SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:6
Porque el Dios, que mand que de las tinieblas resplandeciese la luz, es el que resplandeci en nuestros corazones, para iluminacin del conocimiento de la claridad de Dios en la faz del Cristo Jess.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 4:6
Verse 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness] The apostle refers here to Gen. i. 3. For when God created the heavens and the earth DARKNESS was on the face of the deep; and God said, Let THERE BE LIGHT; and there was light. Thus he caused the light to shine out of darkness. Hath shined in our hearts] He has given our hearts the glorious light of the Gospel, as he has given the world the glorious light of the sun. As sure, therefore, as God is the author of the light and the creator of the universe, so sure is he the author of the Gospel; it is no human invention; and is as far beyond the power of man's wisdom and might, as the creation of the world is beyond all created power, energy, and skill.
The light of the knowledge] To give us that light, that we might enlighten others; this appears to me to be the design of the apostle's prov fwtismon thv gnwsewv thv doxhv tou qeou, or, as Dr. Whitby paraphrases it, to give us, and enable us to give to others, the light of the knowledge of God through Christ.
In the face of Jesus Christ.] It is in and through Jesus that we can receive the Divine light, and it is in and by him that we can be made partakers of the Divine glory. The light mercy, holiness, and glory of God, are reflected upon and communicated to us through Jesus the Christ; and it is en proswpw, in the appearance and person of Jesus Christ that these blessings are communicated to us.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness , etc..] The causal particle for, shows these words to be also a reason of the foregoing; either why they so clearly beheld the glory of the Lord, ( Corinthians 4:18) or why they renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, ( 2 Corinthians 4:2) or why their Gospel could not be hid, ( Corinthians 4:3) or why they did not preach themselves, but Christ, ( Corinthians 4:5) because God had shined in their hearts ; and in this light, they saw the glory of Christ; could not bear any secret, hidden, scandalous practices; and held forth the word of light and life to others; and seeing so much of their own weakness, sinfulness, and unworthiness, dared not to preach themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; in which may be observed the character of the true God, as opposed to Satan, the god of this world, who is said to blind the minds of men, ( 2 Corinthians 4:6) whereas the true God is represented as the author of light, and as producing it by a word of command, and that out of mere darkness; respect is here had to the creation of all things at the beginning, when darkness was upon the face of the deep and God said, let there be light and there was light, ( Genesis 1:2,3). Now this character of God, as creating light in this wonderful manner, is prefaced to his giving spiritual light unto his people; because of the agreement there is between light corporeal and spiritual, in their nature and production; for as there was darkness upon the earth before there was light, so there is a natural darkness in the minds of men, before any spiritual light is infused into them; and as light was the first production out of the dark and unformed chaos, so light is the first thing that is struck into the soul in conversion; moreover, as light was the effect of almighty power, so is the spiritual illumination, or the opening of the eyes of the understandings of men, who are naturally born blind; and as light was a creation of that which was not before, so the work of grace on the soul is not an increase of, or an addition to, or an improvement of the light of nature, but it is a new light, created in the understanding; add to all this, that both corporeal and spiritual light are good, and both called day; the influence that God has over the hearts of men, and the effect he produces there are, he hath shined in our hearts . The hearts of men are like this dark terraqueous globe, having no light in them; God is as the sun, the fountain of light, which shines upon them and in them; so as to give them a true sight and sense of sin, and of their lost state and condition; so as to cause them to see the fulness and suitableness of Christ as a Saviour; so as to warm their affections, and draw out their desires after Christ, his ways, truths, ordinances, and people; and so as to give them light into the mysteries of the Gospel; particularly he so shines into the hearts of some, whom be makes ministers of the Gospel, as to give more light and knowledge into Gospel truths, than he does to others; and his end in doing this, is to give : that is, that his ministering servants may give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ ; men must be first made light in, and by the Lord, or they will never be fit and proper