When God became man: To glorify the Father

"I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4).

When Jesus prayed to His Father on the night before He was crucified, even then He could speak of accomplishing what God intended for Him to do in becoming a man. In so doing, He had glorified the Father, the One who had purposed for the Son to come to earth.

Earlier, when Jesus compared His future death to a grain of wheat that must die before it bears fruit, He said, "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save me from this hour?' But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name" (John 12:27-28a).

Jesus came to die. Even at His birth, this was His mission. In so doing, He would glorify His Father.