2Cor 4:3-5 | JFB | STEP | 3. But if-- Yea, even if (as I grant is the case). hid-- rather (in reference to ), "veiled." "Hid" (Greek, ) is said of that withdrawn from view altogether. "Veiled," of a thing within reach of the eye, but covered over so as not to be seen. So it was in the case of Moses' face. to them-- in the case only of them: for in itself the Gospel is quite plain. that are lost-- rather, "that are perishing" ( ). So the same cloud that was "light" to the people of God, was "darkness" to the Egyptian foes of God ( ).

‏ 2 Corinthians 4:3-5

3. But if--Yea, even if (as I grant is the case).

hid--rather (in reference to 2Co 3:13-18), "veiled." "Hid" (Greek, Col 3:3) is said of that withdrawn from view altogether. "Veiled," of a thing within reach of the eye, but covered over so as not to be seen. So it was in the case of Moses' face.

to them--in the case only of them: for in itself the Gospel is quite plain.

that are lost--rather, "that are perishing" (1Co 1:18). So the same cloud that was "light" to the people of God, was "darkness" to the Egyptian foes of God (Ex 14:20).

4. In whom--Translate, "In whose case."

god of this world--The worldly make him their God (Php 3:19). He is, in fact, "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience" (Ep 2:2).

minds--"understandings": "mental perceptions," as in 2Co 3:14.

them which believe not--the same as "them that are lost" (or "are perishing"). Compare 2Th 2:10-12. South quaintly says, "when the malefactor's eyes are covered, he is not far from his execution" (Es 7:8). Those perishing unbelievers are not merely veiled, but blinded (2Co 3:14, 15): Greek, not "blinded," but "hardened."

light of the glorious gospel of Christ--Translate, "The illumination (enlightening: the propagation from those already enlightened, to others of the light) of the Gospel of the glory of Christ." "The glory of Christ" is not a mere quality (as "glorious" would express) of the Gospel; it is its very essence and subject matter.

image of God--implying identity of nature and essence (Joh 1:18; Col 1:15; He 1:3). He who desires to see "the glory of God," may see it "in the face of Jesus Christ" (2Co 4:6; 1Ti 6:14-16). Paul here recurs to 2Co 3:18. Christ is "the image of God," into which "same image" we, looking on it in the mirror of the Gospel, are changed by the Spirit; but this image is not visible to those blinded by Satan [Alford].

5. For--Their blindness is not our fault, as if we had self-seeking aims in our preaching.

preach ... Christ ... the Lord--rather, "Christ as Lord," and ourselves as your servants, &c. "Lord," or "Master," is the correlative term to "servants."