the impotency of language to express his conceptions,) may- be taken as an adjective qualification of ySapos 60^179, weight of glory. This is the explanation acloj^ted by our translators, who render the phrase, "far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory." There is, however, no Kai {cmd) in the text. If this view be adopted, it would be better therefore to take " eternal v/eight of glory " as one idea. The eternal glory exceeds all limits. The words in question, however, may be connected adverbially with Karepya^erat, as proposed by Meyer and De Wette. ' Our light afflictions work exceed- ingly, i. e. are beyond measure efficacious in securing or pro- ducing an eternal weight of glory.'
18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen (are) temporal ; but the things which are not seen (are) eternal.
The participial clause with which this verse begins (/a^ a■Ko■^■ovvT^Jiv rj^iov) may have a causal force. ' Our light afflic- tions are thus efficacious because we look not at the things w^hich are temporal.' This, how^ever, is hardly true. The afflictions of Christians do not work out for them eternal glory, because their hearts are turned heavenward. It is therefore better to understand the apostle as simply express- ing the condition imder which the effect spoken of in v. 17 is produced. This is the idea expressed in our version by the word while. Afflictions have this salutary operation while (i. e. provided that) v/e look at the things which are eternal. This clause thus serves to designate the class of persons to whom even the severest afflictions are light, and for whom they secure eternal glory. It is not for the worldly, but for those whose hearts are set on things above.^ The word trans- lated look, cTKOTreco, is derived from o-kottos (scopus^ scojye), meaning the mark or goal on which the eye is fixed, as in Phil. 3, 14, Kara o-KOTTOj/ 8twKw, I press toward the mark. Therefore looking here means makmg things unseen the goal on which our eyes are fixed, the end toward w^hich the atten- tion, desires and efforts are directed. As is usual with the apostle, he states both what is not, and what is, the absorb- ing object of the believer's attention. Not the visible^ but the invisible; i. e. not the world and the thuigs of the world, but