Beholding as in a mirror (2734) (katoptrizomai from kata = down, intensifier + optanomai = see, perceive w eyes, look at) means to look in a mirror (cp Katoptron = the most common term in secular Greek writings for mirror, looking glass). To see indirectly or by reflection as in a mirror. In middle voice as discussed below means to look at as in a mirror or to contemplate. In the active voice it conveys the idea of to produce a reflection. The present tense pictures this action or effect as continual - either beholding or reflecting the glory of the Lord. The middle voice signifies a reflexive sense (yourself) and could be rendered "you yourself look in the mirror". The Pulpit Commentary in fact feels the middle voice favors the interpretation of beholding as in a mirror rather than reflecting as a mirror... No other instance occurs in which the verb in the middle voice has the meaning of “reflecting,” and the words, “with unveiled face,” imply the image of “beholding.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 Exposition) Marvin Vincent comments that... beholding expresses the fact from which the process of change into God’s image proceeds. When Moses beheld Jehovah’s glory, his own face reflected that glory. The mirror is the Gospel, which is called the Gospel of the glory of Christ, 2Co 4:4-note. Hodge explains that... The Greek verb means, in the active voice, “to show in a mirror” and in the middle voice (the form used here) generally “to see oneself in a mirror.” This is always the way it is used in the classics. But in Philo it is used to express the idea of seeing by means of a mirror. (2 Corinthians 3 Commentary - see also Hodges four arguments that lead him to favor beholding rather than reflecting as the best interpretation of katoptrizomai), where he concludes "We are transformed into the Lord’s likeness by seeing it, not by reflecting it.") To facilitate gazing at the face of Christ see Ann Ortlund's wonderful devotional entitled Fix Your Eyes on Jesus A T Robertson... In Philo (Legis Alleg. iii. 33) the word means beholding as in a mirror and that idea suits also the figure in 1Co 13:12. There is an inscription of third century BC with egkatoptrisasthai eis to hudōr, to look at one’s reflection in the water. Plutarch uses the active for mirroring or reflecting and Chrysostom takes it so here. Either makes good sense. The point that Paul is making is that we shall not lose the glory as Moses did. NAB note... Gazing: the verb may also be translated "contemplating as in a mirror"; 2Cor 4:6-note would suggest that the mirror is Christ himself. John MacArthur distinguishes between the glory of God in the creation (general revelation as in Ps 19:1,2) and the glory of God in the Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ (special revelation - see discussion of general vs special revelation)... While the creation reveals certain truths about God (Ro 1:20-note), those truths are insufficient to save. A saving knowledge of God comes only through Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; Ro 1:16-note). Unlike old covenant believers, every new covenant believer can gaze into the face of Christ with an unveiled face.... All three aspects of salvation—justification, sanctification, and glorification—involve looking to Jesus. Believers’ new life in Christ begins when they look into His face and embrace Him as Lord and Savior. But just as they look to Him for justification, so also must they look to Him for sanctification, which involves “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (He 12:2-note) and discerning the mind of Christ from Scripture (1Co 2:16), because “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1Jn 2:6). Ultimately, at glorification Christ “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Php 3:21-note). (MacArthur, J: 2Corinthians. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos or Wordsearch) Henry Morris comments that... We, like Moses when he entered the tabernacle to speak with God (Ex 34:34), also come into His presence with open (that is, unveiled) faces when we read His Word, which both reveals us for what we are, like a mirror (compare Jas 1:23, 24-note, Jas 1:25-note), and also reveals to us the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. In so doing, we (like Moses) can begin to reflect His own image in our lives and even our countenances, from one degree of glory to another. And just as we are changed "from glory to glory," we also receive "grace for grace" (Jn 1:16). Thus, we are gradually being restored to the full image of God in which we were created (Ge 1:26,27), being "renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Col 3:10-note), for we indeed are predestined "to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Ro 8:29-note). Warren Wiersbe notes that... When the people of God look into the Word of God and see the glory of God, the Spirit of God transforms them to be like the Son of God (Wiersbe, W. W. Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books or Wordsearch) Hughes writes... How much we allow the knowledge of Christ to fill our being will determine how much of the old dead things will fall away and how much new life will spring forth. We must know Jesus for that expulsive force to work within us. We must look long and intently at Jesus. (Hughes, R. K. John: That you May Believe. