'Seeing through a glass darkly' means a partial, obscured understanding of God's truth — like looking into a steamy mirror — until the full revelation came 'face to face.'
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's view at the time of writing 1 Corinthians was like an opaque reflection, an enigma: he had enough revelation to present the doctrines of grace for salvation, but deeper truths about the believer's position in the heavenlies had not yet been revealed. 'Face to face' refers to Paul receiving the complete revelation directly from the ascended Lord, not to seeing Christ at His coming.
1 Corinthians 13:12 — This is the verse in question — Paul explicitly says 'now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.'
2 Corinthians 3:18 — Paul uses the same 'glass' (mirror) imagery to describe believers beholding the glory of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) — 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.' Paul contrasts the present ('now') with the future ('then'). At present, seeing is 'through a glass, darkly' — through a mirror, obscurely — and knowing is partial: 'now I know in part.' But 'then' there will be a face-to-face seeing and a full knowing: 'then shall I know even as also I am known.' Paul uses the same 'glass' (mirror) wording in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV): 'But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.'
Les Feldick teaches that 'seeing through a glass darkly' describes an incomplete, obscured understanding. He pictures it as a mirror clouded by steam after a hot shower — a person can make out the general outline of a face but cannot see the small details. Paul's understanding at that point was like that opaque reflection, an enigma. He could recognize that more was to be revealed, but the fuller revelation of the believer's heavenly position had not yet been given to him. Les stresses that Paul never saw Christ during His earthly ministry or during the forty days after His resurrection. Paul's first sight of the risen Lord was on the road to Damascus, about eight years after Pentecost, and Paul insisted he saw the resurrected, ascended Lord face to face from the ascended glory. Everything Paul taught, he received by revelation — not from the twelve or from any man. The contrast Paul draws is between that clouded view and seeing 'face to face.' While many connect this phrase with Christ's coming, Les points instead to Paul receiving the complete revelation and the Word of God becoming complete. At the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13, that completeness had not yet come. Seeing 'face to face' is like wiping the steam from the mirror and seeing clearly, without the obscurity of an enigma.
Paul never saw Christ while He was walking on the earth, nor in the forty days after His resurrection. He did not see Him until after his conversion on the road to Damascus, about eight years after Pentecost. Les emphasizes that Paul repeatedly claimed to have seen the resurrected, ascended Lord face to face — and that the Lord personally revealed these truths to him from the ascended glory. So in Les's teaching, the 'face to face' of 1 Corinthians 13 is tied to Paul receiving complete revelation, not to seeing loved ones or even the Lord Jesus personally at His coming.
In the King James Version, 'glass' means a mirror. Paul uses the same imagery in 2 Corinthians 3:18 — 'beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.' Les explains that Israel was veiled from the truth that the Law was fading away, but believers look at Christ as in a mirror, and the world sees His reflection on them. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 the mirror is clouded — 'darkly' — so the reflection is obscure.
Les teaches that the Old Testament knew nothing of the gospel of grace, and the four Gospels knew nothing of Paul's gospel. So Paul speaks of these truths as a 'secret' or 'mystery' that was now coming out into full view. Yet at the time he wrote 1 Corinthians, the complete revelation had not all been given. He was like one 'born out of due time' — receiving revelations ahead of Israel's timetable — while the rest of Israel was blinded. His view was like the steamy mirror: enough revelation for the doctrines of grace concerning salvation, but the deeper teaching of the believer's position in the heavenlies had not yet been revealed.
Many people connect 'face to face' with the return of Christ. Les, however, points instead to Paul's own repeated claim that he saw the Lord face to face after the ascension, after the work of the cross. Paul's gospel was not taught to him by men; everything he had he received by the revelation of Jesus Christ. So 'face to face' in this passage, Les teaches, refers to the complete revelation coming to Paul — the Word of God becoming complete — rather than seeing parents, loved ones, or the Lord Jesus personally at His coming.
Paul's simple illustrations in the love chapter
Les shows Paul uses simple, everyday illustrations in 1 Corinthians 13 — the same chapter that contains 'through a glass, darkly' — so the phrase is a plain word-picture of an obscured view.
Face to face with the ascended Lord
Les explains that Paul claimed over and over to have seen the Lord face to face from the ascended glory, and that the Lord revealed these things to him after the work of the cross.
Paul's first sight of the risen Lord — 'one born out of due time'
Paul never saw Christ on earth or in the forty days after the resurrection; his first sight was on the Damascus road, about eight years after Pentecost, and he called himself 'one born out of due time.'
Hidden wisdom and mysteries revealed
The truths Paul taught had been kept secret; Paul calls them a 'secret' or 'mystery' now coming out into full view and understanding.
Revelation, not human instruction
Paul was not taught his gospel by the twelve or anyone else; he received everything by revelation and made it plain he saw Christ face to face after the ascension.
A glimpse of glory he could not share
Paul had a vision of the third heaven — a glimpse of glory — but God never let him share it, showing his revelation was real yet not everything was disclosed at once.
Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord
Les explains Paul's 'glass' (mirror) imagery: believers with open face behold Christ as in a mirror, and the world sees His reflection on us — unlike veiled Israel under the Law.
Born before the due time — revelation ahead of Israel
Paul received revelations 'before the due time' while Israel was blinded; their day is coming, but we today do not have to be blind.
1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
This is the exact verse the question asks about — Paul's 'glass darkly' phrase.
1 Corinthians 15:8: And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Paul claims to have seen the resurrected Lord and calls himself 'one born out of due time.'
2 Corinthians 3:18: But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Paul again uses 'glass' (mirror) imagery in connection with unveiled revelation.
Galatians 1:12: For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul received his gospel directly by revelation — the basis for his 'face to face' claims.
2 Corinthians 12:2: I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
Paul had a vision of the third heaven — a glimpse of glory he was not permitted to share.
Les Feldick teaches it means an obscured, incomplete understanding — like looking into a mirror clouded with steam after a hot shower. You can see the general outline but not the clear details. Paul's understanding was partial at the time he wrote 1 Corinthians.
Les points instead to Paul's own testimony that he saw the risen, ascended Lord face to face and received revelation from Him. In 1 Corinthians 13, 'face to face' pictures the complete revelation of the Word of God coming to Paul — not seeing family or even the Lord personally at His coming.
Les explains this means Paul came too early, like a premature baby. Paul received the revelations of the gospel of grace while Israel as a whole was blinded to these truths, but Israel's day is coming. We today do not have to be blind.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Jews Called Jesus Accursed — 1 Corinthians 12:3 Explained