17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;



Ver. 17. For our light affliction] Here we have an elegant antithesis, and a double hyperbole, beyond translation. For affliction, here is glory; for light affliction, a weight of glory; for momentary affliction, eternal glory.



Which is but for a moment] For a short braid only, as that martyr said. Mourning lasteth but till morning. It is but winking, and thou shalt be in heaven presently, quoth another martyr.



Worketh unto us] As a causa sine qua non, as the law worketh wrath, Rom_4:15. If our dear Lord did not put these thorns into our bed, we should sleep out our lives and lose our glory: affliction calls to us as the angel to Elijah, Up, thou hast a great way to go.



A far more exceeding] An exceeding excessive eternal weight. Or, a far more excellent eternal weight. Nec Christus nec caelum patitur hyperbolen, saith one. Here it is hard to hyperbelize. Words are too weak to express heaven’s happiness. The apostle heard wordless words, ñçìáôá ññçôá 2Co_12:4, when he was there, and in speaking of it commonly useth a transcendent super-superlative kind of language. The Vulgate interpreter’s supra modum in sublimitare, Erasmus’ mire supra modum, Beza’s excellenter excellens, falls a far deal short of St Paul’s emphatic Grecism here. Äéðëáóéáæåé , saith Chrysostom. He could not comprise it in one single word, he doubleth it therefore, and yet attaineth not to what he aimeth at.



Weight of glory] The apostle alludeth to the Hebrew and Chaldee words which signify both weight and glory, ááåã é÷ø . Glory is such a weight, as if the body were not upheld by the power of God, it were impossible it should bear it. Joy so great, as that we must enter into it; it is too big to enter into us. "Enter into thy Master’s joy," Mat_25:21. Here we find that when there is great joy, the body is not able to bear it, our spirits are ready to expire; what shall it then be in heaven?