Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The Mimslralion of the Gospel. 2 CORINTHIANS TV PauVs Zeal in Pl eaching, piesence of the sun. 11. wag glorious HL, "was with giory :"' or " marked 6y glory."' tliat which i-emaliieth— abld Pth (Revelation 1-1.6). Not "the ministry," but the the veil is taken off their hearts in the presence of th« Lord: as the literal veil was taken off by Moses in going before God : no longer resting on the dead letter, Me veil, they hy the Spirit commune with God and with the inner spirit of tlie Mosaic covenant (which answers to the glory of Moses' face unveiled in God's presence). 17. the L,ord—Christ (v. 14, 16 ; ch. 4. 5). is tliat SpirH— is THE Spirit, viz., that Spirit spoken of in v. 6, and here resumed alter the parenthesis (v. 7-10): Christ is the Spirit and "end" of the Old Testament, wlio giveth life to it, whereas "the letter killeth" (1 Corinthians 15.45; Revelation 19.
Spirit, and His accompiiniments, life and ri)jhteousness. U glorious lit., " is in glory." The Greek " with" or " by"
Is appropriately applied to that of which ihe ^\ory was tramient. "In" to that of which the glory is permanent. The contrast of the Old and New Testaments proves that
St. Paul's chief opponents at Corinth were Judaizers.
la. such hope—of the future glorj-, which sliall lesult from the ministration of the Gospel (u. 8, 9). plainness of speech—openness ; without reserve (ch. 2. 17; 4.2). 13. We use no disguise, "as Moses put a veil over his
10, end), where the Spirit of tlie Lord is— in a man's "heart" {v. 15; Romans 8. 9, 10). there is liberty (John S. 36.) "There," and there only. Such cease to be slaves to the letter, which tliey were whilst the veil was on their heart. They are free to serve God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Je.sus (Philippians 3. 3): they have no longer the spirit of bondage, but of free sonship (Romans 8. 15; Galatians 4.7). " Liberty" is opposed to the letter (of the legal ordinances), and to the veil, the badge of slavery; also to the fear which the Israelites felt in beholding Moses' glorjj unveiled (Exodus 34. 30; 1 John face, that the children of Israel might not h)ok steadfastly upon the end of that which was to be done away."
rEl,i.i(X)TT, &c.] The view of Exodus 34. 30-3.5, according to LXX., is adopted by St. Paul, that Moses in going in to speak to God removed the veil till he came out and had tpokert to (he jteople ; and then when he had done speaking, he put on the veil thai they might not look on Ihe end,, or the lading, o/ that transitory glory. The veil was the symbol of concealment, put on directly after Moses' speaking ; so that God's revelations by him were interrupted l)y intervals of concealment. |Alfokd.] But Alford's view does not accord witli t'. 7; the Israelites "could not look Steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glorj' of his countenance." Plainly Moses" veil was put on becauseof tlieir not having been able to "look steadfastly at liim." Paul here (v. 13) passes from the literal fact to tlie truth symbolized by it, the bliiuln<'ss of Jews and Judaizers to the ultimate end of the law : stating that Moses piU on the veil
4. 18). 18. But we all—Christians, as contrasted with the Jews wlio have a veil on their hearts, answering to Moses' veil on liis face. He does not resu Tne reference to ministers till ch. 4.1. with open face-translate, "'With unveiled face" (the veil being removed at conversion): contrasted with "liid" (ch. 4. 3). a« in a glass—in a mi rror, I'/z., the Gospel, wiiich reflects the glory of Gcxl and Christ (ch. 4.
