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glory
glory Meditation: Defining Glory
Monday, March 11, 2013 at 11:19AM 
I’ve fallen asleep at my desk twice this morning, and it has nothing to do with Daylight Savings Time. I’ve been reading entries in theological dictionaries and books on systematic theology, trying to see if anyone understands the word Glory.
John, the close friend of Jesus, can’t get away from the word as he struggles to describe Jesus: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John can’t get away from what he has seen: he uses the word 19 times in his gospel, more than all three of the other gospels combined. John records the great prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane, and Jesus seems pretty concerned about glory—he mentions it six times as he talks to the Father.
But counting words doesn’t lead to knowing words. Nor, apparently, does using textbooks. They can beat the glory out of a glorious, life-filled reality. I think I’ve seen God’s glory twice during my lifetime—actually seen it. Try bringing that up at a small group Bible study. It shuts the party down real fast.
My first mentor C.S. Lewis wrestled with the word in an essay The Weight of Glory. He chose his own ignorance as his starting point. “Glory suggests two ideas to me, of which one seems wicked and the other ridiculous.” I won’t steal his thunder, or deprive you of the joy of discovery when you read this great master for yourself—but ten sentences from Lewis is better than all the academic drivel I’ve put up with today.
You want something to think about? Here's a meditation: I give you “Glory,” the word used more than a hundred times in the New Testament, the desire of Moses in the Old, and the hope of Jesus. It's the kind of word us moderns have lost completely, and the word without which we miss a great part of knowing our Lord.
Go ahead, I dare you: share your understanding in the comments—or better still—your experiences. But be brief, because God’s glory is anything but boring.
Reader Comments (8)
Glory is certainly a tough one to understand. I believe that part of what glory means is 'the opinion of God.' God's glory is his original mind/opinion preserved and revealed in Jesus. So when Jesus asks for us to know His glory or when He gives us His glory, He is giving us the mind/opinion/intent of God for our lives. That's why in Romans it speaks about all falling short of the glory of God. We fell short because we lost his intent/opinion and went wayward to all sorts of things. But thank God that Jesus on the cross has revealed to us the very opinion and intentions of God for our lives.
I'm so glad you mentioned Romans 3:23, Luke, because most Christians have no concept of falling short, or being raised up to the glory of God--they simply concentrate of the sin side of the equation. Thanks.
Yeah. You're totally right. I think if someone did a survey through churches across the world and asked if anyone could quote Romans 3:23, almost everyone would be able to do so. But then if we asked, 'can someone quote Romans 3:24', I think hardly anyone would be able to do so. So often we treat the gospel as Romans 3:23, but the truth of the gospel lies in Romans 3:24! The glory that was lost has now arrived in Jesus!
The glory of God can be found, not only in the miraculous, but also in the meticulous; not only in poetry, but also in math. I've seen a theme lately of some of my good friends, unintentionally I hope, mocking people who study deeply the things of God. Your post has joined this chorus. The long arduousness of word studies and theological commentaries can be a little hard at times, but that does not mean that it has no use in pointing out the glory of God. The Bible contains both the Gospels, and Leviticus; both healing and genealogies. Neither is less the Word of God or able to reveal his glory because one is more or less “interesting”. The things we love to read and to quote by C.S. Lewis are the fruit of his time digging through the tough ground. Gold is not often on the surface. As to your claim that you have seen the "glory" of God twice, this surprises me. Not because of the reason you want people to be surprised, but because of the lack of times. "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands" Psalms 19:1. "For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" - 2 Cor 4:6. The “glory of God” is everywhere! It is in the miraculous creation and expanse of the universe. However, the “glory of God” is also seen in knowledge, and the meticulous study of his word, of Christ. I don’t think it was your intentions, but you make systematic theologians out to be less in touch with the glory of God because they have not had an “experience” or two on par with your own. I think this is an unfair evaluation of those who have spent the time to dig deeply into the Word of God so that we can enjoy the fruits.
I think I experienced the Glory (at least a portion of it) this past Sunday during worship at our little church in central KY. There came a moment when the veil seemed to thin, and I, along with the rest of the room, became aware of His thick, weighty, light and easy presence. A few things happened to me behind the drum kit. I became an emotional wreck, and emotionally sane at the same time. I became aware of how little I know of Him, but how much He wants to show me. I immediately became aware of my faults, fears, and places where I've been chained up, all the while exploding inside because I knew he was freeing me in that moment. My intellect began firing as well, and in that moment, all of the gaps and spaces between the dots were filled in with an intense something. Unanswered, heavy questions were answered, but not answered. that doesn't even make sense, but it does. i guess the best way to explain it is that the questions felt answered. Love is the answer, and i didn't really care "how" it was the answer. I actually began to play better, too. The most fitting word to describe the experience is, "glorious." Every bit of my person--mind, body, soul, and/or spirit--were firing on all cylinders. I was actually changed. Places in my heart that I didn't even know about were brought into alignment with his love and kingdom, and i totally trusted him to do whatever he wanted in there, because i knew he was good, and i knew he loved me. It wasn't just emotional, just intellectual, just physical. It was all of it. And it was glorious.
Hi Kris: I think I am open to the charge of perhaps an unfair evaluation of systematic theologians. I stand corrected on that account. But I would still hold that there is a qualitative difference between "digging deep" into word studies and commentaries rather than receiving the invitation to those experiences the Word of God offers everyone--people of low intellect as well as high. In God's Kingdom the smart kids do not go to the head of the class. In particular, in this post I was hoping to lead people to make the connection between "glory," "grace," and "truth." And (as always) I wish God's grace to you and your lovely family. Peace!
Matt: Thanks so much for your testimony. I love the phrase, "alignment with his love and kingdom" because if it was truly Him, it it will undoubtedly show itself in a life changed beyond that one moment. Which is grace, pure and free.
Glory: Hebrew - kabowd (kaw-bode'); Greek - doxa (dox'-ah) has meaning in biblical context relative to our words of honor, splendor, copiousness, abundance, dignity, precious, prized …
I began to comprehend the splendor of our Lord God when I actually saw His hand serving to balance my whole visible community when 17 and participating in Presbyterian Sunday school class. This was a class I could win every debate using the Bible no matter which side I was given. From that moment on I could only tell Jesus’ side and no longer Satan’s for Jesus was at that point real according to my own eyes, heart and mind. I look forward to the eternity it will take to have a vocabulary sufficient to describe the fullness of God’s glory I can only just begin to sense. Look up “doxa” and you will see it will take the scripture writers that same amount of time to do the same.
The true dignity and splendor of Jesus is that He came to serve and not to sit on a commanding throne for adulation. He, who once knew immortality, was willing to put His life on the line to enable us time to really get to know Them our creator God.
I can study all I want, though time is way too short on this Earth, using modern aids not available to our Christian patriarchs, and I will not have the words sufficient to describe what it feels like walking every day in His company and serving with Him. He shares His abundance with me every moment of every day I am with Him and He has never left my side, my heart or my mind. It is I who ignore Him and never He that ignores me. That is glory way beyond the awesome emotion so many seek but sadly look to others on thrones, penthouses and pulpits to fill in place of a down in the dirt, ever ready to serve Christ Jesus.
Jude 1:24-25
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.