2 Corinthians 3 · Robertson's Word Pictures
1To commend ourselves? (eautous sunistanein?). Late (Koine) form of sunistem, to place one with another, to introduce, to commend. Paul is sensitive over praising himself, though his enemies compelled him to do it.
Epistles of commendation (sustatikon epistolon). Late verbal adjective from sunistem and often in the papyri and in just this sense. In the genitive case here after chreizomen. Such letters were common as seen in the papyri (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 226). N.T. examples of commending individuals by letters occur in Ac 15:25f.; 18:27 (Apollos), 1Co 16:10f. (Timothy); Ro 16:1 (Phoebe with the verb sunistem); Col 4:10 (Mark); 2Co 8:22f. (Titus and his companion).
2Ye are our epistle (e epistole emon umeis este). Bold turn. Paul was writing in their hearts.
Known and read (ginoskomene ka anaginoskomene). Play on the word. Literally true. Professing Christians are the Bible that men read and know.
3An epistle of Christ (epistole Christou). He turns the metaphor round and round. They are Christ's letter to men as well as Paul's.
Not with ink (ou melan). Instrumental case of melas, black. Plato uses to melan for ink as here. See also 2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:13 .
Of stone (lithinais). Composed of stone (lithos and ending -inos).
Of flesh (sarkinais). "Fleshen" as in 1Co 3:1; Ro 7:14 .
4Through Christ (dia tou Christou). It is not self-conceit on Paul's part, but through Christ.
5Of ourselves (aph' eauton). Starting from ourselves (reflexive pronoun).
As from ourselves (os ex auton). He says it over again with preposition ex (out of). He has no originating power for such confidence.
Sufficiency (ikanotes). Old word, only here in N.T.
6Who also made us sufficient for such confidence (os ka ikanosen emas). Late causative verb from ikanos (verse 5) first aorist active indicative, "who (God) rendered us fit." In N.T. only here and Col 1:12 .
As ministers of a new covenant (diakonous kaines diathekes). Predicate accusative with ikanosen. For diatheke see on Mt 26:28 and for diakonos on Mt 20:26 and for kaines (fresh and effective) on Lu 5:38 . Only God can make us that.
7Of death (tou thanatou). Subjective genitive, marked by death in its outcome (cf. 1Co 15:56; Ga 3:10 ). The letter kills.
Engraven on stones (entetupomene lithois). Perfect passive participle of entupoo, late verb, to imprint a figure (tupos). Used by Aristias (67) of the "inlaid" work on the table sent by Ptolemy Philadelphus to Jerusalem. Lithois in locative case.
Came with glory (egenethe en doxe). In glory. As it did, condition of first class, assumed as true. See Ex 34:29,35 .
Look steadfastly (atenisa). Late verb from atenes (stretched, intent, teino and a intensive) as in Lu 4:20; Ac 3:4 .
Was passing away (katargoumenen). Late verb, to render of no effect, and present passive participle here as in 1Co 2:6 .
8How shall not rather? (pos ouch mallon?). Argumentum a minore ad majus (from the less to the greater).
Of the spirit (tou pneumatos). Marked by the spirit. Picture of the Christian ministry now.
9Of condemnation (tes katakriseos). Genitive, that brings condemnation because unable to obey the law.
Is glory (doxa). No copula, but makes the figure bolder. Paul freely admits the glory for the old dispensation.
Of righteousness (tes dikaiosunes). Marked by and leading to righteousness. See 11:15.
Much more (pollo mallon). Instrumental case, by much more.
Exceed (perisseue). Overflow.
10In this respect (en touto to mere). The glory on the face of Moses was temporary, though real, and passed away (verse 7), a type of the dimming of the glory of the old dispensation by the brightness of the new. The moon makes a dim light after the sun rises, "is not glorified" (ou dedoxasta, perfect passive indicative of doxazo).
By reason of the glory that surpasseth (eineken tes uperballouses doxes). The surpassing (uper-ballo, throwing beyond) glory. Christ as the Sun of Righteousness has thrown Moses in the shade. Cf. the claims of superiority by Christ in Mt 5-7 .
11Passeth away (katargoumenon). In process of disappearing before the gospel of Christ.
Remaineth (menon). The new ministry is permanent. This claim may be recommended to those who clamour for a new religion. Christianity is still alive and is not dying. Note also en doxe, in glory, in contrast with dia doxes, with glory.
