Glory

1391 DOXA (166): magnificence, honor, praise, respect. In most trans- lations doxa is translated "glory". But the word "glory" has meanings in English which differ from the meaning of doxa in God's FCM (NT). Words that are more specific in meaning than "glory" should be used.

No single English word exists whose meaning includes the full significance of doxa as it used in the FCM, but "magnificence" comes fairly close. Features such as "illumination," "superhuman signs," or "praise" often accompany and accentuate the meaning of "magnificence."

The related word, endoxos (1741), usually applies to human perception of material "magnificence." It occurs in Lk.7.25, 13.17, 1Co.4.10 and Eph.5.27.

All doxa originates with God, in the same sense as does all "authority" (1849 exousia). God is himself magnificent (doxa) and he ascribes magnificence (doxa) to worthy beings and to material things he has created.

DERIVATION OF THE MEANINGS OF DOXA:

DOXA REFERRING TO THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE FATHER AND JESUS:

Jn.17.5: "...and now, Father, magnify (1392 doxazo) me with your own magnificence (doxa) which I had with you before the existing human world."

Jn.1.14: "...and the Message became flesh and tented among us. And we observed his doxa, doxa as of an only-born [one] from [the] Father..."

Jn.17.22: "...and I have given them the doxa which you gave to me, so that [they] may be one, just as we [are] one."

Mt.24.30: "...and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much doxa."

Mt.25.31: "...And when the Son of man comes in his doxa, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on a throne of his doxa."

These passages suggest that doxa is something that exists at the highest level in God's heavenly realm. Jesus was magnificent before creation, he was magnificent while here on earth in a physical body, and was or will be magnificent in his coming." And doxa is something Jesus gives humans to enable them to all be one. "Doxa" is the magnificence of God's spiritual realm.

MAGNIFICENCE (DOXA) ASSOCIATED WITH SUPERHUMAN EVENTS:

Jn.2.11: "Jesus did this beginning of signs in Cana of Galilee, and his doxa became apparent." The "sign"ificance of Jesus turning water into wine was more than it being a superhuman event. It revealed the doxa of Jesus.

Jn.11.4: "...this ailment (of Lazarus) is not for death, but to increase the doxa of God, so that the Son of God may be doxazo (1392) because of it. And in verse 40 Jesus foretold that Martha would see God's doxa; that is, the superhuman act by Jesus which caused Lazarus to rise up from the dead would bring doxa to both the Father and the Son.

In Jn.20.30-31 John explained, "...these (signs) are written so that you+ may be fully trusting that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of God; and that trusting, you+ may have life in his name."

So Jesus' superhuman signs were observed by humans through their five senses, enabling folks to realize the superhuman magnificence (doxa) of Jesus, and providing a reason for humans to trust in him.

DOXA AS ILLUMINATION OR RADIANCE OF GOD OR OTHER SPIRITUAL BEINGS:

Lk.2.9: "...and a messenger of [the] Master came upon them, and the magnificence {doxa) of the Master shone around them..."

Lk.9.29-31: "...and as he (Jesus) prayed, the appearance of his face became different and his clothing [became] gleaming white. And look, two men, Moses and Elias, talked with him; who being seen in magnificence (doxa) spoke of his departure..."

Act.22.11: "...I (Paul) could not see for the doxa of that light..."

Rev.18.1: "...I saw another messenger coming down out or heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated from his magnificence."

So, on certain occasions, doxa included visible light, brightness or an aura upon or around certain beings.

DOXA ACCOMPANYING THE SUFFERING OF JESUS:

Lk.24.26: "...was it not necessary for the Anointed One to suffer and to enter into his magnificence (doxa)?"

Rom.6.4: "...the Anointed One was raised up from [the] dead through the magnificence (doxa) of the Father."

Doxa accompanied Jesus' death and was the means of his resurrection.

DOXA REFERRING TO THE MANNER OF JESUS' "COMING" (2064 erchomai); Mt.16.27; 19.28; 24.30; 25.31,31. Mk.8.38; 13.26. Lk.9.26; 21.27:

Mt.24.30: "...and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much magnificence (doxa)."

FOR A HUMAN TO OBSERVE THE MAGNIFICENCE (DOXA) OF GOD OR JESUS:

Jn.12.41: "...Isaiah said these things because he saw his (Jesus') doxa and spoke about him" (Isa.6.10 and 53.1).

Act.7.55: "...(Stephen) being full of pure spirit, gazing into the heaven saw God's doxa and Jesus standing to [the] right of God.

Rom.15.7: "...Wherefore receive one another, as also the Anointed One has received us to God's doxa."

Doxa is contrasted to "dishonor" (0819 atimia) in 1Co.11.14-15, 15.43 and 2Co.6.8. But the opposite of dishonor (atimia) is usually "honor" (5092 time). Paul evidently chose to use doxa to contrast atimia in these three passages because doxa is higher than "honor" (time), and no other Greek word is the opposite of doxa. So in these passages, doxa seems to refer to humans in a higher sense. "Great honor" may approximate its meaning.

1) In 1Co.11.14: "...if a man wears his hair long it is a dishonor (atimia) to him," is the opposite circumstance of verse 15: "but if a woman wears her hair long it is a doxa to her."

2) In 1Co.15.42-43: "...So also [is] the raising-up of the dead. It is sown in decay, it is raised in non-decay; it is sown in dishonor (atimia, it is raised in doxa..."

3) In 2Co.6.8: "...through doxa and atimia (dishonor)..." through ill report and good report; as deceivers and true men...", indicating that doxa means "honor" in this passage.

