TEXT. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon heart. their 16 Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face, beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the PARAPHRASE. exactly answers all the types, prefigurations, and predictions of him in the Old Testament, that presently, upon turning our eyes upon him, he visibly appears to be the person designed, and all the obscurity of those passages concerning him, which before were not understood, is taken away, and ceases. 15 Nevertheless, even until now, when the writings of Moses are read, the veil remains upon their hearts, they see not the 16 spiritual and evangelical truths contained in them. But, when their heart shall turn to the Lord, and, laying by prejudice and aversion, shall be willing to receive the truth, the veil shall be taken away, and they shall plainly see him to be 17 the person spoken of, and intended. But the Lord is the Spirit', whereof we are ministers; and they, who have this Spirit, they have libertys, so that they speak openly and freely. 18 But we, all the faithful ministers of the New Testament, not veiled, but with open countenances, as mirrors, reflecting the NOTES. 15 P St. Paul, possibly, alludes here to the custom of the Jews, which continues still 170 8è Kúpios tò æreũμá içıv, “but the Lord is that Spirit." These words relate "There is liberty;" because the Spirit is given only to sons, or those that are free. See Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 6, 7. 18 St. Paul justifies his freedom and plainness of speech, by his being made, by God himself, a minister of the Gospel, which is a more glorious ministry than that of Moses, in promulgating the law. This he does from ver. 6 to ver. 12, inclusively. From thence, to the end of the chapter, he justifies his liberty of speaking; in that he, as a minister of the Gospel, being illuminated with greater and brighter rays of light than Moses, was to speak (as he did) with more freedom and clearness than Moses had done. This being the scope of St. Paul, in this place, it is visible, that all from these words, "who put a veil upon his face," ver. 13, to the beginning of ver. 18, is a parenthesis; which being laid aside, the comparison between the ministers of the Gospel and Moses stands clear: "Moses, with a veil, covered the brightness and glory of God, which shone in his countenance;" but we, the ministers of the Gospel, with open countenances, TEXT. Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. IV. I Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not: PARAPHRASE. glory of the Lord, are changed into his very image, by a continued succession of glory, as it were, streaming upon us from the Lord, who is the Spirit who gives us this clearness IV. 1 and freedom. Seeing, therefore, I am intrusted with such a ministry as this, according as I have received great mercy, being extraordinarily and miraculously called, when I was a persecutor, I do not fail", nor flag: I do not behave myself NOTES. κατοπτριζόμενοι, refecting as mirrors the glory of the Lord. So the word κατοπτρι Cóμvo must signify here, and not "beholding as in a mirror;" because the comparison is between the ministers of the Gospel and Moses, and not between the ministers of the Gospel and the children of Israel: now the action of "beholding" was the action of the children of Israel; but of "shining, or reflecting the glory received in the mount," was the action of Moses; and, therefore, it must be something answering that, in the ministers of the Gospel, wherein the comparison is made; as is farther manifest, in another express part of the comparison between the veiled face of Moses, ver. 13, and the open face of the ministers of the Gospel, in this verse. The face of Moses was veiled, that the bright shining, or glory of God, remaining on it, or reflected from it, might not be seen; and the faces of the ministers of the Gospel are open, that the bright shining of the Gospel, or the glory of Christ, may be seen. Thus the justness of the comparison stands fair, and has an easy sense, which is hard to be made out, if xaτonlρióμers be translated beholding as in a glass." Τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα, “ we are changed into that very image,” i. e. the reflection of the glory of Christ, from us, is so very bright and clear, that we are changed into his very image; whereas the light that shone in Moses's countenance was but a faint reflection of the glory which he saw, when God showed him his back parts, Exod. xxxiii, 23. 'Arò dóns eis dóğav, "from glory to glory," i. e. with a continued influx and renewing of glory, in opposition to the shining of Moses's face, which decayed and disappeared in a little while, ver. 7. Kadánsρ ånd Kuplov, avevμatos, “as from the Lord, the Spirit," i. e. as if this irradiation of light and glory came immediately from the source of it, the Lord himself, who is that Spirit, whereof we are the ministers, ver. 6, which giveth life and liberty, ver. 17. This liberty he here speaks of, ver. 17, is appola, “liberty of speech,' mentioned ver. 12, the subject of St. Paul's discourse here; as is farther manifest, from what immediately follows, in the six first verses of the next chapter, wherein an attentive reader may find a very clear comment on this 18th verse we are upon, which is there explained in the sense we have given of it. 1 * Οὐκ ἐκκακοῦμεν, we faint not,” is the same with πολλη παῤῥησία χρώμεθα, we use great plainness of speech," verse 12, of the foregoing chapter; and signifies, in both places, the clear, plain, disinterested preaching of the TEXT. 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but, by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But, if our Gospel be hid, it is bid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath PARAPHRASE. unworthily in it, nor misbecoming the honour and dignity of 2 such an employment: But, having renounced all unworthy and indirect designs, which will not bear the light, free from craft, and from playing any deceitful tricks, in my preaching the word of God; I recommend myself to every one's conscience, only by making plain" the truth, which I deliver as 3 in the presence of God. But if the Gospel which I preach be 4 obscure and hidden, it is so only to those who are lost: In whom, being unbelievers, the God of this world has blinded their minds, so that the glorious brightness of the light of the Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, cannot en5 lighten them. For I seek not my own glory, or secular advantage, in preaching, but only the propagating of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; professing myself your servant for 6 Jesus' sake. For God, who made light to shine out of dark NOTES. Gospel; which is what he means, in that figurative way of speaking, in the former chapter, especially the last verse of it, and which he more plainly expresses, in the five or six first verses of this; the whole business of the first part of this epistle being, as we have already observed, to justify to the Corinthians his behaviour in his ministry, and to convince them, that, in his preaching the Gospel, he hath been plain, clear, open, and candid, without any hidden design, or the least mixture of any concealed, secular interest. 