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books or Logos) Samuel Davies... Not that a mere speculative knowledge of Christ will suffice; no, it must not be a look of curiosity and speculation—but you must be affected with the object. Your eye must affect your heart; and by beholding the glory of the Lord in the looking-glass of the gospel—you must be changed into the same image, or conformed to him in holiness. 2Corinthians 3:18. A drowning man is not a mere curious spectator of his deliverer; but he views him with the tenderest passions. So you must look upon Christ. (Looking unto Christ) Sam Storms ... But where exactly do we "see" or "behold" that glory? Paul saw the glory of God on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 22:11 ["the glory of that light"]; 26:13). In 4:3-6 he suggests that God shines the glory of that light "in our hearts" through "the gospel." Thus as Barnett explains, "paradoxically, therefore, Paul's readers see the glory of Christ as they hear the gospel, which in turn gives the knowledge of God" (206). Beholding is a way of becoming. That is to say, you become like that which you behold! We will take on the characteristics, values, and qualities of that which we most cherish and to which we devote our hearts and minds. (2 Corinthians 3 Sermon Notes) Robert Morgan asks... What does it mean to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord? I think it means that we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face. We keep our eyes on Him and contemplate Him and meditate on Him, because Jesus is the mirror image of God. Years ago I read of a cathedral somewhere in Europe that had a high and lofty and beautiful ceiling. But the room was so narrow and the ceiling was so exalted that it was difficult to gaze upon. So the rectors placed a large mirror on the floor, tilted at the proper angle, and by gazing into the mirror they could see the ceiling. And that’s what Christ is. Our God is so holy and infinite and awesome and invisible and high and exalted and lifted up that we can’t very well take in His glory. But Jesus is the image of the invisible God. (2 Corinthians 3:7-18 Glow-in-the-Dark Christians) Calvin on beholding as in a mirror - it is true, has a double signification among the Greeks, for it sometimes means to hold out a mirror to be looked into, and at other times to look into a mirror when presented. (“It is made use of in the former sense by Plutarch/ It is more frequently employed in the latter signification. Thus Plato says, “He advised drunken persons to look at themselves in a mirror.” So also Diogenes Laert. [In Socrate] - He thought that young men should frequently look at themselves in a mirror.) The old interpreter, however, has correctly judged, that the second of these is the more suitable to the passage before us. I have accordingly followed his rendering. Jerry Bridges in "The Practice of Godliness" (a book I highly recommend) lists principles related to taking on God's character and alludes to 2Cor 3:18 in his discussion of the second principle of godly character - the power for a godly life comes from the risen Christ... Beholding the Lord’s glory in His word is more than observing His humanity in the gospels. It is observing His character, His attributes, and His will in every page of Scripture. And as we observe Him, as we maintain this relationship with Him through His Word, we are transformed more and more into His likeness; we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to progressively manifest the graces of godly character. So it is this relationship with Christ, expressed by beholding Him in His word and depending upon Him in prayer, that enables us to draw from Him the power essential for a godly life. The Christian is not like an automobile with a self-contained power source; rather, he is like an electric motor that must be constantly connected to an outside current for its power. Our source of power is in the risen Christ, and we stay connected to Him by beholding Him in His word and depending on Him in prayer. (Bridges, J. The Practice of Godliness. Page 61. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress or Logos or Wordsearch - One reviewer wrote "I meant to read this book for several years before I actually got around to it. I can't believe I waited--it's one of the best Christian books I have read. ") THE SECRET OF HOLINESS MacDonald comments that... The mirror is the word of God. As we go to the Bible, we see the Lord Jesus revealed in all His splendor. We do not yet see Him face to face, but only as mirrored in the Word. And note that it is the glory of the Lord that we behold. Here Paul is not thinking so much of the moral beauty of Jesus as a Man here on earth, but rather of His present glory, exalted at the right hand of God. The glory of Christ, as Denney points out, is that: He shares the Father’s throne, that He is the Head of the Church, possessor and bestower of all the fulness of divine grace, the coming Judge of the world, conqueror of every hostile power, intercessor for His own, and, in short, bearer of all the majesty which belongs to His kingly office. As we are occupied with the glory of the risen, ascended, exalted Lord Jesus Christ, we are being transformed into the same image. Here, in a word, is the secret of Christian holiness—occupation with Christ. Not by occupation with self; that brings only defeat. Not by occupation with others; that brings disappointment. But by occupation with the glory of the Lord, we become more and more like Him. (Ibid)