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The Two Glories

The Two Glories: Opinion (Doxa) vs. Radiance (Augē) ✨

The New Testament describes the resurrected body as being raised in “glory” (1 Corinthians 15:43). Understanding the distinction between the two primary concepts for “glory” clarifies that our future bodies will not just be highly regarded, but will possess an intrinsic, visible light source.

1. The Glory of Opinion: Doxa (δoˊξα)

  • Meaning: This is the standard Greek word for glory, honor, or renown. It literally means “opinion, reputation, or estimate.” In the Bible, it refers to the visible manifestation of God’s presence or the high honor rendered to Him.
  • Theological Focus: Doxa describes the external recognition and inherent worth of the resurrected body. We are raised in doxa (glory) because our new bodies are worthy of honor and reflect the character of God (Romans 8:30).
  • The Shocking Tie: This word primarily speaks to the quality and worth of the new body. It is the glory we receive from Christ.

Doxa is the honorable worth of the redeemed body.

2. The Glory of Radiance: Augē (αυˊγηˊ​)

  • Meaning: This word literally means “radiance,” “sunbeam,” “dawn,” or “bright shining light.” It describes the physical, visible light emanating from an object.
  • The Shocking Detail: While Augē is not used to describe the resurrection body directly, the concept is crucial. When Peter, James, and John witnessed the Transfiguration—the ultimate preview of Christ’s resurrected body—they saw His face “shine like the sun” and His clothes become “as white as light” (Matthew 17:2). This visible, internal light is Augē.
  • The Final Reality: Paul says that Christ “will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body (doxa)” (Philippians 3:21). The final glory (doxa) of the saint’s body must therefore include the physical radiance (Augē)—the ability to shine—that was displayed at the Transfiguration. The righteous will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43).

The Eschatological Conclusion

The final form of the believer’s body is a magnificent synthesis:

  1. It possesses the inherent worth and honor (Doxa) of God’s final, perfect creation.
  2. It possesses the physical, visible radiance (Augē) of the divine nature, making it literally a “light source” that does not require external illumination.

The ultimate shocking truth is that the final body will not merely reside in the light of the New Jerusalem; it will contribute to the light of the New Jerusalem.

The Return Question

If your final body will possess the physical radiance (Augē) of Christ’s glory, what specific, hidden area of darkness or compromise are you tolerating today that would hinder the ultimate, visible shining forth of Christ’s character through you in the age to come?