2 * Απειπάμεθα τὰ κρυπῖὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης, “ have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty," and ỹ Paveρwσel tñs ànelas," by manifestation of the truth." These expressions explain άvaxexaλuμμévy woon," with open face," chap. iii. 18. 4 "The god of this world," i. e. the devil, so called because the men of the world worshipped and obeyed him, as their god. 2 7 Ἐτύφλωσε τὰ νοήματα, σε blinded their minds,” answers ἐπωρώθη τὰ νοὴματα, "their minds were blinded," chap, iii. 14. And the second and third verse of this explain the 13th and 14th verses of the preceding chapter. Ağa,"glory," here, as in the former chapter, is put for shining and brightness; so that εὐαγγέλιον τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, is the brightness, or clearness, of the doctrine wherein Christ is manifested in the Gospel. TEXT. shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we, which live, are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. PARAPHRASE. ness, hath enlightened also my dark heart, who before saw not the end of the law, that I might communicate the knowledge and light of the glory of God, which shines in the face 7a of Jesus Christ. But yet we, to whom this treasure of knowledge, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is committed, to be propagated in the world, are but frail men; that so the exceeding great power that accompanies it may appear to be 8 from God, and not from us. I am pressed on every side, but do not shrink; I am perplexed, but yet not so as to despond; 9 Persecuted, but yet not left to sink under it; thrown down, but 10 not slain; Carrying about every where, in my body, the mortification, i. e. a representation of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, that also the life of Jesus, risen from the dead, may be made manifest by the energy that accompanies my preaching 11 in this frail body. For, as long as I live, I shall be exposed to the danger of death, for the sake of Jesus, that the life of Jesus, risen from the dead, may be made manifest by my preaching NOTE. 6 a This is a continuation still of the allegory of Moses, and the shining of his face, &c. so much insisted on in the foregoing chapter. For the explication whereof, give me leave to add here one word more to what I have said upon it already; Moses, by approaching to God, in the mount, had a communication of "glory," or "light," from him, which irradiated from his face, when he descended from the mount. Moses put a veil over his face, to hide this "light," or "glory;" for both these names St. Paul uses, in this and the foregoing chapter, for the same thing. But the "glory," or "light," of the knowledge of God, more fully and clearly communicated by Jesus Christ, is said here "to shine in his face;" and in that respect it is that Christ, in the foregoing verse, is called by St. Paul "the image of God ;" and the apostles are said, in the last verse of the preceding chapter, to be "transformed into the same image, from glory to glory;" i. e. by their large and clear communications of the knowledge of God, in the Gospel, they are said to be transformed into the same image, and to represent, as mirrors, the glory of the Lord, and to be, as it were, the images of Christ, as Christ is (as we are told here, ver. 4) image of God." "the TEXT. 12 So then death worketh in us; but life in you. 13 We having the same Spirit of faith, according as it is written, " I believed, and therefore have I spoken:" we also believe, and therefore speak; 14 Knowing that he, which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also, by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might, through the thanksgiving of many, redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; PARAPHRASE. 12 and sufferings in this mortal flesh of mine. So that the preaching of the Gospel procures sufferings and danger of death to me; but to you it procures life, i. e. the energy of the Spirit of Christ, whereby he lives in, and gives life to those 13 who believe in him. Nevertheless, though suffering and death accompany the preaching the Gospel; yet, having the same Spirit of faith that David had, when he said, "I believe, therefore have I spoken," I also, believing, therefore 14 speak; Knowing that he, who raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise me up also, by Jesus, and present me, with you, to God. 15 For I do, and suffer, all things, for your sakes, that the exuberant favour of God may abound, by the thanksgiving of a greater number, to the glory of God; i. e. I endeavour, by my sufferings and preaching, to make as many converts as I can, that so the more partaking of the mercy and favour of God of which there is a plentiful and inexhaustible store, the more may give thanks unto him, it being more for the glory of God that a greater number should give thanks and pray to 16 him. For which reason I faint notb, I flag not; but though my bodily strength decay, yet the vigour of my mind is daily 17 renewed. For the more my sufferings are here, in propagating the Gospel, which at worst are but transient and light, the more will they procure me an exceedingly far greater addition NOTE. 16 "I faint not." What this signifies, we have seen, ver. 1. Here St. Paul gives another proof of his sincerity in his ministry and that is, the sufferings and danger of death which he daily incurs, by his preaching the Gospel. And the reason why those sufferings and dangers deter him not, nor make him at all flag, he tells them, is, the assurance he has, that God, through Christ, will raise him again, and reward him with immortality in glory. This argument he pursues, chap. iv. 17, and v. 9. |