When Paul said: "through a glass darkly....." What was he refering to?

Question

I don't mean the object of his vision I understand that part completely. I am talking about the glass. What kind of glass. Is he talking about sun glasses? Did they have such a thing? If he meant glass like drinking glass who would look through one? Really, I have never understood this.

OK this is getting my interest. The magnifying glass is wrong because Roger Bacon invented it in the 1200s.

Re: jdriven. I understand the simile I just don't know what kind of glass they were talking about.

Answer 1

Around the time of Christ it wasn't possible to produce a clear glass. Impurities in the sand and the low temperature flame meant glasses were produced but were hard to see through. The glasses were off-colored depending on the impurities but often as a result of being made right in a fire were char-colored. These glasses were often used to look at bright objects, not the least of which were the sun and other flames used in material production. Basically they used these glasses as welding glasses. This is what the text refers to, that we cannot see beyond the clouded, dark glass in front of our eyes. It is meant to indicate that while here on Earth we are inherantley inable to understand God, that we have a "dark" glass blocking us from seing the full picture.

I hate to disagree with Wikipedia, but let's remember it is user-created... the production of clear flat glass didn't come about until the middle ages.

Answer 2

From Wikipedia:

"Through A Glass Darkly is an abbreviated form of a much-quoted phrase from the Christian New Testament in 1 Corinthians 13. The phrase is interpreted to mean that humans have an imperfect perception of reality." We see, but as through a dark glass rather than a clear one.

Answer 3

Antique mirror...

Here is the NIV Study Bible Note on that part of 1Corinthians 13:12: " 'we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror.' The imagery is of a polished metal (probably bronze) mirror in which one could receive only an imperfect reflection (cf. Jas 1:23)—in contrast to seeing the Lord directly and clearly in the new creation."

... Here is a rough translation of the phrase: "For now we see just a poorly reflected image in a mirror, but then, face to face..."

The NIV is "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." And the NIrV, (a very simple translation with remarkable accuracy to the original languages), is "Now we see only a dim likeness of things. It is as if we were seeing them in a mirror. But someday we will see clearly. We will see face to face."

... The "glass" rendering of the KJV is not a correct reading. Here is a Biblical Archeology Dictionary entry on "mirror:"

-"In the ancient world a mirror was made of a flat, circular piece of metal that was polished so as to obtain a reflection. Mirrors go back at least to the Early Bronze Age,* and many of them had attractively sculptured handles. One from Abydos* in Egypt* had a fine bone handle and suggests the sort of bronze* mirror used by the Israelite women (cf. Exod 38:8; Job 37:18).

The Amarna letters* refer to a gift of mirrors from Pharaoh Amenophis IV to Burnaburiash the Hittite* king, indicating that mirrors were considered to be a valuable and desirable gift. Specimens have also been discovered in Palestine. One from Tell el-’Ajjul near Gaza* had a handle designed like a lotus flower and was probably of Egyptian manufacture. The reflected image was far from perfect, as Paul’s reference, no doubt to the fine bronze mirrors made in Corinth,* indicates (1 Cor 13:12). A mirror with some trinkets in a goatskin bag is a pathetic relic from the Bar Kochba* revolt, found in a Dead Sea* cave. The art of silvering glass* was not known until the thirteenth century, and glass mirrors of any sort were not in existence until Roman times. The KJV translation “looking-glass” or “glass” (Job 37:18 and 1 Cor 13:12) are therefore anachronisms."-

Answer 4

i admire water, and function continuously enjoyed it, in spite of the shown fact that it does no longer flavor sturdy in some places I even have been. Our family individuals laughed at us while we got here returned from the West Coast with bottled water, and that i carried water to Florida while we went, and Myrtle sea coast, S.C. i might say I drink greater effective than 8 glasses an afternoon. Alcohol impacts me adversely and dries me up so i choose greater water. i've got not got sugar diabetes, nonetheless. i assume I have been given into the habit while i replaced into little by way of fact we weren't allowed to drink coffee or tea, and water and Kool help have been with regard to the only issues we had as nicely milk, and in no way chocolate milk.

Answer 5

I do not know if they even had glass then maybe like through a thick vail we can not see clearly.

Answer 6

he finally was able to see thru dark glass. he was probably scrying, and then an apparition of his great great grandfather appeared ..... a Holy caveman holding a club made of olive wood or sumpting

Answer 7

its a looking glass, or magnifying glass

Answer 8

A glass full of Scotch.

MMMmmmmmmm.... Scotch....

Answer 9

A dirty, smudged window.

Answer 10

anna nailed it listen up.