Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 4:17

"For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;" — 2 Corinthians 4:17 (ASV)

For our light affliction. This verse, along with the following one, is designed to further show the sources of consolation and support that Paul and his co-laborers had in their many trials. Bloomfield remarks on this passage that, "in energy and beauty of expression, it is little inferior to any in Demosthenes himself, to whom, indeed, and to Thucydides in his orations, the style of the apostle, when it rises to the oratorical, bears no slight resemblance."

The passage abounds with intensive and emphatic expressions and reveals that the writer was striving to convey ideas that language, even with all the energy of expression he could command, would communicate very imperfectly.

To many people, the trials Paul endured would have seemed to be anything but light. They consisted of want, danger, contempt, stoning, toil, weariness, the scorn of the world, and constant exposure to death by land or by sea. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7–10; compare to 2 Corinthians 11:23–27).

Yet these trials, though continued through many years and constituting, as it were, his very life, he speaks of as the lightest conceivable thing when compared with the eternal glory that awaited him. He strives to find an expression as emphatic as possible to show that, in his estimation, they were not worthy to be named in comparison with the eternal weight of glory.

It is not sufficient to say that the affliction was "light," or a mere trifle; he says that it was to endure only for a moment. Though trials had followed him ever since he began to make known the Redeemer, and though he had the firmest expectation that they would follow him to the end of his life and everywhere (Acts 20:23), yet all this was a momentary trifle compared with the eternal glory before him. The word translated "light" (elafron) means that which is easy to bear and is usually applied to a burden. (2 Corinthians 1:17).

Which is but for a moment. The Greek word used here (parautika) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is an adverb, from autika and autos, and means, properly, at this very instant, immediately. Here it seems to qualify the word "light" and to be used in the sense of momentary or transient. Bloomfield translates it, "for the at present lightness of our affliction." Doddridge renders it, "for this momentary lightness of our affliction, which passes off so fast, and leaves so little impression, that it may be called levity itself." The apostle evidently wished to express two ideas as emphatically as possible: first, that the affliction was light, and second, that it was transient, momentary, and soon passing away. His object was to contrast this with the glory that awaited him, as being heavy and also eternal.

Worketh for us. (See the comments on 2 Corinthians 4:12).

This phrase means it will produce or result in eternal glory. The effect of these afflictions is to produce eternal glory. This they do in the following ways:

1. By their tendency to wean us from the world;

2. To purify the heart, by enabling us to break off from the sins for which God afflicts us;

3. By disposing us to look to God for consolation and support in our trials;

4. By inducing us to contemplate the glories of the heavenly world, and thus winning us to seek heaven as our home; and

5. Because God has graciously promised to reward His people in heaven as the result of their bearing trials in this life.

It is by affliction that He purifies them (Isaiah 48:10); and by trial that He diverts their affections from the objects of time and sense, and gives them a relish for the enjoyments that result from the prospect of perfect and eternal glory.

A far more exceeding. kay uperbolhn eiv uperbolhn. There is not to be found anywhere a more energetic expression than this. The word uperbolhn used here (from which our word hyperbole is derived) properly means a throwing, casting, or throwing beyond. In the New Testament, it means excess, excellence, or eminence. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7, "The excellency of the power.") The phrase kay uperbolhn means exceedingly, preeminently. (Romans 7:13; 1 Corinthians 12:31; 2 Corinthians 1:8; Galatians 1:13).

This expression by itself would have been highly intensive. But this was not sufficient to express Paul's sense of the glory that was laid up for Christians. It was not enough for him to use the ordinary highest expression for the superlative to denote the value of the object in his view.

He therefore coins an expression and adds eiv uperbolhn. It is not merely eminent, but it is eminent unto eminence; excess unto excess; a hyperbole upon hyperbole—one hyperbole heaped on another. The expression means that it is "exceeding exceedingly" glorious; glorious in the highest possible degree—as Robinson notes. Mr. Slade translates it, "infinitely exceeding."

The expression is the Hebrew form of denoting the highest superlative, and it means that all hyperboles fail to express that eternal glory that remains for the just. It is infinite and boundless. You may pass from one degree of glory to another, from one sublime height to another, yet an infinity still remains beyond. Nothing can describe the uppermost height of that glory; nothing can express its infinitude.

Eternal. This stands in contrast with the affliction that is "for a moment" (parautika). The one is momentary, transient—so short, even in the longest life, that it may be called an instant; the other has no limits to its duration. It is literally everlasting.

Weight. (barov). This stands opposed to the "light" (elafron) affliction. That was so light that it was a trifle. It was easily borne. It was like the lightest and most airy objects, which constitute no burden. It is not even here called a burden or said to be heavy in any degree.

This glory, however, is so heavy as to be a burden of splendor. Grotius thinks the image is taken from gold or silver articles that are solid and heavy, compared with those that are mixed or plated. But why may it not refer to the insignia of glory and honor—a robe heavy with gold, or a diadem or crown heavy with gold or diamonds—glory so rich, so profuse as to be heavy?

The affliction was light; but the crown, the robe, the adornments in the glorious world were not trifles or baubles, but solid, substantial, weighty. We now apply the word "weighty" to that which is valuable and important, compared with that which is of no value, probably because precious metals and jewels are heavy, and it is by them that we usually estimate the value of objects.

Of glory. (doxhv). The Hebrew word כָּבוֹד (kabod) denotes weight as well as glory. Perhaps Paul had that use of the word in mind in this strong expression. It refers here to the splendor, magnificence, honor, and happiness of the eternal world.

In this exceedingly interesting passage, which is worthy of the deepest study by Christians, Paul has set in most beautiful and emphatic contrast the trials of this life and the glories of heaven. It may be profitable to contemplate at a single glance the view he had of them, so that they may be brought distinctly before the mind.

THE ONE IS:

1. AFFLICTION,

   (thlipsis)

2. Light,

   (elafron)

3. For a moment,

   (parautika)

THE OTHER IS, by contrast:

1. GLORY,

   (doxa)

2. Weight,

   (barov)

3. Eternal,

   (aiwnion)

4. Eminent, or excellent,

   (kay uperbolhn)

5. Infinitely excellent, eminent in the highest degree,

   (eiv uperbolhn)

So the account stands in Paul's view; and with this balance in favor of eternal glory, he regarded afflictions as mere trifles and made it the grand purpose of his life to gain the glory of heaven. What wise man, looking at the account, would not do likewise?