A Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance
by Steve West
Editor’s Note: Most of our readers will already be at least somewhat acquainted with John Owen (1616-1683), “the prince of Puritans,” but it is not likely that many have read him extensively. His works are not only voluminous – they are tightly packed and deeply considered. Owen is neither quick nor light reading!
Today we continue our year-long series of summaries of Owen’s famous works. We trust these will be of help in introducing and/or increasing your acquaintance with this giant Puritan theologian.
Table of Contents: Volume One
Life of Owen, by Andrew Thomson
On the Person of Christ
Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ (Part I)
Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ (Part 2)
Two Short Catechisms
Summary, Part 3
Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ: Part 1
Chapters I & II
John 17:24 says, “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me.” When Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary as the great High Priest—fulfilling the OT type—he offered a glorious sacrifice that pleased God and brought about propitiation and expiation. In light of his work, he prayed that his disciples would behold his glory. What follows in this work is a meditation on the glory of Christ.
Christ knows that true believers can never be satisfied eternally apart from beholding his glory. Nothing is a greater privilege and causes us more advancement than contemplating the glory of Christ. It is our highest blessing in this life and in the life to come. Today many are denying the glory of Christ; Rationalists reject the Trinity and Christ’s deity. We need to see, however, the truth of who Christ is and what he has done. Beholding Christ’s glory conforms us to it and prepares us for our eternal contemplation of it.
Now we behold it by faith, but in the future we will live by sight. Those who do not see by faith in this world will not enjoy his glory in heaven. By faith the disciples saw Christ’s glory—not his divine glory, but the glory of his discharge of his offices. When we speculate about what heaven will be like on the basis of what we see now rather than by faith, we produce all kinds of errors. Nothing is more edifying for us now than to meditate on Christ’s glory. The Beatifical Vision for us will always be seeing God in the face of Christ. . . .
[To continue reading this summary, please see below....]The remainder of this article is premium content. Become a member to continue reading.
Already have an account? Sign In