Glory of Christ by John Owen (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 7 (The glory of Christ in his exaltation) and 8 (Representations of the Glory of Christ under the Old Testament).
(i) the susception of this office;
(ii) the discharge of this office;
(iii) the event and consequence thereof, or what ensued thereon.
This week we begin the last point and observe the glory of Christ in his exaltation after the accomplishment of the work of mediation in this world. We apprehend this glory as:
(i) the glory that Jesus prays that his disciples may be where he is to behold it;
(ii) the glory of his divine nature;
(iii) the glory of his human nature.
Then Owen teaches us things that belong to his glory in exaltation under the following heads:
(i) the exaltation of the human nature as subsisting in the divine person;
(ii) the evidence given of the infinite love of God the Father unto Christ for the discharge of his office;
(iii) the full manifestation of Christ's own divine wisdom, love and grace in the work of mediation and redemption of the church.
Then in Chapter 8 we look at representations of the glory of Christ in the Old Testament. Christ's glory is seen in:
(i) the beautiful worship of the law;
(ii) the mystical account given us of his communion with his church in love and grace;
(iii) his personal appearances on various occasions;
(iv) prophetical visions;
(v) his incarnation;
(vi) promises, prophecies, predictions concerning him;
(vii) metaphorical expressions.
I liked Chapter 8 on the Old Testament and Christ.
Particularly this paragraph: 'Promises, prophecies, predictions, concerning his person, his coming, his office, his kingdom, and his glory in them all, with the wisdom, grace, and love of God to the church in him, are the line of life, as was said, which runs through all the writings of the Old Testament, and takes up a great portion of them. Those were the things which he expounded unto his disciples out of Moses and all the Prophets. Concerning these things he appealed to the Scriptures against all his adversaries: “Search the Scriptures; for they are they which testify of me.” And if we find them not, if we discern them not therein, it is because a veil of blindness is over our minds. Nor can we read, study, or meditate on the writings of the Old Testament unto any advantage, unless we design to find out and behold the glory of Christ, declared and represented in them. For want hereof they are a sealed book to many unto this day.'
Why should Christians read the Old Testament? Because there we see Christ's glory!
Next week's reading
Read Chapters 9 (The glory of Christ in his intimate conjunction with the church) and 10 (The glory of Christ in the communication of himself unto believers).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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