Doxa is contrasted to "shame" (0152 aischune) in Php.3.19. It is also used with "honor, benefit" (5092 time) in Rom.2.7,10; 1Pe.1.7; 2Pe.1.17.

Translation:

DOXA REFERRING TO THE MAGNIFICENCE OF GOD, JESUS OR THE PURE SPIRIT:

MAGNIFICENCE (83) Mt.16.27; 19.28; 24.30; 25.31,31. Mk.8.38; 10.37; 13.26. Lk.2.9; 9.26,31,32; 21.27; 24.26; Jn.1.14,14; 2.11; 8.50,54; 11.4,40; 12:41; 17.5,22,24. Act.7.2,55. Rom.1.23; 3.23; 5.2; 6.4; 8.18; 15.7. 1Co.2.9. 2Co.3.8,18a; 4.4,6; 8.19,23. Eph.1.6,12,14,17,18; 3.16. Php.3.21; 4.19,20. Col.1.11. 1Th.2.12. 2Th.1.9; 2.14. 1Ti.1.11, 17; 3.16. 2Ti.4.18. Tit.2.13. Heb.1.3; 2.7,9; 3.3. Jas.2.1. 1Pe.1.11; 4.13,14; 5.1,10. 2Pe.1.3,17,17. Jud.8,24,25. Rev.1.6; 4.11; 5.12,13; 7.12; 15.8; 19.1; 21.11,23.

DOXA AS THE MAGNIFICENCE OF AN ANGEL:

MAGNIFICENCE (1) Rev.18.1.

DOXA REFERRING TO AN ATTITUDE OF HONOR AND RESPECT FOR GOD:

HONOR (20) Lk.2.14. Jn.5.41,44b; 7.18b. Rom.3.7; 4.20; 11.36; 16.27. 1Co.10.31. 2Co.1.20; 4.15. Gal.1.5. Eph.3.21. Php.1.11; 2.11. Heb.13.21 1Pe.1.21. Rev.11.13; 14.7; 16.9.

DOXA WHEN IT DESCRIBES SPOKEN PRAISE FOR GOD:

PRAISE (8) Lk.17.18. Jn.9.24; 12.43b. Act.12.23. 1Pe.4.11. 2Pe.3.18. Rev.4.9; 19.7.

GOD'S DESCRIPTION OF, OR THE APPEARANCE OF CERTAIN HUMANS:

MAGNIFICENCE (16) Rom.2.7,10; 8.21; 9.4,23,23. 1Co.2.7. 2Co.3.7b; 4.17. Col.1.27b; 3.4. 2Ti.2.10. Heb.2.10. 1Pe.1.7,24; 5.4.

RADIANCE (5) Mt.6.29. Lk.2.32; 12.27. 1Co.11.7,7.

HUMAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS SELF OR OTHER HUMANS:

MAGNIFICENCE (2) Php.3.19. 1Th.2.20.

HONOR (7) Lk.14.10. Jn.5.44a; 7.18a; 12.43a. 1Co.11.15. 2Co.6.8. 1Th.2.6.

HONORED ONE (1) 2Pe.2.10.

PRAISE (1) Eph.3.13.

DOXA AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF INANIMATE CREATIONS OR DOCTRINE: The grandeur of heavenly bodies (stars, planets, etc.) or material things.

MAGNIFICENCE (22) Mt.4.8. Lk.4.6; 19.38. Act.22.11. 1Co.15.40,41,41, 41,41,43. 2Co.3.7a,9,9,10,11,11,18b,18c. Col.1.27a. Heb.9.5. Rev.21.24,26.

1392 DOXAZO (61): to glorify, magnify, aggrandize, praise or honor a person; usually, to magnify or enlarge God's magnificence to one's self and others In many passages doxazo includes spoken praise for God. Comp. "magnificence" (1391 doxa) and "honor" (5091 timao).

Jn.17.4-5 yields clues to the meaning of doxazo: "I magnified (doxazo) you on the earth, completing the work which you gave me to do. And now magnify (doxazo) me, Father, with your own magnificence (doxa), which I had with you before the existing human world." The phrase "completing the work which you gave me to do" is an explanation of how Jesus "magnified [God] on the earth." Jesus magnified God through total subservience and by crediting God for all that he did. This can be seen in Jesus' statement: "For I did not speak from myself, but the Father having sent me, he has given me instruction, what I may say and what I may speak" (Jn.12.48). Thus Jesus could truthfully say, "...the one who is recognizing me recognizes the [one] having sent me (verse 45).

TO MAGNIFY THE MAGNIFICENT GOD:

MAGNIFY (51) Mt.5.16; 6.2; 9.8; 15.31. Mk.2.12. Lk.2.20; 4.15; 5.25, 26; 7.16; 13.13; 17.15; 18.43; 23.47. Jn.8.54,54; 11.4; 12.16,23,28, 28,28; 13.31,31,32,32,32; 14.13; 15.8; 16.14; 17.1,1,4,5,10; 21.19. Act.3.13; 4.21; 11.18; 21.20. Rom.1.21; 15.6,9. 1Co.6.20. 2Co.9.13. Gal.1.24. Heb.5.5. 1Pe.2.12; 4.11,16. Rev.15.4.

MAKE MAGNIFICENT (1): Jn.7.39.

TO MAGNIFY GOD'S MESSAGE OR SOMETHING ELSE PROVIDED BY GOD:

MAGNIFY (5) Act.13.48. Rom.11.13. 2Co.3.10,10. 2Co.3.1.

TO MAGNIFY A HUMAN OR SOMETHING ELSE, literally or figuratively:

MAGNIFY (4) Rom.8.30; 1Co.12.26. 1Pe.1.8. Rev.18.7. 1/92

 

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