1. 2 CORITHIAS 4 COMMETARYEdited by Glenn PeasePresent Weakness and Resurrection Life1 Therefore, since through Gods mercy we havethis ministry, we do not lose heart.1. Barnes, Therefore - Diatouto. On account of this. That is, because thelight of the gospel is so clear; because it reveals so glorious truths, and all obscurity istaken away, and we are permitted to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, 2Co_3:18. Since the glories of the gospel dispensation are so great, and its effects on the heartare so transforming and purifying. The object is, to show the effect of being entrustedwith such a ministry, on the character of his preaching.Seeing we have this ministry - The gospel ministry, so much more glorious thanthat of Moses 2Co_3:6; which is the ministry by which the Holy Spirit acts on the heartsof people 2Co_3:8; which is the ministry of that system by which people are justified2Co_3:9; and which is the ministry of a system so pure and unclouded, 2Co_3:9-11,2Co_3:18.As we have received mercy - Tyndale renders this: even as mercy is sure in us. Theidea is, that it was by the mere mercy and favor of God, that he had been entrusted withthe ministry, and the object of Paul is doubtless to prevent the appearance ofarrogance and self-confidence by stating that it was to be traced entirely to God that hewas put into the ministry. He doubtless had his eye on the fact that he had been apersecutor and blasphemer; and that it was by the mere favor of God that he had beenconverted and entrusted with the ministry, 1Ti_1:13. Nothing will more effectuallyhumble a minister, and prevent his assuming any arrogant and self-confident airs, thanto look over his past life; especially if his life was one of blasphemy, vice, or infidelity;and to remember that it is by the mere mercy of God that he is entrusted with the highoffice of an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Paul never forgot to trace his hope, hisappointment to the ministerial office, and his success, to the mere grace of God.We faint not - This is one of the effects of being entrusted with such a ministry. Theword used here ( ekkakoumen) means, properly, to turn out a coward; to loseones courage; then to be fainthearted, to faint, to despond, in view of trial, difficulty, etc.- Robinson. Here it means, that by the mercy of God, he was not disheartened by thedifficulties which he met; his faith and zeal did not flag; he was enabled to be faithful,and laborious, and his courage always kept up, and his mind was filled withcheerfulness; see note on 2Co_2:14. He was deterred by no difficulties; embarrassed byno opposition; driven from his purpose by no persecution; and his strength did not failunder any trials. The consciousness of being entrusted with such a ministry animatedhim; and the mercy and grace of God sustained him.

2. 2. Clarke, Seeing we have this ministry - The Gospel, of which he gave that nobleaccount which we read in the preceding chapter.We faint not - We meet with many tribulations, but are supported in and through allby the grace of the Gospel. Instead of , we faint not, , weact not wickedly, is the reading of ADFG, and some others. Wakefield thinks it thegenuine reading; it certainly makes a very good sense with what goes before and whatfollows. If we follow this reading the whole verse may be read thus: Wherefore, as wehave obtained mercy, or been graciously intrusted, , with this ministry, we donot act wickedly, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, etc.3. Gill, Therefore seeing we have this ministry,.... The apostle having largelyinsisted on the difference between the law and the Gospel, the ministration of the oneand of the other, proceeds to give an account of his own conduct, and that of his fellowapostles and ministers: we, says he, faint not; under all the reproaches cast upon us,persecutions raised against us, and tribulations that attend us; we do not sink in ourspirits, or give out from the ministry; we go on cheerfully in our work, in the thee of allopposition, encouraged by the consideration of the excellency of the ministry, whichthey had from the Lord, were put into, and continued in; which was so valuable in itself,and so useful in its effects; being the ministration of the Spirit and of righteousness,having in it such an excelling glory to the law, and attended with so much light andliberty: to which he adds the consideration of the mercy of God they were partakers of,as we have received mercy; which may refer either to the grace and mercy of God,which they had received in conversion; a sense of which abiding upon them, soinfluenced their minds, to hold forth the riches of abounding grace and mercy to poorsinners in the Gospel, that nothing could deter them from it; or to the grace, favour, andgood will of God, in making, supporting, and continuing them as ministers of the word;all which, they were sensible, was owing not to men, but God; not to their merit, but tohis mercy; not to their worthiness, parts, learning, c. but to his free gift, favour, andgrace, by which only they were what they were, as preachers of the Gospel.4. Henry, The apostle had, in the foregoing chapter, been magnifying his office, uponthe consideration of the excellency or glory of that gospel about which he did officiate;and now in this chapter his design is to vindicate their ministry from the accusation offalse teachers, who charged them as deceitful workers, or endeavoured to prejudice theminds of the people against them on account of their sufferings. He tells them, therefore,how they believed, and how they showed their value for their office as ministers of thegospel. They were not puffed up with pride, but spurred on to great diligence: Seeingwe have this ministry, are so much distinguished and dignified, we do not take stateupon ourselves, nor indulge in idleness, but are excited to the better performance of ourduty.I. Two things in general we have an account of: - Their constancy and sincerity in theirwork and labour, concerning which observe, 1. Their constancy and perseverance in theirwork are declared: We faint not (2Co_4:1) under the difficulty of our work, nor do we 3. desist from our labour. And this their stedfastness was owing to the mercy of God.From the same mercy and grace from which they received the apostleship (Rom_1:5),they received strength to persevere in the work of that office. Note, As it is great mercyand grace to be called to be saints, and especially to be counted faithful, and be put intothe ministry (1Ti_1:12), so it is owing to the mercy and grace of God if we continuefaithful and persevere in our work with diligence. The best men in the world would faintin their work, and under their burdens, if they did not receive mercy from God. By thegrace of God I am what I am, said this great apostle in his former epistle to theseCorinthians, 1Co_15:10. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on,hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end.5. Jamison, 2Co_4:1-18. His preaching is open and sincere, though to many the Gospelis hidden.For he preaches Christ, not himself: the human vessel is frail that God may have theglory; yet, though frail, faith and the hope of future glory sustain him amidst the decay ofthe outward man.Therefore Greek, For this cause: Because we have the liberty-giving Spirit of theLord, and with unveiled face behold His glory (2Co_3:17, 2Co_3:18).seeing we have this ministry The ministration of the Spirit (2Co_3:8, 2Co_3:9):the ministry of such a spiritual, liberty-giving Gospel: resuming 2Co_3:6, 2Co_3:8.received mercy from God, in having had this ministry conferred on us (2Co_3:5).The sense of mercy received from God, makes men active for God (1Ti_1:11-13).we faint not in boldness of speech and action, and patience in suffering (2Co_4:2,2Co_4:8-16, etc.).6. Calvin, Having this ministry. He now returns to a commendation of himselfpersonally, from which he had digressed into a general discussion, in reference tothe dignity of the gospel. As, therefore, he has been treating of the nature of thegospel, so he now shows how faithful and upright a minister of it he is. He haspreviously shown, what is the true gospel of Christ. He now shows what he preachesto be such. Having, says he, this ministry that ministry, the excellence ofwhich he had extolled in terms so magnificent, and the power and usefulness ofwhich he had so abundantly shown forth. Hence, in order that he may not seem toextol himself too much, he premises that it was not by his own efforts, or by his ownmerits, that he had reached such a pinnacle of honor, but had been led forward bythe mercy of God exclusively. ow there was more implied in making the mercy ofGod the reason of his Apostleship, than if he had attributed it to the grace of God.We faint not 423423 Instead of , we faint not, , we actnot wickedly, is the reading of ADFG, and some others. Wakefield thinks it thegenuine reading; it certainly makes a very good sense with what goes before andwhat follows. If we follow this reading, the whole verse may be read thus Wherefore, as we have obtained mercy, or been graciously entrusted, ,with this ministry, we do not act wickedly, but have renounced the hidden things ofdishonesty. Dr. A. Clarke. Ed. that is, we are not deficient in our duty,424424 ous nomettons rien de ce qui est de nostre office; We do not omitany thing of what belongs to our office. so as not to discharge it with fidelity. 4. 7. Spurgeon, 2 Corinthians 4:1111 . Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we havereceived mercy, we faint not;Stern was the labor of the apostles, but they felt that their work was so all-important,so divine, that they must not grow weary of it, though they were,doubtless, often weary in it.It is a very high privilege to be called to the work of the Christian ministry,and when the minister remembers what great mercy he has himselfreceived, what sins have been forgiven, what favors have been bestowed,he has the very best incentives in all the world to pursue his ministry withdiligence and with zeal. WWWWeeee ffffaaaaiiiinnnntttt nnnnooootttt,,,, says the apostle. We do not hang our harps upon thewillows. We do not pray to be allowed to retire from the battle, and give upthe strife; but, feeling how great has been the mercy of God to our ownsouls, we are stirred up to press forward with holy zeal to win the victory.We long that others may taste of the same good things on which we havefeasted.We are sometimes ready to faint, but we cast our fainting spirits into thearms of God, and our strength is again reserved at times, the veryimportance of an errand first weighs down the spirit of the messenger, yetafterwards it seems to impel him to more than ordinary exertion. So is ithere, having been divinely entrusted with this ministry, and being ready tofaint under the tremendous responsibility that it involves, we yet areroused to action by the very pressure which seems to deprive us of thepower to act, and therefore wwwweeee ffffaaaaiiiinnnntttt nnnnooootttt;;;; -2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shamefulways; we do not use deception, nor do we distortthe word of God. On the contrary, by setting forththe truth plainly we commend ourselves toeveryones conscience in the sight of God. 5. 