4 ; I Corinthians 13. 12; James 1. '23, 25). are changed into tite same image—viz., the image of Christ's glory, spiritually now (Romans 8. 29; 1 John 3.3); an earnest of tlie bodiljcliange hereafter (Philippians 3. 21). However many tiiey be, believers all retlect tlie same image of Clirist more or less: a proof of the truth of Christianity, from glory to glory—from one degree of glory to another. As Moses' face caught a reflection of God's glory from being in His presence, so believers are changed into His image by beholding Him. even as, <tc.—Just such a transformation "as" was to Ije expected from " the Lord the Spirit" (not as Engllsfi Version, "the Spirit of the Lord") [Alford] {v. 17): "who receives of the things of Christ, and shows them to us" (John 16. 14; Romans 8. 10 that theifmigM not look steadfastly at (Christ, Romans 10. 4) the end of that (law) tvhich (like Moses' glory) ;* done away. Not that Moses had this purpose ; but often Goil attributes to His prophets the purpose which He has himself. Because the Jews would not see, God judicially gave them ap so «« not to see. The glory of Moses' face is antitypically Christ's glory shining behind the veil of legal ordinances. Tlie veil which has been taken off to the believer is left on to the unbelieving Jew, .so that he should not see (Isaiah 6. 10; Acts 28. 26, 27). He stops Bhort at the letter of the law, not seeing the end of it. The evangelical glory of tlie law, like the shining of Moses' face, cannot be borne by a carnal people, and therefore remains veiled to tliem until the Spirit comes to take away the veil (v. 14-17). fCAMERON.] 14-18. Parenthetical: 0/ Christians in general. He resumes the subject of the ministry, ch. 4. 1. 14. mit\ti»— Greek, "mental perceptions;" "understandings." bltnded rather, "hardened." The opposite to "looking steadfastly at the end" of the law (v. 13). The veil on Moses' face is farther typical of t?ie veil thai is on their liearls. uiitakeii away . . . which veil—rather, "the same veil . . . remaineth untaken away [lit., not unveiled], so that they do uot see THAT it (not the veil as English Version, but 'the Old Testament,' or covenant of legal ordinances) is done away {v. 7, 11, 13) in Clirist;" or, as BenoeJj, " Iiecau.ie it is done away in Christ," i.e.. It Is not done away .save in Christ: tlie veil therefore remains untaken away from them, because they will not come to Christ, who does away with the law as a mere letter. If I hey once saw that the law is done away in Him, the veil would he no longer on their hearts in reading it publicly in their synagogues (so " reading" means. Acts 15. 21). I prefer the former. 15. the veil is—rather, "a veil lieth upon their heart" (their understanding, affected by tlie corrupt will, John 8. 43; 1 (^irinthians 2. 14). The Tallith was worn in the synagogue by every worshipper, and to this veil iiang Ing over the breast there may be an Indirect allusion here
11). Cf. as to hereafter, Psalm 17. 15; Revelation 22. 4.
CHAPTER IV.
Ver. 1-18. His Preaching is Open and Sincere, THOUGH TO MANY THE GosPEL IS HIDDEN ; for he preaclies Christ, not himself: the human vessel is frail, that God may have the glory; yet, though frail, faith and the hope of future glorjsustain him amidst the decajof the outward man. 1. Therefore— GreeA:, "For this cause:" Because we have the liberty-giving Spirit of the Lord, and with unveiled face behold His glory (ch. 3. 17, 18). seeing we have this ministry—" The ministration of the Spirit"
(ch. 3. 8, 9): the ministry of sueli aspiritual, liberty-giving Gospel: resuming ch. 3. 6, 8. received mercy—from God, iu having had this ministry conferred on us (ch. 3. 5). The sense of "mercy" received from God, makes men active for God (1 Timothy 1.11-13). we faint not—in boldness of speech and action, and patience in suffering (t). 2, 8-16, Ac). !J. renounced— "bid farewell to." of dishonesty—rather, "of shame." "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ" (Romans 1. Ifi). Shame would lead to hiding (v. 3): whereas " we use great plainness of speech"
(ch. .3. 12); "by manifestation of the truth." Cf. ch. 3. 3, " manifestly declared." He refers to the disingenuous artifices of " many" teachers at Corinth (ch. 2. 17; 3. 1 ; 11. 13-15), liandllng . . . dc Mltfnlly — So "corrupt" or adulterate "the word of God" (ch. 2. 17; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2. 3,4). commending—recommending ourselves: recurring to ch. 3. 1. to—to the verdict of. every man's conscience— —(Ch. 5. 11.) Not to men's carnal Judgment, as those alluded to (ch. 3. 1). in the sight of God—(Ch. 2. 17; Galatlans/l. 10.) 3. But if—Yea, even if (as I grant is the case), hid—rather (in reference to cli. 3. 13-18), " veiled." "Hid"
(ncAe, 1 Corinthians 11. 4): the apostle making it symbolize the spiritual veil on their heart. 16. Moses took off tlie veil on entering into the presence of the Lord. So as to the Israelites whom Moses represents, " whensoever tlielr heart (It) /ur>M (not as English Version, 'shall turn') to the Lord, the veil Is [by the very fact] (not as English Version, 'thall be') taken away." Exodus 34. 34 is the allusion; not Exodus 34. 30, 31, as Alford thinks. Wlienever the
Israelites turn to the Lord, who is the Spirit of the law,
(GretV.-, Colossiuna 3. 3) Is said of that withdrawn from