Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. John 5:22-23
Jesus uses the word "honor" four times in this passage. The last time I read it the thought popped into my head: what does it really mean to honor? What does Jesus mean by "honor"?
The word in the Greek is timaó (τιμάω), and the definition was surprising to me. It means "to fix the value or price of something." It means properly to "assign value (give honor), as it reflects the personal esteem (value, preciousness) attached to it by the beholder."1
The value and preciousness! Think of that and replace the word "honor" above. "… that all may value the preciousness of the Son just as they value the preciousness of the Father."
Now think about this. This is the same word used in Matthew 27 about the Pharisees giving Judas thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus to them, and then using it to buy the potter's field when Judas returned it:
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price (timaó) of him on whom a price (timaó) had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me." Matthew 27:9-10 (ESV)
Zechariah also prophesied about this fixing of a value, saying:
And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the LORD. Zechariah 11:13 (NLT)
Zechariah sarcastically called it a "magnificent sum" because thirty silver coins was the price or value of a slave set in Exodus 21:32.
So, the value or preciousness of Jesus Messiah was set by the Pharisees as the price of a slave. The ironic thing, of course, is that Jesus agreed with their valuation, at least partly. He called himself a servant or slave.
"… whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:44-45
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he [Jesus] made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant (doulos = slave), being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:6-7
Jesus said that he honored (timaó) his Father and that in doing that he was seeking to bring glory to the Father.
"I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus, "but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory (doxa) for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. John 8:49-50
Interestingly, the Greek word doxa, translated here "glory," also has a meaning of valuation. Doxa means having a good opinion in the New Testament. It means "exercising personal opinion which determines value." According to Joseph Thayer2, it literally means "what evokes good opinion, i.e. that something has inherent, intrinsic worth."
Inherent, intrinsic worth. Jesus honored, valued as precious, his Father – and pointed us to that same good opinion - because of the Father's inherent, intrinsic worth. Just because of who He is. Because He is our enduring-loving forever, faithful and unfailing Father. Always and forever through all generations. And Jesus came as a slave that we might know the precious heart of God – a heart that is for us and loves us - and in knowing, have life.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10b
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3
This all made me think: what is his value to me? Is he precious to me? Does his value to me rest on his intrinsic worth, who he is? Or does it rest on what he can do for me? Like an insurance policy? A ticket to riches and success? A slave to fill my needs and obey my wishes and whims? A life preserver to be thrown out in case I get into trouble?
For many, his value is less than even that. To them he is a well-meaning person who can be a good role model in some situations. Or he is of no value at all, like he was to those of his day who despised and scorned and rejected Him, walking by the cross shaking their heads.
I can only set his value as precious beyond anything in the heavens and earth, if I know, know, know what he has done for me. If I have really understood and acknowledged and owned my sin and the ongoing, infectious horror of it. If I have fully comprehended from what dark pit his death on the cross has delivered me. Then I know his worth. Then I know he is worthy of all my honor, all my praise and gratitude, all my life.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor (value, esteem of the highest degree, preciousness, price) and glory (because of inherent and intrinsic worth) and praise! Revelation 5:12
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind but now I see
Was Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed
-- John Newton
1definitions from HELPS Word-studies by Discovery Bible, 2021
2Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Image in the Public Domain, Judas Returning the Thirty Silver Pieces by Rembrandt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Repentant,_Returning_the_Pieces_of_Silver#/media/File:Judas_Returning_the_Thirty_Silver_Pieces_-_Rembrandt.jpg
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