persons to hold forth the word of light, or to communicate light to others; God first shines into their hearts, and then they give light to others: by the glory of God is not meant the essential glory of God, or the perfections of his nature, though these are to be seen in the face, or person of Christ; but rather the glorious counsels of God, and scheme of salvation by Jesus Christ; or in other words, the glorious Gospel of God: and by the knowledge of it is designed, not a mere notional speculative knowledge of the Gospel, but an experimental one; a spiritual knowledge of the Gospel, of Christ in it, of God in Christ, and of an interest in God's salvation by Christ: now when the ministers of the word are said to give the light of this to men, or to enlighten them with this knowledge, it cannot be thought that they are the efficient causes, for such are only Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit; but only that they are instrumental, and are means in the hands of God, of bringing persons to see the fellowship of this mystery: all which is done, in the face of Jesus Christ; this denotes the clearness and perspicuity of their ministry, and of that knowledge which is communicated by it; (see 2 Corinthians 3:12) and also the authority by which they act; it is in the name and person of Christ, in which sense the phrase is used, ( 2 Corinthians 2:10).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - The best of men would faint, if they did not receive mercy from God And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end. The apostles had no base an wicked designs, covered with fair and specious pretences. They did no try to make their ministry serve a turn. Sincerity or uprightness wil keep the favourable opinion of wise and good men. Christ by his gospe makes a glorious discovery to the minds of men. But the design of the devil is, to keep men in ignorance; and when he cannot keep the ligh of the gospel of Christ out of the world, he spares no pains to kee men from the gospel, or to set them against it. The rejection of the gospel is here traced to the wilful blindness and wickedness of the human heart. Self was not the matter or the end of the apostles preaching; they preached Christ as Jesus, the Saviour and Deliverer who saves to the uttermost all that come to God through him. Minister are servants to the souls of men; they must avoid becoming servants to the humours or the lusts of men. It is pleasant to behold the sun in the firmament; but it is more pleasant and profitable for the gospel to shine in the heart. As light was the beginning of the first creation so, in the new creation, the light of the Spirit is his first work upo the soul. The treasure of gospel light and grace is put into earthe vessels. The ministers of the gospel are subject to the same passion and weaknesses as other men. God could have sent angels to make know the glorious doctrine of the gospel, or could have sent the mos admired sons of men to teach the nations, but he chose humbler, weake vessels, that his power might be more glorified in upholding them, an in the blessed change wrought by their ministry.
Greek Textus Receptus
οτι 3754 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM θεος 2316 N-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM ειπων 2036 5631 V-2AAP-NSM εκ 1537 PREP σκοτους 4655 N-GSN φως 5457 N-ASN λαμψαι 2989 5658 V-AAN ος 3739 R-NSM ελαμψεν 2989 5656 V-AAI-3S εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF καρδιαις 2588 N-DPF ημων 2257 P-1GP προς 4314 PREP φωτισμον 5462 N-ASM της 3588 T-GSF γνωσεως 1108 N-GSF της 3588 T-GSF δοξης 1391 N-GSF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM εν 1722 PREP προσωπω 4383 N-DSN ιησου 2424 N-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Who commanded the light to shine (o eipwn fwv lamyai). The correct reading is lamyei shall shine; so that we should render, it is God that said light shall shine. So Rev.To give the light of the knowledge (prov fwtismon thv gnwsewv). Lit., for the illumination, as ver. 4. In order that the knowledge may lighten. Knowledge, if not diffused, is not of the nature of light.
In the face of Jesus Christ. Containing the thought of ch. iii. 18. The knowledge of the divine glory becomes clear revelation to men in the face of Christ as it appears in the Gospel: "So that in this seen countenance that clear-shining knowledge has the source of its light, as it were, its focus" (Meyer). 144
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:6 {God who said} (ho qeos ho eipwn). Paraphrase of #Ge 1:3. {Who shined} (hos elamyen). Like a lamp in the heart (cf. #Mt 5:15). Miners carry a lamp on the forehead, Christians carry one in their hearts lit by the Spirit of God. {To give the light} (pros fwtismon). For the illumination. {In the face of Jesus Christ} (en proswpwi iesou cristou). The Christian who looks on the face of Jesus Christ as Moses looked upon the glory of God will be able to give the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God. See #2:10 for proswpon.
