If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
To know Christ is to know the Father, and those who have Christ have seen the Father in Him. He makes the Father known because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, so His words are the Father's words and His works are the Father's works done in Him. He is the express image of His Father's person and the brightness of His glory, God come in human nature as the visible representative of the invisible God. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. This knowing and seeing is comfort and strength for believers in trial, calling for believing faith that takes God at His word and keeps His commandments.
Words and Historical Setting
Jesus spoke these words to Thomas, who in unbelief said he did not know where Jesus was going and how the way could be known, after Jesus had said the disciples knew where He was going and the way. The answer came after the promise to go away to prepare mansions and to come again to receive His own, and after the declaration that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. To know Him is to know the Father, and from that time onward those who have Him know the Father and have seen Him.
The same saying answers Philip's plea to be shown the Father, spoken in grief at his unbelief after long walking and talking with Jesus and being fed by miracles. After three years together Philip still did not discern Christ's divine character, failing to comprehend that Jesus was the Sent of God come from heaven to represent the Father. With Thomas he showed a short-sighted faith and unbelief that dishonors and grieves Jesus.
The verse belongs to Christ's last talk with His disciples before His suffering, death, rejection, and crucifixion, opened with comfort for troubled hearts. It was given when He was alone with the eleven in the upper chamber after Judas had left, as He was about to speak of His approaching separation from them. He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission, that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name. It was instruction before His separation and shortly before His death, words of hope and courage to comfort them as they faced His departure to return to His Father. That instruction taught them to build ministry upon the divine Christ and to rely on divine power working through human effort, given in the upper chamber before He led them out through the city toward the Mount of Olives where He taught that He is the true vine.
The verse is part of the plain expression of God's will for His people given in John 13 through 17, especially John 14 through 17, and with John 6 and 13 through 17. John 14 belongs with John 13 through 17 as a chapter full of instruction for Christ's followers, instruction that only the Son of God could give.
That larger teaching must be carefully studied and earnestly practiced by all who honor God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Its teachings hold duties specified by the Substitute and Surety that cannot be neglected, and doing them bears divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. It contains the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world and shows what God desires to do for the human race and the provision He has made. It can be understood with new enlightenment through the influence of the Spirit of God, becoming clearer when the mind is renewed and when eyes now blinded are opened.
Knowing and Seeing Father
To know Christ is to know the Father, and from henceforth those who have Christ know the Father and have seen Him through Christ. Seeing Christ is seeing the Father, because Christ reveals to human beings the personality and character of the invisible God. This knowing comes through Jesus because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, the Father dwelling in Him so that His words and works come from the Father dwelling in Him doing the works. He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him, and from that time onward His disciples know the Father and have seen Him.
The disciples had already seen and known the Father through their time with Jesus and their experience of His words and works, though they did not yet understand this fully. The knowledge they received was partial, and from then on they would know Him more fully onward. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost clarified much of Jesus' teaching, yet complete understanding will come after the conflict ends. Those who receive Christ and remain loyal to God will ultimately see God's face and know Him as Father. Christ remained God when He became human, and His works testified to His divinity and revealed the Father.
The verse means just what it says and is to be believed every word and lived out. It gives God's will plainly outlined for those who minister in word and doctrine, showing the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth, and this calls ministers to be converted and to live it out before fellow ministers.
The saying rebukes doubt and calls for believing faith that unlocks God's help. It was spoken in grief at unbelief after walking and talking with the disciples and feeding them by miracles, when they should have comprehended that Jesus was the Sent of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, come from heaven to represent the Father, after promising to go away to prepare mansions and come again to receive His disciples and after declaring Himself the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. Thomas did not believe the Word of God and did not discern the divine character of Christ and His oneness with the Father, and Philip shared the same unbelief in asking to be shown the Father. Not to know that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Him, that His words are not His own but the Father dwelling in Him doing the works, and that he that has seen Jesus has seen the Father, for He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, dishonors and grieves Jesus, showing short-sighted faith and unbelief.
How Christ Reveals Father
Christ reveals the Father because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, so that to know Jesus is to know the Father and to see Jesus is to see the Father. The Father dwells in Him, therefore His words are not His own alone but the Father's, and the Father in Him does the works. Belief rests on this union, or on the works themselves which prove it.
He is the express image of His Father's person and the brightness of His Father's glory, sent into the world as God's representative. Acquaintance with Christ therefore gives a more perfect knowledge of God, for seeing Christ reveals the Father. The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him, who is head over every principality and power.
