1 Corinthians 13:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As He Himself first knew me now and Himself came down to me, so then I shall attain to Him far more than now. One who sits in darkness, before he sees the sun, does not himself come to its beautiful rays. Rather, they reveal themselves to him when they shine. And when he receives their radiance, then he himself hastens toward the light. Such is the meaning of "even as I am known." It does not mean that we shall know Him as He knows us. Rather, as He Himself came down to us now, so then we shall attain to Him. We shall know many things now hidden, and shall be counted worthy of most blessed converse and wisdom. If Paul, who knew so much, was a child, then consider what the future knowledge will be. If the present is a dim glass and an enigma, then understand from this what the face itself will be. To explain this difference to you at least a little, and to bring into your soul some ray of understanding, recall the times under the Law, now that grace has shone forth. Before grace, what belonged to that time seemed great and wonderful. But after grace, hear what Paul says of it: "What once had glory has come to have no glory in this respect, because of the glory that surpasses it" (2 Cor 3:10). To make what I say still clearer, let us take one of the sacred rites of that time, and you will see the difference. Let us consider, if you wish, the Old Testament Passover and the New Testament Passover, and you will understand the superiority of the latter over the former. The Jews celebrated it, but they celebrated it as in a mirror and in an enigma. They never even conceived the ineffable mysteries in their mind, nor did they know what their actions prefigured. They saw a slain lamb, the blood of an irrational creature, and doors anointed with it. But that the incarnate Son of God would be slain, would deliver the whole world, and would give His Blood as food to Greeks and barbarians, they did not know. Nor did they know that He would open heaven to all, offer the blessings there to the human race, and raise the bloodstained flesh above heaven and the heaven of heavens. He would raise it above all the hosts on high, Angels, Archangels, and the other Powers. He would seat it on the royal throne itself, at the right hand of the Father, in the radiance of ineffable glory. None of them, nor anyone else among men, then knew this or could form it in his mind. But what do men daring in all things say? They say that the words "now I know in part" were spoken by the Apostle about the works of the divine economy. But they claim that he had perfect knowledge concerning God. How, then, does he call himself a child? How does he call himself one who sees in a mirror and in an enigma, if he had full knowledge? Why does he ascribe such knowledge exclusively to the Spirit and to no other created power? For he says: "Who among men knows what is in man except the spirit of man which is in him? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor 2:11). Christ also ascribes this to Himself alone when He says: "Not that anyone has seen the Father except Him who is from God; He has seen the Father" (Jn 6:46). By seeing He means the clearest and most perfect knowledge. And how can one who knows the essence of God fail to know the works of His divine economy? Knowledge of the former is higher than knowledge of the latter. Will they say, then, that we do not know God? No. We know that He is, but we do not know what He is in His essence. To convince you that the words "now I know in part" were not spoken about the works of the divine economy, hear what he adds next. "But then I shall know, even as I also am known." Yet he is known not by the works of the divine economy, but by God. Therefore let no one consider this offense small or insignificant. Let him consider it twofold, threefold, and many times over. It is senseless not only that they boast of knowledge proper to the Spirit alone and to the Only-begotten Son of God. It is senseless also that they think they have attained everything through their own reasonings. Even Paul could not have this partial understanding without revelation from above. Nor can they point to any place in Scripture where this has been told us. However, let us leave their madness and pass to the following words about love.

I did not know God, he says, but He Himself knew me. Therefore, just as now He Himself knew me and condescended to me, so then I shall attain Him much more than now.

A man sitting in darkness, while he does not see the sun, does not himself hasten toward its beautiful ray. Rather, the ray shows itself to him by its shining.

When he has received the sun's radiance, then he himself hastens toward the light. Therefore the words "even as I am known" do not mean that we shall know Him as He knows us.

They mean that, as He has now condescended to us, so we shall then attain to Him.

Here is a likeness. Someone found an abandoned child, noble and beautiful. He recognized it on his part, lifted it up, took it to himself, cared for it, raised it nobly, finally enriched it, and brought it into royal chambers.

While the child is young, he feels none of this and does not recognize the love for mankind of the person who lifted him up. But when he comes of age, he at once recognizes his benefactor and loves him worthily.

This is an example for you, explaining what is expressed in a hidden way in the words spoken.

To speak simply, the "mirror" is a habit that discloses the future image of the archetype of the virtues as manifested in worthy people.

For the future goal of practical philosophy is as if dimly guessed in those who possess the "mirror." The "riddle" is the manifestation of the archetype of what is grasped by the intellect in knowledge.

Thus every righteousness here, in comparison with the future righteousness, has, if we follow the statement about the "mirror," the image of archetypal realities, not the realities themselves as they exist.

Likewise, every knowledge here of things above, in comparison with future knowledge, is a "riddle." It has the reflection of truth, not the truth itself, which is to become manifest in the future.

For since divine realities are embraced by virtue and knowledge, the "mirror" discloses the archetypal realities according to virtue. The "riddle" discloses the archetypal realities according to knowledge.

Such is the difference between the "mirror" and the "riddle." The "mirror" indicates the future goal of practical philosophy, while the "riddle" manifests the mystery of contemplative theology.

