Fathers

2 Corinthians 3

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Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men, being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face, which was passing away, won’t service of the Spirit be with much more glory? For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses. For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness of speech, and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, that the children of Israel wouldn’t look steadfastly on the end of that which was passing away. But their minds were hardened, for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, because in Christ it passes away. But to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 3:18

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

But what is, "we reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image." This indeed was shown more clearly when the gifts of miracles were in operation; howbeit it is not even now difficult to see it, for one who hath believing eyes. For as soon as we are baptized, the soul beameth even more than the sun, being cleansed by the Spirit; and not only do we behold the glory of God, but from it also receive a sort of splendor. …

Homily 7 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

We enjoy, he says, such freedom and nobility, that all of us who are faithful, not as there — Moses alone, "with unveiled face" (for believers have no veil) "beholding the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory," that is, we receive the same glory, and, like a mirror, receiving radiance, we reflect it. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Cosmas Indicopleustes

But we all with unveiled face beholding reflected as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the spirit of the Lord; as if he said, when the Lord is nigh, all we the faithful, in the most manifest manner, without any veil, behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror—and are transformed into the same image as the Lord has, partaking of his glory for our own glory. …

The Christian Topography, Book 5 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, and we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another, he shows how the faithful of Christ are altogether free of this veil. He says, therefore: I say that this veil will be removed from them, when a person may be converted as we are; not a particular one, but we all who are Christ's faithful: "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables" (Lk. 8:10). …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Bernard of Clairvaux

The love of God begets the love of the soul, and his preceding intention makes the soul intent, and his solicitude makes it solicitous. For I know not by what closeness of nature, once the soul shall have been able to behold the glory of God with face unveiled, it is necessary that it soon be conformed to it and transformed into the same image. Therefore, as you shall have prepared yourself for God, so it is necessary that God appear to you.

Sermons on the Song of Songs, Sermon 69 ↗

Bonaventure

Augustine explains this power as follows: "But we all, with faces unveiled, reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord:" Not "as in mirrors," that is, from afar, but "as in a mirror." But we still see through this mirror in an obscure manner, for a man who sees clearly is in the state of beatitude. Augustine indicates the form of this mirror in the fifteenth book of his work "On the Trinity," chapter four, where he seeks to show both God's unity and trinity. …

Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 11 ↗