2 Corinthians 3:18

ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντες. This refers, not (as in 2 Corinthians 3:1-12) to the ministers of the Gospel, but to all Christians, to all who have been set free by the presence of the Spirit. In the new dispensation the privilege is universal, not, as in the old, confined to one mediator. The δέ refers back to 2 Corinthians 3:16. The Jews are still in need of conversion to Christ that the veil may be removed from them: but all we Christians, with unveiled face. For the dative comp. ἀκατακαλύπτῳ τῇ κεφαλῇ (1 Corinthians 11:5).

κατοπτριζόμενοι. In the active this means ‘to show in a mirror,’ in the middle (1) ‘to behold as in a mirror,’ or (2) ‘to reflect as in a mirror.’ Chrysostom adopts the latter meaning, and it makes excellent sense: with unveiled face reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. The idea is taken from Moses removing the veil when he talked with God, and thus catching a reflexion of the Divine glory. Augustine points out that we are not obliged to believe that “we shall see God with the bodily face in which are the eyes of the body”; it is “the face of the inner man” which is meant (De Civ. Dei XXII. 29).

τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφούμεθα. Are being transfigured into the same image; acc. of definition. As S. Paul, perhaps purposely, uses the same word as is used of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2), the same English word should be used here as there. The Vulgate changes from transfigurari in Mt. and Mk to transformari here, and has influenced English Versions. Comp. Romans 12:2; Philippians 3:21. Seneca again has something a little similar, “Not only corrected but transfigured” (Ep. Mor. VI. 1); and “A man is not yet wise, unless his mind is transfigured into those things which he has learned” (Ep. Mor. XCIV. 48). By τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα is meant the same image as that which is reflected in the mirror, the image of the perfection that is manifest in Christ: Galatians 4:19. It carries the mind back to the Creation (Genesis 1:26) and implies that this transformation is a re-creation (Colossians 3:10). See on μετασχηματίζεσθαι. 2 Corinthians 11:13.

ἀπό δόξης εἰς δόξαν. The words emphasize the contrast to Moses. Comp. ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (Romans 1:17), ἐκ δυνάμεως εἰς δύναμιν (Psalms 83:8). The probable meaning is that the process of transfiguration is a gradual one; “from one stage of glory to another” (Lias). Comp. Enoch li. 4, 5, lxii. 15, 16, cviii. 11–15; Apoc. of Baruch li. 1, 3, 5, 7–12. But the sense may be, as Bengel gives it, a gloria Domini ad gloriam in nobis.

καθάπερ�. See critical note. This again is difficult and of doubtful meaning, like ὁ δὲ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν (2 Corinthians 3:17), to which it looks back. There are several possible renderings. (1) Even as by the Spirit of the Lord (A.V.), which is that of the Vulgate, tanquam a Domini Spiritu. But the order of the Greek is against this, and, had S. Paul meant this, he would perhaps have written καθάπερ�. (2) Even as by the Lord of the Spirit, viz. Christ, through whose instrumentality the Spirit is given (Titus 3:5-6; John 16:7). This is perhaps the simplest grammatical meaning of the words, if κυρίου is a substantive. Tertullian seems to have read πνευμάτων, for he gives tanquam a domino spirituum as S. Paul’s words (Adv. Marc. 2 Corinthians 3:11). (3) Even as from the Lord the Spirit (R.V.; comp. A.V. margin), which is found in some MSS. of the Vulgate, a domino spiritu. (4) Even as from the Spirit which is the Lord (R.V. margin). (5) Even as from a Spirit exercising lordship (Hort), or, by a paraphrase, a Spirit which is Lord. This last takes κυρίου as an adjective, and it has great advantages. As Hort suggests, it may be “the Scriptural source of the remarkable adjectival phrase τὸ κύριον in the (so called) Constantinopolitan Creed”—τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ κύριον τὸ ζωοποιόν. Such a use of κύριος is not found elsewhere in Scripture, but its adoption in the Creed is evidence that it was thus understood by some. If this rendering stands, the conjectural reading κύριον for Κυρίου in 2 Corinthians 3:17 becomes not improbable. We may adopt any of the three last, (3), (4), or (5), and interpret that by the influence of the Spirit all Christians are step by step made similar to the glorified Christ. The Jew does not catch the reflexion of even the glory of the Law; he sees nothing but the dull and deadening letter. Much less does he reflect the glory of the Gospel. The καθάπερ characterizes the transformation; our transformation is one which answers to its source, viz. a spirit which is Sovereign,—again in contrast to Moses, who had to deal with the γράμμα. Throughout the verse there is contrast between the Old Covenant and the New; between one man and ‘we all’; between the face often veiled and ‘with unveiled face’; between glory that is transient and ‘reflecting as in a mirror’ (present of continued state) ‘from glory to glory’; between glory that is external and glory that is a penetrating and assimilating influence; between the ministry of the γράμμα and the agency of the πνεῦμα. See Briggs, The Messiah of the Apostles, pp. 127 ff.