The Expectation of the Glory
By Jonathan Mitchell
What did Paul mean, in the expression, "the expectation of the glory"? We find this phrase in the first chapter of Colossians. The context is God's household administration which was given to the Colossian called-out community, through Paul, to "fulfill God's Word" (vs. 25). That statement is itself a broad topic to consider, but our current topic is found in this setting. We will take up the next couple verses as a beginning of our investigation:
27. to whom God wills (or: at one point purposed; or: intends) to make known by intimate experience, what [are] the riches of the glory of this Secret (or: the wealth from this sacred mystery's manifestation which calls forth praise; the wealth which is the assumed Appearance pertaining to this Secret) within the multitudes (among the nations; in the Gentiles; IN UNION WITH the swarms of ethnic groups; centered in the sphere of the swarms of non-Israelites), which is (or: exists being): Christ within you folks, the expectation of, and from, the glory (or: which is [the] Anointing in union with you people: the [realized] hope of the manifestation which called forth praise; or: which is [the] Anointed One [and the Messiah] within the midst of, and in the sphere of, you folks - the expectation which is the assumed Appearance).
In both of these verses, Paul sets this expectation as having been a part of "the Secret" which had been concealed up to the point of it having, through Paul, been at that time
"set in clear light IN His set-apart folks."
Via the parenthetical expansion (vs. 26b) we are offered other options for rendering that final phrase. The reason for this is that the Greek text does not have a preposition designated, so we must look to the functions of the case of the object of the preposition, and then determine which English prepositions might fit the context and make sense. On offer are expressions of the dative case which can fulfill these criteria:
a) in His set-apart folks
b) to His holy ones
c) by His saints
d) for His sacredly different people.
Also offered are other options for the Greek "hagios," which is conventionally just rendered, "holy."
With this setting in focus, let us examine the articulated phrase, "the glory," which is used twice in vs. 27. This term has the following potential meanings:
a) the glory
b) the manifestation which calls forth praise
c) the assumed appearance.
There are other options, e.g., "the reputation," but they do not seem to fit the context.
Note that, in vs. 27, it is the set-apart folks in Colossae to whom
"God wills (or: at one point purposed; or: intends) to make known by intimate experience, what [are] the riches of the glory of this Secret,"
that is to say, just what this Secret entails, and what are the riches of the glory which has its source in that manifestation (Christ) which calls forth praise! Then Paul explains that it is
"Christ within [them], the expectation of the glory."
The Greek term, "christos," is a noun that can either mean "Christ," or "the anointing," and it is through the anointing from His Spirit that He dwells within us, and among us. Christ Himself, (and the flow of His Spirit) is in union with us: that is the glory, which was the expectation of the Promise (the Secret), from ages past.
Christ within, and among, the Gentiles (the ethnic multitudes) was "the Secret." It was wild olive branches being grafted into Israel's olive tree (Rom. 11:17). Christ brings a
"manifestation which calls forth praise" (or: "glory") to the nations now, whereas before the glory (along with the sonship, the arrangements and the promises) belonged only to Israel (Rom. 9:4).
That Christ would remove the dividing wall between Israel and the ethnic multitudes, making both into One New Humanity (Eph. 2:11-22), was the big Secret.
Rendering the last phrase (te s doxe s) as an ablative (from the glory) gives the meaning that the expectation comes FROM the manifestation which calls forth praise, and this manifestation is Christ. Thus, Christ is the source of the expectation - which, in turn, is Christ within and among them (the ethnic multitudes). The "glory" has now been set in clear light "in His set-apart folks" (vs. 26), the covenant community in Christ. The remainder of this brief investigation will simply be citations from more of the NT writings. We will begin with a statement about the work of Christ, in Heb. 2:
10. You see, it was fitting for Him - on account of Whom [is] the collective whole ([are] all things that exist) and through (or: by means of) Whom [is] the collective whole ([are] all things that exist; [cf Jn. 1:3]) - in, when, and by, leading many sons [note: a figure for all humanity; cf Rom. 5:15, 18, 19] into GLORY and an assumed appearance (or: a good reputation), to finish, perfect, and make complete the File-Leader who first walked the Path of their deliverance (to bring to a complete state the Originator and Chief Agent of their rescue; to script the final scene for the Chief Inaugurator and Conveyor of their restoration; to bring the Pioneering Bringer of their salvation to the destined goal), through the effects of sufferings and results of experiences [note, pascho means: to be affected by something - either good or bad; to feel, have sense experiences; thus, also: to suffer or undergo passion].
