By Water & Blood

Questions on Exodus 69: The veil on Moses’ face

What does the covering placed on the lawgiver’s face signify?

We have the Apostle’s interpretation: “Until today,” he says, “whenever Moses is read, a covering lies upon their heart, not being unveiled, because it is done away in Christ. But whenever one turns to the Lord, the covering is taken away.” For just as then the lawgiver’s face was filled with divine glory, and a radiance going forth from there beyond lightning did not allow those who met him to look straight on, but forced them either to turn their faces elsewhere or to close their eyes—and for this reason he used the covering when speaking with the people, but when turning to God he had his face bare—so Jews, attending to the letter of the law, do not see the glory, but look only at the covering. But approaching by the grace of the all-holy Spirit, they are freed from the covering and behold the glory with which Moses was filled.

For this the blessed Paul also says: “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, as from the Lord who is Spirit.” For just as clear mirrors take the impressions of those who look into them, so pure hearts receive the glory of God. Therefore also the Lord said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” And just as Judas, having received the devil, stamped that one’s wickedness in himself, so the one who approaches divine grace is illuminated by the flashes that come from there; so the one sitting in darkness becomes dark-formed, but the one in the sun sun-formed and light-formed; so the one who attends upon God receives Godlike characters.