The Glory of God in the Atonement
Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.
John 13:31-32
Here Jesus’ words help us behold the perfections of Christ in the glory of his atonement—a subject worthy of our bold, unfettered proclamation. In the Old Testament, the title “Son of Man” is associated with the glory of Christ (as in Daniel 7), but in the Synoptic gospels it is associated with his suffering. And here the Lord uses this title of himself to unite both his glory and his suffering. Indeed, there is perhaps no greater manifestation of the glory of God than in the atoning work of the Son. We see the Son glorified in his inconceivable condescension, in his infinite mercy, and in his unassailable power as he goes to the cross to render powerless the effects of sin, Satan, and death.
God the Father is also glorified in the Son through his sovereignty and faithfulness to fulfill his covenant promises to Adam and Eve and their descendents. In the protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, he promised to provide a redeemer, later pictured in the innocent animal he killed to provide a covering for sin (v. 21). His sovereignty and faithfulness are also put on display by providing a way of salvation to the elect of Israel and among the Gentiles who have been grafted into the root of Abrahamic blessing—the necessary elements for the dawning messianic kingdom. He is also glorified in his omniscience as he carries out a plan of redemption that not only forgives sinners, but also declares them to be righteous through the imputed righteousness of his perfect sacrifice.
We see him glorified in his holy hatred of sin, when he poured out his wrath upon his Son to satisfy his perfect justice. We see him glorified in his omnipotence that would not only raise Jesus from the dead, but also give spiritual life to dead sinners and one day raise them from the dead. We see him glorified in his love that is magnified in a way so profound, John said: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
Frankly, every attribute, every perfection of deity, is dramatically displayed on the cross of Calvary. For this reason Jesus says, “If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately” (John 13:32). This speaks of the glory given to the Son as a result of his perfect obedience to the Father’s will, his sacrificial death, resurrection, and exaltation to the right of the Father in glory. Paul summarized this in Phil 2:10 when he said: “Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
May we as pastors and church leaders help our people fix their gaze upon the perfections of Christ in the glory of his atonement, for this is the means the Spirit uses to transform his redeemed ever more into the likeness of Christ.
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