and revealer of God's grace and truth. Through his sacrificial death and resurrection, Christ inaugurates a new covenant that transcends the limitations and veiled nature of the old covenant, offering believers a direct and unobstructed encounter with the transformative power of God's love and mercy.