March 27, 2004

THE LORD OF GLORY

"None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8, RSV).

What a majestic portrait of Jesus! Everything about it glows with beauty. This title is applied here to Christ in the setting of His crucifixion. The apostle Paul attributes the shameful crucifixion of Jesus to the inexcusable ignorance of the perpetrators of this cruel act. This title presents the contrast between the indignity of the cross (see Hebrews 12:2) and the preeminent majesty of the victim (see Luke 22:69).

The title, "Lord of Glory," is applied to Jesus twice in the New Testament. It indicates that He possesses all the attributes and prerogatives of Deity. God the Father is called the "Father of glory" (Ephesians 1:17, RSV), while the Son is addressed as the "King of glory" (Psalm 24:7, RSV) and the "Lord of glory" (James 2:1, RSV). The title is an acknowledgment of Christ's supremacy in the universe.

The word glory in this title has a special significance. It refers to Christ's triumphant completion of the plan of redemption. The apostle Peter calls it the "glory that should follow" (1 Peter 1:11). After the dark night of Christ's ignominious death on the cross, there came the majestic sunrise of the resurrection and the glorious ascension to the right hand of God. This event will build into a crescendo in the glory of the second advent. Since Christ occupies the center stage in the plan of salvation, He is the "Lord of Glory."

Because Jesus is the "Lord of Glory," He must also be the Lord of our lives. "Who can behold the glory of our Redeemer and not speak of it? Who, with the eye of faith, can see His beauty and not extol it? Who can taste of His love and not adore Him?"--The Gospel Herald, August 1, 1906.

My Prayer Today: Lord, when You return as the "Lord of Glory," help me to be a citizen of Your Kingdom. Amen.