Now we see through a glass, darkly - Δι' εσοπτρου εν αινιγματι. Of these words some literal explanation is necessary. The word εσοπτρον which we translate a glass, literally signifies a mirror or reflector, from εις, into, and οπτομαι, I look; and among the ancients mirrors were certainly made of fine polished metal. The word here may signify any thing by which the image of a person is reflected, as in our looking, or look in glass. The word is not used for a glass to look through; nor would such an image have suited with the apostle's design.

The εσοπτρον or mirror, is mentioned by some of the most ancient Greek writers; so Anacreon, Ode xi. ver. 1: -

Αεγουσιν αἱ γυναικες,

Ανακρεων, γερων ει·

Ααβων ΕΣΟΠΤΡΟΝ αθρει

Κομας μεν ουκετ' ουσας.

The women tell me,

Anacreon, thou art grown old;

Take thy mirror, and view

How few of thy hairs remain.

And again, in Ode xx. ver. 5: -

Εγω δ' εσοπτρον ειην,

Ὁπως αει βλεπης με.

I wish I were a mirror

continued...

we see.

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...

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after...

James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

darkly. Gr. in a riddle.

Judges 14:12-19 And Samson said to them, I will now put forth a riddle to you: if you can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast...

Ezekiel 17:2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;

face.

Exodus 33:11 And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua...

Numbers 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold...

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say to you...

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear...

Revelation 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

now.

1 Corinthians 13:9,10 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part...

John 10:15 As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Now, and Then
There are some things which we count very precious now, which will soon be of no value to us whatever. There are some things that we know or think we know, and we pride ourselves a good deal upon our knowledge; but when we shall become men we shall set no more value upon that knowledge than a child does upon his toys when he grows up to be a man. Our spiritual manhood in heaven will discard many things which we now count precious, as a full grown man discards the treasures of his childhood. And there …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Charity and Loneliness.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.-I COR. xiii. 13. The possession of this Divine Charity often necessitates walking in a lonely path. Not merely in opposition and persecution, but alone in it, and here, again, Jesus, who was the personification of Divine lore, stands out as our great example. He was emphatically alone, and of the people there was none with Him. Even the disciples whom He had drawn nearest to Him, and to whom He had tried …
Catherine Booth—Godliness

Revival in the Home
Thousands of years ago, in the most beautiful Garden the world has ever known, lived a man and a woman. Formed in the likeness of their Creator, they lived solely to reveal Him to His creation and to each other and thus to glorify Him every moment of the day. Humbly they accepted the position of a creature with the Creator--that of complete submission and yieldedness to His will. Because they always submitted their wills to His, because they lived for Him and not for themselves, they were also completely …
Roy Hession and Revel Hession—The Calvary Road