Glory: His Need or Our Need

John 5:41 - "I do not receive glory from people" (ESV)

So, if Jesus wants us to honor him (v. 23) but "does not receive glory (the Greek doxa can also be translated honor) from people" (v. 41), then what's the purpose of giving him honor? He doesn't need it. It must be absolutely true, then, that giving Jesus honor is for us! This is the purpose of our lives! To give honor and glory to Jesus, and by doing so, we honor the Father. As I have written before, God is the only sufficient Source of true reward, fulfillment, and salvation. Everything else will leave us utterly lonely, empty, miserable, and eventually completely destitute of any moral incline.

Jesus takes our natural bents toward evil and replaces them with His righteousness and the Helper - the Holy Spirit of God - who will teach us and guide us (Jn. 16:13). Why do we need teaching? Why do we need guidance? Because evil, of all shapes, sizes, and degrees, lead toward an un-human experience. Consider at the incredibly natural, typical level: if a man steals and gets caught, he will go to prison. Prison is not a place God wants us to be. Prison is a place where people do not thrive. We weren't meant to do life in prison! Now, on a deeper, spiritual level, consider addictions: people are enslaved to their "drug" - physically, mentally, and spiritually. If one follows the life of an addicted person, they will see the slow, or even immediate decay of their humanity and experience of true life. Their addictions control their behaviors; they do things they wouldn't do if they weren't addicted to their "drug" (knowing that shopping, pornography, gambling, etc. can easily be substituted for the typical drug addictions with all the same physiological, biological, spiritual, and social consequences).

All this to say, when Jesus came to earth, he was not seeking glory from man as an end or even to fulfill His need. He receives everything from the Father (Jn. 16:15). Rather, He came to Earth to fulfill our need; to give us meaning. Thanks be to God, who fill us with purpose, love, and righteousness out of the blessing of Jesus Christ!