An Eternal Weight of Glory

2/13/07

2 Cor 4:17: For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

from Robertson's Word Pictures: "Eternal weight of glory: aioonion baros doxees. Careful balancing of words in contrast (affliction vs. glory, lightness vs. weight, for the moment vs. eternal)."

This is amazing, Lord. This verse is my memory verse this week, and I committed to exegeting my memory verses from now on to have their fullest meaning. I had no idea when I opened up the PC Study Bible to study this verse, I would find such a jewel. Thank You, Lord.

(added on 3/11/07)

The Hebrew word for glory is kabowd or kabod which means weight in a figurative sense. (OT:3519 - kabowd (kaw-bode'): properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness: -glorious (-ly), glory, honour (-able). (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary). The word is found in many places in the Old Testament, viz.

Ps 24:7-10
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.

Boice and Ryken write:

All three words [for glory] are used for God…which describes God as the King of
glory…[Psalm 24] is teaching that God alone is of ultimate weight, worth and
value, and therefore that He alone is worthy of our highest praise. We
are to give glory to God and to Him alone.

(Doctrines of Grace, p. 174)

So, glory means weight, or ultimate worth. Therefore, 2 Cor. 4:17 could also be translated: “for this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for God, who is of ultimate worth and highest praise." This, then, is a promise to help us hold fast through our trials because, in doing so, we will be given the greatest treasure of all – God Himself! As John Piper says, “God is the Gospel.”