Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [2 Corinthians: Chapter 3].
taken away (Ac 27:20). Here Paul has in mind Ex 34:34 where
we find of Moses that \peri•ireito 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.
3:17 {Now the Lord is the Spirit} (\ho 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 (\enanti 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.
3:18 {We all} (\h•meis pantes\). All of us Christians, not merely
ministers. {With unveiled face} (\anakekalummen•i pros•p•i\).
Instrumental case of manner. Unlike and like Moses. {Reflecting
as in a mirror} (\katoptrizomenoi\). Present middle participle of
\katoptriz•\, 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 \egkatoptrisasthai eis to hud•r\, 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 \metamorpho•\, 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} (\t•n aut•n 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
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/2CO3.RWP.html (4 of 5) [28/08/2004 09:12:07 a.m.]