They were blown away . . . no words to describe what they had just seen . . . no context within which to interpret it . . . just jaw-dropping amazement . . . just never-seen-anything-like-it-before awe. They had encountered glory revealed.

That Jesus didn’t look like deity was by design. The Son of God “had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17). To bring the knowledge of God to man . . . to bring man into the holy presence of God . . . to offer the once-for-all atoning sacrifice for sin . . . all this required God incarnate . . . God in flesh.

And so the Son, not considering equality with God something to be grasped and held onto, divested Himself of His heavenly glory . . . assumed the very nature of a servant . . . took the likeness of the man He had created (Php. 2:5-7). The glory was contained . . . the light was cloaked . . . the majesty robed in humility.

But there were “leaks” . . . encounters of the divine kind where, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the glory could be seen. I read about one of those this morning in Luke.

Well known story . . . Jesus is teaching . . . the people are gathering . . . the house is filling . . . the place is packed–standing room only . . . and then, the roof is crumbling. And next thing you know, these guys are lowering a bed, with their paralytic buddy on it, into the midst of the crowd. And Jesus gets the picture right away and responds. Upon seeing their faith, He says to the paralyzed man, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:17-20).

Jesus forgiving . . . religious hypocrites gasping–“Who can forgive sins but God alone?” . . . Son of Man responding . . .

“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–He said to the man who was paralyzed–“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”    (Luke 5:23-26 ESV)

And it’s that word “extraordinary” that’s caught my attention this morning. The NKJV says “strange” . . . the NIV, “remarkable” . . . the NIT, “amazing” . . . the original, paradoxos. My study aids tell me it’s the only time this word is used in the New Testament . . . a unique combination of two words . . . para, meaning “near” or “beside” . . . and doxa, most often translated glory. The people were seized with amazement, they were filled with awe, as they had been near glory.

The essence of God, veiled in flesh . . . the majesty of heaven, contained within the holy, perfect, Servant of God . . . “leaked out” a bit that day. The glory was revealed . . . and the people glorified God.

Paradoxos . . . unexpected . . . uncommon . . . incredible . . . wonderful.

Jesus continues to reveal His glory . . . enveloped in jars of clay . . . the light shining through His Word . . . by His Spirit . . . that we too might know the paradoxos.

Oh for eyes to see . . . ears to hear . . . hearts to grasp . . . and mouths to respond. That we might glorify God for the glory revealed in His Son. Amen?