He came in human nature charged with an exalted mission as the visible representative of the invisible God to make the Father known and to represent God's character and great love in saving fallen man. In the person of His only begotten Son the God of heaven stooped to human nature as a perfect revelation of Himself, so the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is beheld in the face of Jesus Christ. This deep unity of Father and Son is a truth spiritually discerned.
He remained God when He became human, and His works testified to His divinity and revealed the Father. He reveals the Father's personality and character through teachings reflecting heaven's wisdom and works showing divine power. His humble life and compassionate care for the hungry reveal the Father's character.
The mercy, love, compassion, tenderness, graciousness, and light Christ displayed are the Father's own attributes, for Christ perfectly reveals and represents the Father's character. These are the same divine attributes proclaimed when the Lord revealed His glory to Moses. His revelation of the Father invites the world to center its love and confidence in the Father.
This revelation is greater than nature, for nature declares God's glory and handiwork yet cannot teach the great love of God and cannot be accepted as God. In true devotion faith looks to Christ, the Advocate between humanity and God, who assists people through His Spirit to know God more fully. As the worship of ancient Israel used figures and symbols of Christ to direct people's thoughts to God, so faith now looks to Christ who manifests the invisible God.
Only Way to Salvation
After He had said they knew where He was going and the way, He answered Thomas, who in unbelief said he did not know where He was going and how the way could be known, by declaring that to know Him is to know the Father, and that from that time onward those who have Him know the Father and have seen Him. This was spoken after the promise to go to prepare mansions and to come again to receive His own, and after the declaration that He is the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. To know Christ is therefore to know the Father, and to see Christ is to see the Father, for Christ alone brings people to the Father. Thomas did not believe the Word of God and did not discern the divine character of Christ, and Philip shared that unbelief, so the saying rebukes doubt and calls for believing faith that unlocks God's help.
Only the Son of God can bring a person to the Father and remedy the harm caused by the Fall. Through the Son the disciples have come to know and see the Father, for knowing Christ is knowing the Father. He is the only way to have access to God, and the way by which people in every age are saved, from Adam and Abel and the patriarchs and the prophets onward.
This knowing and seeing makes believers laborers together with God, doing the works Christ did and greater works because He goes to the Father. There He intercedes, takes the sins of sincere and contrite praying ones so they stand innocent, and fills their hearts with the light of truth and love. The verse belongs to the great process Christ carries on by which believers are made one with Him in this present life to be one with Him throughout all eternity. So they have life and have it more abundantly, have eternal life now, have the Saviour's life in them with their life hid with Christ in God, and though they may die as Christ died will be raised up at the last day. He is the express image of the Father's person, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him who is head over every principality and power, and believers are complete in Him.
Christ's teaching gives the instruction essential for salvation, and His words reveal God rather than requiring additional theories. Through Christ the disciples know and have seen the Father, for knowing Christ is knowing the Father.
Faith Comfort and Obedience
Jesus spoke these words knowing the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers, and knowing how severely the faith and courage of His disciples would be tried. They were comfort and consolation to strengthen them to endure without failing in the face of His departure, His rejection and crucifixion, and His return to the Father, and of coming trials and temptations. As long as time shall last they impart courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, bringing strength, assurance, hope, and courage to true believers, calling them to remember His love in their work and counsel. They are words of hope and courage spoken shortly before His death as His final instruction before He left the earth.
They teach the right kind of faith that believes the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, a matter of great consequence. That faith is to be exercised with cheerfulness and gratitude, cultivated under every circumstance and brought into practical life, believing that Christ is the only Saviour, because without faith it is impossible to please God. For those who minister in word and doctrine the verse gives God's will plainly outlined, showing the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth. It taught the disciples to build their ministry upon the divine Christ and to rely on divine power working through human effort, and it means just what it says and is to be believed every word and lived out before fellow ministers, which calls ministers to be converted.
Knowing Jesus as knowing the Father warns against letting the world absorb the heart, for when worldly love fills the soul it drives out the love of God, while keeping heaven in view helps displace worldly love through God's power working with human effort. The teaching in John 14 was presented alongside the truth that Christ's love is shown by keeping His commandments, placing knowing and seeing the Father within obedience as the Bible's test for those who have received light and applying it to keeping God's commandments. The chapter is a call to decide more fully for the Lord, meant to awaken people from indifference to take hold of the truth by living faith so they can understand its value and share it with others. Listeners' reluctance to respond shows the need for God's converting power and the Holy Spirit, and living its instruction helps cure dissension and leads to unity with one another and with Christ. John 14 shows God's love for the world and teaches that when people draw near to God He draws near to them, and when anyone takes a step toward Jesus He advances toward that person.