The terms to esoptron and to ainigma, literally "obscure speech, puzzle, allegory," are here better rendered according to the context of St. Maximus' interpretation than in the Synodal translation.

Ten ton hyper noesin emphasin echousa. Eriugena renders emphasis as "knowledge" or "representation," thereby, as it were, intellectualizing the concept.

The scholion says: "The 'mirror' reflects the good things proper to practical philosophy, while the 'riddle' indicates the future mysteries manifested in knowledge."

Literally, "according to form" (kat' eidos; Eriugena: per species). Here the being of things in their proper "countenance" or "form" is most likely implied.

Since eidos in this case is contrasted with eikon, the image as reflection, it should probably be understood as the original, archetype, or prototype.

The Lord is sometimes absent and sometimes present in us. He is present in contemplation face to face, and absent in contemplation as through a dim glass and in a riddle.

The Lord is present through the virtues in the man devoted to spiritual practice, and absent in the man who does not put into practice any logos of virtue.

Again, He is present in the man devoted to contemplation of the Divine through true knowledge of beings. He is absent in the man who turns away from such knowledge.

There will be no greater or more perfect vision of God than that which believers will be granted in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this lies God's ineffable mercy toward us.

He wills in every way that we should behold Him. Yet since this cannot happen directly, He was pleased that the Only-begotten Son of God should be incarnate. Thus the worthy may behold God in His eyes."

"Face to face, the Apostle said, not because God has a face, but to express more clearly and intelligibly the perfection of that knowledge in comparison with the present. Do you see how all our knowledge will increase?" (Chrysostom). God is always hidden and will remain so. Even the highest beings do not see Him directly, but only in the manifestations of His glory. There will be no greater and more perfect vision of God than that which believers will receive in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this lies God's ineffable mercy toward us. He wills in every way that we should behold Him. But since this cannot happen directly, He was well pleased that the Only-begotten Son of God should become incarnate. Thus the worthy may behold God in His eyes. In our eyes, soul sees soul, and soul is united with soul. We have experience of this in those who love one another. They feel that through the eyes the soul seems to pass into the soul. So believers, through the eyes of the Lord, will have closer communion with the hidden Godhead. In this is all their blessedness. Even now, much of what we already possess is hidden. Perhaps this is because much here appears only in beginnings, but then it will appear as it is. Who can say what the renewal of our nature consists in? Yet it exists, and it is active. It is moving toward its end, maturing, and it will appear in the age to come. Therefore Saint John the Theologian says: We are now children, but it has not yet appeared what we shall be (1 Jn 3:2). Our present knowledge of the future resembles the Old Testament knowledge of the present. This is how Chrysostom understands it. "To explain this difference to you at least a little, and to bring into your soul some ray of understanding, recall the times under the Law, now that grace has shone forth. Before grace, what belonged to that time seemed great and wonderful. But after grace it became small. To make what I say clearer, let us take one of the sacred rites of that time, and you will see the difference. Let us consider, if you wish, the Old Testament Passover and the New Testament Passover, and you will understand the superiority of the latter. The Jews celebrated it, but they celebrated it as in a mirror and in an enigma. They never even conceived the ineffable mysteries in their mind, nor did they know what their actions prefigured. They saw a slain lamb, the blood of an irrational creature, and doors anointed with it. But that the incarnate Son of God would be slain, would deliver the whole world, and would give His Blood as food to Greeks and barbarians, they could not imagine. Nor could they imagine that He would open heaven to all, offer the blessings there to the human race, and raise the bloodstained flesh above heaven and the heaven of heavens. He would raise it above all the hosts on high, Angels, Archangels, and the other Powers. He would seat it on the royal throne itself, at the right hand of the Father, in the radiance of ineffable glory. None of them then could even form this in his mind." What do the words then I shall know, even as I also was known mean? This also explains the higher measure of future knowledge in comparison with the present. The future I shall know, even as I was known will replace the present I know in part. Therefore even as I was known explains the measure of that knowledge. For this is something already accomplished. In what does it consist? What is the meaning of the words even as I was known? Chrysostom says: "As He Himself first knew me and Himself came down to me, so then I shall attain to Him far more than now. One who sits in darkness, before he sees the sun, does not himself come to its beautiful rays. Rather, they reveal themselves to him when they shine. And when he receives their radiance, then he himself hastens toward the light. Such is the meaning of the words even as I also was known. It does not mean that we shall know Him as He knows us. Rather, as He Himself came down to us now, so we shall then attain to Him. We shall know many things now hidden, and shall be counted worthy of most blessed converse and wisdom." Theodoret understands it in this way: "The Apostle does not say, I shall know Him as I myself am known by Him. Rather, he says that I shall behold Him more distinctly, as one who has become His own. For the Apostle used the word known instead of appropriated. Thus the Lord said to Moses, I know you above all (Ex 33:17). And the Apostle says, The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19), that is, He counts them worthy of greater providential care." The Apostle used this word more than once, and everywhere it remains somewhat obscure. Surely this too belongs to the things which will then be known in perfect clarity.