2 Corinthians 3:18

All. Contrasted with Moses as the sole representative of the people. Open [α ν α κ ε κ α λ υ μ μ ε ν ω]. Rev., correctly, unveiled, as Moses when the veil was removed.

"Vainly they tried the deeps to sound E'en of their own prophetic thought, When of Christ crucified and crown 'd His Spirit in them taught : But He their aching gaze repress'd Which sought behind the veil to see, For not without us fully bless 'd Or perfect might they be. The rays of the Almighty's face No sinner's eye might then receive Only the meekest man found grace To see His skirts and live. But we as in a glass espy The glory of His countenance, Not in a whirlwind hurrying by The too presumptuous glance, But with mild radiance every hour From our dear Savior's face benign Bent on us with transforming power, Till we, too faintly shine. Sprinkled with His atoning blood Safely before our God we stand, As on the rock the prophet stood, Beneath His shadowing hand."

Keble, "Christian Year," Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Beholding as in a glass [κ α τ ο π τ ρ ι ζ ο μ ε ν ο ι]. So American Rev. Rev., reflecting. Only here in the New Testament. The verb in the active voice means to show in a mirror; to cause to be reflected. In the middle voice, to took at or behold one's self in a mirror. Rev., reflecting seems to be preferred on internal grounds, as better suiting the comparison with the divine glory as mirrored in the unveiled face of Moses. But this is unwarranted by usage. Stanley, who adopts this rendering, admits that there is no actual instance of the sense of reflecting. This sense, however, is not sacrificed by the translation beholding, but is conveyed by the succeeding clause, changed into the same image, etc. As Heinrici observes, beholding expresses the fact from which the process of change into God's image proceeds. When Moses beheld Jehovah's glory, his own face reflected that glory. The mirror is the Gospel, which is called the Gospel of the glory of Christ, ch. 4 4.

Are changed [μ ε τ α μ ο ρ φ ο υ μ ε θ α]. Rev., transformed. See on Matthew 17:2. The present tense expresses the change as in progress; are being changed, which is further defined by from glory to glory.

The same image [τ η ν α υ τ η ν ε ι κ ο ν α]. See on Revelation 13:14. Compare especially 1 John 3:2; also Romans 8:29; John 17:24; Colossians 3:4; Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 14:48-53.

By the Spirit of the Lord [α π ο κ υ ρ ι ο υ π ν ε υ μ α τ ο ς]. Better, as Rev., from the Lord the Spirit. Compare ver. 17. The preposition ajpo from depicts the transformation as proceeding from rather than as caused by.