What is means by Glorify the Son, Glorify the Father. John 11:4, John 17:1-5 - Copy

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Introduction

We all face sin, death, and Satan’s lies. But just like Lazarus, we can be raised to life through Christ. Death is not the end—it is the beginning of eternal life. Our greatest need is to believe in Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, so that when He comes again, we too will be glorified with Him.When the sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, Jesus already knew what would happen. He said, “This sickness will not end in death.” Yet the same day Lazarus died. Was Jesus wrong? No, absolutely not. He knew Lazarus would die, but He also knew He was going to raise him from the dead.That is why He delayed two more days and only went on the fourth day—so that God’s glory would be revealed. Jesus explained that Lazarus’ death was not the final word but a stage for God’s power to be displayed. He wanted His disciples and the crowd to see God’s glory, and He wanted His own glory as the Son of God to be revealed (John 11:4).

God’s Glory Revealed in Jesus

When Jesus raised Lazarus, God’s glory was on full display. The Jews saw with their own eyes that Jesus truly had power over death. This sign confirmed His claim: He was sent from God, and He was indeed the Son of God. The Bible says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). John also wrote, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, full of grace and truth.” That is why Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one. "When Philip asked, “Show us the Father,” Jesus replied, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Through Jesus’ ministry, character, and miracles, the glory of God was revealed.

Christ’s Death and Resurrection

But the greatest display of God’s glory was not Lazarus’ resurrection. It was Christ’s own death and resurrection.On the cross He bore our sins, took our shame, and drank the cup of God’s wrath. For a moment He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—the only time the Son was separated from the Father. Yet even in that moment, He was accomplishing the greatest victory.Satan and his demons thought they had won; Death had won. But Jesus overcame their power of sin and death, the powers that had made us slaves to sin. Then He called out to His Father again—the relationship was restored. Having conquered, He gave up His spirit.

But on the third day, He rose from the dead in victory. Through His death we were set free from the power of sin and death. Ephesians 2:1–3 says: We were children of Satan, spiritually dead, but by God’s grace and mercy, He raised us up and made us alive in Christ. We have been saved by God’s grace, through faith, and in Christ alone.Satan thought he had won, but on the third day Jesus rose again, conquering sin and death. As Scripture says, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).Through His resurrection, the Father glorified the Son, seating Him at His right hand and giving Him authority over all creation (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 12:2).

How the Glory of God is Revealed in Christ

Through Jesus Christ’s obedience and His perfect sacrifice, He bore all of our sins on the cross and took all the shame. He drank the cup of God’s wrath, went into hell, and came out victorious.As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, He had no sin; He lived a perfect life of obedience, humbling Himself and serving us. Because of what He has done, He pleased God, and His sacrifice became a sweet-smelling aroma before Him.On the cross, He paid the penalty of our sin and took upon Himself the full wrath of God. He glorified the Father by revealing Him to us; through His character we see God’s love, grace, and mercy.

Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). When we see His character, power, and authority, we see the Father Himself. John declared that the Word became flesh and revealed God’s glory (John 1:14). Jesus confirmed this when He said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).When Philip asked to see the Father, Jesus explained that whoever has seen Him has already seen the Father, for the Father lives in Him and works through Him (John 14:8–11).Returning to John 11:4, the glory of God was revealed through Jesus—through His ministry, His signs, His character, and ultimately through His death and resurrection.

Glorify the Son, Glorify the Father

This connects directly to John 17:1–5. Before the cross Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.” He continued, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”In other words, everything Jesus did—including raising Lazarus—was to show the Father’s power and authority. And the Father, in turn, glorified the Son by giving Him authority over all things, even death itself.When Jesus says, “Glorify Me as I have glorified You” (John 17:1, often paraphrased from His High Priestly Prayer), He’s speaking about the relationship between the Father and the Son. Let’s break it down:

• “I have glorified You”—Jesus is saying that through His life, ministry, miracles, obedience, and soon His death on the cross, He has made the Father’s character, love, and power known to the world. He has perfectly represented the Father.
• “Glorify Me”—Now Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him. This doesn’t mean to give Him human praise, but to restore Him to the heavenly glory He had before the world began (John 17:5). This glory would come through the cross, resurrection, and ascension—where His suffering and triumph would reveal His true identity as the Son of God.

The mutual glorification: The Father is glorified in the Son’s obedience and sacrifice. The Son is glorified when the Father raises Him, exalts Him, and shows the world that salvation is through Him. In short:

• Jesus glorified the Father on earth by revealing Him.
• The Father glorifies Jesus through resurrection and exaltation, confirming Him as Lord and Savior.

In simple terms: Jesus is saying, “Father, I have honored You on earth. Now, through the cross and resurrection, honor Me so the whole world may see who I truly am.”

Our Hope in His Coming

On the third day, He rose from the dead. Victory to us! We are no longer slaves to sin. We were slaves to Satan, but through the power of the resurrection we were raised together with Him and made alive again.See how the Father glorified His Son, and see how the Son glorified the Father. If we also believe in Him, we will also be glorified together with Him.We are waiting for Jesus, our Lord and Savior, to come again and glorify us by giving us an immortal, imperishable body. He promised He is coming again to judge the unbelievers. He will come and judge sin and death.As it is written in Revelation 20:10, Satan will be judged together with his people, and sin and death will be thrown into the lake of fire.Our hope is in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. May His name be praised forever and ever. Thank you, Jesus.

Conclusion

The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ reveal the fullness of God’s glory. Through His perfect obedience, He bore our sins, carried our shame, and satisfied the wrath of God, turning the cross into a place of victory. In Jesus, the invisible God is made visible—His love, mercy, and power clearly displayed. When we see Christ, we see the Father.The raising of Lazarus, the cross, and ultimately the resurrection all point to one truth: Jesus is the Son of God, the giver of life, and the one who has power over death. Just as the Father glorified the Son, the Son glorified the Father, and all who believe in Him will one day share in that glory.

Therefore, we do not need to fear death. Jesus proved His authority over the grave when He raised Lazarus, and He promises the same for us. Even if we die physically, He will raise us again—not to a temporary life like Lazarus, but to an eternal, immortal life, free from sin and corruption. For He is “the resurrection and the life.”Our hope rests in Christ alone. He has conquered sin, death, and the grave. One day He will return, giving us imperishable bodies and eternal life in His presence. Until then, let us hold firmly to our faith, live for His glory, and proclaim the good news that Jesus is Lord.May His name be praised forever.