glory Summary and Overview

(Heb. kabhod; Gr. doxa). (1.) Abundance, wealth, treasure, and hence honour (Ps. 49:12); glory (Gen. 31:1; Matt. 4:8; Rev. 21:24, 26). (2.) Honour, dignity (1 Kings 3:13; Heb. 2:7 1 Pet. 1:24); of God (Ps. 19:1; 29:1); of the mind or heart (Gen. 49:6; Ps. 7:5; Acts 2:46). (3.) Splendour, brightness, majesty (Gen. 45:13; Isa. 4:5; Acts 22:11; 2 Cor. 3:7); of Jehovah (Isa. 59:19; 60:1; 2 Thess. 1:9). (4.) The glorious moral attributes, the infinite perfections of God (Isa. 40:5; Acts 7:2; Rom. 1:23; 9:23; Eph. 1:12). Jesus is the "brightness of the Father's glory" (Heb. 1:3; John 1:14; 2:11). (5.) The bliss of heaven (Rom. 2:7, 10; 5:2; 8:18; Heb. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:1, 10). (6.) The phrase "Give glory to God" (Josh. 7:19; Jer. 13:16) is a Hebrew idiom meaning, "Confess your sins." The words of the Jews to the blind man, "Give God the praise" (John 9:24), are an adjuration to confess. They are equivalent to, "Confess that you are an impostor," "Give God the glory by speaking the truth;" for they denied that a miracle had been wrought.

GLORY or GLORIFY terms of frequent occurrence in the Bible. To " glorify " is to render glorious or to exalt. Dan 5:23; Acts 3:13; John 17:5. Hence the comprehensive precept of the apostle, 1 Cor 6:19-20, requiring the devotion of our whole powers and faculties to this one great end, "the glory of God," 1 Cor 10:31, or making God glorious. To "give glory" means to praise or exalt. Luke 17:18. Glory of God. This expression is almost equivalent to "brightness" or "effulgence" of God, and refers to the peculiar and absolute perfection of all the divine attributes. By contrast, men are said to have "come short of the glory of God," Rom 3:23, where the special reference, no doubt, is to the perfect holiness of the Almighty. God is denominated the "King of glory," Ps 24:8, or of resplendent brightness. The glory of God is displayed in the works of creation, Ps 19:1, in the redemption of the world through Christ, 2 Cor 4:6, and in the person of Christ. Heb 1:3. He is said to be "glorious in holiness." Our Lord is called the "Lord of glory," Jas 2:1, and the " hope of glory." Col 1:27. Different objects are said to have a glory, 1 Cor 15:41, and regenerate believers are said to have awaiting them the glory akin to that they have lost. Col 3:4; Heb 2:10.

Hebrew kabod, "weight," alluded to 2 Corinthians 4:17; "our lightness of affliction worketh out for us a weight of glory," exceeding beyond all measure the affliction. "My glory" is my soul, man's noblest part; rather my tongue, as explained in Acts 2:26. So Psalm 30:12 margin; Psalm 57:8; Psalm 108:1. The tongue, as the soul's interpreter, is the glory of man above the brute, and the instrument of glorifying God, man's highest glory. David not only exults inwardly, but makes his "tongue" and "flesh" sharers of his joy. As God is the saints' glory (Jeremiah 2:11), so they are His glory (Jeremiah 13:11; Isaiah 62:3).