2Cor 4:4 | JFB | STEP | 4. In whom —Translate, "In whose case." god of this world —The worldly make him their God ( ). He is, in fact, "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience " ( ). minds —"understandings": "mental perceptions," as in . them which believe not —the same as "them that are lost" (or "are perishing"). Compare . SOUTH quaintly says, "when the malefactor's eyes are covered, he is not far from his execution" ( ). Those perishing unbelievers are not merely veiled, but blinded ( ): Greek, not "blinded," but " hardened. " light of the glorious gospel of Christ —Translate, "The illumination ( enlightening: the propagation from those already enlightened, to others of the light ) of the Gospel of the glory of Christ." "The glory of Christ" is not a mere quality (as "glorious" would express) of the Gospel; it is its very essence and subject matter. image of God —implying identity of nature and essence ( ). He who desires to see "the glory of God," may see it "in the face of Jesus Christ" ( ). Paul here recurs to . Christ is "the image of God," into which "same image" we, looking on it in the mirror of the Gospel, are changed by the Spirit; but this image is not visible to those blinded by Satan [ALFORD ].

2 Corinthians 4:4

4. In whom—Translate, "In whose case."

god of this world—The worldly make him their God (Php 3:19). He is, in fact, "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2).

minds—"understandings": "mental perceptions," as in 2Co 3:14.

them which believe not—the same as "them that are lost" (or "are perishing"). Compare 2Th 2:10-12. SOUTH quaintly says, "when the malefactor's eyes are covered, he is not far from his execution" (Es 7:8). Those perishing unbelievers are not merely veiled, but blinded (2Co 3:14, 15): Greek, not "blinded," but "hardened."

light of the glorious gospel of Christ—Translate, "The illumination (enlightening: the propagation from those already enlightened, to others of the light) of the Gospel of the glory of Christ." "The glory of Christ" is not a mere quality (as "glorious" would express) of the Gospel; it is its very essence and subject matter.

image of God—implying identity of nature and essence (Joh 1:18; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3). He who desires to see "the glory of God," may see it "in the face of Jesus Christ" (2Co 4:6; 1Ti 6:14-16). Paul here recurs to 2Co 3:18. Christ is "the image of God," into which "same image" we, looking on it in the mirror of the Gospel, are changed by the Spirit; but this image is not visible to those blinded by Satan [ALFORD].