"Father,
I will that they also, whom Thou
hast given Me,
be with Me
where I am; that they may behold My
glory, which Thou
hast given Me:
for Thou
lovedst Me
before the foundation of the world." -JOHN
17:24 [KJV]
How great, how elevated above all utterance or all conception of men or angels, must the glory of Christ be as the Son of the Father in truth and love! And not only is the Lord Jesus Christ glorious in His essential Deity as the Son of God, but glorious also in His holy, spotless humanity which He assumed in the womb of the Virgin Mary. For this, though the flesh and blood of the children, was "that holy thing which was begotten of the Holy Ghost," and was taken into union with His eternal Deity, that He might be "Immanuel, God with us."
The purity, holiness and innocence, the spotless beauty and complete perfection of this human nature, make it in itself exceedingly glorious; but its great glory is the union that it possesses and enjoys with the divine nature of the Son of God. The pure humanity of Jesus veils His Deity, and yet the Deity shines through it, filling it with unutterable brightness, and irradiating it with inconceivable glory. There is no confusion or blending of the two natures, for humanity cannot become Deity, nor can Deity become humanity; each nature remains distinct; and each nature has its own peculiar glory.
But there is a glory also in the union of both natures in the Person of the God-man. That such wisdom should have been displayed, such grace manifested, such love revealed, and that the union of the two natures in the Person of the Son of God should not only have, so to speak, formerly originated, but should still unceasingly uphold, and eternally maintain salvation with all its present fruits of grace, and all its future fruits of glory, makes the union of the two natures unspeakably glorious. And when we consider further that through this union of humanity with Deity, the Church is brought into the most intimate nearness and closest relationship with the Father and the Holy Ghost, what a glory is seen to illuminate the Person of the God-man, who as God is one with God, and as man is one with man, and thus unites man to God, and God to man; thus bringing about the fulfilment of those wonderful words, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us." And again, "I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one."
Thus there is the glory of Christ as God, the glory of Christ as man, and the glory of Christ as God-man. And this threefold glory of Christ corresponds in a measure with what He was before He came into the world, with what He was whilst in the world, and with what He now is as having gone to the Father, according to His own words [JOHN 16:28]. Before He came into the world His chief glory was that belonging to Him as the Son of God; whilst in the world His chief glory was in being the Son of man; and now that He is gone back to heaven His chief glory is that of His being God and man in one glorious Person.
This latter glory of Christ, which is, in an especial sense, His mediatorial glory, is seen by faith here, and will be seen in the open vision of bliss hereafter. The three disciples on the Mount of transfiguration, Stephen at the time of his martyrdom, Paul when caught up into the third heaven, John in Patmos, had all special and supernatural manifestations of the glory of Christ; that is, surpassing what is generally given to believers. But the usual way in which we now see His glory is by the Holy Spirit glorifying Him by receiving of what is His, and shewing it to the soul. This divine and blessed Teacher testifies of Him; takes away the veil of ignorance and unbelief which hides Him from view; shines with a holy and sacred light on the Scriptures that speak of Him; and raising up faith to believe in His name sets Him before the eyes of the enlightened understanding, so that He is looked unto and upon; and though not seen with the bodily eye, is loved, believed, and rejoiced in with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Thus seen by the eye of faith, all that He is and has, all that He says and does is made precious and glorious. His miracles of mercy, whilst here below; His words so full of grace, wisdom, and truth; His going about doing good; His sweet example of patience, meekness, and submission; His sufferings and sorrows in the garden and on the cross; His spotless holiness and purity, yet tender compassion to poor lost sinners; His atoning blood and justifying obedience; His dying love, so strong and firm, yet so tried by earth, heaven, and hell; His lowly, yet honourable burial; His glorious resurrection, as the first-begotten of the dead, by which He was declared to be the Son of God with power; His ascension to the right hand of the Father, where He reigns and rules, all power being given unto Him in heaven and earth, and yet intercedes for His people as the great High Priest over the house of God. What beauty and glory shine forth in all these divine realities, when faith can view them in union with the work and Person of Immanuel!
