“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
In our need and desire to see Jesus, beholding is required. The interlinear Greek shows the word ‘beholding’ as “beholding in a mirror”.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines the word katoptrízō—a compound of kata and a derivative of optanomai—as “to mirror oneself; to see reflected (figuratively),” that is, to behold as in a glass.
The Topical Lexicon states:
“The verb denotes the action of looking into, and thereby reflecting, a mirror. The idea combines receptive contemplation and responsive radiation. The spectator does not merely gaze; the spectator becomes a living mirror, receiving and giving back the glory viewed. Thus, it captures both beholding and displaying.”
Paul’s exhortation in this passage reminds us of the veil Moses wore (Exodus 34), which is now removed when one turns to the Lord, as explained in 2 Corinthians 3:14–16.
It is beholding that first transforms us and then causes us to reflect His glory.
As we behold Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, we begin to enter into all that His redemption provides. This is foreshadowed with the bronze serpent lifted on a pole, through which healing came to the children of Israel.
By beholding Jesus in the Gospels, we see the very nature and character of God that we are called to put on. Becoming as He is in this world is Christ revealed in and through us—the hope of glory.
Beholding the One seated at the right hand of the Father enables us to administer His Kingdom from heaven to earth, both in prayer and in active service.
Beholding Him as the One whose eyes are like flames of fire allows the purging of all chaff. His feet refined by fire cause us to pause and examine our ways. The sword that proceeds from His mouth challenges us to guard our words and equips us to speak only His. His white hair speaks of eternity—He reigns forever and ever.
We desire to see and reveal Him, but transformation begins with…beholding