Transfiguration Lectionary Epistle Reading for Year C, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2:

Straight AheadLet me at least make a few brief comments about this epistle reading. The veil that kept the Jew from seeing the true identity of Christ and the glorious possibilities of grace should have been lifted for all time when the veil of the tabernacle was rent in twain. The liberty or freedom of the Spirit, however, was resisted and is still being resisted to this day by some--within and without the church. First, some still believe that in keeping of laws and rules, there is great reward leading to eternal salvation. Clearly, this could not possibly be true. If it were true, then the entire life and ministry of Christ would be to no purpose. There are also, however, those who still persist in practicing rituals and ceremonies in the belief that such [practices will make them worthy to gain eternal life. These things were but a shadow of the reality. They no longer profit. The Transfiguration was to give evidence of the present reality of Christ and His all-surpassing glory. It was to indicate the sense in which Christ superseded the law of Moses--not making that law of none effect, but freeing the believer from the hopelessness and the burdensome rituals of pre-Christian religion. We are now under grace, not condemned by the letter of the law. For where the Spirit is, there is liberty. This is also a very Trinitarian passage, linking the persons of the Trinity inextricably together frequently. This passage certainly does not free us from the moral law of God, but only points us to the Saviour, by whose grace we are freed to live as a holy people. It does, however, free us from the rigors of man's traditions. These are only preliminary observations. Clearly, however, we can see that Paul considered those as blind, with a veil over their eyes, who could not understand the significance of the new situation in the world, since the coming of Christ. God, for His own glory and purposes, has blinded their eyes. This is a very important conviction of the apostle which we would do well to remember. The work we cannot complete in ourselves has been completed by One who hung on the cross at Calvary. How glorious it is to be given a new heart, and see with new spiritual eyes!