Jude ascribes all glory, majesty, power and authority to God. (Jude 25).

In the Old Testament you may recall the hebrew word for glory, kavod, which means “heaviness” or “weight”. In an era where value was literally measured by weight on scales, the value of something was always determined by its weight. The OT writers intended to express two realities, first that God is the most valuable of all and second that everything else recieve and should be valued from His glory. When we read the account of creation we see that God calls His creation good. If He, the most glorious of all affirms another’s value, we can assume it has worth! God created man as image bearers, to bear in some sense His glory, and in a more intimate sense than a beautiful sunset or the Grand Canyon. This is an important concept because there is yet a further reality. When Gods glory, or kavod, filled a space, it filled the whole space. Man could not withstand the weight of His glory.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:34-35

Jude was a Jew, and had a high reverence for Gods unsurpassed worth. Like the rest of the New Testament, Judes letter as we know it today was translated from Greek into English. The Greek word for glory (doxa) in the New Testament is the unspoken manifestation of God.

Doxa comes from the verb dokein which means to “to appear, to seem, to think, to accept”. I find this interesting because as the ancient world changed, and systems of value changed, we have a new means of describing Gods glory. Gods unequivocal value is believed. His presence is known, and worth more than anything else. His glory embodied in Christ, the perfect image of the unseen God.

Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

John 1:14

As we read Johns gospel, he unpacks the wonderful birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. This introductory passage acts as a spoiler of sorts, for the disciples didn’t begin to see His glory until the miracle at Cana. Jude was Jesus brother, and was likely at the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine, along with the other disciples.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

John 2:11

Jesus revealed his glory (doxa) in the miraculous. Time and time again as He healed, restored, and freed people from sin and demons. And every time Gods glory was revealed, like a reflection of Gods light. But it wasn’t until the transfiguration that Jesus not only reflected Gods glory, but becomes the vessel of Gods glory.

Jesus became the radiance of God’s glory.

The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word

Hebrews 1:3a

Just as all of creation was good, and worthy because God declares it so, now Jesus is glorified as the sustainer of all things! All things will be glorified through Him, and to Him!

Interesting enough, the word doxology comes from doxa. It is intended to direct our worship to Him who is worthy. Judes intention here is to point our eyes to Christ, and worship Him for the worth God has declared over His son, and our savior.

So what should we do? Well, I believe Paul answers this most practically in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, and specifically in verse 31.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Doing the dishes? Playing with the kids? Paying the taxes? Preaching to the congregation? Feeding the homeless? Driving to work? Do it all to the glory of God. I like how pastor John Piper summarized this passage:

We glorify God when, out of love for him, we lay down our rights, our freedoms, in eating or drinking or whatever in order to do what is most loving toward others, either for the progress and joy of their faith, or that they may be saved.

As leaders, pastors, counselors, neighbors, friends, parents and husband and wife – when we do whatever we do through sacrificial love, in servitude, embodying Christs likeness, we give Him glory. We must become less (glorified) so He may become more (glorified). Just like the temple, their isn’t room for our glory and Gods. We have to clear out, so He can fill it all up!

Peace be with you.