The Glory of Christ

Dr. Alexander Kurian

The Glory of God

The glory of God is the majestic self-manifestation of God. It is the outward expression of His own excellence and the perfection of His attributes. God’s glory is the brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of Himself. It is His intrinsic greatness, majesty and awesomeness. God glories in the perfections of His person, in the attributes that are a manifestation of His character. Everything He does is a reflection of His glory.

The Glories of Christ

God’s new and ultimate revelation is Son-revelation (Heb.1:1-2). The Son is the radiance (brightness) of the glory of God (Heb.1:3). The glory of Christ would encompass the whole of His saving work – His death, resurrection and exaltation in heaven (Jn.7:39; 12:16, 23, 28; 13:31,32; 17:4,5,22,24). 
 

God’s glory was once displayed by means of the tabernacle. But when the WORD dwelt (tabernacled) among His people He manifested His glory to men. At the incarnation, God tabernacled among His people by means of His Son and thus John can say, we beheld His glory (Jn.1:14). The Father’s glory which Christ revealed was not a mere reflected glory. Rather it was the shining forth of Christ’s inherent glory, which itself was the glory of the Father. God the Father can find delight in God the Son, because everything in Himself in which He delights is in His Son as well.

The glory of God was manifested in Jesus Christ:

• In His preexistence (Jn.17:5)

• In His incarnation (Jn.1:14)

• In His transfiguration (Lk.9:32)

• In His death and resurrection (Jn.12:28; 17:1,5)

• In His ascension (Acts 1:9-11)

• In revelation to believers (2Cori.4:6)

• In the final aspect of God’s Redemption (Rom.5:2; 8:18; 2Cori.3:18; 1Pet.5:1).

The Glory of His Resurrection

The death of Jesus was the low point in His humiliation; the overcoming of death through the resurrection was the first step in the process of His exaltation. Christ’s resurrection is highly significant for several reasons:

1. It is the fundamental doctrine of Christianity and essential to the validity of the Christian faith (1Cori.15:1-20).

2. It is a necessary element of saving faith (Rom.10:9;1:4; Acts.17:31; 1Cori.15:3, 4).

3. Jesus’ resurrection gave His people a living hope (1Pet.1:3).

4. Jesus’ resurrection guaranteed the resurrection of His people (1Cori.15:20-23).

5. Jesus’ resurrection was a unique resurrection. The Lord Jesus was the first to be restored to physical life with a glorified body, never to die again (1Cori.15:23; Rev.1:18).

6. Jesus’ resurrection body is the prototype for the changed bodies of His people (Phili.3:21; Rom.8:11).

7. The resurrection gave Him final victory over His enemies (Colo.2:12-15; Heb.2:14; Acts 2:24; Rev.1:18).

8. The resurrection provides the Christian with the measure of the power which is at work in Him to enable him to live the Christian life (Rom.8:11).

The resurrection of Christ is of utmost importance to His person, His claims, His work, to the Gospel and to us. The resurrection affirmed in the clearest way that Jesus is the living and coming Lord.

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The Glory of His Ascension

Ascension was the second step in the exaltation of Christ (Lk.24:50,51; Acts.1:6-11; Eph.1:20,21; 4:8-10; 1Tim.3:16). Ascension is His going back to heaven in His glorified body and exaltation is the act of the Father by which He gave to the glorified Christ the position of honor and power at His own right hand.

The Importance of Jesus’ Ascension:

1. The ascension marked the end of His earthly mission and the period of His humiliation (Jn.17:4, 5).

2. It marks the beginning of His present work in heaven (Heb.4:14-16; 6:20).

3. It made the descent of the Holy Spirit possible (Jn.16:7).

4. The ascension was a display of the splendor and glory of the coming kingdom (Acts 1:6-11). It was an assurance to the disciples that their messianic hopes would be fulfilled.

5. The ascension was the final incontestable proof that Jesus Christ was the victor over Satan and his hosts. It is the measure of Christ’s victory (Eph.4:7-12).

6. He is positioned by the Father as the head of His body, the Church (Eph.1:20-23); as a priest for His people (Heb.2:18; 4:14-16); as preparer of a place for us (Jn.14:1-3).

The Meaning of the Ascension:

1. The Son of God went home

2. He presented His work to the Father

3. He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high

4. He sent the Holy Spirit to continue His work

5. He continues His present ministries in behalf of His own as their high priest and advocate

6. He will come back

7. He is the eternal Son of God and perfected and glorified man

8. As to believers today, the ascension reminds us about His bodily separation from us, the completion of His work, His glorification by the Father, the confirmation of our hope and the anticipation of His coming.

The commencement of the Present Work of Christ:

1. Ascension (Heb.4:14)

2. Exaltation and entrance into the sanctuary (Heb.9:12,24)

3. Occupation of the place of honor (Heb.1:3; 8:1;10:12; 12:2)

4. Installation as the high priest (Heb.5:10; 6:20)

Activities of His High Priestly Ministry:

1. Representation (Heb.9:24)

2. Intercession (Heb.7:25)

3. Mediation (Heb.13:15,21)

4. Inauguration (10:19-20)

The ascension of our Lord is not primarily to be viewed as the conclusion of our Lord’s life and ministry, but as the introduction of a new phase of His ministry.