How great, how elevated above all utterance or all conception of men or angels, must the glory of Christ be as the Son of the Father in truth and love! And not only is the Lord Jesus Christ glorious in His essential Deity as the Son of God, but glorious also in His holy, spotless humanity which He assumed in the womb of the Virgin Mary. For this, though the flesh and blood of the children, was "that holy thing which was begotten of the Holy Ghost," and was taken into union with His eternal Deity, that He might be "Immanuel, God with us."
The purity, holiness and innocence, the spotless beauty and complete perfection of this human nature, make it in itself exceedingly glorious; but its great glory is the union that it possesses and enjoys with the divine nature of the Son of God. The pure humanity of Jesus veils His Deity, and yet the Deity shines through it, filling it with unutterable brightness, and irradiating it with inconceivable glory. There is no confusion or blending of the two natures, for humanity cannot become Deity, nor can Deity become humanity; each nature remains distinct; and each nature has its own peculiar glory.
But there is a glory also in the union of both natures in the Person of the God-man. That such wisdom should have been displayed, such grace manifested, such love revealed, and that the union of the two natures in the Person of the Son of God should not only have, so to speak, formerly originated, but should still unceasingly uphold, and eternally maintain salvation with all its present fruits of grace, and all its future fruits of glory, makes the union of the two natures unspeakably glorious. And when we consider further that through this union of humanity with Deity, the Church is brought into the most intimate nearness and closest relationship with the Father and the Holy Ghost, what a glory is seen to illuminate the Person of the God-man, who as God is one with God, and as man is one with man, and thus unites man to God, and God to man; thus bringing about the fulfilment of those wonderful words, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us." And again, "I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one."
Thus there is the glory of Christ as God, the glory of Christ as man, and the glory of Christ as God-man. And this threefold glory of Christ corresponds in a measure with what He was before He came into the world, with what He was whilst in the world, and with what He now is as having gone to the Father, according to His own words [JOHN 16:28]. Before He came into the world His chief glory was that belonging to Him as the Son of God; whilst in the world His chief glory was in being the Son of man; and now that He is gone back to heaven His chief glory is that of His being God and man in one glorious Person.
This latter glory of Christ, which is, in an especial sense, His mediatorial glory, is seen by faith here, and will be seen in the open vision of bliss hereafter. The three disciples on the Mount of transfiguration, Stephen at the time of his martyrdom, Paul when caught up into the third heaven, John in Patmos, had all special and supernatural manifestations of the glory of Christ; that is, surpassing what is generally given to believers. But the usual way in which we now see His glory is by the Holy Spirit glorifying Him by receiving of what is His, and shewing it to the soul. This divine and blessed Teacher testifies of Him; takes away the veil of ignorance and unbelief which hides Him from view; shines with a holy and sacred light on the Scriptures that speak of Him; and raising up faith to believe in His name sets Him before the eyes of the enlightened understanding, so that He is looked unto and upon; and though not seen with the bodily eye, is loved, believed, and rejoiced in with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Thus seen by the eye of faith, all that He is and has, all that He says and does is made precious and glorious. His miracles of mercy, whilst here below; His words so full of grace, wisdom, and truth; His going about doing good; His sweet example of patience, meekness, and submission; His sufferings and sorrows in the garden and on the cross; His spotless holiness and purity, yet tender compassion to poor lost sinners; His atoning blood and justifying obedience; His dying love, so strong and firm, yet so tried by earth, heaven, and hell; His lowly, yet honourable burial; His glorious resurrection, as the first-begotten of the dead, by which He was declared to be the Son of God with power; His ascension to the right hand of the Father, where He reigns and rules, all power being given unto Him in heaven and earth, and yet intercedes for His people as the great High Priest over the house of God. What beauty and glory shine forth in all these divine realities, when faith can view them in union with the work and Person of Immanuel!
-Gospel
report by preacher J.C. Philpot (1802-1869 A.D.)
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