As we begin worship, our meditation is over:
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[a] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
This is a long sentence where the subject and the verb are far apart. So let's bring them together:
"we . . . are being transformed"
This is about us.
Next, who was it that veiled their face? Us or God? Neither. It was Moses.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.
Moses wore a veil to hide the fact that his glory was fading.
OK, so what transformation are we undergoing? And who is doing it? And why?
Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
God's accomplished work has made each of us sufficient to be one of his ministers (diakonos). We are not talking the now unnecessary role of priest. We are talking deacons. Ministers of God's love and grace.
Figuratively unmasked (keep your COVID mask on), we are to boldly associate ourselves with Christ and minister in his Name. We are sufficient. The fear is gone.
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