1. Barnes, But have renounced - ( apeipametha from apo and #eipon). The word means properly to speak out or off; to refuse or deny; to interdict orforbid. Here it means, to renounce, or disown; to spurn, or scorn with aversion. It occursno where else in the New Testament; and the sense here is, that the apostles had such aview of the truth of religion, and the glory of the Christian scheme 2Co_3:13-18, as tolead them to discard everything that was disguised, and artful, and crafty; everything likedeceit and fraud. The religions of the pagan were made up mainly of trick, and weresupported by deception practiced on the ignorant, and on the mass of people. Paul says,that he and his fellow-laborers had such views of the truth, and glory, and holiness of theChristian scheme, as to lead them solemnly to abjure and abhor all such dishonest tricksand devices. Truth never needs such arts; and no cause will long succeed by mere trickand cunning.The hidden things of dishonesty - Margin, shame. The Greek word mostcommonly means shame, or disgrace. The hidden things of shame here mean disgracefulconduct; clandestine and secret arts, which were in themselves shameful anddisgraceful. They denote all underhanded dealings; all dishonest artifices and plans,such as were common among the pagan, and such probably as the false teachers adoptedin the propagation of their opinions at Corinth. The expression here does not imply thatthe apostles ever had anything to do with such arts; but that they solemnly abjured andabhorred them. Religion is open, plain, straightforward. It has no alliance with cunning,and trick, and artifice. It should be defended openly; stated clearly; and urged withsteady argument. It is a work of light, and not of darkness.Not walking in craftiness - Not acting craftily; not behaving in a crafty manner. Theword used here (panourgia from (pan, all, )ergon, work, that is,doing every thing, or capable of doing anything) denotes shrewdness, cunning, and craft.This was common; and this was probably practiced by the false teachers in Corinth.With this Paul says he had nothing to do. He did not adopt a course of carnal wisdomand policy (note, 2Co_1:12); he did not attempt to impose upon them, or to deceivethem; or to make his way by subtile and deceitful arts. True religion can never beadvanced by trick and craftiness.Nor handling the word of God deceitfully - ( dolountes). Not falsifying;or deceitfully corrupting or disguising the truth of God, The phrase seems to besynonymous with that used in 2Co_2:17, and rendered corrupt the word of God; seethe note on that verse. It properly means to falsify, adulterate, corrupt, by Jewishtraditions, etc. (Robinson, Bloomfield, Doddridge, etc.); or it may mean, as in ourtranslation, to handle in a deceitful manner; to make use of trick and art in propagatingand defending it. Tyndale renders it: neither corrupt we the Word of God.But by manifestation of the truth - By making the truth manifest; that is, by asimple exhibition of the truth. By stating it just as it is, in an undisguised and openmanner. Not by adulterating it with foreign mixtures; not by mingling it withphilosophy, or traditions; not by blunting its edge, or concealing anything, or explainingit away; but by an open, plain, straightforward exhibition of it as it is in Jesus. Preachingshould consist in a simple exhibition of the truth. There is no deceit in the gospel itself;and there should be none in the manner of exhibiting it. It should consist of a simplestatement of things as they are. The whole design of preaching is, to make known thetruth. And this is done in an effectual manner only when it is simple, open, undisguised,without craft, and without deceit. 6. Commending ourselves to every mans conscience - That is, so speaking thetruth that every mans conscience shall approve it as true; every man shall see it to betrue, and to be in accordance with what he knows to be right. Conscience is that facultyof the mind which distinguishes between right and wrong, and which prompts us tochoose the former and avoid the latter; Joh_8:9; Rom_2:15 note; 1Co_10:25, 1Co_10:27-29 notes; 2Co_1:12 note. It is implied here:(1) That a course of life, and a manner of preaching that shall be free from dishonesty,and art, and trick, will be such as the consciences of people will approve. Paul soughtsuch a course of life as should accord with their sense of right, and thus serve tocommend the gospel to them.(2) That the gospel may be so preached as to be seen by men to be true; so as to beapproved as right; and so that every mans conscience shall bear testimony to its truth.People do not love it, but they may see that it is true; they may hate it, but they maysee that the truth which condemns their practices is from heaven. This is an exceedinglyimportant principle in regard to preaching, and vastly momentous in its bearing on theviews which ministers should have of their own work. The gospel is reasonable. It maybe seen to be true by every man to whom it is preached. And it should be the aim of everypreacher so to preach it, as to enlist the consciences of his hearers in his layout. And it isa very material fact that when so preached the conscience and reason of every man is inits favor, and they know that it is true even when it pronounces their own condemnation,and denounces their own sins. This passage proves, therefore, the following things:(1) That the gospel may be so preached as to be seen to be true by all people. Peopleare capable of seeing the truth, and even when they do not love it; they can perceive thatit has demonstration that it is from God. It is a system so reasonable; so well establishedby evidence; so fortified by miracles, and the fulfillment of prophecies; so pure in itsnature; so well-adapted to man; so suited to his condition, and so well designed to makehim better; and so happy in its influence on society, that people may be led to see that itis true. And this I take to be the case with almost all those people who habitually attendon the preaching of the gospel. Infidels do not often visit the sanctuary; and when theyare in the habit of doing it, it is a fact that they gradually come to the conviction that theChristian religion is true. It is rare to find professed infidels in our places of worship;and the great mass of those who attend on the preaching of the gospel may be set downas speculative believers in the truth of Christianity.(2) The consciences of people are on the side of truth, and the gospel may be sopreached as to enlist their consciences in its favor. Conscience prompts to do right, andcondemns us if we do wrong. It can never be made to approve of wrong, never to give aman peace if he does that which he knows to be evil. By no art or device; by no system oflaws, or bad government; by no training or discipline, can it be made the advocate of sin.In all lands, at all times, and in all circumstances, it prompts a man to do what is right,and condemns him if he does wrong. It may be silenced for a time; it may be seared aswith a hot iron, and for a time be insensible, but if it speak at all, it speaks to prompt aman to do what he believes to be right, and condemns him if he does that which iswrong. The consciences of people are on the side of the gospel; and it is only their heartswhich are opposed to it. Their consciences are in favor of the gospel in the following,among other respects:(a) They approve of it as a just, pure, holy, and reasonable system; as in accordancewith what they feel to be right; as recommending that which ought to be done, andforbidding that which ought not to be done.(b) In its special requirements on themselves. Their consciences tell them that theyought to love God with all the heart; to repent of their sins; to trust in that Saviour who 7. died for them; and to lead a life of prayer and of devotedness to the service of God; thatthey ought to be sincere and humble Christians, and prepare to meet God in peace.(c) Their consciences approve the truth that condemns them. No matter how strict itmay seem to be; no matter how loud its denunciation against their sins; no matter howmuch the gospel may condemn their pride, avarice, sensuality, levity, dishonesty, fraud,intemperance, profaneness, biasphemy, or their neglect of their soul, yet theirconsciences approve of it as right, and proclaim that these things ought to becondemned, and ought to be abandoned. The heart may love them, but the consciencecannot be made to approve them. And the minister of the gospel may always approachhis people, or an individual man, with the assurance that however much they may lovethe ways of sin, yet that he has their consciences in his favor, and that in urging theclaims of God on them, their consciences will always coincide with his appeals.(3) The way in which a minister is to commend himself to the consciences of people,is that which was pursued by Paul. He must:(a) Have a clear and unwavering conviction of the truth himself. On this subject heshould have no doubt. He should be able to look on it as on a burnished mirror (note,2Co_3:18); and to see its glory as with open face.(b) It should be by the simple statement of the truth of the gospel. Not by preachingphilosophy, or metaphysics, or the traditions of man, or the sentiments of theologians,but the simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. People may be made to see that theseare truths, and God will take care that the reason and consciences of people shall be intheir favor.(c) By the absence of all trick and cunning, and disguised and subtle arts. The gospel hasnothing of these in itself, and it will never approve of them, nor will God bless them. Aminister of Jesus should be frank, open, undisguised, and candid. He should make asober and elevated appeal to the reason and conscience of man. The gospel is not acunningly devised fable; it has no trick in itself, and the ministers of religion shouldsolemnly abjure all the hidden things of dishonesty.In the sight of God - As in the immediate presence of God. We act as if we felt thatHis eye was upon us; and this consideration serves to keep us from the hidden things ofdishonesty, and from improper arts in spreading the true religion; see the note on 2Co_2:17.1B. Vincent, Dishonesty (thv aiscunhv). Rev., more correctly, shame .Compare Eph. v. 12 .Craftiness (panourgia). See on Luke xx. 23 .Handling deceitfully (dolountev). Only here in the New Testament.Primarily, to ensnare ; then to corrupt . Used of adulterating gold , wine , etc. See onwhich corrupt , ch. ii. 17. This verb has a narrower meaning than the one used there(kaphleuein); for, while that means also to corrupt , it adds the sense for gain 'ssake. The Vulgate renders both by the same word, adulterantes. Compare Dante:Thus did Sabellius, Arias, and those fools Who have been even as swords untothe Scriptures In rendering distorted their straight faces. Paradiso, xiii., 128-130. 8. 