SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:17
Porque nuestra tribulacin, que al presente es momentneo y leve, nos obra en sobremanera un alto y eterno peso de gloria;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 4:17
Verse 17. For our light affliction, &c.] Mr. Blackwall, in his sacred classics, has well illustrated this passage. I shall here produce his paraphrase as quoted by Dr. Dodd: "This is one of the most emphatic passages in all St. Paul's writings, in which he speaks as much like an orator as he does as an apostle. The lightness of the trial is expressed by to elafron thv qliyewv, the lightness of our affliction; as if he had said, it is even levity itself in such a comparison. On the other hand, the kaq uperbalhn eiv uperbolhn, which we render far more exceeding, is infinitely emphatical, and cannot be fully expressed by any translation. It signifies that all hyperboles fall short of describing that weight-eternal glory, so solid and lasting, that you may pass from hyperbole to hyperbole, and yet, when you have gained the last, are infinitely below it. It is every where visible what influence St. Paul's Hebrew had on his Greek: dbk cabad, signifies to be heavy, and to be glorious; the apostle in his Greek unites these two significations, and says, WEIGHT of GLORY." St. Chrysostom's observations on these words are in his very best manner, and are both judicious and beautiful: tiohsi parallhla ta paronta toiv mellousi? to parautika prov to aiwnion? to elafron prov to baru? thn qliyin prov thn doxan? kai oude toutoiv arkeitai, all eteran tiqhsi lexin,diplasiazwn authn, kai legwn, kaq uperbolhn eiv eperbolhn-toutesti, megeqov uperbolikwv uperbolikon.
"The apostle opposes things present to things future; a moment to eternity; lightness to weight; affliction to glory. Nor is he satisfied with this, but he adds another word, and doubles it, saying, kaq uperbolhn eiv uperbolhn. This is a magnitude excessively exceeding." See Parkhurst, sub voce uperbolh.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. For our light affliction , etc..] The difference between the present and future state of the saints is here expressed, the disparity between them shown, and the influence the one has upon the other. The present state is a state of affliction. Affliction is the common lot of the children of men, but more especially of the children of God, and is here designed by our affliction; for these, besides their soul trouble, meet with such in the world, and from the men of it, others do not. Afflictions are appointed for them by their heavenly Father; provision is made for them, and support under them, in the covenant of grace; they are Christ's legacy to them, and by which they are conformed to him; they are always for their good, spiritual and eternal; and lie in their way to heaven, through which they must pass into the kingdom: now these their outward afflictions which are here meant, lie chiefly in the meanness of their outward circumstances; in poverty and distress, in disgrace, reproaches, and persecutions for their profession of Christ, and his truths: and in opposition to this their mean and despicable condition in the eyes of the world, their future state is signified by glory, as it often is in the word of God; and is of such a nature, that all the glories of this world, such as kingdoms, crowns, inheritances, possessions, riches, honour, and substance of every kind and degree, by all which the heavenly state is expressed, are but faint resemblances of it: it is the same glory Christ has entered into, is possessed of for, and will give to all his people; it will chiefly lie in communion with Father, Son, and Spirit, with angels, and one another; there will be a visible glory upon the bodies of the saints, which will be fashioned like to the glorious body of Christ; and their souls will be blessed with perfect knowledge and holiness. Their affliction is represented as light which though it is not in itself, but often very grievous and heavy to be borne, especially when any soul trouble is added to it; yet is light, when the saint is supported by the arm of the Lord, indulged with his presence, and favoured with the discoveries of his love.
