The passage
      In 3:1-6 Paul contrasted the ministry of the old and new covenants. He now expands this idea by expounding Exodus 34:28-35. This is done in the form of a synagogue "midrash" or interpretative sermon, typical of the first century. The story concerns Moses and the giving of the law. When Moses came down from the mountain with the ten commandments, after his meeting with God, his face still radiated. Because of the fear of the people, Moses covered his face when speaking with them and only uncovered it again when speaking with the Lord.
      v7. Paul begins his argument by establishing the superiority of the ministry of the gospel over the ministry of the law.
      v8. If then the ministry of the Law, a ministry which brings death, comes with glory, will not the ministry of the Spirit (exercised by Paul and his apostolic team), a ministry which brings life, come with greater glory?
      v9. Contrasting the two kinds of ministry, Paul further develops the point that the glory of the ministry of "righteousness" will outshine the glory of the ministry of "condemnation". The ministry of "condemnation" concerns the administration of the Law, along with its condemning curse. The ministry of "righteousness" concerns the administration of the Spirit (in practical terms, "the gospel") which justifies - ie. makes right with God (enlivens, gives life).
      v10. The glory of the old covenant, of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, does not compare with the new covenant, of the revelation of God in the gospel.
      v11. Finally, Paul points out that the ministry of the Law (the old covenant) is a passing thing, whereas the ministry of the Spirit (the new covenant) will continue. Thus, the glory of the new supersedes the old.
      v12. Having established the superiority of the ministry of the gospel, Paul now identifies the different approaches between the two ministries. On the basis of the superiority of gospel ministry, Paul and his apostolic team can be "very bold" in their ministry - they can go for it.
      v13. Paul notes that this was not the case with Moses who had to veil his face. Paul is making the point that he and his team can preach and teach with open and complete frankness. They have a brilliantly clear revelation from God. For this reason, they can be bold. He goes on to develop the idea of the revelational clarity of his gospel ministry.
      v14. Moses veiled himself in order to allow Israel to accept the truth of the covenant. The synagogue practice of veiling the Torah and wearing a cover over the head, continues the image of the veiling (hiding) of truth to the present day. In fact, what Paul is actually saying is that the veil is over the heart.
      v15. For those in the synagogue, listening to the reading of the scriptures, truth is hidden from them.
      v16. Yet, the veil can be taken away. God reveals the truth of the gospel to those who "seek", "ask", "knock", "turn", (reach out to Jesus).
      v17. In the ministry of Paul and his apostolic crew, the veil-lifting role is performed by the Spirit. So, Paul's ministry is marked by freedom of expression and action; he is "bold".
      v18. Having given the grounds for his boldness in ministry, Paul states how his words apply to all believers. All those who have turned to Christ have had the veil of unbelief lifted from them and through the enlightening ministry of the Holy Spirit, now see God face to face.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom
      Paul in his "apologia" explains how his gospel ministry is superior to that of the ministry of the Law - of the old covenant, 3:7-11. The old brings death, the new brings life. This gives him a boldness in ministry, v12, which expresses itself in complete frankness, v13, the transforming power of conversion, v14-16, and freedom of operation, v17. This is inevitably the experience of all believers who, through the indwelling Spirit, grow daily into the likeness of Christ, v18.
      This passage indirectly tells us something of the wonder of the Holy Scriptures.
        i] Our reading or hearing of the New Testament exposes us to a glory which exceeds the glory that once radiated Moses' face.
        ii] The New Testament, through the power of the Spirit, has the capacity to:
          Expose undiluted truth;
          Enliven the unbeliever;
          Free us from the bondage of legalism;
          Transform us into the likeness of Christ.
      Next Sunday, when we hear the gospel read in church, consider for a moment the wonder of the event. What we are witnessing is something more wondrous than when Moses stood with shining face before the people of Israel.

v8
      mallon "much more" - more, rather. The Spirit-empowered gospel of Christ, faithfully proclaimed, heard and accepted, gains for the believer right-standing before God; it gains for us life. As such, it is "a much more glorious thing", Phillips.

v9
      ei "if" - Introducing a conditional sentence, 1st class.
      thV katakrisewV (iV ewV) gen. "that condemns" - [ministry] of condemnation. The genitive is descriptive, or probably better, epexegetic, as NIV. The ministry of the law, carrying as it did the curse for disobedience, enacted condemnation, but the ministry of the gospel ......... "If the dispensation which ends in man's condemnation by God had its splendour, how much more ......", Barclay.
      thV dikaiosunhV (h) "righteousness" - righteousness, justice. The ministry of the gospel brings right-standing in the presence of God, ie. "righteousness" here is used in the sense of "justification", "a verdict of acquittal in the divine judgement", Thrall / Barrett.

v13
      kalumma (a) "veil" - covering. Paul makes the point that the covering was used so that the Israelites might not see the fading glory of the old covenant and be discouraged. This is an interesting interpretation, especially as the Old Testament states that Moses veiled his face out of consideration for Israel's fear.

v14
      epwrwqh (pwrow) aor. pas. "were made dull" - were hardened, made stubborn, dimmed. Moses veiled himself in order to allow Israel to accept the truth of the covenant, for If they were to see the fading glory, they may turn away. Yet, says Paul, another veil was placed over the Law and this confused and blinded the people. Synagogue practice of veiling the Torah and wearing a cover over the head continues the image of the veiling (hiding) of truth to the present day. In the preaching of the old covenant (the Law) in the synagogue, a veil of unbelief remains. Only through the preaching and hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ (the new covenant) is it possible for the veil of unbelief to be removed.

v16
      hJnika de ean + subj. "but whenever" - Forming an indefinite temporal clause.
      epistreyh/ (epistrefw) aor. subj. "anyone turns" - turn back, return. Impersonal = heart, Israel, any person ... Still using the Moses imagery, Paul reminds his readers that when Moses went before the Lord, the veil was taken away and he beheld the glory of the Lord and communed with him. So too may a person today come before the Lord and have the veil taken from them and thus know the living God. "Whenever anyone turns to the Lord" (for Moses, the "Lord is the God of Israel, for Paul he is Jesus Christ) the veil of unbelief is removed and their eyes are open to gospel truth (the new covenant).

v17
      to pneuma "the Spirit". The Holy Spirit empowers the gospel so that it is no longer just mere words. He accompanies the preaching and lifts the veil of unbelief for those who turn to Christ in the hearing of the preached word. Another good reason why Paul is "very bold".
      eleuqeria (a) "there is freedom" - freedom. Where the Spirit is there is freedom. The Spirit frees us from law, sin and death. Given the context, Paul is obviously thinking of the Law. Believers are freed from the old covenantal law and its curse, in that they possess right standing in the sight of God by means of a new covenantal law - "the righteousness that is by faith". The Spirit actively empowers the gospel to free the believer from the curse of the law, incorporate them in Christ and renew them in the image of Christ (writes the law of God in our heart). Thus, we are freed from submission to the letter, from the legal keeping of regulations, and are released to serve the Lord through the indwelling power of the Spirit of Christ.