Knowing the Father Requires Knowing the Son

“If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14: 7-14).

Jesus was a master of didactic learning. His answers to questions often led the student to learn more by asking more questions. Jesus described and invited His disciples to enter the most peaceful and powerful place that existed, the very presence of God. He gave them directions to this wonderful place… “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He added a very important truth about finding the way to the Father. It was through knowing the Son. Philip asked for a short cut. Instead of making the investment to know the Son, Philip asked Jesus to simply… “Show us the Father”. Jesus responded with a question that revealed that aside from knowing Him, there are no shortcuts into the presence of the Father… “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me?” Jesus taught clearly that knowing the Father requires knowing the Son.

How long have you been a Christian? Would you consider yourself a Christ follower or a disciple? Would you describe your walk with Christ as maturing, or stagnant? Are there evidences in your life that you know the Father better today than in the recent or distant past? If we accept the truth that we are on a journey through this temporal life toward a final destination of eternity with the Father, then we should see progress toward increased understanding and communion with God in our lives. In His conversation with Philip Jesus revealed precious truth for disciples that want to move on to increasing levels of intimacy and knowledge of God.

First, Jesus taught that knowing the Father requires knowing the Son. The word knowing is very important here. The Greek word translated know here is ginōskō. Its meaning includes be absolutely aware of, be sure of, understand. It means much more than being acquainted with something or someone. To be sure or certain of someone, or to truly understand someone requires the investment of time, attention, and listening in order to discover what is important to them, what makes them happy, sad, pleased, or angry. This is the way a husband is supposed to know his wife. In today’s text Jesus taught that to know Him required two steps.

Jesus taught His disciples that to know Him and in turn, to know the Father, they must listen closely to His words… “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority”. The words He spoke were the Father’s words. He exhorted disciples to search the Father’s word diligently to get to know the Son… “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). He also taught the disciples that to know Him and His Father they should be doing the Father’s work… “The Father who dwells in me does his works”. He exhorted them to pursue the Father’s work because it confirmed the divinity of the Son… “The works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36). To know the Son and experience intimacy with the Father, we must be immersed in the word and work of God.

As we grow up into Christ we study His word and pursue His work to know Him better because…

Knowing the Father Requires Knowing the Son.