14. And no marvel; for Satan himself is trans- formed into an angel of light.
It is not wonderful that false apostles slioulcl put them- selves forward under the guise of apostles of Christ, and ap- pear and be received as such, for Satan himself, the most evil of all beings, assumes the form of the highest and purest of created intelligences. A^i angel of light, i. e. a bright, pure, hap])y angel. Light is always the symbol of excellence and blessedness, hence the expressions kingdom of light, children of light, &c. And hence God is said to dwell in light, and the saints are said to have their inheritance in light. It is by no means clear that the apostle refers either to the history of the fall or to Satan's appearing with the sons of God as men- tioned in Job 1,6. It is more probable that the statement rests on the general doctrine of the Bible concerning the great adversary. He is everywhere represented as the de- ceiver, assuming false guises, and making false represen- tations.
15. Therefore (it is) no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness ; whose end shall be according to their works.
If Satan can be thus changed, it is no great thing if his ministers undergo a similar transformation. If a bad angel can assume the appearance of a good angel, a bad man may put on the semblance of a good man. The lalse teachers are called ministers of Satan, that is, they are his servants, 1. In so far as they are instigated and controlled in their labours by him. 2. And in so far that their labours tend to advance his kingdom, i. e. error and evil. All wicked men and all teach- ers of false doctrine are, in this sense the servants of Satan. He is their master. The false teachers assumed to be minis- ters of righteousness. This may mean, righteous, upright ministers; or, promoters of righteousness in the sense of gen- eral excellence. They pretended to be the promoters of all that is good. Or, righteousness may be taken in its peculiar New Testament and Pauline sense, as in 3, 9, where tlie the phrase "mhiistry of righteousness " occurs; see also E})h. 6, 15. In these and many other places the word righteous- jiess refers to " the righteousness of God," or, as it is also