In 2 Cor. 3:18, Paul gives us another picture of "the expectation," which is revealed in terms of a process of transformation:
"But (or: So now,) we all, ourselves - having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled [note: as with Moses, before the Lord, Ex. 34:34] - being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's glory: the very image (or: being those who progressively reflect - from ourselves, as by a mirror - the assumed appearance of, from, and which is, [our] Owner and Master [or: = from Yahweh]: the same image and form), are presently being progressively transformed, away from a GLORY and appearance, into the midst of a GLORY and manifestation which calls forth praise (or: are being continuously changed in form: transfigured, from glory to glory) - corresponding essentially to, exactly as, precisely to the degree of, and following the very Pattern, from [the] Lord, Who is Breath-effect (or: from a Spirit of [the] Lord; from [Yahweh], from [the] Spirit; from [the] Lord's Spirit; from [the] Master of spirit, or from spirit's Owner)." [cf Jn. 17:22, 24]
Paul opens for us yet another beautiful picture, in Col. 3:
9. ... And so, having stripped off from yourselves (undressed yourselves from; or: And with getting out of and then going away from) the old humanity (the old human; = the old Adam), together with its practices,
10. and then having suddenly clothed yourselves with (or: and with putting on and entering within) the new one (the fresh one which existed only recently), the one being continuously (or: repeatedly; habitually; progressively) renewed (made back up essentially new again -- different in kind and character; [cf Rev. 21:5]) into full, accurate, added, intimate and experiential Knowledge and Insight, which is down from, following the pattern of, corresponding to, and is in the sphere of, the Image (an exactly formed Visible Likeness) of its Creator,
11. wherein (or: in which place, state, or sphere) there is no Greek [figure of the multitudes who are non-Jews, and of those who are cultured and civilized] and Jew [figure of a covenant people of God], circumcision and uncircumcision [figure for religious in-groups and out-groups; there is no longer a covenant people versus non-covenant people], barbarian [foreigner who speaks a different language], Scythian [figure or example of wild, uncivilized groups], slave, freeman, but to the contrary, Christ [is] all, and within all.
12. Therefore, as God's chosen, set-apart folks, even ones having been, and still being loved (or: God's sacred, loved and selected people; or: as picked-out, elect ones from God - holy folks having been accepted and now being affected by This Urge toward Reunion), put on and clothe yourselves with (or: enter within; envelope yourselves within) bowels (= the tender parts; seat of empathies) of compassion (= a gentle, gracious disposition), kindness (adaptable usefulness), humility (the disposition of things of lowness or of low station), gentleness (mildness), waiting long before rushing with emotions (even-temperedness; long-suffering; patient putting up with people or situations; pushing anger far away),
13.
14. Now upon (or: added to) all these things [put on; superimpose] the Love, which continues being a joining link and uniting band of perfection (a tie which binds together and pertains to the goal of maturity, being the result of fruitfulness; [the] fastening connection and binding factor of the completeness of the finished product; [the] bond producing perfection and destiny).
We suggest that this passage describes a Life which characterizes "the expectation" to which Paul referred in 1:27, above. It is a life that is "joined to the Lord" (1 Cor. 6:17).
