TEXT. 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that, which was made glorious, had no glory, in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth, is glorious. 12 Seeing then we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: PARAPHRASE. otherwise, but that the ministry of the Spirit, which giveth life, should confer more glory and lustre on the ministers of 9 the Gospel? For if the ministration of condemnation were glory, the ministry of justification, in the Gospel, doth cer10 tainly much more exceed in glory. Though even e glory, that Moses's ministration had, was no glory in com rison of 11 the far more excelling glory of the Gospel ministry. Farther, if that which is temporary, and to be done away, were delivered with glory, how much rather is that which remains, 12 without being done away, to appear in glory? Wherefore, having such hope, we use great freedom and plainness of NOTES. their being changed into the image and clear representation of the Lord himself; as the glory of Moses consisted in the transitory brightness of his face, which was a faint reflection of the glory of God, appearing to him in the mount. 9 Dianovia The Finalσuvas, "the ministration of righteousness;" so the ministry of the gospel is called, because, by the Gospel, a way is provided for the justification of those who have transgressed: but the law has nothing but rigid condemnation for all transgressors; and, therefore, is called here" the mintration of condemnation." 10 Though the showing, that the ministry of the Gospel is more glorious than that of the law be what St. Paul is upon here, thereby to justify himself, if he has assumed some authority and condemnation to himself, in his ministry and apostleship; yet in his thus industriously placing the ministry of the Gospel, in honour, above that of Moses, may he not possibly have an eye to the Judaizing false apostle of the Corinthians, to let them see what little regard was to be had to that ministration, in comparison of the ministry of the Gospel? 11 Here St, Paul mentions another pre-eminency and superiority of glory, in the Gospel over the law, viz. that the law was to cease, and to be abolished; but the Gospel to remain, and never be abolished. 66 12 "Such hope:" that St. Paul, by these words, means the so honourable emPloyment of an apostle and minister of the Gospel, or the glory belonging to his ministry in the Gospel, is evident, by the whole foregoing comparison, which he has made, which is all along between dianova, the ministry" of the law, and of the Gospel, and not between the law and the Gospel themselves. The calling of it "hope," instead of glory, here, where he speaks of his having of it, is the language of modesty, which more particularly suited his present purpose. For the conclusion, which, in this verse, he draws from what went before, plainly shows the apostle's design, in this discourse, to be the justifying his speaking freely of himself and others; his argument amount. ing to thus much; TEXT. 13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. 14 But their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away, in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ. n PARAPHRASE. 13 speech. And not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, do we veil the light; so that the obscurity of what we deliver should hinder the children of Israel from seeing, in the law, which was to be done away, Christ, who was the end of the 14 law. But their not seeing it, is from the blindness of their own minds: for, unto this day, the same veil remains upon their understandings, in reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ; i. e. Christ, now he is come, so NOTES. "Having, therefore, so honourable an employment, as is the ministry of the Gospel, which far exceeds the ministry of the law in glory; though even that gave so great a lustre to Moses's face, that the children of Israel could not with fixed eyes look upon him; I, as becomes one of such hopes, in such a post as sets me above all mean considerations and compliances use great freedom and plainness of speech, in all things that concern my ministry. n : 13 : Προς το μη ατενίσαι, &c. "That the children of Israel could not steadfastly look," &c. St. Paul is here justifying, in himself, and other ministers of the Gospel, the plainness and openness of their preaching, which he had asserted in the immediately preceding verse. These words, therefore, here, must of necessity be understood, not of Moses, but of the Ministers of the Gospel; viz. that it was not the obscurity of their preaching, not any thing veiled, in their way of proposing the Gospel, which was the cause why the children of Israel did not understond the law to the bottom, and see Christ, the end of it, in the writings of Moses. What St. Paul says, in the next verse, “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away," plainly determines the words we are upon to the sense I have taken them in for what sense is this?"Moses put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not see the end of the law; but their minds were blinded; for the veil remains upon them until this day. But this is very good sense, and to St. Paul's purpose, viz. "We, the ministers of the Gospel, speak plainly and openly, and put no veil upon ourselves, as Moses did, whereby to hinder the Jews from seeing Christ, in the law; but that, which hinders them, is a blindness on their minds, which has been always on them, and remains to this day." This seems to be an obviating an objection, which some among the Corinthians might make to his boasting of so much plainness and clearness in his preaching, viz. If you preach the Gospel, and Christ, contained in the law, with such a shining clearness and evidence, how comes it that the Jews are not converted to it? His reply is, "Their unbelief comes not from any obscurity in our preaching, but from a blindness, which rests upon their minds to this day; which shall be taken away when they turn to the Lord." Vid. Rom. x. 2-4. TEXT. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. 15 Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 1 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 P 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 liberty, 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 in the synagogue, that, when the law is read, they put a veil over their faces. 16 When this shall be, see Rom. xi. 25-27. 17 : Ο δε Κύριος το πνεύμα εςιν, "but the Lord is that Spirit." These words relate to ver. 6, where he says, that he is a minister, not of the letter of the law, not of the outside and literal sense, but of the mystical and spiritual meaning of it, which he here tells us is Christ. "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 TEXT. Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. IV. 1 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. of the gospel, with open countenances, xavol, reflecting as mirrors the glory of the Lord. So the word lжρμ 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 xaropμo be translated "beholding as in a glass." Την αυτήν εικόνα μεταμορφούμεθα, σε 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. ATO doğns els dogav, "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. Καθαπερ απο Κυρίου, πνεύματος, "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 rapinoia, "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. u 1 " Οὐκ ἐκκακουμε, “ we faint not,” is the same with πολλη παρρησία χρωμεθα, “ we use great plainness of speech," verse 12, of the foregoing chapter; and signifies, in both places, the clear, plain, disinterested preaching of the Gospel; 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 hid 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 shined PARAPHRASE. W 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 an y 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 th t 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' s.ke. For God, who made light to shine out of dark NOTES. 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 convi ce 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, secu ar interest. W These 2 * Απειπαμεθα τα κρυπία της αισχύνης, “ have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty," and in pavesætes ons aandus," by manifestation of the truth." expressions explain ανακεκαλυμμένω προσωπου, "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. * Ετυφλωσε τα νοήματα, σε blinded their minds,” answers επαρώθη τα νοημαία, "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. ▲,"glory," here, as in the former chapter, is but for shining and brightness ; so that ευαγγέλιον της δόξης του Χρισου, is the brightness, or clearness, of the doctrine wherein Christ is manifested in the Gospel. |