Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
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The Questions
1) What is the significance of “unveiled faces” in this passage?
2) How can we be transformed into the image of the Lord?
3) What does “from glory to glory” mean in this verse?
2 Corinthians 3:18
We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Original Intent
1) What is the significance of “unveiled faces” in this passage?
In the Old Testament book of Exodus, Moses went up to Mount Sinai to speak with the Lord and relay His commandments to the people of Israel. When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone brightly and it frightened the people, so he put a veil over his face. (Exodus 34:29-35) Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that Christians do not have veiled faces because they have an intimate relationship shared with Christ. They have no need to fear His glory or His presence. Author John Piper explains, “the true meaning of the law is veiled to the minds of the Jewish people (and Gentiles!)—until they turn to the Messiah.” Coffman’s Commentaries on the Bible states, “All Christians, not just one man, as in the case of Moses, behold the glory of the Lord, and no veil is required.” Living under the New Covenant of Jesus brings open access to the Lord and relationship with the Lord to all believers. If your heart trusts in Jesus, you have instant access to His grace and provision!
2) How can we be transformed into the image of the Lord?
The apostle Paul wrote the book of 2 Corinthians as a letter to the church in Corinth around A.D. 55. (John Macarthur) The church was having plenty of difficulties with false prophets who were attempting to discredit Paul and promote their own teachings. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, asserting his authority in Christ, but also teaching about Christian ministry and the power of the Holy Spirit. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul referenced Moses and his physical transformation after being in the Lord’s presence. Moses’ face shone brightly after being with the Lord on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29-35) and Paul compared it to the transformation the Christian has when seeing God’s glory. As author Richard L. Pratt, Jr. points out, “the transformation that takes place in followers of Christ has ever-increasing glory, unlike Moses’ fading glory. This expanding glory comes from the Lord, that is the Spirit.” Paul asserted that being in the presence of God’s glory would create an ongoing, transforming work in the life of a believer. He exhorted us to surrender to the Spirit’s work in our lives in this transformation.
3) What does “from glory to glory” mean in this verse?
The word glory comes to us from the Greek term Doxa, and it means “to give a proper opinion or estimate of something.” In terms of the glory of the lord, author John Piper explains glory as “the infinite beauty and greatness of God’s manifold perfections.” For one to go from “glory to glory,” as Paul states in 2 Corinthians 3:18, one will start becoming more and more like the beautiful and perfect Jesus. Author J.R. Miller describes the phrase from glory to glory as going from “one degree of glory to another, the bondservant gradually becoming more and more like the Master.” John Gill describes it similarly as going “from glory begun here to glory perfect hereafter; when this image [of Christ] will be completed, both in soul and body; and the saints will be as perfectly like to Christ, as they are capable of, and see him as he is.” When Paul writes how the Holy Spirit’s power is transforming us into the image of Christ from glory to glory, (2 Corinthians 3:18), we can trust He will continue changing us to be more like Christ from the time we first trust in Him until we see Him face to face.
Everyday Application
1) What is the significance of “unveiled faces” in this passage?
I often ignore things I fear, hoping they will disappear. That is almost never how things work out, of course. I think the Israelites had a similar reaction when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments. They couldn’t comprehend the intense joy Moses had experienced in the Lord’s presence. They didn’t even want to hear God’s message to them, they were so caught up by fear of this glory that was beyond their control. They just wanted Moses to hide his face so they wouldn’t have to confront the awesome, transfiguring glory of God. My response to God is sometimes similar. I don’t want to consider that what scares me about the Lord or His plans may be the very thing God will use to make me more like Him. I have the amazing privilege of direct communion with God through His Spirit living within me, but fear causes me to veil my face and settle for a secondhand version of His glory. I know this fear does not come from the Lord. I praise God He has given me a spirit of power, love, and sound judgment instead. (2 Timothy 1:7) Whenever I am afraid, I can trust in Him and give all my worries to Him. (Psalm 56:3, Psalm 55:22) If apprehension also keeps you from embracing God’s will and entering into His presence, join me in praying that the Lord will calm our fears as His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) May we enjoy sweeter communion with God than we have ever known before!
2) How can we be transformed into the image of the Lord?
Have you noticed you can tell a lot about a student’s social circle by their appearance and behavior? They tend to dress and talk like their cultural heroes and other kids they hang out with. This tendency has given us the terms goth, greaser, preppy, jock, and geek, among others. The same phenomenon can be said of those who spend time with the Lord. The more time we spend with God, the more we become like Him. Author John Piper says, “we are transformed into His image by looking at His glory. You become like what you constantly behold.” Author David Guzik concurs with, “As we behold the glory of God, we will be transformed. God will change our lives and change us from the inside out.” To be transformed by Christ’s glory, we can spend time reading and praying Scriptures and studying the life of Jesus. We can submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, allowing Him to empower us to fulfill the good works Christ has for us. (Ephesians 2:10) To be transformed into Christ’s image, we can pursue the course Andrew Murray proposes and “gaze on and adore the glory of God in Christ; you will be changed with Divine power from glory to glory; in the power of the Holy Ghost the mighty transformation will be wrought by which your desires will be fulfilled, and like Christ will be the blessed God-given experience of your life.” The more time I spend with Him, the more I will be called “like Christ!”
3) What does “from glory to glory” mean in this verse?
When I was a little girl, there was a popular song called “He’s Still Working On Me.” (Check out the video link to see just how old I am.) The chorus proclaimed:
He’s still working on me
To make me what I ought to be…
How loving and patient He must be
‘Cause He’s still workin’ on me.
This idea informs my concept of what “from glory to glory” means in 2 Corinthians 3:18. At the very beginning of my relationship with Jesus, around the same time I learned this song, He started to reveal His plans for my life through His Word (Psalm 119:105) and through the input of godly parents and teachers (Hebrews 13:7.) As I grew, He guided and corrected me as I made choices to obey Him or disregard His instructions. (Proverbs 3:12) I have the promise of Philippians 1:6 that God will complete the good work He began in me from now until Christ returns. To quote another old song from way back when:
Changed into His image by the Spirit of God…
From glory to glory He is making us more holy
As we’re changed into His image by the Spirit of God.
I am so grateful for how far along He has brought me, and more thankful still that He won’t leave me where I am The Lord will continue to grow, stretch, and change me until He takes me home to be with Him!
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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