By Not Known
The “Glory of God” is a familiar phrase for Christians. In the Old Testament, the word “glory” (kabodh) is used 222 times. In the New Testament, the word “glory” (doxa) is used 168 times. Most of the time, when the word “glory” is used, it ascribes power, greatness, radiance and splendour to God (see Ps. 19:1 and 2 Cor. 4:6).
In John 1:14, however, we see another aspect of God’s glory. What is that glory?
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John associates the incarnation with God’s glory. About 2 000 years ago, God came to earth in human form; God took on flesh. He took on the form of a person, but it was not just that; it was the kind of person He took on—He was born in a town that was marginal. It was not even His family’s hometown. His earthly parents did not even have a place to stay, so much so that He had to be born in a stable. That was humble, even by human standards.
In Jesus, as Paul describes, the One who created the universe, the One who holds it all together, the One whom we call Creator, showed up looking no different from mere man (See Phil. 2:6-8). He did not do that to show us just how badly we had messed things up. He did not do that to Lord it over us. In Jesus, we see Someone who was willing to put aside all it means to be God, in order to reach out to us, to save us. We see Someone, who even though everything belongs to Him, has a servant heart. We see Someone, who because of His love for us, was willing to sacrifice even His life for us, including His enemies. Therefore, what we see, what God wants us to really hold on to and understand, is that He loves us. It is amazing and unexpected, to see humility, to see a love that is so great in our God, that He was willing to sacrifice all, in order to reach out and save us whom He loves, and this is to see the glory of God.
Therefore, God’s glory is revealed through the humility of Christ.
A theologian writes: The church’s genius (i.e. what will make a church) is not its wealth, gifted clergymen, numbers, building or architecture, or music BUT the presence of the glory of God.
Is God’s glory (i.e. God’s humility) shown in and through us?