SPECIAL TOPIC: THE GOD OF THIS WORLD (from 2 Cor. 4:4)
This evil personality noted in 2 Cor. 4:4 is called by several names by Paul.
1. Satan (cf. Rom. 16:20; 1 Cor. 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thess.
2:18; 2 Thess. 2:9; 1 Tim. 1:20; 5:15; see
Special Topic: Satan)
2. Devil (cf. Eph. 4:27; 6:11-12; 1 Tim. 3:6,7; 2 Tim. 2:26; the plural used of the demonic, 1 Cor. 10:20-21; 1
Tim. 4:1; see Special Topic: Devil)
3. “the prince of the power of the air” (cf. Eph. 2:2)
4. “the god of this age/world” (John calls him “the ruler of this age/world,”
John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11)
5. “the tempter” (cf. 1 Thess. 3:5)
6. “the evil one” (cf. 2 Thess. 3:3, this title is common in Matthew’s and
John’s writings)
7. “an angel of light” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14)
This verse caused great concern to the early Church Fathers because it was
used inappropriately by the Gnostic and Arian false teachers. Therefore,
unfortunately, they (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Chrysostom, Ambrose,
Theodoret, and Augustine) changed the Greek of this text to: “in who God has
blinded the mind of the unbeliever of this world.” Now Satan is obviously
referred to as the prince and power of this world (cf. John 12:31; 14:30; Eph.
2:2). These early Church Fathers were not reacting to the concept of a personal
force of evil, but to the theological concept of the Gnostic Demiurge and the
Arians’ view of a less-than-divine Christ. See
Special Topic: Personal
Evil
▣ “of this world” This is also the
Greek term for “age” (i.e.,
aiōnos). This seems to refer to the Jewish view of two ages: the current
evil age dominated by sin and the age to come, set up and dominated by the
Messiah (cf. Matt. 28:20; Eph. 2:2). For the full discussion of the two ages see
Special
Topic: This Age and the Age to Come.
▣ “has blinded the minds of the unbelieving”
This is an aorist active indicative. The term is used of
spiritual blindness in Matt. 15:14; 23:16; 1 John 2:11 and the concept is the
focal point of John 9. This same term is used in a quote from the Septuagint of
Isa. 6:10 in John 12:40. It is a rather rare term in Paul’s writings (cf. Rom.
2:19; 2 Cor. 4:4), but common in the Gospels.
In the Isaiah passage (i.e., Isa. 6:9-10) it is God’s judgment that blinded
the Israelites’ spiritual eyes because of their continual unbelief. This same
truth is expressed in Rom. 1:21, where the passive voice implies God (cf. Rom. 11:8-10,
quoting Isa. 29:10 and Ps. 69:22-23). It is difficult to balance
1. human unbelief
2. divine hardening
3. satanic blinding
Belief is both a gift and a necessary response! The covenantal paradox is the
mystery of predestination and free will. We must let God be God but demand human
accountability. See
Special
Topic: Election/Predestination and the Need for a Theological Balance.
Can you imagine the power that the evil one must have that he is able to
blind the eyes of humans to the compelling beauty of the gospel (cf. Matt.
13:19) and to thwart the wooing of the Holy Spirit to respond to it (cf. John
6:44,65)? Paul uses several metaphors to describe unbelief:
1. hardened hearts
2. blinded minds
3. seared consciences
4. blinded eyes
There is an
ongoing spiritual conflict (cf. Eph. 6:10-19).
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