Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December.
Thanks for joining our Bible study. Today we will discuss the Glory of Christ — an appropriate topic after Resurrection Sunday when He was raised from the dead and came into His Glory.
But first, let’s review four gospel verses where Jesus foretold his Resurrection:
“From that time on [when Jesus told His disciples He was the Christ], Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21).
“When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’ And the disciples were filled with grief ” (Matthew 17: 22-23). (See “Son of Man” Vol. 53.)
“As they were coming down the [Transfiguration] mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (Mark 9:9).
“Jesus answered them, [the Jews] ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken” (John 2:19-22).
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We know that before Christ could be glorified through his Resurrection, He had to suffer and die. And although Jesus informed his disciples that these events were forthcoming, it was a painful, complicated truth for them to understand and accept while Jesus walked the earth. (See John’s last verse above.)
However, while Jesus dwelt among His people, three disciples – Peter, John, and James – witnessed the Glory of Christ before His Resurrection at an event called the Transfiguration. There, on Mount Tabor, the physical appearance of Jesus was “transfigured” into glowing radiant glory that revealed His Divinity. (For more details about the Transfiguration, see Vol. 26.)
Two verses that we read earlier, Mark 9:9 and Matthew 17:22-23 occurred immediately after the Transfiguration. And, given its monumental significance, the Transfiguration is described and recorded in three of the four Gospels – (Matthew 17:1–12), (Mark 9:2-8), (Luke 9:28-36) and alluded to in John’s – “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1-14).
Remember, John is among the “we” who saw Christ’s Glory with his own eyes.
The Glory of Christ was a favorite topic of St. Paul, who reminds us that the Glory of God through Christ should always be top of mind. (Easier said than done.) Here are some of Paul’s verses to consider:
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). (See Easter study Vol. 160 about “Seeking the Face of Christ.”)
Paul tells us why we should love and trust the Lord:
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
Among Paul’s writings about Christ’s Glory, this verse is my favorite:
“.. God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory ” (Colossians 1:27).
That verse is so profound it gives me chills when I think about the power of Christ in us — His indwelling presence while we live each day. And then, when we die, we will be resurrected with “the hope of glory” to spend eternal life with Him. Nothing could be more glorious! Two chapters later, Paul wrote a companion verse:
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). The truth “revealed” in both of those Colossians verses beg the question, “Why would you NOT believe in Christ Jesus?”
While researching this study topic, I found an insightful lesson on Bible.org about the Glory of Christ by Steven J. Cole, written in 1998. Cole focuses on the Transfiguration passage in Luke 9:27-36, but I apply his lesson more broadly to the Glory of Christ.
First, Cole believes, and I agree, that “we all need a clearer vision of the glory of Christ.” Thus, to help us achieve clarity, Cole writes four subheads with explanations. The subheads follow, but I encourage you to continue reading his enlightening descriptions.
1. The Glory of Christ is a Glory of His Perfect Humanity and His Undiminished Deity in One Person.
2. The Glory of Christ is a Glory of His Superiority To and Fulfillment Of The Law and The Prophets.
3. The Glory of Christ is a Glory of His Atoning Death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
4. The Glory of Christ is a Glory of God’s Sovereign Purpose.
Then, after you have achieved that “clearer vision of the glory of Christ,” Cole outlines a four-step process personalizing “How to see the Glory of Christ”:
1. To See The Glory of Christ, We Must Spend Time Alone With Him.
2. To See The Glory of Christ, We Must Shake Off Our Spiritual Lethargy.
3. To See The Glory of Christ, We Must Exalt Him Above All Else.
4. To See The Glory of Christ, We Must Obey Him.
I pray that you will continue to seek more knowledge about the meaning of the Glory of Christ and how to integrate this concept into your daily life. And now, I conclude today’s study by repeating my favorite verse on this topic: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Say it aloud and often because this verse is infused with the Holy Spirit! Amen.
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57-113. Order it here.
Myra is also the Executive Director of SignFromGod.org and the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit. Both are donor-supported ministries dedicated to education about the Shroud of Turin. See Shroud exhibit news and a life-sized replica in Washington, D.C. Contact: MyraAdams01@gmail.com
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