Galatians 1:5
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Truth to Learn
One day God will receive praise and glory from all of creation, and it will last eternally.
Behind the Words
The word translated “glory” is the Greek word, doxa which is the noun form of the verb dokeo meaning “to think” or “to recognize.” Hence, doxa refers to “the good thoughts and recognition” that someone deservedly receives. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary, “the word primarily means thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion, and thus in a secondary sense reputation, praise, and honor.”
In the current verse, Paul says that glory is to be given to God “forever and ever.” This expression is the translation of the Greek, eis tous aionos ton aionon. The words aionos and aionon refer to a duration or continuation of time. Hence the expression that Paul used here could be translated as “unto the ages of the ages” or “unto the time of time.” The truest meaning in English, though, would be “eternally” or “forever.”
Meaning Explained
In the current verse we have to first ask ourselves who Paul is referring to when he says “to whom.” Is he referring to Jesus Christ, who gave his own blood to pay for our sins, who willingly gave of his perfect life in payment for our imperfect lives? Or is he referring to God the Father, whose will it was that his only begotten son should be sacrificed for us, who laid out the plan of the ages including a way for us, dead in out trespasses and sins, to be reconciled to a perfect, holy, righteous God? It is very likely that Paul is referring both, though from a strict grammatical sense this would refer to God the Father.
One of the supreme examples of God receiving honor and glory is given to us in the book of Revelation. This is a scene from God’s throne room in heaven:
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:9-11)
And, quoting a passage from the prophet Isaiah, Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans:
For it is written, “As I live, says the lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to god.” (Romans 14:11)
Application
If God is some day going to receive our praise for all of time and eternity, because of who He is and what He has done, then we should be practicing daily our giving of this glory to Him who “was and is and is to come.”
Let each one of us give God all the glory and all the praise right now!
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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