March 7
“Philip said to Him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father?” Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me,’” John 14:8-11.
When the apostle Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way,” he indicated that there were some things that the apostles did not understand. When Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us,” he indicated that there were other things that they did not understand either.
Jesus admonished Philip gently. “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’” Indeed, they could not see the Father physically in the same way that they saw the Son of God, who became also the Son of Man.
When Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father in Me,” He was speaking of the oneness, the unity between the Father and the Son. Each is a distinct Person in the Holy Trinity. There are three distinct Persons, but only one God. Of course, comprehending the doctrine of the Trinity is beyond the comprehension of our limited human knowledge. This oneness and unity we must accept by faith. God the Father sent His Son out of love to redeem all people from sin, death, and the devil. God the Son became also the Son of Man, and out of love for sinners, His will agreed with the Father’s will; He would make the supreme sacrifice on the altar of the cross at Calvary. Jesus’ will was to do the Father’s will. Remember how He prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not My will, but Yours, be done,” Luke 22:42.
With the eyes of faith, we behold both the Son and the Father. We firmly believe that God so loved us that He gave His only-begotten Son to be our Redeemer. The Holy Spirit creates this faith in our hearts. “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit,” 1 Corinthians 12:3.
In our prayers, at times we pray to the Father, at times we pray to the Son, and at times we pray to the Holy Spirit. We are always praying to the one true triune God.
As Jesus dealt with the questions and doubts of His disciples, so He would also address our questions and doubts. For His answer to us, we must always go to His holy Word, which is the only source for all of our Christian teachings.
“Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.” Amen.