Greek (WH): τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν, μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα, τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια.
Discussion: I'm trying to understand some of the key terms in these verses better, and also attempting to grasp the meaning of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 in the broader context of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.
παραυτίκα in this context bears the meaning, "temporary" or "momentary" (of short duration). See Louw-Nida 67.109.
Bill Mounce Definition for παραυτίκα (an adverb) is "instantly, immediately; ὁ, ἡ, τό, παραυτικα, momentary, transient, 2 Cor. 4:17."
This adverb occurs one time in the GNT.
Like many other commentators, R.C.H. Lenski mentions that τὸ ἐλαφρὸν is an articular neuter adjective functioning like an abstract noun, "the lightness" (page 991). Christian tribulation (τῆς θλίψεως) is thus viewed as light and transient in light of the everlasting hope that followers of Christ possess. This portion of Paul's correspondence is reminiscent of Romans 8:18-19. See Robert Mounce's NAB commentary on Romans: he makes the same connection.
In Romans, Paul speaks of present sufferings as being nothing (not capable of being compared) in relation to "the coming glory that will be revealed to us" (NET).
NWT 2013: "For
I consider that the sufferings of the present time do not amount to
anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in
us."
NIV: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
Greek: Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς.
This future "glory" (τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν) signifies the revelation of God's Christian sons and daughters, likely at the great tribulation or subsequent war of Armageddon. See 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; 1 Peter 1:6-7, 13; Revelation 19:11-21. It seems that Paul is making a similar point in 2 Corinthians 4:17: tribulation or distress is not easy, but compared to the everlasting and unseen things, trouble is temporary and light. Paul will later emphasize this point in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 which makes a contrast between the current tent of the anointed Christians and the future "house" that will be immortal and everlasting. For Paul and those sealed with the spirit of God, tribulation or distress works out a glory that is everlasting and weighty: καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν.
These words help us to discern why the sufferings of the present do not compare with the glory that lies ahead; trials come and go. Even if they last for a lifetime, they are light (nothing) compared to the weighty glory to be revealed through and in God's children. The whole creation will be set free from enslavement to corruption and enjoy the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:19-22).
The challenge is keeping our eyes, not on the things seen, but on the things unseen (μὴ σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα). Paul then explains why keeping our focus on the things unseen is so important: τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια.
Lexham Bible: "because[b] we are not looking at what is seen, but what is not seen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is not seen is eternal."
Footnote: Here “because” is supplied as a component of the causal genitive absolute participle (“looking at”)
Again, I suggest that 2 Cor. 4:17-18 should be read in conjunction with 2 Cor. 5:1-5. Maybe these words were composed as part of Paul's apostolic defense contra the superfine apostles. This is not to say that these passages have no relevance for those with an earthly hope but I'm merely trying to see what they meant to first-century Christians in Corinth and other places in the Mediterranean area, particularly for those who had been given the "earnest-money" of the spirit.
2 comments:
The Expositor's Greek Testament is of interest for verse 17:-
2 Corinthians 4:17. τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα κ.τ.λ.: for our present light burden of affliction worketh out for us more and more exceedingly an eternal heavy burden of glory; cf., for the thought (ever full of consolation to the troubled heart), Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 54:7, Matthew 5:11, Hebrews 12:11, 1 Peter 1:6; 1 Peter 5:10, and especially Romans 8:18. παραυτίκα does not refer (as the A.V. and R.V. would suggest) to the brief duration of temporal affliction, but only to its being present with us now, as set over against the future glory (see reff.). τὸ ἐλαφρόν τῆς θλίψεως offers a good instance of “the most classical idiom in the language of the N.T.” (Blass)—especially frequent in St. Paul—according to which a neuter singular adjective is used as if it were an abstract noun; cf. chap. 2 Corinthians 8:8, Romans 8:3, 1 Corinthians 1:25, Php 3:8, etc., for a like construction. καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολήν is another Hebraism (see last verse), מאר מאר = “exceedingly”; it cannot qualify βάρος (as the A.V. takes it) or αἰώνιον, but must go with κατεργάζεται, as above (cf. Galatians 1:13). >>Stanley points out that the collocation βάρος δόξης may be suggested by the fact that the Hebrew כָּבַד means both “to be heavy” (Genesis 18:20, Job 6:3) and “to be glorious” (Job 14:21); cf. the ambiguity in the Latin gravitas.<<
"burden of glory" could be a Hebraism?
Ralph Martin, 2 Corinthians, WBC:
καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν, “is
producing for us out of all proportion an eternal weight of glory.” Here the contrast is made with the twin notions of light versus heavy. The “eternal weight of glory” (αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης) is a phrase with a built-in paronomasia since δόξα, “glory,” in Hebrew ( , kābôd), speaks of “heaviness,” “weight.” Similarly, the “transitory” θλῖψις, “affliction,” is matched by an “eternal” vindication by God.
Also there is a dissertation by E.F. Harrison about doxa. On page 30, he writes:
"Incidentally, the corresponding Assyrian word exhibits the same features [as kabod]: kabadu means to be heavy, important; kablttu means honor and also liver.1 The Ugaritic terms are the same, carrying us back to the fifteenth century B.C. Paul echoes the etymological background of glory in the Semitic sense when he refers to a weight of glory in reminding the Corinthians of the comparative lightness of the sufferings experienced in the present time."
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