The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 61

" glorious." Of righteousness. Involving or, med t,o put, e. veil on his face when he the further conception of "justification," WI had finished speaking to the people. That in Rom. v. 21; i. 16, 17; iv. 25; v. 21. the ohildren of Israel oould not steadfastly Ver. 10.-For. He proceeds to show look to the end of that which is abolished; that the latter ministration was fa.r more rather, that the children of Israel might not superabundant in glory. That which was gaze on the end of what was passing away. made glorious, etc. Many various interpre- The object of the veil, e.ccording to St. Paul, tations have been offered of this text. The was to prevent the Israelites from gazing on meaning almost undoubtedly is, "For even the last gleam of the covenant. In other that which bas been glorified [namely, the words, he did not wish them to be witnesses Mosaic ministry, as typified by the splendour ?f o. fading glory. It . is preposterous to of his face] has not been glorified in this 1me.gme that St. Paul 1s here casting any respect [i.e. in the respect of its relntion to blame on the conduct of Moses, o.s though anotJier ministry], because of the sur- he acted fre.udulently or delusively. Moses passing glory [of the latter]." In other wlll! aw,_ue, e.nd even told the people, that his words, the glory of Mosaism is so com- leg1slo.tion we.snot final (Deut. xvili.15-19), pletely outdazzled by the splendour of the but it would be quite natural that he should gospel, that, relatively speaking, it has no not wish the people to witness the gradual glory left; th<' moon and the stars cease to dimming of the lustre which, in St. Paul's shine, they " pale their ineffectual fires" view, was typical of that transitoriness. It when the sun is in the zenith. The seems, however, that St. Paul is here either phrase, " in this respect," occurs age.in in (1) following e. different ree.ding or rendering eh. ix. 3 and l Pet. iv. 16. of Exod. xxxiv. 33; or (2) is adopting some Ver. 11.-For. An explanation of the Jewish hagadah; or (3) is giving his own "surpassing" glory of the later covenant turn to the narrative, as the rabbis habitually founded on its eternity. That which is did, by way of midrash, or exposition. For done away; rather, that which is evanescing; from the narre.tive of Exodus we should uot "which is being done away," as in ver. 7. gather tbe.t it was the object of Moses to Was glorious . . . is glorious. The expres- hide the disappearance of the splendour, but sion is varied in the Greek. The brief, the rather to render the light endure.hie. In our evanescent covenant we.s "through glory," Authorized Version the verse runs, "till i.e. it was e. transitory gleam; the abiding Moses ho.d done speaking with them he put covenant is "in glory ; '' i.e. it is e.n eternal e. veil on his face; 11 but the meaning of the splendour. It is, however, a disputed point ·original may be, " after he he.d done speaking whether St. Pe.ul intended such rigid with them," as the LXX. te.kes it and the meanings to be e.tte.ched to bis varying Vulgate. The end. To interpret this ot prepositions (Rom. iii. 30, lie 1rl<TT<"1S • • • Ohriat, because of Rom. x. 4, is an instance li,a T,js -,r(u-r,ws : v. 10, li,11 Tau 6a11d.Tou • • • of the superstitious and unintelligent way ;,, -rji '"'fi : Gal. ii. 16, ,i (p"'(uJII • • • li,a in which systems e.re me.de out of a mosaic of wi<T'TEWS: Philem. 5, 1rp&s 'Tbll Kvpt011 • • • ,ls broken texts. The foolish charaoter of the Tovs a."'(<ous). That which remaineth. The interpretation is shown when we CODBider final, eternal, unshe.kable gospel (Heb. that it involves the inference that Moses put xii. 27). Is glorious ; literally, iB in glory. e. veil on his face in order to prevent the Christ is eternally the Light of the world Israelites from seeing Christ I Dut this (John i. 9; ix. 5); and Moses and Elias e.ttempt to illustrate Scripture by oatohing <lerived all their permanence of glory by e.t a similar expretision applied in a reflection from this transfiguring light. wholly different w11y in 11nothcr po.rt of Vers. 12-18.-The C()njidence inspired b11 Seri pture, is ono of the norm11l follies of thiB ministry, and the 'l!eil on the hearts of scriptural interpreto.tion. tJwse who will not reC()gnize it. Ver. 14.-Their minds. This word is ren- Ver. 12.-Such hope. A hope based upon derecl "devices" in eh. ii.11; "minds" in eh. the abiding glory of this gospel covenant. iii. 14 and iv. 4; and" thought" in eh. x. 5. It Plainness of speech. The frankness and means that their powers of reason were, so to unreserved fearlessness of our language is speak, petrified. Were blinded ; rather, were usti.fied by the glory of our miuistry. It hardened. The verb C1mnot mean " to hlind." wns impossible for Moses to speo.k with thu Dy whom were their minds be.rdeneu? It same bold plainness. would be equally correct to suy by them- Ver. 13.-And not as Moses. We need selves (Heb. iii. 8), or by Sutan (eh. iv. 4), not act, e.s Moties was obliged to do, by or by God (Rom. xi. 7, 8). The same veil putting any veil upon our faces while we11 Of courso the meaning is "a voil of which spcuk. And hero the irDF,ge of " the veil tho veil of Moses is un exact typo." 'fhe u corupletely seizes St. Paul's imagination veil which prevontod thorn from seeing tho as the image of tlw Jetter doc~ in the first cvo.11osco11co of the light which shone on tho ver11ts. Put a veil; liternlly, waa puttiuy, face of Moses was symbolicully identiool cm. m. 1-18.] 'fHE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTllIA:---S. 61