Key Verse: And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18)
A friend of mine was on a ministry trip to a rather dark region in Central Asia, and when she returned she told us of an incident: One day someone asked her, “Why is your face shining?” She is generally a happy person, but that was a striking question to hear from a relative stranger.
This is not, perhaps, what Paul primarily means by being transformed into the image of the Lord “with ever-increasing glory”; but it could be one aspect of it. Do our faces reflect our faith? We can keep our faith bottled up inside, but surely if it has any effect it should be evident in the image we project. We are recipients of the most spectacular news in the history of the world, and that news can have the most revolutionary effects on human nature ever conceived. Should that not be evident on our faces?
We, as believers, have direct open access to the Lord. Paul, in our text, symbolizes that by saying we have “unveiled faces.” This, he says, is distinct from the experience of the people of Israel, who saw Moses wearing a veil when he came down from Mount Sinai, and this veil was to hide the fact that the glory reflected in Moses’ shining face was fading (v. 13). For us, there is no fading. The object of our contemplation is the living Christ.
One day during his time on earth, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and climbed to the top of a mountain. There these three men had an experience they would never forget. Jesus was transfigured before them. It is easy to assume that what happened there was that Jesus took on a kind of shining outer appearance. However, the case is the opposite of this—not God placing on his Son an outward shining, a kind of aura; but God drawing back the human veil and exposing the inner, hidden glory of his Son. His glory shone through his humanity.
Well, you could ask, “If we are to contemplate the Lord’s glory, should we just keep reading about his transfiguration?” No, there is more to it than that. At the transfiguration, the disciples saw what we sometimes call the Lord’s ‘official glory.’ But He has another kind of glory—a ‘moral glory.’
When we read the accounts of his life in the Gospels, we see a remarkable figure, and He is a fully human figure—fully divine and fully human. Nicodemus said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). Near the end of his life, some officers were sent to arrest Jesus, and when they came back to the authorities without Him, their explanation was, “No one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46). Those incidents point to his moral glory.
The Old Testament points us forward to the Savior-King. The Gospels introduce us to the living, breathing Savior. The Epistles explain so many facets of his glory. Revelation displays his glory finally revealed in all its majesty. Where should we not contemplate the glory of the Savior? Do you take time to contemplate the Savior’s glory? Do you spend time meditating on what is revealed of Him in his Word?
Prayer: Father, show me today some aspect of your glory revealed in your Son, and may that transform me so that I am a little more like Him. Do this, Lord, for the spreading of your glory. May your glory show through me in some way.
Author: Lindsay Hislop was raised in southern Scotland and southern Ontario and now lives in the southern United States. He worked in the engineering field for 15 years (mostly in Canada) before pursuing an academic career. He has taught for over thirty years at Columbia International University. He also serves as an elder in his church, where he teaches and preaches regularly. He is married to a wonderful wife Pam and has two terrific children, Holly, who lives in Canada, and Doug, who lives in Columbia. His four grandchildren, Isaac, Madeline, Lindsay, and Dolan, are also pretty special. He likes doing carpentry and odd jobs around the house.
