Conversion is a dramatic event of spiritual transformation as God burns away the fog that shrouds our thinking. Minds once petrified can now think lucidly. Eyes once veiled can now see clearly. Paul describes conversion in Jewish terms that can be applied to all (2 Cor. 3:14-16).
He writes that "minds were hardened" (2 Cor. 3:14). Mental faculties (τὰ νοήματα) were dulled (ἐπωρώθη). The verb means to be petrified (BDAG, p.732). The passive voice indicates that something outside of the mind hardened it. Sin! Petrified minds are dead because of sin. Petrified minds are incapable of understanding spiritual truth.
Whenever people read Scripture, the veil remains "not being lifted" (μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον) from their hearts (vs.14-15). Some take this as a nominative absolute translating the phrase "it not being revealed that (the veil) is being removed in Christ" (Vincent, Word Pictures, 3:308). The phrasing is awkward requiring words to be supplied, and nominative absolutes are not commonly used this way in the New Testament (Hanna, Grammatical Aid, p.318). It is better to translate it as a reference to the veil "not being lifted" from their hearts since the noun (κάλυμμα), and participle (ἀνακαλυπτόμενον) are in agreement with each other. The verb (ἀνακάλυπτω) can mean to uncover or unveil (BDAG, p.55) and will be used this way in verse 18.
The veil is removed in Christ (καταργεῖται). The verb was used earlier of the glory fading away (vs.7 11). It means to make powerless, to abolish or wipe out (BDAG, p.417). The verb is passive. Tthe veil preventing people from seeing God's glory is wiped away by God. He nullifies the veil's power, not us. He renders powerless the sin that shrouds our hearts from seeing His glory.
When does this dramatic transformation take place? It takes place "whenever (ἡνίκα δὲ ἐὰν) a person might turn (ἐπιστρέψῃ) to the Lord' (v.15). In classical Greek ἡνίκα refers to a specific hour or season but becomes a general time reference when coupled with ἐὰν (Blass/Debrunner, Grammar, p.237). The verb is an Aorist active subjunctive, so the person turns himself. The word graphically pictures Moses turning to the Lord in Exodus 34 as the veil is removed whenever he faces God's glory.
When a person turns to the Lord the veil blocking spiritual sight is taken away (v.16). The verb (περιαιρεῖται) comes from two words - περί meaning something enveloping or around the head combined with αἴρω meaning to lift up. Some take it literally as lifting up a veil that encircles the head. However, the combination of root words is best understood as intensive meaning to take away or remove. (Moulton/Howard/Turner, Grammar, 2:321).
Conversion means that God regenerates minds petrified by sin and rips away the veil that blinds our hearts when we turn to the Lord. We can understand His Word when we could not understand it before. We can see His glory when all we saw before was darkness.
Lord, open our eyes to see your glory. Open the eyes of those around us to grasp your grace.
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