2. Clarke, But have renounced - We have disclaimed the hidden thingsof dishonesty; , the hidden things of shame; those things whichwicked men do; and which they are ashamed to have known, and ashamed to own. Dr.Whitby thinks that the apostle refers to carnal abominations, of which the Jews andtheir rabbins were notoriously guilty. And it does appear from the first epistle that therewere persons in Corinth who taught that fornication was no sin; and it appears also thatseveral had taken the part of the incestuous person.Not walking in craftiness - 4 In subtlety and clever cunning, as the falseteachers did, who were accomplished fellows, and capable of any thing. The word iscompounded of , all, and , work.Nor handling the word of God deceitfully - Not using the doctrines of the Gospelto serve any secular or carnal purpose; not explaining away their force so as to palliate orexcuse sin; not generalizing its precepts so as to excuse many in particular circumstancesfrom obedience, especially in that which most crossed their inclinations. There weredeceitful handlers of this kind in Corinth, and there are many of them still in the garb ofChristian ministers; persons who disguise that part of their creed which, though theybelieve it is of God, would make them unpopular, affecting moderation in order toprocure a larger audience and more extensive support; not attacking prevalent andpopular vices; calling dissipation of mind, relaxation; and worldly and carnal pleasures,innocent amusements, etc. In a word, turning with the tide, and shifting with the wind ofpopular opinion, prejudice, fashion, etc.But by manifestation of the truth - An open, explicit acknowledgment of what weknow to be the truth - what we are assured is the Gospel of Jesus; concealing nothing;blunting the edge of no truth; explaining spiritual things, not in the words of manswisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit of God.Commending ourselves to every mans conscience - Speaking so that everymans conscience shall bear its testimony that we proclaim the truth of God. This is onecharacteristic of Divine truth: even every mans conscience will acknowledge it, though itspeak decidedly against his own practices.In the sight of God - Whose eye is ever on the heart and conscience of man, and whoalways bears testimony to his own word.3. Gill, But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,.... Or shame;this is a further account of the conduct of the first ministers of the Gospel, and veryworthy of our imitation, and in which the apostle strikes at the different manner ofbehaviour in the false apostles: this may respect both doctrine and practice; theyabhorred and rejected everything that was scandalous and reproachful to the Gospel ofChrist; in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace ofGod, they had their conversation in the world; they were open and above board, both inprinciple and practice; the same men in public, as in private; they used no art to covertheir doctrines, or hide their conversations; everything of this kind was detestable tothem; whereas the false teachers took a great deal of pains to colour over both theirsentiments and their lives; and a shame it was to speak of the things that were done ofthem in secret, Eph_5:12. Moreover, they were 9. not walking in craftiness; they used no sly and artful methods to please men, to gainapplause from them, or make merchandise of them; they did not lie in wait to deceive,watching an opportunity to work upon credulous and incautious minds; they did not, bygood words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple; nor put on differentforms, or make different appearances, in order to suit themselves to the differenttempers and tastes of men, as did the false apostles:not handling the word of God deceitfully. They did not corrupt it with humandoctrines, or mix and blend it with philosophy, and vain deceit; they did not wrest theScriptures to serve any carnal or worldly purpose; nor did they accommodate them tothe lusts and passions of men; or conceal any part of truth, or keep back any thing whichmight be profitable to the churches:but by the manifestation of the truth, commending themselves to everyman's conscience in the sight of God; that is, they with all plainness and evidenceclearly preached the truth as it is in Jesus, presenting it to, and pressing it upon theconsciences of men; where they left it, and to which they could appeal; and all this theydid, in the sight and presence of the omniscient God, to whom they knew they must givean account of themselves and their ministry.4. Henry, Their sincerity in their work is avouched (2Co_4:2) in several expressions:We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty. The things of dishonesty arehidden things, that will not bear the light; and those who practise them are, or shouldbe, ashamed of them, especially when they are known. Such things the apostle did notallow of, but did renounce and avoid with indignation: Not walking in craftiness, or indisguise, acting with art and cunning, but in great simplicity, and with open freedom.They had no base and wicked designs covered with fair and specious pretences ofsomething that was good. Nor did they in their preaching handle the word of Goddeceitfully; but, as he said before, they used great plainness of speech, and did not maketheir ministry serve a turn, or truckle to base designs. They had not cheated the peoplewith falsehood instead of truth. Some think the apostle alludes to the deceit whichtreacherous gamesters use, or that of hucksters in the market, who mix bad wares withgood. The apostles acted not like such persons, but they manifested the truth to everyman's conscience, declaring nothing but what in their own conscience they believed tobe true, and what might serve for the conviction of their consciences who heard them,who were to judge for themselves, and to give an account for themselves. And all thisthey did as in the sight of God, desirous thus to commend themselves to God, and to theconsciences of men, by their undisguised sincerity. Note, A stedfast adherence to thetruths of the gospel will commend ministers and people; and sincerity or uprightnesswill preserve a man's reputation, and the good opinion of wise and good men concerninghim.II. An objection is obviated, which might be thus formed: If it be thus, how then does itcome to pass, that the gospel is hid, and proves ineffectual, as to some who hear it? Towhich the apostle answers, by showing that this was not the fault of the gospel, nor ofthe preachers thereof.5. Jamison, renounced literally, bid farewell to.of dishonesty rather, of shame. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ 10. (Rom_1:16). Shame would lead to hiding (2Co_4:3); whereas we use great plainness ofspeech (2Co_3:12); by manifestation of the truth. Compare 2Co_3:3, manifestlydeclared. He refers to the disingenuous artifices of many teachers at Corinth (2Co_2:17; 2Co_3:1; 2Co_11:13-15).handling ... deceitfully so corrupt or adulterate the word of God (2Co_2:17;compare 1Th_2:3, 1Th_2:4).commending recommending ourselves: recurring to 2Co_3:1.to to the verdict of.every mans conscience (2Co_5:11). Not to mens carnal judgment, as thosealluded to (2Co_3:1).in the sight of God (2Co_2:17; Gal_1:10).6. Spurgeon, It is no part of the business of Christs ministers to modify thetruth which he has entrusted to them, or to put new meanings into it whichGod never meant, draining away the very life-blood of the gospel, andleaving it dead and useless; but it is both our duty and our privilege tostate it just as we find it, and to proclaim it in as plain language as possibleso that everybody may understand what the teaching of God really is.There have, alas! been many preachers who have handled the Word of Godin the manner described by the apostle. They have out and trimmed thetruth in order to please their generation; they have kept back this, or havemade unduly prominent that, instead of giving all the truth of God itsproper and proportionate prominence in their ministry; but such men havenot, after all, won the respect of their hearers. There is an old story told ofKing John of England that, when he was closely pressed by the barons, hewrote to the Emperor of Morocco, and offered to turn Mohammedan, andtake an oath of allegiance to him if he would send an army to help him, andit is said that, ever after, the Emperor of Morocco abhorred and detestedthe very name of John, for he said he must be an abominable miscreant tobe willing to change his religion for the sake of gain. Ah, my brethren! wenever gain any respect, even from the world, by seeking after it in thisfashion. Be thoroughly honest, especially you who are in the Christianministry; be outspoken, blunt, and plain; and then, even if mens prejudicescondemn you, their consciences will commend you for speaking what youbelieve to be the truth.Far be it from the teacher of truth ever to use words in a non-natural sense,or to dissemble or equivocate, saying to the ear what he means not in thesense in which the hearer understands it. Far be it from us to mix with theWord of God anything of our own as vintners mix various kinds of wine, forsuch is the import of the word that the apostle here uses. Let none of usever handle the Word of God deceitfully. There is no deceit in it; it is allpure unmixed truth. An honest mind is needed for the understanding of it,and then a truthful tongue for the telling of it to others. If we do preach 11. undiluted, unadulterated truth, we must not expect that the natural heart ofman will commend our honesty. We are to commend ourselves to everymans conscience, not by cutting and trimming the Word so as to make itpalatable to our hearers, leaving one truth out to please this man, anddwelling too long upon another truth so as to please some other hearer,but by bringing out the whole teaching of the Scripture in clear truthfulnessthat shall command the approval of the conscience oven of those who maynot accept the truth that we proclaim.7. Calvin, But renounce the hidden things. While he commends his own sincerity,425425 Sa droiture et syncerite; His own uprightness and sincerity. he, onthe other hand, indirectly reproves the false Apostles, who, while they corrupted bytheir ambition the genuine excellence of the gospel, were, nevertheless, desirous ofexclusive distinction. Hence the faults, from which he declares himself to be exempt,he indirectly imputes to them. By the hidden things of disgrace, or concealments,some understand the shadows of the Mosaic law. Chrysostom understands theexpression to mean the vain show, by which they endeavored to recommendthemselves. I understand by it all the disguises, with which they adulterated thepure and native beauty of the gospel. For as chaste and virtuous women, satisfiedwith the gracefulness of natural beauty, do not resort to artificial adornings, whileharlots never think themselves sufficiently adorned, unless they have corruptednature, so Paul glories in having set forth the pure gospel, while others set forth onethat was disguised, and covered over with unseemly additions. For as they wereashamed of the simplicity of Christ, or at least could not have distinction 426426e pouuoyent pas estre excellens et en estime; Could not be eminent, and beheld in estimation. from true excellencies of Apostles, they framed a new gospel,not unlike a profane philosophy, swelled up with empty bombast, while altogetherdevoid of the efficacy of the Spirit. Spurious ornaments of this nature, 427427Ces couleurs fausses, et ces desguisemens; Those false colors, and thosedisguises. by which the gospel is disfigured, he calls the concealments of disgrace,because the nakedness of those, who have recourse to concealments and disguises,must of necessity be dishonorable and disgraceful.As to himself, he says that he rejects or disdains disguises, because Christs face, themore that it is seen opened up to view in his preaching, shines forth so much themore gloriously. I do not, however, deny, that he alludes at the same time to the veilof Moses, (Exodus 34:33,) of which he had made mention, but he ascribes a quitedifferent veil to the false Apostles. For Moses covered his face, because the excessivebrightness of the glory of the law could not be endured by tender and blear eyes.They, 428428 Les faux apostres; The false apostles. on the other hand, puton a veil by way of ornament. Besides, as they would be despicable, nay, infamous, ifthe simplicity of the gospel shone forth, they, on this account, hide their shameunder ever so many cloaks and masks. 