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当我们想到神的荣耀时，我们脑海中可能会出现类似以赛亚书六章的内容。先知以赛亚看到了主在天上的圣殿里，“坐在高高的宝座上”，撒拉弗（有翅膀的火一般的生物）飞来飞去，唱道“祂的荣光充满全地”，圣殿震动颤抖。（参赛 6:1-4）

这就是荣耀。荣耀很伟大，很崇高，满有能力。毫无疑问，当雅各和约翰请求在耶稣的荣耀里坐在祂的两边时，他们想到的就是这种可畏的能力。他们想要最好的座位，他们想坐在有影响的地方，他们想待在权力所在的地方。

他们不知道自己在说什么。因为耶稣正在执行一个将要重新定义荣耀的影响深远的使命。这种荣耀描述的不是一位无法触及的神——高高在上，只有在异象中才能看见。这种荣耀描述的是一位道成肉身的神，祂被举起来钉在十字架上。这种被描述的神的荣耀是可触可摸的，祂被唾弃、被嘲笑。这就是神成为人的意思。神成了受苦的仆人，荣耀就是这样被重新定义了。

约翰说：“我们也见过祂的荣光。”（参约 1:14）

When we think of the glory of God, we probably have something like Isaiah 6 in mind. The prophet Isaiah had a vision of God in a heavenly temple, "high and exalted, seated on a throne." Seraphim (fiery creatures with wings) were flying about, singing, "The whole earth is full of his glory." And the temple trembled and shook (Isaiah 6:1-4).

That's glory. Glory is big. Glory is high. Glory is powerful. No doubt that's what James and John have in mind when they ask to sit on either side of Jesus in his glory. They want the best seats in the house. They want to be where the action is. They want to be where power resides.

They have no idea what they're talking about. Because Jesus is on a long mission that will redefine glory. Glory will not describe an untouchable God so high up as to be invisible, except in a vision. No. Glory will now describe God in human flesh, lifted a few feet off the ground and nailed to a cross. Glory will now describe the God available to be touched, to be spat upon, to be mocked. This is what it means for God to be human. And this is how glory is redefined when God becomes a suffering servant.

"We have seen his glory," John says (John 1:14).