2
Corinthians 3:12-18English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
12
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 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. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day,
when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains un-lifted, because only
through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a
veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[a] turns to the Lord, the veil is
removed. 17 Now the Lord[b] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the
Lord,[c] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the
Spirit.
Our Scars, Matt Redman
Matthew
Henry's Commentary
Verses
12-18
In
these verses the apostle draws two inferences from what he had said about the
Old and New Testament:—
I.
Concerning the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness or
clearness of speech. They ought not, like Moses, to put a veil upon their
faces, or obscure and darken those things which they should make plain. The
gospel is a more clear dispensation than the law; the things of God are
revealed in the New Testament, not in types and shadows, and ministers are much
to blame if they do not set spiritual things, and gospel-truth and grace, in
the clearest light that is possible. Though the Israelites could not look steadfastly
to the end of what was commanded, but is now abolished, yet we may. We may see
the meaning of those types and shadows by the accomplishment, seeing the veil
is done away in, Christ and he is come, who was the end of the law for
righteousness to all those who believe, and whom Moses and all the prophets
pointed to, and wrote of.
II.
Concerning the privilege and advantage of those who enjoy the gospel, above
those who lived under the law. For, 1. Those who lived under the legal dispensation
had their minds blinded (2 Cor. 3:14), and there was a veil upon their hearts,
2 Cor. 3:15. Thus it was formerly, and so it was especially as to those who
remained in Judaism after the coming of the Messiah and the publication of his
gospel. Nevertheless, the apostle tells us, there is a time coming when this
veil also shall be taken away, and when it (the body of that people) shall turn
to the Lord, 2 Cor. 3:16. Or, when any particular person is converted to God,
then the veil of ignorance is taken away; the blindness of the mind, and the
hardness of the heart, are cured. 2. The condition of those who enjoy and
believe the gospel is much more happy. For, (1.) They have liberty: Where the
Spirit of the Lord is, and where he worketh, as he does under the
gospel-dispensation, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17), freedom from the yoke of
the ceremonial law, and from the servitude of corruption; liberty of access to
God, and freedom of speech in prayer. The heart is set at liberty, and
enlarged, to run the ways of God’s commandments. (2.) They have light; for with
open face we behold the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3:18. The Israelites saw the
glory of God in a cloud, which was dark and dreadful; but Christians see the
glory of the Lord as in a glass, more clearly and comfortably. It was the
peculiar privilege of Moses for God to converse with him face to face, in a
friendly manner; but now all true Christians see him more clearly with open
face. He showeth them his glory. (3.) This light and liberty are transforming;
we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18), from one
degree of glorious grace unto another, till grace here be consummated in glory
for ever. How much therefore should Christians prize and improve these
privileges! We should not rest contented without an experimental knowledge of
the transforming power of the gospel, by the operation of the Spirit, bringing
us into a conformity to the temper and tendency of the glorious gospel of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The
IVP New Testament Commentary Series
The
Freedom of the New Covenant Minister (3:18)
Verse
18 is the capstone of Paul's reflections in this chapter. It picks up the too
major ideas of verses 12-17, namely, the open conduct of the gospel minister
and the Spirit as the prime mover of the new covenant, and weaves them together
into a clinching argument against those who would depend on the way things were
under the Mosaic covenant. To start with, Paul introduces a final point of
contrast between Moses and the new covenant minister. We, who with unveiled
faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness
with ever-increasing glory.
We
. . . all might well be Paul's way of broadening his point of reference to
include all believers. Even so, the focus is still on the new covenant
minister. With unveiled faces invites comparison with Moses, but Moses in which
role? Moses with unveiled face in the tent of meeting? Or Moses with his face
veiled before Israel? Much depends on how one translates katoptrizomenoi. The
verb is a rare one, and in the middle it can mean either "to behold
oneself in a mirror" or "to serve as a mirror"—that is, "to
reflect." Transfiguration through beholding God's glory is an attractive
idea that a number of translators have opted for (KJV, NKJV, RSV, REB). Yet if
Paul is continuing his commentary on the Exodus 34 narrative—with verse 35
being next in line—then he is thinking of how Moses habitually veiled his face
on leaving the tent of meeting until his next encounter with Yahweh. New
covenant ministers, by contrast, leave their face unveiled and in so doing
reflect God's glory. Paul is drawing on the function of a mirror to pick up the
light rays from an object and to reflect that light in the form of an image.
The image that the new covenant minister reflects is identified in the text as
the Lord's glory. This is a familiar phrase in Scripture. Here it anticipates
"the light of the knowledge of the glory of God reflected in the face of
Christ" (4:6) and, by association, [reflected] in the faces of Christ's
representatives.
As
gospel preachers do their job of reflecting knowledge of God to those around
them, transformation occurs. The text reads, And we who reflect the Lord's
glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory (v.
18). The word transformed means "to take on a different form or
appearance." It can refer to an outward change or, as here, to an inward
change. The present tense denotes an ongoing process: We are "constantly
being transformed." Transformed into his likeness is literally
"transformed into the same image." It is taken as a matter of course
by many that the image Paul has in view is Christ's image (NIV into his
likeness). He could also be thinking of how gospel ministers should be carbon
copies of one another, if they are truly carrying on Christ's ministry of
reflecting God's glory to a dark world.