12. ot walking in craftiness. There can be no doubt, that the false Apostles delightedthemselves greatly in the craftiness that Paul reproves, as though it had been adistinguished excellence, as we see even at this day some, even of those who professthe gospel, who would rather be esteemed subtile than sincere, and sublime ratherthan solid, while in the mean time all their refinement is mere childishness. But whatwould you do? It delights them to have a name for acuteness, and they have, underthat pretext, applause among the ignorant. 429429 Enuers les gens simples, etqui ne scauent pas iuger des choses; Among simple people, and those that donot know how to judge of things. We learn, however, in what estimation Paul holdsthis appearance of excellence. Craftiness he declares to be unworthy of Christsservants.As to what follows nor handling deceitfully I am not sure that this sufficientlybrings out Pauls meaning; for the verb does not so properly mean actingfraudulently, as what is called falsifying 430430 The verb is applied byLucian (in Hermot. 59) to vintners adulterating wine, in which sense it issynonymous with , made use of by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:17. Bezasrendering of the clause exactly corresponds with the one to which Calvin gives thepreference eque falsantes sermonem Dei; or falsifying the word ofGod. Tyndale (1534) renders the clause thus ether corrupte we the worde ofGod. The rendering in the Rheims version (1582) is or adulterating the wordof God. Ed. as horse-jockeys 431431 Et frippiers; And brokers. arewont to do. In this passage, at least, it is placed in contrast with upright preaching,agreeably to what follows.But by manifestation of the truth He claims to himself this praise that he hadproclaimed the pure doctrine of the gospel in simplicity and without disguise, andhas the consciences of all as witnesses of this in the sight of God. As he has placedthe manifestation of the truth in contrast with the disguised 432432 Fardee etdesguisee; Painted and disguised doctrine of the sophists, so he appeals thedecision to their consciences, and to the judgment-seat of God, whereas they abusedthe mistaken judgment of men, or their corrupt affection, and were not so desirousto be in reality worthy of praise as they were eager to appear so. Hence we infer,that there is a contrast here between the consciences of men and their ears. Let theservants of Christ, therefore, reckon it enough to have approved their integrity tothe consciences of men in the sight of God, and pay no regard to the corruptinclinations of men, or to popular applause.3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to 13. those who are perishing.1. Barnes, But if our gospel be hid - Paul here calls it his gospel, because it was thatwhich he preached, or the message which he bore; see note, Rom_16:25. The sense hereis, if the gospel which I preach is not understood; if its meaning is obscure or hidden; ifits glory is not seen. It is implied here, that to many the beauty and glory of the gospelwas not perceived. This was undeniable, notwithstanding the plainness and fullness withwhich its truths were made known. The object of Paul here is, to state that this fact wasnot to be traced to any lack of clearness in the gospel itself, but to other causes, and thusprobably to meet an objection which might be made to his argument about the clearnessand fullness of the revelation in the gospel. In the language which Paul uses here, thereis undoubted allusion to what he had said respecting Moses, who put a veil upon hisface, 2Co_3:13. He had hid, or concealed his face, as emblematic of the nature of hisinstitutions (note, 2Co_3:14); and here Paul says that it was not to be denied that thegospel was veiled also to some. But it was not from the nature of the gospel. It was notbecause God had purposely concealed its meaning. It was not from any lack of clearnessin itself. It was to be traced to other causes.It is hid to them that are lost - On the meaning of the word rendered here aslost; see the note, 2Co_2:15, rendered there as perish. It is hid among them who areabout to perish; who are perishing (5 entoisapollumenois); those whodeserve to perish. It is concealed only among that class who may be designated as theperishing, or as the lost. Grotins explains this, those who deserve to perish, who fostertheir vices, and will not see the truth which condemns those vices. And he adds, thatthis might very well be, for, however conspicuous the gospel was in itself, yet like thesun it would not be visible to the blind. The cause was not in the gospel, but inthemselves. This verse teaches, therefore:(1) That the beauty of the gospel may be hidden from many of the human family. Thisis a matter of simple fact. There are thousands and million to whom it is preached whosee no beauty in it, and who regard it as foolishness.(2) That there is a class of people who may be called, even now, the lost. They arelost to virtue, to piety, to happiness, to hope. They deserve to perish; and they arehastening to merited ruin. This class in the time of Paul was large; and it is large now. Itis composed of those to whom the gospel is hidden, or to whom it appears to be veiled,and who see no beauty in it. It is made up indeed of all the profane, polluted, and vile;but their characteristic feature is, that the gospel is hidden from them, and that theysee no beauty and glory in it.(3) This is not the fault of the gospel. It is not the fault of the sun when people shut theireyes and will not see it. It is not the fault of a running stream, or a bubbling fountain, ifpeople will not drink of it, but rather choose to die of thirst. The gospel does not obscureand conceal its own glory anymore than the sun does. It is in itself a clear and fullrevelation of God and his grace; and that glory is adapted to shed light upon thebenighted minds of people. 14. 2. Clarke, But if our Gospel be hid - Veiled; he refers to the subjectthat he had treated so particularly in the conclusion of the preceding chapter. If there bea veil on the Gospel, it is only to the wilfully blind; and if any mans heart be veiled thathears this Gospel, it is a proof that he is among the lost, , those who are fullyunder the power of sin; who have given up themselves to work wickedness; persons whoare mere heathens, or live like such, and yet such as Jesus Christ came to seek and save;for the word does not necessarily imply those that will perish eternally, but is a commonepithet to point out a man without the Gospel and without God in the world. Christcommands his disciples in preaching the Gospel to go to , the Lostsheep of the house of Israel; Mat_10:6; for himself says, Mat_18:11, and Luk_19:10 : TheSon of man is come , to seek and to Save that which is Lost.And such persons he represents under the parable of the lost sheep; for to find , that which is Lost, the good shepherd leaves the ninety-and-nine in thewilderness, and goes in search of it; Mat_18:12; Luk_15:4. The word more properlysignifies, in all those connections, and in the parallel passages, not those who Are Lost,but those who are perishing; and will perish, if not sought and saved.3. Gill, But if our Gospel be hid,.... When the Gospel is called ours, the meaning is,not that ministers are the authors or subject of it; but it is so styled, because they areintrusted with it; it is preached by them; and is in opposition to another Gospel, theGospel of the false apostles. Here an objection is obviated, which the apostle saw wouldbe made against the clearness and perspicuity of the Gospel, asserted by him in theforegoing chapter; taken from some persons, who though they sat under the ministry ofthe word, were not enlightened by it, saw no glory nor excellency in it, nor were theirminds in the least affected with it: to which he replies, saying, if our Gospel be hid,it is hid to them that are lost. But why should the apostle put an if upon its beinghid? is it not hid? is it not the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom?To which may be answered, that it was hid in God from the beginning of the world; andin Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and in theceremonial law, which contained types and shadows of many things in it; and was hidfrom whole nations, and for whole ages formerly: but now God has made known themystery of his will; Christ is manifest in the flesh; the ceremonial law is done away, andthe Gospel is preached to Jews and Gentiles; so that it is hid to none, as to the outwardministration of it: and if the internal, spiritual, and saving knowledge and experience ofit is hid from any, eventually and finally, it is to them that are lost: all mankind are in alost and perishing condition through sin; though some will not be lost eternally, whomGod has chosen, Christ has redeemed, and who by the Spirit are brought savingly tobelieve in Christ; but there are others, that will be lost for ever; and to these the Gospel ishid; and they are such, who are left to the native blindness of their minds, and are givenup to a reprobate mind, to judicial darkness, and are suffered to be under the influenceof the prince of darkness, as in the following verse; now such instances are no more anobjection to the clearness and perspicuity of the Gospel, and the ministration of it, thanmen born blind, who never could, nor never will see light, are to the bright and clearshining of the sun noon day. 15. 