Boldness (parresia). Instrumental case after chrometha. Old word, panresis=parresis, telling it all, absolute unreservedness. Surely Paul has kept nothing back here, no mental reservations, in this triumphant claim of superiority.
13Put a veil upon his face (etithe kalumma ep to prosopon autou). Imperfect active of tithem, used to put (Ex 34:33 ).
That the children of Israel should not look steadfastly (pros to me atenisa tous uious). Purpose expressed by pros and the articular infinitive with negative me and the accusative of general reference. The Authorized Version had a wrong translation here as if to hide the glory on his face.
14But their minds were hardened (alla eporothe ta noemata auton). Their thoughts (noemata) literally. Poroo (first aorist passive indicative here) is late verb from poros, hard skin, to cover with thick skin (callus), to petrify. See on Mr 6:52; 8:17 .
Of the old covenant (tes palaias diathekes). The Old Testament. Palaios (ancient) in contrast to kainos (fresh, verse 6). See Mt 13:52 .
The same veil (to auto kalumma). Not that identical veil, but one that has the same effect, that blinds their eyes to the light in Christ. This is the tragedy of modern Judaism.
Unlifted (me anakaluptomenon). Present passive participle of anakalupto, old verb, to draw back the veil, to unveil.
Is done away (katargeita). Same verb as in verses 7,11 .
15Whensoever Moses is read (enika an anaginosketa Mouses). Indefinite temporal clause with enika an and the present passive subjunctive.
A veil lieth upon their heart (ep ten kardian auton keita). Vivid and distressing picture, a fact that caused Paul agony of heart (Ro 9:1-5 ). With wilful blindness the rabbis set aside the word of God by their tradition in the time of Jesus (Mr 7:8f. ).
16It shall turn (epistrepse). The heart of Israel.
The veil is taken away (periaireita to kalumma). Present passive indicative of periaireo, old verb, to take from around, as of anchors (Ac 27:40 ), to cut loose (Ac 28:13 ), for hope to be taken away (Ac 27:20 ). Here Paul has in mind Ex 34:34 where we find of Moses that perieireito to kalumma (the veil was taken from around his face) whenever he went before the Lord. After the ceremony the veil is taken from around (peri-) the face of the bride.
17Now the Lord is the Spirit (o de Kurios to pneuma estin). Some, like E. F. Scott (The Spirit in the N.T.), take Kurios here to be Christ and interpret Paul as denying the personality of the Holy Spirit, identifying Christ and the Holy Spirit. But is not Bernard right here in taking Kurios (Lord) in the same sense here as in Ex 34:34 (enant Kuriou, before the Lord), the very passage that Paul is quoting? Certainly, the Holy Spirit is interchangeably called in the N.T. the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9f. ). Christ dwells in us by the Holy Spirit, but the language here in 2Co 3:17 should not be pressed unduly (Plummer. See also P. Gardner, The Religious Experience of St. Paul, p. 176f.). Note "the Spirit of the Lord" here.
Liberty (eleutheria). Freedom of access to God without fear in opposition to the fear in Ex 34:30 . We need no veil and we have free access to God.
18We all (emeis pantes). All of us Christians, not merely ministers.
With unveiled face (anakekalummeno prosopo). Instrumental case of manner. Unlike and like Moses.
Reflecting as in a mirror (katoptrizomeno). Present middle participle of katoptrizo, late verb from katoptron, mirror (kata, optron, a thing to see with). In Philo (Legis Alleg. iii. 33) the word means beholding as in a mirror and that idea suits also the figure in 1Co 13:12 . There is an inscription of third century B.C. with enkatoptrisastha eis to udor, to look at one's reflection in the water. Plutarch uses the active for mirroring or reflecting and Chrysostom takes it so here. Either makes good sense. The point that Paul is making is that we shall not lose the glory as Moses did. But that is true if we keep on beholding or keep on reflecting (present tense). Only here in N.T.
Are transformed (metamorphoumetha). Present passive (are being transformed) of metamorphoo, late verb and in papyri. See on Mt 17:2; Mr 9:2 where it is translated "transfigured." It is the word used for heathen mythological metamorphoses.
Into the same image (ten auten eikona). Accusative retained with passive verb metamorphoumetha. Into the likeness of God in Christ (1Co 15:48-53; Ro 8:17,29; Col 3:4; 1Jo 3:2 ).
As from the Lord the Spirit (kathaper apo Kuriou pneumatos). More likely, "as from the Spirit of the Lord."
2 Corinthians 4