GLORIFY HIM IN HIMSELF
John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. 31 ¶ Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
Let us first understand just what is meant by the word “glory.” It is the exact same Greek word translated “honour” in John 8:54. John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: And in the content of that verse we also realize that one cannot rightfully honor, or glorify himself!
Even the Eternal Son of God did not seek to honor, or glorify himself! Hebrews 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As we see in that fifth verse it was the Father that exalted the Son. So in our text, God the Father is honored and glorified in the Son, therefore the Father will honor and glorify the Son in the Son himself!
Consider also these verses: John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 2 Corinthians 10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
For those who sought to glorify themselves and enumerate their religious accomplishments were dealt with most severely by the Lord. Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
And the righteous sheep, placed on the right hand of the Lord on his throne, have no recollection of any spiritual accomplishments rendered by themselves. Matthew 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And all their crowns are cast at His feet! Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
It was that the Persons of the Trinity did honor and glorify one another! In John 13:31 the Father is glorified in the Son. And in John 13:32 the Father honors and glorifies the Son in himself. We also read in John 16 that the Holy Spirit exalts the Lord Jesus by taking the things He has taught and done and revealing them unto the disciples. John16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Do you remember how the believing widows persuaded Peter in the raising of Dorcas from the dead? They honored her by showing unto him the coats and garments which Dorcas had made. They honored her by revealing her works. And she was raised from the dead. Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And that is after the pattern of the Holy Spirit revealing Christ’s good works to glorify Him!
In our text we see that Judas has now gone out from the disciples in order to betray the Lord. And as soon as that happens the Lord speaks of that being the prerequisite of his being glorified. For in his glorious willingness to obey his Father’s wishes in shedding his own life’s blood to redeem all of his chosen, he would be highly exalted. Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; In order to reach his highest glory, he submitted himself to be obedient to descend to the lowest depths! Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
For as we have already stated, the Holy Spirit must glorify the Lord Jesus, as Jesus will not glorify and honor himself. Therefore the Lord rejoices as Judas went out to betray him, as this would lead to his crucifixion and then to his exaltation! John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
We have also revealed to us another event which prompted his glorification. John 12:27 ¶ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. 30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Here the Lord speaks of the Father’s voice regarding his glory as being “for your sakes.”
But looking deeper into this passage we learn more of whom he meant. Carefully consider these former verses: John 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. 20 ¶ And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
First, in verse sixteen we realize that the disciples have no clear knowledge of the events taking place before their eyes because the Lord was not yet glorified by the Holy Spirit, as he would be after his crucifixion. (Refer to that Philippians 2:5-10 passage listed above.) Therefore even when the Father’s voice is heard by them concerning the matter of His Son’s glory they perceive it to be only an angel or thunder.
Secondly we see that the Lord instructs that the voice of God was, as previously stated, “for your sakes.” And we see that this was in regard to the Greeks coming to see Jesus. For since that has happened, and since there was such confusion by Philip and Andrew as to how to deal with Gentile acceptance, the Lord meant it was for the sake of those Greeks, and for the sakes of the disciples as how to deal with them. For it was the pure voice of the Father to the Son concerning the essential necessity of His glory in order for salvation to be afforded mankind for their recovery from the sin, into which the first Adam had plunged them!
Romans 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
We must understand just what took place at Calvary! Although the natural eye cannot see it, great and marvelous, and eternal things took place! Christ’s work on earth was finished. John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
And the Father was eternally satisfied. Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
And the Son was forever glorified! Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Then we come to have the most blessed privilege of having a copy of the glorious prayer by the Son of God unto the Father, at the very time of the sacrifice. What a marvelous privilege given to us to be allowed to actually read the very wording of the Son’s prayer to the Father! John 17:1 ¶ These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Here the Son speaks to the Father in the matter of that which is recorded in John 12:28, which we have listed above. I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. And also the word of the Father, which is the text and title of this article. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
The priorities which concern the Trinity are set forth in Christ’s prayer. In John 17:1 he first speaks of the cross being the hour of his glory! That is the first and most important issue concerning the Lord at his cross. The first issue was not the salvation of man! For there could be no salvation rendered without the Son being glorified!
The in John 17:2 the second issue of God of the cross is the exaltation of the Son. For he is to be given authority and power over all flesh. Thus the absolute sovereignty of the Son is the second issue and result of his first being glorified. For that Hebrews 1:3 verse, just quoted, states that it was when he had by himself purged our sins, that he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Therefore, in the mind of our Holy God, the foremost issue of the crucifixion was the glory of God. And the second issue was the exaltation of the Son. 1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
And the third and final issue set forth in this holy communion within the Trinity was the salvation of man. …that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Modern day religion reverses this, putting the salvation of man as the most important issue of God. For they have no clear view of the cross as set forth by the Lord God, putting mankind’s welfare foremost, ahead of God and his glory!
May God have mercy!
Pastor Gene Breed
August 06, 2021