4. Henry, But the true reasons of this are, 1. Those are lost souls to whom the gospel ishid, or is ineffectual, 2Co_4:3. Christ came to save that which was lost (Mat_17:11), andthe gospel of Christ is sent to save such; and, if this do not find and save them, they arelost for ever; they must never expect any thing else to save them, for there is no othermethod or means of salvation. The hiding of the gospel therefore from souls is both anevidence and cause of their ruin.5. Jamison, But if Yea, even if (as I grant is the case).hid rather (in reference to 2Co_3:13-18), veiled. Hid (Greek, Col_3:3) is said ofthat withdrawn from view altogether. Veiled, of a thing within reach of the eye, butcovered over so as not to be seen. So it was in the case of Moses face.to them in the case only of them: for in itself the Gospel is quite plain.that are lost rather, that are perishing (1Co_1:18). So the same cloud that waslight to the people of God, was darkness to the Egyptian foes of God (Exo_14:20).6. Calvin, 3. But if our gospel is hid It might have been an easy thing to pourcalumny upon what he had said as to the clearness of his preaching, because he hadmany adversaries. That calumny he repels with stern authority, for he threatens allwho do not acknowledge the power of his gospel, and warns them that this is a tokenof reprobation and ruin. Should any one affirm that he does not perceive thatmanifestation of Christ of which I boast, he clearly shows himself, by this verytoken, to be a reprobate, 433433 Il ne pourra mieux monstrer signe de sareprobation, que par la; He could not give a clearer evidence of hisreprobation than this. for my sincerity in the work of instructing 434434 Lasyncerite et droiture que ie tien a enseigner; The sincerity and uprightness thatI maintain in teaching. is clearly and distinctly perceived by all that have eyes.Those, therefore, from whom it is hid, must be blind, and destitute of all rationalunderstanding. The sum is this that the blindness of unbelievers detractsnothing from the clearness of his gospel; for the sun is not less resplendent, that theblind do not perceive his light. 435435 See Calvin on Corinthians, vol.1, p. 116. EdBut some one will say that this applies equally to the law, for in itself it is a lamp436436 Vne lanterne ardente; A lantern burning. to guide our feet, (Psalm119:105,) enlightens the eyes, (Psalm 19:8,) etc., and is hid only from those thatperish. I answer that, when Christ is included in the law, the sun shines forththrough the midst of the clouds, so that men have light enough for their use; butwhen Christ is disjoined from it, there is nothing left but darkness, or a falseappearance of light, that dazzles mens eyes instead of assisting them. It is, however,a token of great confidence, that he ventures to regard as reprobates all that rejecthis doctrine. It is befitting, however, that all that would be looked upon as ministersof Gods word should be endued with the like confidence, that with a fearlessconfidence they may unhesitatingly summon all the adversaries of their doctrine tothe judgment-seat of God, that they may bring thence a sure condemnation. 16. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds ofunbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of thegospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is theimage of God.1. Barnes, In whom - In respect to whom; among whom; or in whose hearts. Thedesign of this verse is to account for the fact that the glory of the gospel was not seen bythem. It is to be traced entirely to the agency of him whom Paul here calls the god ofthis world.The god of this world - There can be no doubt that Satan is here designated by thisappellation; though some of the fathers supposed that it means the true God, and Clarkeinclines to this opinion. In Joh_12:31, he is called the prince of this world. In Eph_2:2,he is called the prince of the power of the air. And in Eph_6:12, the same bad influenceis referred to under the names of principalities, and powers, the rulers of the darknessof this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. The name god is here given tohim, not because he has any divine attributes, but because he actually has the homage ofthe people of this world as their god, as the being who is really worshipped, or who hasthe affections of their hearts in the same way as it is given to idols. By this world ismeant the wicked world; or the mass of people. He has dominion over the world. Theyobey his will; they execute his plans; they further his purposes, and they are his obedientsubjects. He has subdued the world to himself, and was really adored in the place of thetrue God; see the note on 1Co_10:20. They sacrificed to devils and not to God. Here itis meant by the declaration that Satan is the god of this world:(1) That the world at large was under his control and direction. He secured theapostasy of man, and early brought him to follow his plans; and he has maintained hisscepter and dominion since. No more abject submission could be desired by him thanhas been rendered by the mass of people.(2) The idolatrous world particularly is under his control, and subject to him; 1Co_10:20. He is worshipped there; and the religious rites and ceremonies of the pagan are ingeneral just such as a mighty being who hated human happiness, and who soughtpollution, obscenity, wretchedness, and blood would appoint; and over all the paganworld his power is absolute. In the time of Paul all the world, except the Jews andChristians, was sunk in pagan degradation.(3) He rules in the hearts and lives of all wicked people - and the world is full of wickedpeople. They obey him, and submit to his will in executing fraud, and rapine, and piracy,and murder, and adultery, and lewdness; in wars and fightings; in their amusements andpastimes; in dishonesty and falsehood. The dominion of Satan over this world has been,and is still almost universal and absolute; nor has the lapse of 1,800 years rendered theappellation improper as descriptive of his influence, that he is the god of this world. Theworld pursues his plans; yields to his temptations; neglects, or rejects the reign of God as 17. he pleases; and submits to his scepter, and is still full of abomination cruelty, andpollution, as he desires it to be.Hath blinded the minds of them which believe not - Of all who discern no beautyin the gospel, and who reject it. It is implied here:(1) That the minds of unbelievers are blinded; that they perceive no beauty in the gospel.This is often affirmed of those who reject the gospel, and who live in sin; see the 2Co_2:13 note; Mat_23:16-17, Mat_23:26 notes; Luk_4:18 note; Joh_9:39; Joh_12:40 notes;Rom_11:7 note. The sense is, that they did not see the spiritual beauty and glory of theplan of redemption. They act in reference to that as they would in reference to thisworld, if a bandage were over their eyes, and they saw not the light of the sun, the beautyof the landscape, the path in which they should go, or the countenance of a friend. All isdark, and obscure, and destitute of beauty to them, however much beauty may be seen inall these objects by others.(2) That this is done by the agency of Satan; and that his dominion is secured by keepingthe world in darkness. The affirmation is direct and positive, that it is by his agency thatit is done. Some of the modes in which it is done are the following:(a) By a direct influence on the minds of people. I do not know why it is absurd tosuppose that one intellect may, in some way unknown to us, have access to another, andhave power to influence it; nor can it be proved that Satan may not have power topervert the understanding; to derange its powers; to distract its attention; and to give inview of the mind a wholly delusive relative importance to objects. In the time of theSaviour it cannot be doubted that in the numerous cases of demoniacal possessions,Satan directly affected the minds of people; nor is there any reason to think that he hasceased to delude and destroy them.(b) By the false philosophy which has prevailed - a large part of which seems to havebeen contrived as if on purpose to deceive the world, and destroy the peace andhappiness of people.(c) By the systems of superstition and idolatry. All these seem to be under the control ofone Master Mind. They are so well conceived and adapted to prostrate the moral powers;to fetter the intellect; to pervert the will; to make people debased, sunken, polluted, anddegraded; and they so uniformly accomplish this effect, that they have all the marks ofbeing under the control of one mighty Mind, and of having been devised to accomplishHis purposes over people.(d) By producing in the minds of people a wholly disproportionate view of the value ofobjects. A very small object held before the eye will shut out the light of the sun. Apiece of money of the smallest value laid on the eye will make everything appear dark,and prevent all the glory of mid-day from reaching the seat of vision. And so it is withthe things of this world. They are placed directly before us, and are placed directlybetween us and the glory of the gospel. And the trifles of wealth and of fashion; theobjects of pleasure and ambition, are made to assume an importance in view of the mindwhich wholly excludes the glory of the gospel, and shuts out all the realities of the eternalworld. And he does it:(e) By the blinding influence of passion and vice. Before a vicious mind all is dark andobscure. There is no beauty in truth, in chastity, or honesty, or in the fear and love ofGod. Vice always renders the mind blind. and the heart hard, and shrouds everything inthe moral world in midnight. And in order to blind the minds of people to the glory ofthe gospel, Satan has only to place splendid schemes of speculation before people; totempt them to climb the steeps of ambition; to entice them to scenes of gaiety; to securethe erection of theaters, and gambling houses, and houses of infamy and pollution; to fillthe cities and towns of a land with taverns and dram-shops; and to give opportunityeverywhere for the full play and unrestrained indulgence of passion; and the glory of the 18. gospel will be as effectually unseen as the glory of the sun is in the darkest night.Lest the light ... - This passage states the design, for which Satan blinds the mindsof people. It is because he hates the gospel, and wishes to prevent its influence andspread in the world Satan has always hated and opposed it, and all his arts have beenemployed to arrest its diffusion on earth. The word light here means excellence,beauty, or splendor. Light is the emblem of knowledge, purity, or innocence; and is hereand elsewhere applied to the gospel, because it removes the errors, and sins, andwretchedness of people, as the light of the sun scatters the shades of night. This purposeof preventing the light of the gospel shining on people, Satan will endeavor toaccomplish by all the means in his power. It is his grand object in this world, because itis by the gospel only that people can be saved; by that that God is glorified on earth morethan by anything else; and because, therefore, if he can prevent sinners from embracingthat, he will secure their destruction, and most effectually show his hatred of God. And itis to Satan a matter of little importance what people may be, or are, provided theyare not Christians. They may be amiable, moral, accomplished, rich, honored, esteemedby the world, because in the possession of all these he may be equally sure of their ruin,and because, also, these things may contribute