Lexical Summary sundoxazó: To glorify together, to share in glory Original Word: συνδοξάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance glorify together, join in praiseFrom sun and doxazo; to exalt to dignity in company (i.e. Similarly) with -- glorify together. see GREEK sun see GREEK doxazo HELPS Word-studies 4888 syndoksázō (from 4862 /sýn, "closely identified with" and 1392 /doksázō, "glorify") – properly, be glorified together, emphasizing close identity with the Lord, the factor which specifically correlates to the unique glorification believers experience at His return (cf. Phil 3:11; 1 Jn 3:2, Gk text). 4888 /syndoksázō ("glorified with Christ") only occurs in Ro 8:17. Ro 8:17: "Moreover if (1487 /ei) children, heirs also; indeed heirs of God even fellow-heirs with Christ – if indeed (1512 /eí per) we suffer with Him in order that (2443 /hína) we may also be glorified with Him (4888 /syndoksázō)." NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sun and doxazó Definition to join in approving, hence to glorify together NASB Translation glorified (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4888: συνδοξάζωσυνδοξάζω: 1 aorist passive συνεδοξασθην; 1. to approve together, join in approving: νόμοι συνδεδοξάσμενοι ὑπό πάντων, Aristotle, pol. 5, 7 (9), 20, p. 1310a, 15. 2. to glorify together (Vulg.conglorifico): namely, σύν Χριστῷ, to be exalted to the same glory to which Christ has been raised, Romans 8:17. The verb rendered “be glorified together” in Romans 8:17 signals a shared participation in divine honor that Christ Himself enjoys. It gathers two ideas—union with Christ and eschatological glory—into one forward-looking promise for every believer. Biblical Usage Romans 8:17 stands alone in the New Testament for this precise verb form, yet its idea reverberates across Scripture. Paul links adoption (“children … heirs”) with a corporate glorification: “if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17). The “with Him” (συν–) preposition stresses solidarity; salvation is not an individual achievement but a shared destiny inside the body of Christ (compare John 17:22; Colossians 3:4). Suffering and Shared Glory Paul’s conditional clause presents suffering as the appointed path to glory, reflecting Christ’s own journey (Luke 24:26; Philippians 2:8–11). The immediate context drives the point home: “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Thus, συνδοξάζω does not invite believers to pursue pain for its own sake; it assures them that whatever they endure for Christ inevitably culminates in glory with Christ. Union with Christ and the Inheritance Motif The verb appears in a verse that also speaks of being “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” The Old Testament inheritance theme (Numbers 26:55; Psalm 16:5) finds its climax here: believers, united to the Son, receive what belongs to the Son—His Father, His Kingdom, His glory (Matthew 13:43; Hebrews 1:2). The glorification is therefore covenantal, familial, and legal rather than merely experiential. Eschatological Horizon Romans 8 places συνδοξάζω within cosmic renewal. Creation “waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19). The glorification of believers is inseparable from the liberation of creation itself (Romans 8:21). The verb thus carries a creational dimension: glorified saints signal a restored universe where God’s glory fills all in all (Habakkuk 2:14; Revelation 21:23). Historical Interpretation 1. Early Church: Irenaeus saw the text as proof that redeemed humanity will be “accustomed to receive God” and so shine with borrowed splendor. Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Perseverance: Suffering believers find assurance that present trials are preparatory, not punitive. Related Concepts and Passages Glory with Christ: John 17:22; Colossians 3:4 Suffering with Christ: 2 Timothy 2:12; 1 Peter 4:13 Adoption and Inheritance: Galatians 4:6–7; Ephesians 1:14 Creation’s Renewal: Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:5 Summary Strong’s Greek 4888 encapsulates the believer’s future: a guaranteed co-glorification that matches and completes union with the crucified and risen Lord. It ties personal perseverance to cosmic restoration and anchors Christian hope in the unstoppable faithfulness of God. |
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