3:1-18 (Letters & Veils)

Paul is under attack
It seems, from this passage, the Paul may have been facing accusations like
- Why doesn't Paul have a resume like some of the other guests we receive?
- Paul isn't as great as Moses'

Paul's response is...

Should I need a resume?
- Paul had planted them!
- If they insist on a letter, THEY ARE IT!
- God dictates, Paul is the Spirit filled tool, they are the letter

Should you be focusing so much on LETTERS to the neglect of the SPIRIT?
- After all, this is the New Covenant (Jeremiah & Ezekiel prophecies)
- We focus too often on letters (degrees, letter of the law, security in surface level)

His mention of letter vs. Spirit transitions him into discussion of the Old & New Covenants b/c they are behaving more like Old Covenant people.

v. 6 Doesn't mean the letter is bad, just that it is negative when used in isolation from the Spirit
In fact, the OC was glorious (7-8, Exodus 34:29-35)
NC is even more glorious (9-11, 13)

The Veil...
1. The giving of the OC was veiled (13)
2. The text of the OC is veiled (14)
3. The hearts of the OC people are veiled (15)
* The only way to unveil the OC, its texts, and our hearts is through Jesus
** Just like Moses took the veil off when he went into God's presence, the veil comes off when we enter into a relationship with Christ