‘Then a voice came from Heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again”.'

The very coming of Jesus, and His powerful ministry, have glorified the Father's name. We beheld His glory, glory as of the only son of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). His signs and wonders have revealed the Father's glory (John 11:4). But what was to come would bring, if possible, even greater glory, for it would be glory achieved through suffering. So Jesus need not be over-concerned about whether it will glorify God's Name (i.e. God Himself), for God assures Him that He has already glorified it through His presence on earth, and that through what is to come the glory of God would be accomplished in even greater measure.

The Gospels record three instances of God responding with a voice from Heaven. The other two were at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:21) and at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35), thus a voice from Heaven came at the commencement of the revelation of His glory, at its fullest manifestation, and here as a divine seal on the revelation of His glory in death and resurrection.

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