To know Christ is to know the Father, and those who have Christ have seen the Father in Him. He makes the Father known because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, so His words are the Father's words and His works are the Father's works done in Him. He is the express image of His Father's person and the brightness of His glory, God come in human nature as the visible representative of the invisible God. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. This knowing and seeing is comfort and strength for believers in trial, calling for believing faith that takes God at His word and keeps His commandments.
Words and Historical Setting
Jesus spoke these words to Thomas, who in unbelief said he did not know where Jesus was going and how the way could be known, after Jesus had said the disciples knew where He was going and the way. The answer came after the promise to go away to prepare mansions and to come again to receive His own, and after the declaration that He Himself is the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. To know Him is to know the Father, and from that time onward those who have Him know the Father and have seen Him.
The same saying answers Philip's plea to be shown the Father, spoken in grief at his unbelief after long walking and talking with Jesus and being fed by miracles. After three years together Philip still did not discern Christ's divine character, failing to comprehend that Jesus was the Sent of God come from heaven to represent the Father. With Thomas he showed a short-sighted faith and unbelief that dishonors and grieves Jesus.
The verse belongs to Christ's last talk with His disciples before His suffering, death, rejection, and crucifixion, opened with comfort for troubled hearts. It was given when He was alone with the eleven in the upper chamber after Judas had left, as He was about to speak of His approaching separation from them. He first directed their thoughts to the great object of His mission, that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name. It was instruction before His separation and shortly before His death, words of hope and courage to comfort them as they faced His departure to return to His Father. That instruction taught them to build ministry upon the divine Christ and to rely on divine power working through human effort, given in the upper chamber before He led them out through the city toward the Mount of Olives where He taught that He is the true vine.
The verse is part of the plain expression of God's will for His people given in John 13 through 17, especially John 14 through 17, and with John 6 and 13 through 17. John 14 belongs with John 13 through 17 as a chapter full of instruction for Christ's followers, instruction that only the Son of God could give.
That larger teaching must be carefully studied and earnestly practiced by all who honor God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Its teachings hold duties specified by the Substitute and Surety that cannot be neglected, and doing them bears divine credentials to the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. It contains the divine antidote for the sin of the whole world and shows what God desires to do for the human race and the provision He has made. It can be understood with new enlightenment through the influence of the Spirit of God, becoming clearer when the mind is renewed and when eyes now blinded are opened.
Knowing and Seeing Father
To know Christ is to know the Father, and from henceforth those who have Christ know the Father and have seen Him through Christ. Seeing Christ is seeing the Father, because Christ reveals to human beings the personality and character of the invisible God. This knowing comes through Jesus because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, the Father dwelling in Him so that His words and works come from the Father dwelling in Him doing the works. He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him, and from that time onward His disciples know the Father and have seen Him.
The disciples had already seen and known the Father through their time with Jesus and their experience of His words and works, though they did not yet understand this fully. The knowledge they received was partial, and from then on they would know Him more fully onward. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost clarified much of Jesus' teaching, yet complete understanding will come after the conflict ends. Those who receive Christ and remain loyal to God will ultimately see God's face and know Him as Father. Christ remained God when He became human, and His works testified to His divinity and revealed the Father.
The verse means just what it says and is to be believed every word and lived out. It gives God's will plainly outlined for those who minister in word and doctrine, showing the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth, and this calls ministers to be converted and to live it out before fellow ministers.
The saying rebukes doubt and calls for believing faith that unlocks God's help. It was spoken in grief at unbelief after walking and talking with the disciples and feeding them by miracles, when they should have comprehended that Jesus was the Sent of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, come from heaven to represent the Father, after promising to go away to prepare mansions and come again to receive His disciples and after declaring Himself the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. Thomas did not believe the Word of God and did not discern the divine character of Christ and His oneness with the Father, and Philip shared the same unbelief in asking to be shown the Father. Not to know that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Him, that His words are not His own but the Father dwelling in Him doing the works, and that he that has seen Jesus has seen the Father, for He is the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, dishonors and grieves Jesus, showing short-sighted faith and unbelief.
How Christ Reveals Father
Christ reveals the Father because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, so that to know Jesus is to know the Father and to see Jesus is to see the Father. The Father dwells in Him, therefore His words are not His own alone but the Father's, and the Father in Him does the works. Belief rests on this union, or on the works themselves which prove it.
He is the express image of His Father's person and the brightness of His Father's glory, sent into the world as God's representative. Acquaintance with Christ therefore gives a more perfect knowledge of God, for seeing Christ reveals the Father. The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him, who is head over every principality and power.