somewhat to turn away their minds fromthe gospel. Satan, therefore, will not oppose plans of gain or ambition; he will notoppose purposes of fashion and amusement; he may not oppose schemes by which wedesire to rise in the world; he will not oppose the theater, the ballroom, the dance, or thesong; he will not oppose thoughtless mirth; but the moment the gospel begins to shineon the benighted mind, that moment he will make resistance, and then all his power willbe concentrated.The glorious gospel - Greek The gospel of the glory of Christ, a Hebraism for theglorious gospel. Mr. Locke renders it, the glorious brightness of the light of the gospelof Christ, and supposes it means the brightness, or clearness, of the doctrine whereinChrist is manifested in the gospel. It is all light, and splendor, and beauty, comparedwith the dark systems of philosophy and paganism. It is glorious, for it is full ofsplendor; makes known the glorious God; discloses a glorious plan of salvation; andconducts ignorant, weak, and degraded man to a world of light. No two words in ourlanguage are so full of rich and precious meaning, as the phrase glorious gospel.Who is the image of God - Christ is called the image of God:(1) In respect to his divine nature, his exact resemblance to God in his divineattributes and perfections; see Col_1:15; and Heb_1:3; and,(2) In his moral attributes as Mediator, as showing forth the glory of the Father topeople. He resembles God, and in him we see the divine glory and perfectionsembodied, and shine forth.It is from his resemblance to God in all respects that he is called his image; and it isthrough him that the divine perfections are made known to people. It is an object ofspecial dislike and hatred to Satan that the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,should shine on people, and fill their hearts. Satan hates that image; he hates that peopleshould become like God; and he hates all that has a resemblance to the great andglorious Yahweh.2. Clarke, In whom the god of this world, etc. - We see here that those whoseminds are blinded, are they who believe not; and because they believe not, their mindscontinue in darkness, and are proper subjects for Satan to work on; and he deepens thedarkness, and increases the hardness. But who is meant by the god of this world? It is 19. generally answered, the same who is called the prince of this world, Joh_16:11. But thequestion recurs, who is the prince of this world? and the answer to both is, Satan. Thereader will do well to consult the notes on Joh_12:31, and the concluding observationson Joh_14:30. I must own I feel considerable reluctance to assign the epithet ;,The God, to Satan; and were there not a rooted prejudice in favor of the commonopinion, the contrary might be well vindicated, viz. that by the God of this world thesupreme Being is meant, who in his judgment gave over the minds of the unbelievingJews to spiritual darkness, so that destruction came upon them to the uttermost. Satan,it is true, has said that the kingdoms of the world and their glory are his, and that hegives them to whomsoever he will; Mat_4:8, Mat_4:9. But has God ever said so? and arewe to take this assertion of the boasting devil and father of lies for truth? Certainly not.We are not willing to attribute the blinding of mens minds to God, because wesometimes forget that he is the God of justice, and may in judgment remove merciesfrom those that abuse them; but this is repeatedly attributed to him in the Bible, and theexpression before us is quite a parallel to the following, Isa_6:9 : Go and tell this people,Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the Heartof this People Fat, and Make their Ears Heavy, and Shut their Eyes; Lest they see withtheir eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, etc. And see theparallel places, Mat_13:14, Mat_13:15; Mar_4:12; Joh_12:40; and particularly Rom_11:8-10 : God Hath Given Them the Spirit of Slumber, Eyes that they Should not See,and Ears that they Should not Hear; let their Eyes be Darkened, etc. Now all this isspoken of the same people, in the same circumstances of wilful rebellion and obstinateunbelief; and the great God of heaven and earth is he who judicially blinds their eyes;makes their hearts fat, i.e. stupid; gives them the spirit of slumber: and bows down theirback, etc. On these very grounds it is exceedingly likely that the apostle means the trueGod by the words the god of this world.And as to the expression this world, , we are not to imagine that itnecessarily means wicked men, or a wicked age; for it is frequently used to express thewhole mundane system, and all that is called time: Whosoever speaketh against the HolyGhost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither ==, in This World, nor in theworld to come; Mat_12:32. In Luk_20:34, the children, , of ThisWorld, mean simply mankind at large in their state of probation in this lower world, inopposition to their state in the world to come. The same meaning the word has in severalother places, to which l need not refer; it simply implying the present state of things,governed by the Divine providence, in contradistinction from the eternal state: and it isvery remarkable that, in 1Ti_1:17, God himself is called , the King ofthe World; what we call King eternal; but here it evidently means him who governs bothworlds, and rules in time and eternity. This character among the Asiatics is consideredessential to God; and therefore in the very first surat of the Koran he is called RubbiAlalameen, the Lord of both worlds, an expression perfectly similar to that above. But itis needless to multiply examples; they exist in abundance. Some, and particularly theancient fathers, have connected with , and have read theverse: But God hath blinded the minds of the unbelievers of this world, etc. Irenaeus,Tertullian, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Photius, Theophylact, and Augustine, all plead forthe above meaning; and St. Augustine says that it was the opinion of almost all theancients. 20. Lest the light of the glorious Gospel - They have resisted the grace which God gavethem, and have refused to yield to the evidences which amply prove the Messiahship ofJesus; and therefore their eyes were judicially darkened, as it is said in the prophet: Hehath closed their eyes, and hath given them the spirit of slumber. That is, they have shuttheir eyes against the light, and their blindness and stupor are the consequence.By glorious Gospel we are to understand the luminous Gospel; that which comes withso much light and evidence to every candid mind.Who is the image of God - Christ is called, Heb_1:3, the brightness of Gods glory,and the express image of his person. See the note at Heb_1:3.3. Gill, In whom the god of this world hath blinded,.... The description of thepersons to whom the Gospel is hid, is here further carried on; in which the character ofSatan is given, who is here styled the god of this world; just as he is by Christ, theprince of this world, Joh_12:31 not because he had any hand in the making of it, or hasany concern in the government of it, or in the disposal of men or things in it; but becauseof his influence over the worst, and greatest part of the world; which lies in wickedness,under the power of this wicked one, being led captive by him at his will; who havevoluntarily given themselves up to him, and whose lusts they will do; and so declarethemselves to be his children, and him their Father, yea, their god: the influence he hasover them is, hehath blinded the minds of them that believe not. The apostle here seems to referto one of the devils, which the Jews (l) frequently speak of ,Samael;whotheysayistheheadofallthedevils;averymalignantspirit,andwhodeceivedourfirstparents;thewordiscompoundedof ,god,and ,toblind;himtheycalltheangelofdeath,andsay(m),thathehath ,broughtdarknessuponthefaceoftheworld,orthecreatures,theGentiles:agreeablytowhichtheapostlecallsthedevil,thegodthathathblinded;whatheblindsinmen,istheirmind:themoreexcellentandknowingpartofman;nottheeyesoftheirbodies,butoftheirunderstandings;whichshowsthenearaccessSatanhastothesoulsofmen;hepenetratesintotheirveryheartsandminds,andhasaninfluencethere:thepersonswhosemindsheblinds,arethosewhobelievenot;whichdistinguishesthemfromothersthatperish,whoneverenjoyedtheGospel,andthereforehesays,in,oramongwhom;andfromtruebelievers,onwhomSatancanhavenosuchinfluence;andisareasonofthesemen'sperishing,andofSatan'sinfluenceoverthem;andmustbeunderstoodofreprobates,andfinalunbelievers:theinfluencehehasoverthemisexpressedbyblindingthem;whichhedoes,bydivertingthemfromhearingtheGospel,andbystirringuptheenmityoftheirmindsagainstit,andbyincreasingtheirnaturaldarknessandblindnesswithrespecttoit.TheendwhichSatanhasindoingthisis,lllleeeesssstttttttthhhheeeelllliiiigggghhhhttttoooofffftttthhhheeeegggglllloooorrrriiiioooouuuussssGGGGoooossssppppeeeellllooooffffCCCChhhhrrrriiiisssstttt,,,,wwwwhhhhooooiiiisssstttthhhheeeeiiiimmmmaaaaggggeeeeooooffffGGGGoooodddd,,,,sssshhhhoooouuuullllddddsssshhhhiiiinnnneeeeuuuunnnnttttoooo 21. tttthhhheeeemmmm;heremanythingsarehinted,incommendationoftheGospel,asthatitistheGospelofChrist;becausehewasnotonlythegreatestandbestpreacherofitthateverwas,butalsoistheauthorandsubjectofit;ChrististhesumandsubstanceoftheGospel,theprincipalthinginit,orpersonthatisspokenoftherein;andthenChristwhoisthegrandsubjectoftheGospelisdescribed,inordertorecommenditthemore,astheimageofGod.TheJews(n)calltheMessiah, ,theimageofGod;somecopies,andtheComplutensionedition,andtheArabicversion,read,theimageoftheinvisibleGod,asinCol_1:15.SoChristisastheSonofGod,beingthenatural,substantial,essential,eternal,notcreated,andperfectimageofhisFather;andsoheisasmanandMediator:further,theGospelissaidtobethegloriousGospelofChrist,asitmustneedsbe,sinceitsoclearlyandillustriouslysetsforththegloryofChrist;containssuchgloriousdoctrinesandpromisesinit,andisattendedwithsuchgloriouseffects,whereitcomeswithpower:addtoallthis,thatlightisattributedtoit;theJews(o)speakofthelightofthelaw,andthelawiscalledlight;andsay,that ,thereisnolightbutthelaw;butthismaybemoretrulysaidoftheGospel,bywhichnotonlypersonsmaybenotionallyenlightened,whoneverweremadereallypartakersofthegraceofGod,butisthemeansofspiritualandsavingilluminationtothousands,whenitisattendedwiththedemonstrationoftheSpirit:nowalltheseexcellentcharactersoftheGospelservetoenhancethespiteandmaliceofSatan,inendeavouringallhecantokinderthebrightshiningofthisgloriousGospel,toanduponanyofthesonsofmen;andhisreasonforsodoingis,becauseheknows,thatshouldtheGospelshineuntothem,theinterestandgloryofChristwouldbeadvanced,andhisownwoulddecline.4. Henry, The god of this world hath blinded their minds, 2Co_4:4. They are under theinfluence and power of the devil, who is here called the god of this world, and elsewherethe prince of this world, because of the great interest he has in this world, the homagethat is paid to him by multitudes in this world, and the great sway that, by divinepermission, he bears in the world, and in the hearts of his subjects, or rather slaves. Andas he is the prince of darkness, and ruler of the darkness of this world, so he darkens theunderstandings of men, and increases their prejudices, and supports his interest bykeeping them in the dark, blinding their minds with ignorance, and error, andprejudices, that they should not behold the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who isthe image of God. Observe, (1.) Christ's design by his gospel is to make a gloriousdiscovery of God to the minds of men. Thus, as the image of God, he demonstrates thepower and wisdom of God, and the grace and mercy of God for their salvation. But, (2.)The design of the devil is to keep men in ignorance; and, when he cannot keep the lightof the gospel out of the world, he makes it his great business to keep it out of the heartsof men. 22. 