Glory of Christ by John Owen (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 11 (The glory of Christ in the recapitulation of all things in Him).
Firstly Owen premises some observations that 'declare the original of all these things in heaven and earth, their primitive order, the confusion that ensued thereon, with their restitution in Christ, and his glory thereby.'
Secondly Owen gives 'a brief account of the mysterious work of divine wisdom in the recapitulation of all things in Jesus Christ; and herein is he transcendently glorious, or his glory herein is far above our comprehension; yet some things may be observed, to direct us in the view and contemplation of it'. So we observe Christ is glorious because:
(i) only he could bear the weight of God's glory;
(ii) God glorifies himself in the incarnation of Christ;
(iii) Christ repairs and makes up the entrance of sin;
(iv) Christ is the only means of expressing the infinite wisdom of God toward his creatures;
(v) Christ communicates firmness and security to all creation.
I enjoyed Owen's words regarding Christ's suitability for God's glory: 'He alone was a meet and capable subject of it. He alone could bear the weight of this glory. No mere creature in heaven or earth was meet to be thus made the head of the whole new creation of God. In none of them could all things consist. None of them was meet to be thus in the place of God, to have all things depend upon him, and be put in subjection unto him; so as that there should be no communication between God and the creation but by and through him alone.'
No one else is capable of bearing the weight of God's glory. Yet so often we humans try to steal that glory.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 12 (Differences between our beholding the glory of Christ by faith in this world and by sight in heaven - the first of them explained).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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