Messianic Education Trust
		Ki Tissa   (Ex 30:11 - 34:35)

Shemot/Exodus 34:35   and Moshe would replace the veil over his face until he came to speak with Him.

View whole verse and interlinear translation ...

The curious word מַסְוֵה, which occurs only three times in Tanakh - once each in the last three verses of this parasha, Shemot 34:33-35 - is usually translated 'veil' or 'mask' and refers to a face-covering that Moshe placed over his face because it was shining after he had spent time in the presence of The Name ...

HaShem: literally, Hebrew for 'The Name' - an allusion used to avoid pronouncing the Tetragrammaton, the so-called 'ineffable' name of G–d
HaShem on Mt. Sinai. Here, the text records that after Moshe had been with HaShem and then related what he had been told to say to the Israelites, he would put the veil back on until he once more spoke with HaShem. As Umberto Cassuto, says, "Moshe put back the veil over his face, leaving it there until he again entered the Tent of Meeting to commune alone with G-d."¹ This seems to draw a very clear distinction between Moshe's public "on-duty" times, when he would not wear the covering, and his private or "off-duty" times, when he would wear it. Rabbi Who Is ...

Hirsch: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888 CE), German rabbi, author and educator; staunch opponent of the Reform movement in Germany and one of the fathers of Orthodox Judaism
Hirsch proposes that "Moshe's modesty would not allow him, except when he went before G-d, or when he had to speak in the name of G-d, to show himself with the skin of his face radiant."

Closer examination of the verb forms used in the last two verses - "וּבְבֹאWhenever Moshe went in before the L-RD to speak with Him, he would leave the veil off until he came out; and when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see how radiant the skin of Moshe' face was. Moshe would then put the veil back over his face עַד־בֹּאוֹ until he went in to speak with Him" (Shemot 34:34-35, NJPS) - suggest that these actions were repetitive: the infinitives bracket the taking off and putting on of the veil. Moshe was regularly in the habit of using a veil and putting it on and off, every time he spoke with HaShem and then with the people. Nahum Sarna concludes that "from the time that Moshe returned to the camp from Mt. Sinai until his death his face remained radiant." Since HaShem continued to speak with him until the very end of his life, Moshe's face-covering became a life-long practice. Gunther Plaut observes that "here the sense is clearly that the divine glory is dangerous to behold even when merely reflected. Moshe removes the veil when speaking in G-d's name."

Why did Moshe need to cover his face? In one sense, the Torah gives us an answer: "Aharon and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moses' face was radiant; and they shrank from coming near him" (v. 30, NJPS) - the people were afraid of him, because he was glowing. The radiance became his sign of authority, so as Who Is ...

Chizkuni: Rabbi Hezekiah ben Manoah (13^th century), French rabbi and exegete; his commentary on the Torah was written about 1240 in memory of his father, based principally on Rashi, but using about 20 other sources
Chizkuni explains, Moshe covered his face so that "they should not get used to the radiance and begin to think it ordinary." The Who Is ...

The Rashbam: Rabbi Samuel ben Asher (1085-1174 CE), a grandson of Rashi; lived in Northern France; worked from the plain meaning of the Hebrew text even when this contradicted established rabbinic interpretaton
Rashbam reminds us of the sequence: "He would leave the veil off to speak to the Israelites what he had been commanded. Then he would cover his face again until he went in to speak with the Shekhinah, when he would uncover it again." Thomas Dozeman sums this up in theological terms: "This is the foundation of Mosaic authority, predicted by G-d during the theophany (19:9). Moshe's shining skin indicates Moshe's transformation, concealing his profane identity in order to reveal the presence of G-d in him during cultic mediation."²

But perhaps there is even more going on than has appeared so far. Dozeman adds that "the veil also represents more that social and judicial authority, since it covers the divine light that has permanently invaded him."³ Moshe has in some way changed; because of his closeness to G-d, he is not quite who he was before - and he will never be the same again. Terence Fretheim comments that "appearance does make a difference to words, commanding greater attention and respect. Even more, it shows that Moshe is not simply a speaker for the word of G-d; in some sense he embodies that word. The people thus do not only hear the word being spoken, they see it standing before them. There is conveyed in Moshe's own body something of the nature of the divine communication to the community." Taking a different yet similar approach, Peter Enns writes, "Just as the people could not enter the Most Holy Place to behold G-d's glory, now they cannot behold the glory of G-d reflected in Moshe. He has, therefore, become the embodiment of the Tabernacle."⁵ Hear how both scholars use the word 'embody'; there is a sense in which Moshe has been caught up and changed by G-d's message so that he no longer just speaks G-d's words, they have become a part of him and shine out of him.

