1 Corinthians 13:12 - Exposition

Through a glass; rather, through (or, by means of ) a mirror. Our "glasses" were unknown in that age. The mirrors were of silver or some polished metal, giving, of course, a far dimmer image than "glasses" do. The rabbis said that "all the prophets saw through a dark mirror, but Moses through a bright one." St. Paul says that no human eye can see God at all except as an image seen as it were behind the mirror. Darkly ; rather, in a riddle. God is said to have spoken to Moses "by means of riddles" ( Numbers 12:8 ; Authorized Version, "in dark speeches"), Human language, dealing with Divine facts, can only represent them indirectly, metaphorically, enigmatically, under human images, and as illustrated by visible phenomena. God can only be represented under the phrases of anthropomorphism and anthropopathy; and such phrases can only have a relative, not an absolute, truth. Then ; i.e. "when the perfect is come." Face to face. Like the "mouth to mouth" of the Hebrew and the LXX . in Numbers 12:8 . This is the beatific vision. "We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" ( 1 John 3:2 ). "Now we walk by faith, not by sight" ( 2 Corinthians 5:7 ). Then shall I know even as also I am known ; rather, then shall I fully know even as also I was fully known, viz. when Christ took knowledge of me at my conversion. Now, we do not so much "know" God, but "rather are known of God" .