Laura Tack, «A Face Reflecting Glory. 2 Cor 3,18 in its Literary Context (2 Cor 3,1 – 4,15).» biblica, Vol. 96 (2015) 85-112 page 88

Vol 96 (2015)

Laura Tack, «A Face Reflecting Glory. 2 Cor 3,18 in its Literary Context (2 Cor 3,1 – 4,15).», Vol. 96 (2015) 85-112

This contribution investigates the translation of the hapax legomenon katoptrizo/menoi in 2 Cor 3,18; in addition to philological and religionhistorical arguments, in particular the article takes into account the broader literary context (2 Corinthians 3–4). The main theme of that context, embodied proclamation, turns out to be an important justification of the translation “to reflect as a mirror”. Especially the link between 2 Cor 3,18 and the whole of 2 Corinthians 4, which describes Paul’s somatic identification with and manifestation of Christ, results in understanding 2 Cor 3,18 as describing the unveiled face that reflects the divine glory as a mirror.

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to reflect as a mirror

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05_Tack_copiaaaaa_85-112 28/04/15 12:35 Pagina 88 88 LAURA TACK The phrase th.n auvth.n eivko,na describes, as a direct object, to what state the subject is transformed. According to J. Lambrecht, whose opinion we follow on this matter, eivkw,n, which is not used before in 2 Corinthians, has both an anthropological and Christo- logical meaning. It refers to Christ, the image of God into whom all humans will be transformed 8. Even more puzzling than the sud- den occurrence of eivkw,n is the use of the identical adjective auvto,j. Though it is not entirely certain to what it refers, the relationship between the terms eivkw,n and do,xa, which is used earlier, leads some authors to conclude that auvto,j refers to the glory of the Lord that all Christians behold or reflect as a mirror 9. The clause avpo. do,xhj eivj do,xan describes, according to most authors, the gradual course of the process of metamorphosis 10. The final part kaqa,per avpo. kuri,ou pneu,matoj has been the subject of much debate 11. According to Liddle-Scott-Jones, the preposition avpo, denotes the origin or cause of some action or thing. We follow the opinion of C.F.D. Moule who says that the appositive pneu,matoj which qualifies ku,rioj states in which way ku,rioj is to be understood. Moule thinks it states that ku,rioj, who in this context refers to God as we saw, is present as the Spirit amongst the people of the new covenant 12. The main action, described as h`mei/j pa,ntej metamorfou,meqa, is thus further characterized by the clause avnakekalumme,nw| prosw,pw| th.n do,xan kuri,ou katoptrizo,menoi which describes how the trans- (ed. L. DE LORENZI) (Benedictina 9; Roma 1987) 197-232, 204-210, 220. Wong agrees for a slightly different reason: E.WONG, “The Lord is the Spirit (2 Cor 3,17a)”, ETL 61 (1985) 48-72, 66. 8 J. LAMBRECHT, “Transformation in 2 Corinthians 3,18”, Bib 64 (1983) 243-254, 244. 9 BULTMANN, Zweite Brief, 98; DUPONT, “Chrétien”; 404; LAMBRECHT, “Transformation”, 245-246. 10 Especially J. LAMBRECHT, “From Glory to Glory (2 Cor 3,18). A Reply to Paul B. Duff”, ETL 85 (2009) 143-146. See also: WINDISCH, Zweite Ko- rintherbrief, 129; BULTMANN, Zweite Brief, 98; V.P. FURNISH, II Corinthians (AB 32A; Garden City, NY, 2005) 242; THRALL, “Conversion”, 231; SCHMELLER, Zweite Brief an die Korinther, 229. 11 For an overview of the different possibilities see THRALL, “Conversion”, 231-232. 12 C.F.D. MOULE, II Cor. iii. 18b, kaqa,per avpo. kuri,ou pneu,matojÅ Essays in New Testament Interpretation (Cambridge 1982) 227-234. Cf. WONG, “Lord”, 70.