He came in human nature charged with an exalted mission as the visible representative of the invisible God to make the Father known and to represent God's character and great love in saving fallen man. In the person of His only begotten Son the God of heaven stooped to human nature as a perfect revelation of Himself, so the light of the knowledge of the glory of God is beheld in the face of Jesus Christ. This deep unity of Father and Son is a truth spiritually discerned.
He remained God when He became human, and His works testified to His divinity and revealed the Father. He reveals the Father's personality and character through teachings reflecting heaven's wisdom and works showing divine power. His humble life and compassionate care for the hungry reveal the Father's character.
The mercy, love, compassion, tenderness, graciousness, and light Christ displayed are the Father's own attributes, for Christ perfectly reveals and represents the Father's character. These are the same divine attributes proclaimed when the Lord revealed His glory to Moses. His revelation of the Father invites the world to center its love and confidence in the Father.
This revelation is greater than nature, for nature declares God's glory and handiwork yet cannot teach the great love of God and cannot be accepted as God. In true devotion faith looks to Christ, the Advocate between humanity and God, who assists people through His Spirit to know God more fully. As the worship of ancient Israel used figures and symbols of Christ to direct people's thoughts to God, so faith now looks to Christ who manifests the invisible God.
Only Way to Salvation
After He had said they knew where He was going and the way, He answered Thomas, who in unbelief said he did not know where He was going and how the way could be known, by declaring that to know Him is to know the Father, and that from that time onward those who have Him know the Father and have seen Him. This was spoken after the promise to go to prepare mansions and to come again to receive His own, and after the declaration that He is the way, the truth, and the life through whom alone men come to the Father. To know Christ is therefore to know the Father, and to see Christ is to see the Father, for Christ alone brings people to the Father. Thomas did not believe the Word of God and did not discern the divine character of Christ, and Philip shared that unbelief, so the saying rebukes doubt and calls for believing faith that unlocks God's help.
Only the Son of God can bring a person to the Father and remedy the harm caused by the Fall. Through the Son the disciples have come to know and see the Father, for knowing Christ is knowing the Father. He is the only way to have access to God, and the way by which people in every age are saved, from Adam and Abel and the patriarchs and the prophets onward.
This knowing and seeing makes believers laborers together with God, doing the works Christ did and greater works because He goes to the Father. There He intercedes, takes the sins of sincere and contrite praying ones so they stand innocent, and fills their hearts with the light of truth and love. The verse belongs to the great process Christ carries on by which believers are made one with Him in this present life to be one with Him throughout all eternity. So they have life and have it more abundantly, have eternal life now, have the Saviour's life in them with their life hid with Christ in God, and though they may die as Christ died will be raised up at the last day. He is the express image of the Father's person, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him who is head over every principality and power, and believers are complete in Him.
Christ's teaching gives the instruction essential for salvation, and His words reveal God rather than requiring additional theories. Through Christ the disciples know and have seen the Father, for knowing Christ is knowing the Father.
Faith Comfort and Obedience
Jesus spoke these words knowing the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers, and knowing how severely the faith and courage of His disciples would be tried. They were comfort and consolation to strengthen them to endure without failing in the face of His departure, His rejection and crucifixion, and His return to the Father, and of coming trials and temptations. As long as time shall last they impart courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, bringing strength, assurance, hope, and courage to true believers, calling them to remember His love in their work and counsel. They are words of hope and courage spoken shortly before His death as His final instruction before He left the earth.
They teach the right kind of faith that believes the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, a matter of great consequence. That faith is to be exercised with cheerfulness and gratitude, cultivated under every circumstance and brought into practical life, believing that Christ is the only Saviour, because without faith it is impossible to please God. For those who minister in word and doctrine the verse gives God's will plainly outlined, showing the philosophy of genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth. It taught the disciples to build their ministry upon the divine Christ and to rely on divine power working through human effort, and it means just what it says and is to be believed every word and lived out before fellow ministers, which calls ministers to be converted.
Knowing Jesus as knowing the Father warns against letting the world absorb the heart, for when worldly love fills the soul it drives out the love of God, while keeping heaven in view helps displace worldly love through God's power working with human effort. The teaching in John 14 was presented alongside the truth that Christ's love is shown by keeping His commandments, placing knowing and seeing the Father within obedience as the Bible's test for those who have received light and applying it to keeping God's commandments. The chapter is a call to decide more fully for the Lord, meant to awaken people from indifference to take hold of the truth by living faith so they can understand its value and share it with others. Listeners' reluctance to respond shows the need for God's converting power and the Holy Spirit, and living its instruction helps cure dissension and leads to unity with one another and with Christ. John 14 shows God's love for the world and teaches that when people draw near to God He draws near to them, and when anyone takes a step toward Jesus He advances toward that person.