The opening sentence of the comment for the 14 October 2012 page on the calendar reads:
No being in the universe is more deserving of exaltation and glorification than God our Father.
Well, that is what Mr K wrote and I’m sure he must think the comment is Biblically sound. But is it really scripturally accurate?
There is only one way to know that what you believe is Scripturally sound – that is by comparing Scripture with Scripture. So let’s do that. Does anything come to mind? Consider this:
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;11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11
Yes, I am suggesting that there is Someone who is at least as deserving, and of whom it might be said ‘is more deserving of exaltation and glorification than God our Father’ – but only on the basis of what Philippians 2:9-11 says, along with other Scriptures.
Note what it does say:
1. The Lord Jesus Christ has been ‘given a name which is above every name’. So who else could be more deserving of ‘exaltation and glorification’ than He? How can I argue with Scripture?
2. ‘to the glory of God the Father’ must mean that it has the approval of God the Father.
But isn’t this ‘splitting hairs’, as some say? For some it may be regarded as such. For some of us there is more at stake here. The measure of a person’s Biblical theology and doctrine in particular may be gauged by considering the importance or place they give to the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘What think ye of Christ?’ has always been the king-pin of the Scriptures.
We can’t but notice the place given to the Lord Jesus Christ in the Scriptures and see a huge difference to the place given Him by those who come knocking at our doors in pairs, for example. On one hand the Lord Jesus Christ is presented in Scripture as the eternally existing Son of God, the Creator, Head of the Church, etc. . . but there are those who want to make Him a created being, a god and someone inferior to Jehovah. There’s only one camp for me when I read verses like these:
John 5:23 says: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Revelation 19:13 and 16 say: And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. . .16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
In the Revelation verses we see that the One spoken of is first of all ‘called The Word of God’ in verse13. So this is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. When we get to verse 16 His ‘name written’ is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. What does that tell us? Is there any being greater?
There would be a difficulty finding anyone greater in light of Colossians 1:17-19:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
and Colossians 2:9-10 says:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Please show me any verses I’ve missed that show the Lord Jesus Christ to be in any way inferior to God the Father in the Scriptures.
John 17:
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. (24) – But why didn’t He ask for these to all be able to behold the Father’s glory?
Yes I know; there are lots of others. Here are some to read:
Jude 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. – A reference to the Lord Jesus. See the comment below about Titus 2:13..
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Revelation 4:8, 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.
Christ is the creator in John 1:3, Colossians 1:16 and in Hebrews 1:2 (below).
Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;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. – Christ is ‘the brightness of his (God the Father’s) glory, and the express image of his person‘.
2 Thessalonians 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
By the way – Who is God’s Father in verse 6? Therefore the ‘God’ referred to is the Lord Jesus, as often also seen in Paul’s writings. e.g. Titus 2:13 the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Also, the two are seen as one. ‘And’ does not always mean there are two separate things involved. It can rightly also mean that the two things spoken of are in fact one. e.g. The lady’s brother and owner of the cat saw the mouse escape could mean that a) there were two people who saw the mouse escape: the lady’s brother and the owner of the cat or there was one person who saw the mouse escape: the lady’s brother who is also the owner of the cat. The ‘who is also’ could be replaced by ‘and’.
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. The context shows the ‘Lord’ to be the Lord Jesus. Compare verse 8 plus Romans 2:16 and Acts 17:31.
2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
1 Corinthians 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
For further discussion of a similar theme see the posts titled:
Magazine No 188
Word of God – Part 1.