5. Jamison, In whom Translate, In whose case.god of this world The worldly make him their God (Phi_3:19). He is, in fact, theprince of the power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience(Eph_2:2).minds understandings: mental perceptions, as in 2Co_3:14.them which believe not the same as them that are lost (or are perishing).Compare 2Th_2:10-12. South quaintly says, when the malefactors eyes are covered, heis not far from his execution (Est_7:8). Those perishing unbelievers are not merelyveiled, but blinded (2Co_3:14, 2Co_3:15): Greek, not blinded, but hardened.light of the glorious gospel of Christ Translate, The illumination (enlightening:the propagation from those already enlightened, to others of the light) of the Gospel ofthe glory of Christ. The glory of Christ is not a mere quality (as glorious wouldexpress) of the Gospel; it is its very essence and subject matter.image of God implying identity of nature and essence (Joh_1:18; Col_1:15; Heb_1:3). He who desires to see the glory of God, may see it in the face of Jesus Christ(2Co_4:6; 1Ti_6:14-16). Paul here recurs to 2Co_3:18. Christ is the image of God, intowhich same image we, looking on it in the mirror of the Gospel, are changed by theSpirit; but this image is not visible to those blinded by Satan [Alford].5B. Vincent, The God of this world (o qeov tou aiwnov toutou). Thephrase occurs only here. Compare Eph. ii. 2 ; vi. 12 ; John xii. 31 ; xiv. 30 . Satanis called God in the rabbinical writings.The first God is the true God ; but the second God is Samuel. The matron said, 'OurGod is greater than thy God ; for when thy God appeared to Moses in the bush , he hidhis face; when, however, he saw the serpent , which is my God , he fled.' The light (tonfwtismon). Only here and ver. 6. Lit., the illumination, act of enlightening.Image of God . Compare Col. i. 15 ; John xvii. 5 ; Philip. ii. 6 ; iii. 21 . Christ 's light isalso God 's. Compare Heb. i. 3 , Rev., effulgence (ajpaugasma, compare aujgasai shine, inthis passage). Theodoret says: The effulgence is both from the fire and with the fire ,and has the fire as its cause, yet is not divided from the fire ; for whence comes the fire ,thence also comes the effulgence.Shine (augasai). Only here in the New Testament. From aujgh brightness,which also occurs but once, Acts xx. 11 , daybreak. In classical Greek of the sunespecially. Rev., dawn is legitimate as a translation, but hardly here, since Paul is goingback to the figure of ch. iii. 18.6. John Piper, Our Condition Without ChristLook with me at todays text from 2 Corinthians 4. Start with the condition people are inwithout Christ. Verse 4: In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of theunbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who isthe image of God. People who dont believe in Christ are blind. They cant see Christ assupremely valuable, and so they wont receive him as their Treasure and so they are notsaved. A work of God is needed in their lives to open their eyes and give them life so theycan see and receive Christ as Savior and Lord and Treasure of their lives. That work of 23. God is called new birth.The Solution: ew BirthThen look at the solution to this condition of blindness and perishing. Verse 6: For God,who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of theknowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This is a description of thenew birth, even though that term is not used. The God who created light in the beginningdoes the same thing in the human heart. Only the light this time is not physical light, butthe light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Or as verse 4 callsit the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.He causes the human heart to see the truth and beauty and worth of Christthe glory ofChrist. And when we see him for who he really is, we receive him for who he is. And toas many as received him he gave power to become the children of God (John 1:12).Thats what we want for our childrenat six or sixteen or twenty-sixand for ourparents and our spouses and our neighbors and colleagues and our friends at school. Wewant the light to shine in their hearts so they see and receive Christ. We want them to beborn again.The Human Means God Uses: Gospel-TellingThen, third, look at the human means God uses to make this happen. Verse 5: What weproclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants forJesus sake. Pauls role was to proclaim Christ from a heart of love and a life of service.That proclamation is called the gospel in verse 3: Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiledonly to those who are perishing. Its the gospel that spiritually blind people cant see andspiritually deaf people cant hear. So our answer to the question, What should we do tohelp people be born again? is: Tell them the good news of Christ from a heart of loveand a life of service.In Acts 26, Paul is telling King Agrippa about his conversion and his call to the ministry.He reports the spectacular encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road. Then he reportsthe commission that Christ gave him. Its the words of the commission that are soamazing and relevant for our concern with evangelism.He tells us in versed 15-17 what Jesus told him: I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appointyou as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those inwhich I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentilestowhom I am sending you . . . . Now listen carefully to what Jesus says he is sending Paulto do in his gospel-telling ministry. Verse 18: I am sending you to open their eyes, sothat they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that theymay receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith inme.According to 2 Corinthians 4, people are spiritually blind until God gives them eyes tosee, that is, until God causes them to be born again. But here Jesus says in verse 18, I am 24. sending you to open their eyes. The point is not hard to see. God opens the eyes of theblind to see the truth and beauty and worth of Christ. But he does by sending people totell the good news from hearts of love and lives of service.That is what I find myself praying or more and more. Lord, fill our church with a passionto open the eyes of the blind. Fill us with a passion to do what God uses to bring aboutthe new birth. I say to you what Jesus said to Paul in Acts 26:18: I send you to open theireyes. Dont stop because you cant. Of course you cant. But the fact that you cant makeelectricity or create light never stops you from flipping light switches. The fact that youcant create fire in cylinders never stops you from turning the car key. The fact that youcant create cell tissue never stops you from eating your meals. So dont let the fact thatyou cant cause the new birth stop you from telling the gospel. That is how people areborn againthrough the living and abiding word, the good news of Jesus Christ.7. Spurgeon, It was not hidden under fine language and oratoricalflourishes on the part of the apostles; there was a far more terrible barrierin the way of its entrance into the hearts of some who heard it.It is not hidden under the flowers of our oratory, not hidden under thedarkness of our speech, not hidden through the fog of our philosophies; ifto them it be hidden at all, it is hidden tttooo ttthhheeemmm tttthhhhaaaatttt aaaarrrreeee lllloooosssstttt.... If they had anyspiritual perception or apprehension at all, if they were not utterly lost toeverything: that is spiritual, they would be able to receive the gospel thatwe are bidden to preach, and which therefore becomes oooouuuurrrr ggggoooossssppppeeeellll.... 3-4Without light from above, no man can perceive the beauties either of thegospel or of Christ himself. Until God the Holy Spirit sheds a spiritual lightupon the person, and offices, and work of Christ, men grope in the dark asblind men do. They see not the truth, they are not persuaded of itsexcellence; our ministry is to them a veiled ministry, they do notcomprehend it. Let those who receive not the gospel see what a miserablestate theirs is, they are blinded by tttthhhheeee ggggoooodddd ooooffff tttthhhhiiiissss wwwwoooorrrrlllldddd.... He has suchsupremacy over their intellects that he has utterly perverted and ruinedthem.The light of the gospel is so glorious and bright that it is only hidden fromthose who have been blinded by Satan, tttthhhheeee ggggoooodddd ooooffff tttthhhhiiiissss wwwwoooorrrrlllldddd.... The onlyhope for them is to believe in Jesus who can give sight to the spirituallyblind as easily as he gave sight to the physically blind when he was here inthe flesh. 25. 8. Calvin, Whose minds the god of this world He intimates, that no account shouldbe made of their perverse obstinacy. They do not see, says he, the sun at mid-day,because the devil has blinded their understandings. o one that judges rightlycan have any doubt, that it is of Satan that the Apostle speaks. Hilary, as he had todo with Arians, who abused this passage, so as to make it a pretext for denyingChrists true divinity, while they at the same time confessed him to be God, twiststhe text in this way God hath blinded the understandings of this world. In thishe was afterwards followed by Chrysostom, with the view of not conceding to theManicheans their two first principles. 437437 The Manicheans, so called fromManes their founder, held the doctrine of two first principles, a good and an evil,thinking to account in this way for the origin of evil. See Calvins Institutes, volume1 Ed. What influenced Ambrose does not appear. Augustine had the same reasonas Chrysostom, having to contend with the Manicheans.We see what the heat of controversy does in carrying on disputes. Had all those mencalmly read Pauls words, it would never have occurred to any one of them to twistthem in this way into a forced meaning; but as they were harassed by theiropponents, they were more concerned to refute them, than to investigate Paulsmeaning. But what occasion was there for this? For the subterfuge of the Arians waschildish that if the devil is called the god of this world, the name of God, asapplied to Christ, does not express a true, eternal, and exclusive divinity. For Paulsays elsewhere, many are called gods, (1 Corinthians 8:5;) but David, on the otherhand, sings forth the gods of the nations are demons. 