nous), then <ji(iiTL(Tix6<: t?)? yvwa-cco? means tlie light of which the knowledge of Christ is the source, (or that knowledge as light.) In V. 4, it is said that Satan hath blinded the eyes of unbelievers so that they cannot see the hght of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Here it is said that God has enlightened us so that we do see it. In Test. XII. Patr. p. 578, it is said, TO <fiu)<; Tov Kocrjxov, to So^ev ev vfuv Trpos ^cortcrftoi/ Trai/ros dv-^pojTrov, the light of the icorld deposited in you^ for the (subjective) il- lumination of every man. 4. It is an additional reason in fa- vour of this interpretation that it suits the antithesis between vs. 4 and 6. The gospel is hid to one class of men, but God has opened the eyes of another class to see its glory. Here, as elsewhere, particularly in 1 Cor. 2, 14, the apostle recog- nizes a twofold illumination, the one external by the word, to which Satan renders unbelievers blind ; and the other internal by the Spirit, Avhereby we are enabled to see the glory which is objectively revealed.
The literal translation of this passage is, ' God who com- manded the light to shine out of darkness, who sinned into our hearts.' Something must be supplied to complete the sense. We may read either ' It is God who commanded, &c., who shined into our hearts ; ' or, ' God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, is he who shined,' &c. There is an obvious reference to the work of creation as recorded in Genesis. Darkness originally brooded over chaos, until God said, Let there be light. So spiritual darkness broods over tho minds of men, until God shines into their hearts. Shined into our hearts. The word Xa/xTrw, means either, to he lumi- nons ; or as here, to iUimiinate., or cause light^ as the analogy with the physical creation, just referred to, requires. The idea is not that God becomes luminous in us, but that he pro- duces light in our hearts. The design of this inward illumina- tion is expressed by the words Trpos (fywrca-ixov t?)? yvwo-cw?, which, according to the former of the two interpretations mentioned above, means, to the shining abroad of the knowledge^ &c. lie illuminates us that we may diffuse light, and thus illumi- nate others. According to the second interpretation, the meaning is, to give us the light of the knowledge . God illu- minates our minds so that we apprehend that light which flows from the knowledge of the glory of God^ or whicli con- sists in that knowledge. ]]y tJie glory of God is of course meant the divine majesty or excellence, which is the proper object of admiration and adoration. Iii the face of Jesus