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2 Corinthians 3:18

Listen to 2 Corinthians 3:18
18 But we all, with unveiled face, 1beholding as in a mirror the 2glory of the Lord, are being 3transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from 4the Lord, the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all with open face
We are not like Moses, who had a veil on his face; nor like the Jews, who have one on their hearts: "but we all"; not ministers and preachers of the Gospel only, but all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, greater or lesser believers, who are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and are converted to Christ: "with open face"; which may regard the object beheld, the glory of Christ unveiled, that has no veil on it, as Moses had on his face, when he delivered the law; or the persons beholding, who are rid of Jewish darkness; the veil of the ceremonial law, and of natural darkness and blindness of mind; and so clearly and fully, comparatively speaking,

beholding as in a glass;
not of the law, but of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; not with the eyes of their bodies, but with the eyes of their understandings, with the eye of faith; which sight is spiritual, delightful, and very endearing; throws a veil over all other objects, and makes souls long to be with Christ: the object beheld is

the glory of the Lord;
Jesus Christ: not the glory of his human nature, which lies in its union to the Son of God, and in its names which it has by virtue of it; and in its being the curious workmanship of the Spirit of God, and so is pure and holy, and free from all sin; and was outwardly beautiful and glorious, and is so at the right hand of God, where we see him by faith, crowned with glory and honour; and shall behold him with the eyes of our bodies, and which will be fashioned like to his glorious body; but this sight and change are not yet: rather the glory of his divine nature is meant, which is essential and underived, the same with his Father's; is ineffable, and incomprehensible; it appears in the perfections he is possessed of, and in the worship given to him; it was manifested in the doctrines taught, and in the miracles wrought by him; there were some breakings forth of this glory in his state of humiliation, and were beheld by the apostles, and other believers, who saw his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father. Though the glory of Christ as Mediator, being full of grace and truth, seems to be chiefly designed; this he has from God, and had it from everlasting; this he gives to his people, and is what makes him so glorious, lovely, and desirable in their eye: and whilst this delightful object is beheld by them, they are

changed into the same image;
there was a divine image in man, in his first creation; this image was defaced by sin, and a different one took place; now in regeneration another distinct from them both is stamped, and this is the image of Christ; he himself is formed in the soul, his grace is wrought there; so that it is no wonder there is a likeness between them; which lies in righteousness and holiness, and shows itself in acts of grace, and a discharge of duty. The gradual motion of the change into this image is expressed by this phrase,

from glory to glory:
not from the glory of the law to the glory of the Gospel; or from the glory of Moses to the glory of Christ; rather from the glory that is in Christ, to a glory derived in believers from him; or which seems most agreeable, from one degree of grace to another, grace here being signified by glory; or from glory begun here to glory perfect hereafter; when this image 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: now the efficient cause of all this, "is the Spirit of the Lord". It is he that takes off the veil from the heart, that we may, with open face unveiled, behold all this glory; it is he that regenerates, stamps the image of Christ, and conforms the soul to his likeness; it is he that gradually carries on the work of grace upon the soul, increases faith, enlarges the views of the glory of Christ, and the spiritual light, knowledge, and experience of the saints, and will perfect all that which concerns them; will quicken their mortal bodies, and make them like to Christ; and will for ever rest as a spirit of glory on them, both in soul and body: some read these words,

by the Lord of the Spirit,
and understand them of Christ, others read them, "by the Lord the Spirit", as they very well may be rendered; and so are a proof of the true and proper deity of the Holy Spirit, who is the one Jehovah with the Father and the Son. The ancient Jews owned this;

``the Spirit of the living God, (say F11 they,) (arwbh wnyyh) , this is the Creator himself, from him all spirits are produced; blessed be he, and blessed be his name, because his name is he himself, for his name is Jehovah.''


FOOTNOTES:

F11 R. Moses Botril in Sepher Jetzirah, p. 40. Ed. Rittangel.
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2 Corinthians 3:18 Study Resources

Sermons

The Tipping Point: Transformation Is A Person Not Just A Process
The Tipping Point: Transformation Is A Person Not Just A Process
Dr. Robyn Kassas and Dr. Nathan Kassas

In Episode 34 of First Love, “The Tipping Point: Transformation Is A Person Not Just A Process,” Dr. Robyn Kassas and Dr. Nathan Kassas bring you to a powerful turning point in the journey of God’s story for your life. Building on last week’s revelation about surrendering not only the what and why of God’s will but also the how, they unveil a deeper truth: real transformation isn’t something you manage in steps—it’s Someone you encounter. Transformation has a face, and that face is Jesus.In this episode, you’ll discover why many believers live with a “deficit” in how they relate to the Godhead—comfortable with “God” as a distant sovereign or with the activity of the Holy Spirit, yet struggling to truly connect with Jesus as a man, as the leading role in God’s story and in theirs. Through Scripture, theology, and even neuroscience, Dr. Nathan and Dr. Robyn reveal how we literally “become what we behold,” and why you cannot be transformed by a formula, only by beholding a Person. You’ll learn how Jesus, the only One in the Godhead who fully lived the human experience, is God’s chosen visual aid for your transformation, the One the Father looks through when He looks at you.With prophetic clarity they expose how religion tries to bypass the name and humanity of Jesus—clinging to “God” as a system or “Holy Spirit” as pure action—while the Father insists that all authority and all true change flow through the name of His Son. You’ll hear how Jesus faced anxiety, pressure, and the threat of “the worst” in Gethsemane, not as a distant deity but as a man who chose the Father’s will under crushing weight, so that you would have a living model to mirror in your own battles.This episode will challenge you to stop trying to transform “in your own name,” and instead let the Holy Spirit anchor your identity, your brain, and your behavior in the image of Christ. As you behold Him—not just as fully God but as fully man—you step into a tipping point where pressure no longer exposes your weakness alone, but reveals what and who you truly believe.Journey with Dr. Robyn and Dr. Nathan as they call you back to your first love—Jesus—not as a sentimental memory, but as the living, present Person who holds all authority in His name. Return to Him so that you can move beyond an immature, honeymoon faith into mature love: a life where you trust the Son the Father loves, carry His authority, and are steadily transformed into His image from glory to glory.

The Pattern Within: Why God Built the Tabernacle Into You
The Pattern Within: Why God Built the Tabernacle Into You
Dr. Robyn Kassas and Dr. Nathan Kassas

Last week, we explored Aaron’s rod—the undeniable sign of God’s sovereign choice and divine authority. This week, we step back to see the full picture and forward to discover its living fulfillment. In this culminating episode of the Tabernacle journey, Dr. Robyn and Dr. Nathan reveal why God never intended the Tabernacle to remain a structure, but a pattern—one ultimately built into the believer.From the altar to the Ark, every article points to Jesus, and every step reveals how God brings us into His story, not the other way around. Blending Scripture, prophetic insight, and neuroscience, this episode uncovers how what we behold shapes who we become—and why daily formation, not momentary revelation, leads to true transformation.You’ll discover that the Tabernacle was not abolished, but embodied. Christ fulfilled it, so we could live it. This is an invitation to move beyond spiritual shortcuts, to walk the full journey into rest, union, and secure attachment with God.And as we return to first love, we find it has grown—no longer fragile or fleeting, but formed, rooted, and mature.

2 Corinthians 3:18 In-Context

16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord , the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord , are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord , the Spirit.

Cross References 4

  • 1. 1 Corinthians 13:12
  • 2. John 17:22, 24; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6
  • 3. Romans 8:29
  • 4. 2 Corinthians 3:17
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org

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