Breaking the Word

  If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." 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'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. (Jn 14:7-14)

All long for God experience. And God experience is made available to the people. Philip’s request to see the Father is the same. But Jesus’ answer saying ‘to have seen Jesus is to have seen the Father’ explains that God experience or Abba experience is same as Jesus experience. Jesus experience is visible in his works. Whatever Jesus does reveal who Jesus is and gives Jesus experience which in turn gives God experience.

Even the believers will do the same works of Jesus or even greater than Jesus’. So believers’ works also will give God experience. This is the truth that we have to accept. Jesus experience or God experience is made available in the works of the believers.

The statement by Jesus “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” has made the followers to go on asking for anything and everything. When certain things do not happen then the followers lose their faith in Jesus. But Jesus clearly says that things have to be asked in ‘his name’. When we say that we ask in the name of Jesus we mean that we enter into the character of Jesus; that is to say: will Jesus ask for such an such a thing?.   

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where (I) am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Jn 14:1-6)

A man of troubled heart does not have faith. Jesus is trying his best to make his disciples men of faith. This faith that Jesus speaks of is not on principles or dogmas. But it is on God and Jesus who is the revelation of God.

Jesus is not only the revelation but he is also the way to reach the Father. Jesus has said so much about the Father and his relationship with the Father and the whole gospel is a narration of this relationship. Yet, the disciples have not understood that Jesus has come from the father and has to go back to the Father.

What Jesus has said as “I am the way…” can trigger of many questions. People are bound to ask; are there not other ways etc? But when we read the passage in its context, what Jesus says is that He is the way to the Father in washing the feet of the others, he is the way to the Father in laying down his life for the others, he is the way to the Father in leading the sheep like a good shepherd, he is the way to the Father in feeding the people, he is the way to the Father in showing compassion and so on.