Seeing the Father
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?’”John 14:9
In response to Thomas’ question Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” But Philip goes a step further and asks Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus does not give a straight answer but instead seems to be a little bit upset or frustrated, saying, “… and you still do not know me, Philip?” Way to go Philip! But of course Jesus does not stop there. He goes on to do what He always do — teach, explain, and accompany.
Jesus teaches the Apostles the relationship He has with the Father, and by extension their relationship with the Father. They can only have a relationship with the Father if they have one with the Lord for “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Although it seems as if Philip has not been an attentive follower of Jesus, but maybe that isn’t the entire story (I am not saying this just because I share the same name as the Apostle!). Why was it that Philip asked to see the Father? Perhaps he realized that to know the Father is essential and is necessary, and so in his immature zeal Philip asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus tells the apostles that whoever has seen Him has seen the Father, and that the Father is in Him and He in the Father. All that the Lord has done and said is from the Father, and so truly, whoever has seen and heard the Son, has seen and heard the Father too.
Our relationship with the Son and the Father is crucial, brothers and sisters. Only in having a personal relationship with the Father by being baptized in the Christ do we have salvation and have adoption as sons and daughters of God. Not only this but because of our relationship with the Father and the Son, God will do great things through us, not just the works Jesus has done but also “greater ones” than those. In seeing the Father and knowing Him by having a personal relationship with Him, we will truly be able to live freely for we will have known the way, the truth, and the life — Jesus Christ who walks with us, strengthens us, and saves us.
