Theology of the Church, Mentor's Guide, MG03

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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E C H U R C H

revealing himself through displays of light or through appearances of God in human forms in Old Testament episodes, referred to as “theophanies.” The sense of God as the Possessor of divine glory, and as the One who is deserving of all praise and honor because of his own infinite perfections is a central recurring idea in all of the revelation of Scripture. Moses’ desire to witness the wondrous essence and marvelous being of the Lord is summarized in his request to God to “Show me thy glory” (Exod. 33.18). Glory in this sense is not something other than the person of the Lord but a fundamental disclosure of what God is in Godself. Awkward language, but such is the wonder of the God we serve! God’s glory is not something added on to himself but is a central and fundamental constituent part of who he is in his deepest self, his majesty, his splendor, his “glory.” This glory may be accompanied as it was in this vision by some outward or visible sign, but should not be equated with what human beings can observe or comprehend. God’s glory was displayed in the vision of Isaiah in the temple (cf. Isa. 6.1ff.), and was referenced in John 12.41, which is also in connection to Jesus Christ’s person, which establishes the close relationship between Jesus and the glory of God (cf. John 1.14-18). In the New Testament, the concept of glory refers to his perfect majesty as Creator (Rom. 1.23) as well as to God’s perfections, and in reference to humankind, especially God’s glorious righteousness which is now displayed in his salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 3.23). God’s glory is displayed perfectly and comprehensively in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4.6; Heb. 1.3; John 1.14-18), who himself is the perfect display of the Father’s own glorious being, which cannot be witnessed by the human eye (note that the Father is referred to by Paul as the “Father of glory” in Eph. 1.17). The richness of God’s glorious being, as One who is glorious and worthy therefore to be glorified, is shown in Paul’s reference to God’s glory in terms of wealth (Eph. 1.18; 3.16) and power and might (Col. 1.11). God displays the wonder of his great power and unlimited splendor in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Rom. 6.4 cf. Eph. 1.19ff.). Beyond all doubt, the God and Father of Jesus Christ is glorious and worthy of honor. This is the plain ethical mandate of all creation–to give honor to him who is worthy of all glory in all things (Rev. 4.11).