438438 Les dieux desGentils sont diables; The gods of the Gentiles are devils. Calvin here, as inmany other instances, quotes according to the sense, not according to the words. Thepassage referred to is rendered by Calvin All the gods of the nations arevanities, (ou, idoles, or idols,) the Hebrew word being, as he notices, ,(elilim,) mere nothings, (1 Corinthians 8:4,) instead of , (elohim,) gods. (SeeCalvin on the Psalms, vol. 4, pp. 50, 51.) There can be no doubt that Calvin, inquoting this passage here, has an eye to what is stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians10:20. Ed. (Psalm 96:5.) When, therefore, the devil is called the god of thewicked, on the ground of his having dominion over them, and being worshipped bythem in the place of God, what tendency has this to detract from the honor ofChrist? And as to the Manicheans, this appellation gives no more countenance to theManicheans, than when he is called the prince of this world. (John 14:30.) 439439Calvin, when commenting on the passage referred to, remarks, that the devil iscalled the prince of this world, not because he has a kingdom separated from God,(as the Manicheans imagined,) but because, by Gods permission, he exercises histyranny over the world. Calvin on John, volume 2. Ed.There is, therefore, no reason for being afraid to interpret this passage as referringto the devil, there being no danger in doing so. For should the Arians come forwardand contend, 440440 Tant quils voudront; As much as they please thatChrists divine essence is no more proved from his having the appellation God 26. applied to him, than Satans is proved from its being applied to him, a cavil of thisnature is easily refuted; for Christ is called God without any addition, 441441Calvin obviously means by this clause without anything being added having atendency to qualify or limit the appellation. In accordance with this he says in theInstitutes, (volume 1,) that the title, God, is not conferred on any man withoutsome addition, as when it is said that Moses would be a god to Pharaoh. (Exodus7:1.) Ed. nay, he is called God blessed for ever. (Romans 9:5.) He is said to bethat God who wasin the beginning, before the creation of the world.(John 1:1-3.)The devil, on the other hand, is called the god of this world, in no other way than asBaal is called the god of those that worship him, or as the dog is called the god ofEgypt. 442442 A variety of animals, besides the dog, were worshipped by theEgyptians, and even some vegetable substances, growing in their gardens, wereadored by them as deities! Calvin, when commenting on 1 Corinthians 8:5, speaks ofthe Egyptians as having rendered divine homage to the ox, the serpent, the cat, theonion, the garlic. Calvin on Corinthians, vol. 1, p. 277. Ed. The Manicheans,as I have said, for maintaining their delusion, have recourse to other declarations ofScripture, as well as this, but there is no difficulty in refuting those also. Theycontend not so much respecting the term, as respecting the power. As the power ofblinding is ascribed to Satan, and dominion over unbelievers, they conclude fromthis that he is, from his own resources, the author of all evil, so as not to be subjectto Gods control as if Scripture did not in various instances declare, that devils,no less than the angels of heaven, are servants of God, each of them severally in hisown manner. For, as the latter dispense to us Gods benefits for our salvation, so theformer execute his wrath. Hence good angels are called powers and principalities,(Ephesians 3:10,) but it is simply because they exercise the power given them byGod. For the same reason Satan is the prince of this world, not as if he conferreddominion upon himself, or obtained it by his own right, or, in fine, exercised it at hisown pleasure. On the contrary, he has only so much as the Lord allows him. HenceScripture does not merely make mention of the good spirit of God, and good angels,but he also speaks of evil spirits of God. An evil spirit from God came upon Saul. (1Samuel 16:14.) Again, chastisements through means of evil angels. (Psalm 78:49.)With respect to the passage before us, the blinding is a work common to God and toSatan, for it is in many instances ascribed to God; but the power is not alike, nor isthe manner the same. I shall not speak at present as to the manner. Scripture,however, teaches that Satan blinds men, 443443 Les reprouuez; Thereprobate. not merely with Gods permission, but even by his command, that hemay execute his vengeance. Thus Ahab was deceived by Satan, (1 Kings 22:21,) butcould Satan have done this of himself? By no means; but having offered to God his 27. services for inflicting injury, he was sent to be alying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.(1 Kings 22:22.)ay more, the reason why God is said to blind men is, that after having deprived usof the right exercise of the understanding, and the light of his Spirit, he delivers usover to the devil, to be hurried forward by him to a reprobate mind, (Romans 1:28,)gives him the power of deception, and by this means inflicts just vengeance upon usby the minister of his wrath. Pauls meaning, therefore, is, that all are possessed bythe devil, who do not acknowledge his doctrine to be the sure truth of God. For it ismore severe to call them slaves of the devil, 444444 The god of this world. O thatwe could consider this, according to what it doth import and carry in it of horrorand detestableness! It is a thing that we do not yet believe, that a world inhabited byreasonable creatures, Gods own offspring, is universally fallen into a confederacyand combination with another god, with an enemy god, an adversary god,against the living and true God! Men have changed their God. And what a fearfulchoice have they made! Fallen into a league with those wicked creatures that wereweary of his government before, and that were, thereupon, thrown down into anabyss of darkness, and bound up in the chains thereof, unto the judgment of thegreat day. But doth the Scripture say this in vain? or hath it not a meaning when itcalls the devil the god of this world? O with what amazement should it strike ourhearts, to think that so it is, that the whole order of creatures is gone off from God,and fallen into a confederacy with the devil and his angels, against their rightfulsovereign Lord. Howes Works. (London, 1834.) p. 1206. Ed. than to ascribetheir blindness to the judgment of God. As, however, he had a little before adjudgedsuch persons to destruction, (2 Corinthians 4:3,) he now adds that they perish, forno other reason than that they have drawn down ruin upon themselves, as the effectof their own unbelief.Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine upon them. This serves toconfirm what he had said that if any one rejected his gospel, it was his ownblindness that prevented him from receiving it. For nothing, says he, appears init but Christ, and that not obscurely, but so as to shine forth clearly. He adds, thatChrist is the image of God, by which he intimates that they were utterly devoid ofthe knowledge of God, in accordance with that statement He that knoweth not me knoweth not my Father.(John 14:7.)This then is the reason, why he pronounced so severe a sentence upon those that haddoubts as to his Apostleship because they did not behold Christ, who might there 28. be distinctly beheld. It is doubtful whether he employed the expression, the gospel ofthe glory of Christ, as meaning the glorious gospel, agreeably to the Hebrew idiom;or whether he means by it the gospel, in which Christs glory shone forth. Thesecond of these meanings I rather prefer, as having in it more completeness.When, however, Christ is called the image of the invisible God, this is not meantmerely of his essence, as being the co-essential of the Father, as they speak, 445445Calvin manifestly refers to an expression made use of by the Council of ice, A.D.325, to express unity of essence in the first and second persons of the Trinity, theSon having been declared to be co-essential with the Father.It had been used in the same sense by some writers before the meeting of theCouncil. It is remarkable, however, that it had been rejected by the Council ofAntioch, A.D. 263, on account of the inference which Paul of Samosata pretended todraw from it, namely, that if Christ and the Spirit were consubstantial with theFather, it followed that there were three substances one prior and two posterior derived from it. To guard against this inference, the Council declared that theSon was not (consubstantial with the Father.) Paul (ofSamosata) seems to have explained the term as signifying specific, or of the samespecies; and it is certain that this sense had sometimes been given to it. ThusAristotle calls the stars meaning that they were all of the same nature. Butin the creed of ice it is expressive of unity of essence, and was adopted, afterconsiderable discussion, as proper to be opposed to the Arians, who affirmed thatthe essence of the Son was different and separate from the Father. DicksTheology, volume 2. The reader will also find the same expression largely treated ofby Calvin in the Institutes, volume 1 1. See also Institutes, volume 2, and Calvinon John, vol. 1, p. 417. Ed. but rather has a reference to us, because he representsthe Father to us. The Father himself is represented as invisible, because he is inhimself not apprehended by the human understanding. He exhibits himself,however, to us by his Son, and makes himself in a manner visible. 446446 Christis the image of God, as a child is the image of his father; not in regard of theindividual property which the Father hath distinct from the child, and the childfrom the father, but in respect of the same substance and nature, derived from thefather by generation. Christ is here called the image of God, (2 Corinthians 4:4,)not so much, saith Calvin, in relation to God, as the Father is the exemplar of hisbeauty and excellency, as in relation to us, as he represents the Father to us in theperfections of his nature, as they respect us and our welfare, and renders him visibleto the eyes of our minds. Charnocks Works, (Lond. 1684,) volume 2, p. 476. Ed. I state this, because the ancients, having been greatly incensed against theArians, insisted more than was befitting on this point how it is that the Son isinwardly the image of the Father by a secret unity of essence, while they passed overwhat is mainly for edification in what respects he is the image of God to us, whenhe manifests to us what had otherwise been hid in him. Hence the term image has areference to us, as we shall see again presently 447447 See on verse 6. The epithetinvisible, though omitted in some Greek manuscripts, I have preferred to retain, asit is not superfluous. 448448 Three manuscripts (as stated by Poole in hisSynopsis) have (invisible,) but it is generally believed to have been an 29. interpolation from Colossians 1:15. Ed.5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but JesusChrist as Lord, and ourselves as your servants forJesus sake.1. Barnes, For we preach not ourselves - The connection here is not very apparent,and the design of this verse has been variously understood. The connection seems to me