jud2:ment. He is to come for judgment, Matt. 24, 30. 46. 2 Pet. 3, 4. 12. Jude 14. Rev. 1,1. The reason why the coming of the Lord is the appropriate time for judgment is, that he will then do what cannot be done before, or by any creature. Ife will bring to light (shed light upon) the secret things of darkness ; that is, things which are now hidden in darkness. This includes acts which are now unknown, and those piinciples of action which lie concealed in the recesses of the heart, where no human eye can reach them. This is all the context requires. In other connections the secret things, or the works of darkness, means wicked loorks ; works done in the dark to avoid detection ; or w^orks which spring from moral darkness, Eph. 5, 11. But the apostle is here speaking of the reason why judgment should be deferred until the com- ing of Christ. The reason is that he alone can bring to light the secret acts and motives of men. These secret works and motives, and not merely outward acts, are the grounds of judgment. Whether a man is faithful in preaching the gos- pel depends upon his motives ; for some preached Christ of contention, Phil. 1, 16. This view of the passage is confirmed by the explanatory clause which ioVio^f^ and will make mani- fest the counsels of the hearts. The former expression is gen- eral, this is special. The ' counsels of the heart ' are included in the ' secret things of darkness.' He who sheds light on the secret things of darkness not only reveals acts done in secret, but makes manifest the counsels of the heart. What a work is here ascribed to the Lord Jesus ! He will bring to light the secret acts and hidden motives of every human being. He will exercise the prerogative of judging the heart and con- science ; a prerogative which none but an omniscient being can rightfully claim or possibly exercise. It is therefore in Scripture always spoken of as peculiar to God, Ps. 26, 2. Jer. 11, 20. 20, 12. Rev. 2, 23. Paul appealed from the fallible judgment of sbort-sighted men, to the infallible judgment of his omniscient Lord.
And then y not before, because not until then will the full truth be known. Shall every man have praise {hraLvo<i, much praise, applause, a loud and clear acclaim of commendation ; Well done, thou good and faithful servant !) The reason why Paul uses the w^ord praise, and not the general term recoin- pense, probably is, that he is throughout the passage speaking of himself The Corinthians had sat in judgment on his fidel- ity. He teUs them that neither they nor he could competently