Glorify - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

GLORIFY

glo'-ri-fi:

The English word is the equivalent of a number of Hebrew and Greek words whose essential significance is discussed more fully under the word GLORY (which see). The word "glorious" in the phrases "make or render glorious" is used most frequently as a translation of verbs in the original, rather than of genuine adjectives In dealing with the verb it will be sufficient to indicate the following most important uses.

(1) Men may glorify God, that is, give to Him the worship and reverence which are His due (Isaiah 24:15; 25:3; Psalms 22:23; Daniel 5:23; Sirach 43:30; Matthew 5:16, and generally in the Synoptic Gospels and in some other passages of the New Testament).

(2) God, Yahweh (Yahweh), glorifies His people, His house, and in the New Testament, His Son, manifesting His approval of them and His interest in them, by His interposition on their behalf (Isaiah 55:5; Jeremiah 30:19; The Wisdom of Solomon 18:8; Sirach 45:3; John 7:39, and often in the Fourth Gospel).

(3) By a usage which is practically confined to the Old Testament, Yahweh glorifies Himself, that is, secures the recognition of His honor and majesty, by His direction of the course of history, or by His interposition in history, either the history of His own people or of the world at large (Leviticus 10:3; Isaiah 26:15; Ezekiel 28:22; Haggai 1:8).

Walter R. Betteridge

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'GLORIFY'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.