Now In Rom. 8, Paul speaks again to the topic of expectation. Let us meditate on his words in the following verses:
23. Yet not only [this], but further, even we ourselves - constantly holding (or: having; possessing) the firstfruit of, and which is, the Spirit - we ourselves also continually sigh and groan within (in the center of) ourselves, continuously accepting and, as with our hands, taking away from out of, and fully receiving, a placing in the condition of a son (or: [the] deposit of the Son; a setting in place which is the Son; a constituting as a son; a placing in the Son): the buying-back process of the emancipating [as from slavery, by payment of a ransom], redeeming release of our body [cf Ezk. 37:1-14](or: [and] the loosing from being tied to the destruction pertaining to the [corporate; old creation] body, which is us; or: = the unbinding, setting free, and release from the body [of Adam; of humanity], which belongs to us). [cf 2 Cor. 5:2-4; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:20b]
24. For in the sphere of The Expectation, and with this expectant hope, we are suddenly made whole and healthy (or: You see, by the expectation we are delivered and saved; or: For we were at one point rescued to expectation; or: To be sure, we were kept safe for this Expectation)! Now expectation (or: an expectant hope) being continuously seen or observed is not expectation or hope, for who continues hoping, in expectation, for what he also constantly sees or observes?
25. Yet since (or: Even if, and assuming that,) we continue expecting what we are not seeing (or: observing), we still continue taking away and accepting from out of (or: fully receiving from) it through remaining under [our present situation and circumstances] (or: by means of patient, humble, persistent, supportive endurance). [cf 1 Cor. 1:7; Heb. 9:28]
26. Now similarly (or: likewise; in like manner), the Spirit also (or: even the Breath-effect; the Attitude, as well,) habitually takes hold together with us, on the opposite side of a situation, so as to lend a helping hand, and thus to assist in our weakness (or: joins with a helping hand in the sphere of our lack of strength and infirmity), for we have not seen, and thus do not know, nor are we aware of, the thing which we should think, speak, or do, toward having things go well unto goodness, to accord with just what must be (or: what we can pray commensurately concerning the degree of that which is necessary), but rather the Spirit Himself (the Breath-effect Itself; this very, same Attitude), from above, constantly and repeatedly comes to the rescue and hits the target within us (or: falls in on our behalf; instead of us hits within; falls in for and over us; or: makes hyper-intercession, in union with us, and in our sphere) accompanied by unexpressed, unutterable or inexpressible groanings!
Then, a few verses later in this passage, we read this beautiful pronouncement:
30. Now [in fact, consider this]: those whom He at one point before-marked-out (or: designates beforehand; [A reads: knew from prior intimate experience]), these He also at once called (or: calls; invited), and whom He called (or: calls; invites), these He also in one stroke rightwised by an eschatological deliverance (or: makes and sets right, frees from guilt and liberates from bondage, while making them fair and placing them in rectified covenant relationships in the Way pointed out). Now further, those whom He rightwised (or: liberates and turns in the right direction; or: = included in covenant), these He also instantly GLORIFIED (or: makes of reputation which calls forth praise; gives a splendid, assumed-appearance; gives honorable thoughts and opinions; clothes with splendor). [cf Ex. 16:7-10; 24:16]
We suggest that this being "glorified" happened by our being placed into Christ, who is the Image and Glory of God (cf Lu. 9:31-32; Jn. 1:14; Col. 1:15; 3:4; 1 Cor. 11:7b; Phil. 3:21).
A final passage which we will consider involves Paul's discussion about aspects of the resurrection, as found in 1 Cor. 15:
43. It is constantly being sown within dishonor (in union with lack of value; in the midst of worthlessness), it is being habitually (or: progressively; one after another) awakened and raised up within, and in union with, glory (a manifestation which calls forth praise; an assumed appearance of good repute). It is constantly being sown within weakness, it is being habitually (or: repeatedly; constantly; one after another; progressively) awakened and raised up within, and in union with, inherent power, means of influence, potentiality, and ability.
44. It is habitually (continually; repeatedly; presently) being sown a body having the qualities and characteristics of a soul (a body with the life of a soul and a consciousness of self); it is habitually (repeatedly; constantly; presently; one after another) being awakened and raised up a spiritual body). Since there is a soulish (soul-animated) body, there also is (or: exists) a spiritual (spirit-animated) one.
This new Life, in the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), is that which comprises "the Expectation of, and from, the Glory."
Jonathan
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