John 14:8-10
"8 Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works."
Don't for one second think that Thomas is the only Disciple who did not understand. This is not something that is easy to wrap your mind around. This is not the only place where we read about the people walking and talking with GOD in the flesh and understand that they did not understand. We were blessed by Thomas's questions. His questions are our questions! We often feel like we just don't know!
We are even more blessed by Jesus's answer. And, even more so if we remember that last bit? Where Jesus tells His Disciples because they see and know Him, they also see and know GOD!!! "...ye know Him, and have seen Him." Jesus is yet again telling them He is GOD!!!
And, in today's verses we read that this all went over Philip's head! "Philip saith unto Him, Lord, SHEW US the Father, and it sufficeth us." How can Jesus say this another way, so that Philip understands? This has to be a little heartbreaking for Jesus.
"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak NOT of MYSELF: but the FATHER THAT DWELLETH in Me, He doeth the works." GOD is doing what they see Jesus doing. It's all GOD'S work. Working through His beloved Son.
This is not even a new idea in the Hebrew tradition! The Old Testament has events where God becomes manifest in our world. They would think of God "dwelled in" or "rested upon" those whom He favored. They even have a word for it, SHEKINAH. They would refer to the divine presence of God as the "Shekinah Glory."
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