2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.

On the identification of Lord and Spirit, see under preceding verse.

Unveiled face ... All Christians, not just one man, as in the case of Moses, behold the glory of the Lord; and no veil is required. This has a transforming effect on all who do it. It is in the looking of the Christian upon the Lord, as invariably entailed in the worship of him, that a miracle of transformation is wrought in his life. Here Paul revealed the secret of how to "be ... transformed" (Romans 12:2).

Beholding as in a mirror ... The word "beholding" in classical Greek means "looking at one's self in a mirror"; "But that requires steady looking when mirrors are metal, and so the word came to mean simply, TO GAZE STEADILY."[31]

From the Lord the Spirit ... McGarvey gave the import of this to be, "Now Jesus is that Spirit, or new covenant of which I have been speaking (2 Corinthians 3:3,6,8); and where that new covenant is, there is liberty, especially the liberty of seeing (without a veil)."[32] In this view, spirit would not be capitalized. Tasker also favored this understanding of it. He said, "(What the Christian beholds) is the manifestation of Christ's glory which is made in his word and by his Spirit, whose office it is to glorify Christ by revealing him to us."[33]

We all ... The notion has persisted in history that only certain special persons could be transformed in Christ; but as John Calvin (as quoted by Hughes) said, "It is evident that Paul is speaking of an experience that is common to all believers."[34] Under the old covenant, only the face of Moses shone; only the high priest went into the Holy of Holies; only the priests might serve at the altar, etc., etc. But in the glorious new covenant, "All who are Christ's, whether great or small, whether known or unknown, have this blessed privilege of beholding and being transformed."[35]

[31] David J. A. Clines, op. cit., p. 423.

[32] J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 186.

[33] R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 67.

[34] Philip E. Hughes, op. cit., p. 117.

[35] Ibid.