On the one hand, we must be careful not to take this too far. Brevard Childs is clear that "the biblical story is concerned that the divine glow on Moshe's face should not be misunderstood as a type of metamorphosis. Moshe did not himself become a deity. He was unaware of any transformation. The whole point of the story emphasises that his was only a reflection of G-d's glory."⁶ That said, Tanakh is clearly aware of the power and effect of G-d's glory. The Aharonic blessing uses both the words 'shine' and 'face' as a means of expressing HaShem's favour being invoked upon His people: "HaShem bless you and keep you; HaShem make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; HaShem lift up His face upon you and give you peace" (B'Midbar 6:24-26), while the Psalmist cries out for restoration in the same vocabulary: "Restore us, HaShem God of hosts! Let Your face shine, that we may be saved!" (Psalm 80:19). We need to see His face - it is the only way to be saved!

On the other hand, hardly coincidental is the way in which Yeshua's glory is revealed to some of the disciples. Matthew records that Yeshua has taken Peter, James and John his brother up into the mountains. There, "He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as light" (Matthew 17:2, TLV). Moshe and Elijah appear with Him, talking to Him and a voice from a bright cloud speaks to endorse Him and urge obedience: "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" (v. 5, TLV). The disciples will never forget that moment; the revelation of Yeshua will be life-long - they have seen His face! Walter Brueggemann explains: "As Moshe is the one through whom G-d's glory comes to earth, so now Yeshua is the mediatorial figure who brings G-d's splendid authority into the midst of the disciples."⁷ But wait, that's not all; the Spirit hasn't finished with the metaphor yet.

Rav Sha'ul picks up the veil image and uses it to show how the minds of Jewish people are still shielded from the glory of G-d when the Torah is read today: "to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:15, ESV). As Moshe embodied the word of HaShem in the desert, so now Yeshua embodies the living word of the Spirit and the glory of G-d. Those who have turned to Yeshua have had the veil removed so that "we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (v, 18, ESV). That same transformation that changed Moshe is now changing us as we see the glory of Yeshua; we are becoming the embodiment of Yeshua in our generation - we are being "conformed to the image of Yeshua, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29). That transformation increases each day - "from one degree of glory to another" - as we work with Him to reveal Him in our world. This is to be a life-long habit. But there is still more to come!

In the next chapter, Sha'ul talks about the way the gospel - the good news of Yeshua and G-d's invitation for all to become a part of His kingdom in Him - is veiled: "to those who are perishing" (2 Corinthians 4:3). In their case, Sha'ul explains, "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Messiah" (v. 4, ESV); the devil has hidden the truth so that people should not see it and be able to respond. Sha'ul is very clear that G-d has "shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of G-d in the face of Yeshua the Messiah" (v. 6, ESV), but we have to be careful not to veil or hide that glory. When do we veil G-d's glory? When we are embarrassed or ashamed; when we choose not to speak of Him or acknowledge Him; when we actively hide our faith in Him.

Now the thing is that actually, although they will usually ignore it, most people know exactly who we are. They see the reflection of G-d's glory - "in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to G-d and not to us" (v. 7, ESV) - glowing through the cracks, as it were, despite ourselves. We can't actually hide it; it just glows anyway - He is far too big to hide. But by trying to hide it, we show that we aren't serious about it; this blocks it for other people, who won't pick it up if we don't appear to want it. So He becomes like the elephant in the room that everyone knows is there, but no-one wants to talk about. We have to break through our recalcitrance and tendency to procrastinate so that we can have open and meaningful conversations about Yeshua. It is the only way! Sha'ul says, "we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways" (v. 2, ESV) and we have to abandon methods, techniques and other devices to make Yeshua 'acceptable' to people, instead speaking the blunt and unvarnished truth that people need to hear. Like Moshe, it is when we speak of Him that the veil is removed and His light can shine.

1. - Umberto Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Exodus, (Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 1983), page 451.

2. - Thomas B. Dozeman, Exodus, Eerdmans Critical Commentaries, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmanns, 2009), page 753. FootNotetext(3) Dozeman, page 754.

4. - Terence E. Fretheim, Exodus, Interpretation, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), page 311.

5. - Peter Enns, Exodus, The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000), page 587.

6. - Brevard S. Childs, The Book of Exodus: A Critical, Theological Commentary, The Old Testament Library, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), page 619.

7. - Walter Brueggemann, "Exodus", in The New Interpreter's Bible Commentary Vol I, edited by Leander E. Keck, (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2015), page 493.

Further Study: Matthew 13:11-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2 Peter 1:17-21

Application: Is your face shining with the glory of G-d or are you trying to keep Him under wraps? The time has long gone for trying to avoid offending people; the days are too short for playing games to make the gospel acceptable. People need to see G-d's glory and they need to see it in you! Take your veil off today and leave it at home where it belongs!

Comment - 19:17 26Feb24 Nanci Craig: I believe these interpretations and comments can also be applied to the Holy Spirit and His ministry in the earth today. To be ashamed of the ministry and ways the Holy Spirit manifests in being ashamed of the Father and His Son, Yeshua. Good message, it puts a Holy pause on human response.

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© Jonathan Allen, 2024

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