Vincent Word Studies - 2 Corinthians 4:4 - 4:4

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Vincent Word Studies - 2 Corinthians 4:4 - 4:4


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

The god of this world (ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου)

The phrase occurs only here. Compare Eph 2:2; Eph 6:12; Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30. Satan is called god in the rabbinical writings. “The first God is the true God; but the second god is Samael.” “The matron said, 'Our god is greater than thy God; for when thy God appeared to Moses in the bush, he hid his face; when, however, he saw the serpent, which is my god, he fled.”'

The light (τὸν φωτισμὸν)

Only here and 2Co 4:6. Lit., the illumination, act of enlightening.

Image of God

Compare Col 1:15; Joh 17:5; Phi 2:6; Phi 3:21. Christ's light is also God's. Compare Heb 1:3, Rev., effulgence (ἀπαύγασμα, compare αὐγάσαι shine, in this passage). Theodoret says: “The effulgence is both from the fire and with the fire, and has the fire as its cause, yet is not divided from the fire; for whence comes the fire, thence also comes the effulgence.”

Shine (αὐγάσαι)

Only here in the New Testament. From αὐγή brightness, which also occurs but once, Act 20:11, daybreak. In classical Greek of the sun especially. Rev., dawn is legitimate as a translation, but hardly here, since Paul is going back to the figure of 2Co 3:18.