The afflictions of God's people are light, when compared with their deserts, with the sufferings of Christ, the torments of the damned in hell, and the joys of heaven, which are here, by way of opposition thereunto, styled a weight of glory. The apostle has respect to the Hebrew word dwbk , which signifies both weight and glory, and is often used for riches, honour, and whatsoever is excellent, solid, and substantial: and here the phrase designs the weighty riches of glory, that massy crown of glory which fadeth not away, that bulky and more enduring substance, which Christ will cause them that love him to inherit. Again, the afflictions of the children of God are said to be for a moment ; they are but for a while, and that a little while; at most they are but for the present time of life, and that is but as a vapour which appears for a little while, and then vanishes away; it is but as a moment, a point of time, in comparison of eternity: but the glory the saints are chosen and called unto, that weight of it which shall be put upon them is eternal, it will last for ever; it will know no end: hence it is called an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, an everlasting kingdom, everlasting habitations, an incorruptible inheritance, and a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Now the present affliction of the people of God has a considerable influence upon this; it is said here, that it worketh for us this glory. The Jews introduce God speaking words much like these. Saith the holy blessed God, I have sent them chastisements in this world, abh lw[l tw[wrz qzjl , to strengthen their arms for, or that their arms may lay hold upon the world to come.
Now afflictions may be said to work eternal glory for the saints, not by way of merit, for they are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed; there is no proportion between them; besides, the heavenly kingdom and glory was prepared from the foundation of the world, and is a free grace gift of their heavenly Father; but they work as means of enjoying it, as the word and ordinances do; the Spirit of God makes use of them, as of the other, to work up the saints for that selfsame thing, glory: these are means of trying, exercising, and improving their graces, of weaning their hearts from this world, and drawing out their desires, hope, and expectation of another; they are the way in which believers walk to glory, and which it last issue and terminate in it; glory follows upon them, though it is not for them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-18 - The grace of faith is an effectual remedy against fainting in times of trouble. They knew that Christ was raised, and that his resurrectio was an earnest and assurance of theirs. The hope of this resurrectio will encourage in a suffering day, and set us above the fear of death Also, their sufferings were for the advantage of the church, and to God's glory. The sufferings of Christ's ministers, as well as their preaching and conversation, are for the good of the church and the glory of God. The prospect of eternal life and happiness was their support and comfort. What sense was ready to pronounce heavy and long grievous and tedious, faith perceived to be light and short, and but for a moment. The weight of all temporal afflictions was lightnes itself, while the glory to come was a substance, weighty, and lastin beyond description. If the apostle could call his heavy an long-continued trials light, and but for a moment, what must ou trifling difficulties be! Faith enables to make this right judgment of things. There are unseen things, as well as things that are seen. An there is this vast difference between them; unseen things are eternal seen things but temporal, or temporary only. Let us then look off from the things which are seen; let us cease to seek for worldly advantages or to fear present distresses. Let us give diligence to make our futur happiness sure __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
το 3588 T-NSN γαρ 1063 CONJ παραυτικα 3910 ADV ελαφρον 1645 A-NSN της 3588 T-GSF θλιψεως 2347 N-GSF ημων 2257 P-1GP καθ 2596 PREP υπερβολην 5236 N-ASF εις 1519 PREP υπερβολην 5236 N-ASF αιωνιον 166 A-ASN βαρος 922 N-ASN δοξης 1391 N-GSF κατεργαζεται 2716 5736 V-PNI-3S ημιν 2254 P-1DP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment (to parautika elafron thv qliyewv hmwn). Lit., the present light (burden) of our affliction.Worketh (katergazetai). Works out: achieves.
A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (kaq uperebolhn eiv uperbolhn aiwnion barov doxhv). Rev., more and more exceedingly an eternal weight, etc. An expression after the form of Hebrew superlatives, in which the emphatic word is twice repeated. Lit., exceedingly unto excess. The use of such cumulative expressions is common with Paul. See, for example, Philip. i. 23, lit., much more better; Rom. viii. 37, abundantly the conquerors; Eph. iii. 20, exceeding abundantly, etc. Note how the words are offset: for a moment, eternal; light, weight; affliction, glory.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:17 {Our light affliction which is for the moment} (to parautika elafron tes qlipesews hemwn). Literally, "the for the moment (old adverb parautika, here only in N.T.) lightness (old word, in N.T. only here and #Mt 11:30)." {More and more exceedingly} (kaq' huperbolen eis huperbolen). Like piling Pelion on Ossa, "according to excess unto excess." See on 1Co 12:31. {Eternal weight of glory} (aiwnion baros doxes). Careful balancing of words in contrast (affliction vs. glory, lightness vs. weight, for the moment vs. eternal).