Transformation
is not a one-shot affair. It is transformation into a likeness that is with
ever-increasing glory (v. 18). With ever-increasing glory is literally
"from glory to glory." The phrase denotes a splendour that steadily
grows, in contrast to the short-lived glory of Moses' face. It was the property
of mirrors back in those days (which were made of a flat, circular piece of
cast metal) that the more polished the surface, the clearer the image.
Continuous elbow grease was needed to keep away corrosion. The picture is a
provocative one. The life and ministry of the believer are depicted as a mirror
that is in need of continual polishing so as to reproduce to an ever-increasing
extent the glorious knowledge and truths of the gospel.
This
ever-increasing glory, Paul states, comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. As
the unveiled glory of Moses' face is ascribed to his coming before Yahweh, so
the unveiled, glorified face of the gospel minister is attributed to the
activity of the Spirit. It is the third member of the Trinity and his work that
take center stage in this chapter. The Spirit brings about understanding
regarding the temporal character of the Mosaic covenant (3:13-17) and makes
known in unveiled or plain fashion the truths of the gospel through the
preaching and transformed life of the new covenant minister (vv. 2, 18). It is
also because of the Spirit that the gospel minister has the freedom, unlike
Moses—and perhaps unlike Paul's opponents—to unveil his or her face (v. 17).
This durable glory, according to Paul, stems from the new covenant as a
covenant of the life-giving Spirit rather than a death-giving letter (3:6-11).
The Bible Panorama
2 Corinthians 3
V 1–3: SELF-COMMENDATION Paul refers
to letters of introduction, often used to assure new churches that those coming
to them are authentic Christians. Initially, the false apostles commended
themselves. Paul says he needs no letter of commendation when coming to the
Corinthian church, because they themselves are his letter of commendation. They
are saved because he has been there with the gospel.
V 4–6: SPIRIT’S CONFIDENCE He quickly
adds that his confidence is not based on self-effort, but on what the Holy
Spirit has done. His confidence comes because of God’s action through Christ.
V 7–11: STRIKING COMPARISON He then
compares the fading glory on Moses’ face after the Ten Commandments were given,
with the surpassing lasting glory through the gospel. The Ten Commandments
condemn men, but the gospel saves them
. V 12–18: SUPERIOR COVENANT The Old Testament covenant can never
unveil a person’s spiritual blindness. That only happens through God the Holy
Spirit, when He gives understanding, transforming power, and glory through
faith in Christ.
Dictionary of Bible Themes
8349 spiritual growth, means of
God has provided various means by which believers may grow spiritually.
God supplies the resources for spiritual growth
Php 2:13; 2Pe 1:3 See also Jn 1:16; Jn 4:14; Jn 15:2,5; 1Co 10:13; 2Co
3:18; 2Co 9:10; Gal 5:22-23; Php 1:6; Col 2:19; Jas 1:17; Jas 4:6; Jude 24
Philippians 2:13New Living
Translation (NLT)
13 For God is working in you,
giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
God’s people must make efforts to grow spiritually
Php 2:12; 2Pe 1:5-9 See also Ro 6:19; 2Co 7:1; Gal 5:16,25; Eph 5:15-16;
Eph 6:11-13; 1Ti 4:7; 1Ti 6:11-12; 2Ti 1:6; 2Pe 3:14; 1Jn 3:3; Jude 20
Specific means of spiritual growth
Death to self-interest Col 3:5 See also Mt 16:24 pp Mk 8:34 pp Lk 9:23;
Ro 6:6,12; Ro 8:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:9; 1Pe 1:14; 1Pe 2:11
Colossians 3:5New Living
Translation (NLT)
5 So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an
idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
The Scriptures 2Ti 3:16-17 See also Jos 1:8; Ps 19:7-8; Ps 119:9-11; Jn
17:17; Eph 6:17; Col 3:16; 1Pe 2:2; 1Jn 2:14
Prayer Mt 6:13 pp Lk 11:4 Col 4:2 See also 1Ch 16:11; Mt 7:11 pp Lk
11:13; Mt 26:41 pp Mk 14:38 pp Lk 22:46; Jn 16:24; Ac 4:29-31; Eph 6:18; 1Th
5:17; Jas 1:5
Focusing on Jesus Christ Heb 3:1 See also Mt 11:29; Jn 13:15; Ro 15:5;
Php 2:5; Heb 12:2-3; 1Pe 2:21; 1Jn 2:6
The role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual growth
Eph 3:16-18 See also Eph 1:13-14,17; Eph 2:19-22
Christian leadership Eph 4:11-13 See also 1Co 4:16; 1Co 11:1; Php 1:25;
Php 3:17; Heb 13:7,17; 1Pe 5:2-3
Faith in God Eph 6:16 See also Heb 11:6; 1Jn 5:4
Suffering and testing Ro 5:3-4 See also Job 23:10; Ps 119:67; Zec 13:9;
Heb 12:10-11; 1Pe 1:6-7; Jas 1:2-4
Blair Humphreys
Southport, Merseyside, England
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