Season of
Resurrection
Third
Sunday: John 14:1-14
JESUS THE WAY TO THE FATHER
INTRODUCTION
At the end of the Last Supper, Jesus
comforted his apostles, saying that his physical departure from them was
to prepare an eternal dwelling place for them. He promised that he would
return to take them to his Father’s place, so they be with him. Like
students to a master, the apostles Thomas and Philip raised doubts on
his discourse. Jesus revealed to Thomas that he is the only way to the
Father. To Philip, Jesus clarified that he and his Father are one. His
words and works are of the Father. Jesus requested the disciples’ faith
in him so they could continue greater works with God’s power. Jesus
assured them of his backing on whatever they ask for their mission.
BIBLE TEXT
The Last Supper Discourses
(John 14:1) “Do not let your hearts be
troubled; trust in God and trust also in me. (2) In my Father’s house
there are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go
to prepare a place for you? (3) And as I go now to prepare a place for
you, I shall come again and take you to myself, that where I am, you
also may be. (4) You know the way to where I am going.” (5) Thomas said
to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the
way?” (6) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one
comes to the Father except through me. (7) If you knew me, you would
know the Father also; indeed from now on you know him and you have seen
him.” (8) Philip asked him, “Lord, show us the Father and that is enough
for us.” (9) Jesus said to him, “What! I have 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’? (10) Father who dwells in
me is doing his work. (11) Believe me when I say that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence of these
works that I do. (12) Truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will do
the same works that I do; he will do even greater works than these, for
I am going to the Father. (13) And everything you ask in my name, I will
do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If you ask me
for anything in my name, I will do it.
INTERPRETATION
(John 14:1) “Do not let your hearts be
troubled; trust in God and trust also in me.
Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God and trust also in me.
(2) In my Father’s house there are many
rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a
place for you?
In my Father’s house
There are many rooms
(3) And as I go now to prepare a place
for you, I shall come again and take you to myself, that where I am, you
also may be.
I go now to prepare a place for you.
Once the couple make an engagement, the groom
would leave to his father’s house and prepare a room for the couple.
Then at an unexpected day, the groom would return to receive the bride
who would be eagerly waiting for his arrival for the marital union.
Likewise, Jesus was bidding farewell to his beloved church, promising
that he would prepare a place for them in the Father’s mansion for their
full union with him.
I shall come again.
Take you to myself
Where I am, you also may be.
(4) You know the way to where I am
going.
Jesus is the way to the Father to whom he was
going. According to Jesus, he is the only way to the Father. His way is
through a narrow gate (Matthew 7:13) of passion, death, and
resurrection. Though Jesus had taught these before, the apostles were
unsure of what Jesus meant even when Jesus was close to his crucifixion.
(5) Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do
not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
Thomas was representing all the apostles in
his question because he said, “we do not know.” They had only a vague
idea, but they could not understand the heavenly kingdom well. The Jews
and Jesus’ disciples were expecting a Messiah who would conquer and rule
this world on the throne of David forever. That expectation was fading.
Only Jesus could clarify their doubt. Thomas was bold to raise the
question for the group.
(6) Jesus said, “I am the way, the
truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
I am the way
I am the truth.
I am the life.
“The doubting Thomas” contributed for Jesus’
revelation that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Another
contribution of Thomas was his own statement when he saw the Risen Lord,
“My Lord and My God.” (John 20:28). That was his profession of faith
that Jesus the Lord was God himself.
(7) “If you knew me, you would know the
Father also; indeed from now on you know him and you have seen him.”
Because there is only one God with three
persons, only by a truthful knowledge of Jesus can one know God the
Father. Since their unity is indivisible, the knowledge of one is the
knowledge of the other. Since the apostles had seen Jesus and knew his
teachings, they had seen and came to know God the Father.
(8) Philip asked him, “Lord, show us
the Father and that is enough for us.”
Philip’s request to Jesus was higher than
what Thomas asked. Philip wanted to see the glory or theophany of God
like it happened on Mount Sinai to Moses and the elders of Israel, or
like the transfiguration event that only Peter, James, and John had
witnessed. However, many followers of Jesus had witnessed the miracles
and other glorious works of God through Jesus, including his raising
Lazarus from the tomb.
(9) Jesus said to him, “What! I have
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?’”
What! I have been with you so long.
The apostles had left everything and followed
Jesus. They have been with him throughout his public ministry. Though
they had been accompanying Jesus, saw all the glorious signs he
performed, and listened to his messages, they did not fully comprehend
him. This saddened Jesus.
You still do not know me?
People understood Jesus differently. The
Jewish authorities accused him of blasphemy because they thought his
claim as Messiah was wrong. The public considered him differently. “Some
say you are John the Baptist, others, Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the
prophets.” (Matthew 16:14). Only Peter recognized Jesus, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). So even the
disciples had a tough time understanding the exact nature of Jesus as
the Messiah because he differed from the popular concept of the Messiah.
Whoever has seen me has seen the
Father.
(10) Father who dwells in me is doing
his work.
Jesus revealed to Philip and others that
Jesus and Father are one. Whatever Jesus said and did were the words and
actions also of the Father. Jesus is the Word of God through whom God
created the universe and everything in it. The Father was manifest in
the Son when he became incarnate. Thus, Jesus identified himself with
the Father. The Jews wanted to crucify Jesus because they could not
accept this truth that Jesus revealed.
(11) Believe me when I say that I am in
the Father and the Father is in me; at least believe it on the evidence
of these works that I do.
Believe me when I say that I am in the
Father and the Father is in me.
At least believe it on the evidence of
these works that I do.
(12) Truly, I say to you, he who
believes in me will do the same works that I do; he will do even greater
works than these, for I am going to the Father.
Amen, amen
He who believes in me will do the same
works that I do.
And will do greater ones than these.
During his last discourse to the apostles,
Jesus told them that even after his physical departure, they will
continue to do more miracles than they did before or even greater than
what Jesus did. The Acts of the Apostles gives accounts of many miracles
Peter, Paul, Stephen, Barnabas, Silas, and others performed. Some
miracles differed from what Jesus did, like healing from the shadow of
Peter (Acts 5:15-16). “God did extraordinary deeds of power through the
hands of Paul. Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were
laid upon the sick and their illnesses were cured, and evil spirits also
departed from them.” (Acts 19:11-12). When we take the miracles and the
wonderful achievements of the church throughout the centuries, we notice
the marvelous service and growth of Christ’s disciples in the world. The
force behind all these is Jesus, the head of the church. Peter (Acts
2:33) and Paul (2 Corinthians 10:17) acknowledged that the miracles they
performed were not by them but by the power of God working through them.
Because I am going to the Father.
(13) And everything you ask in my name,
I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Everything you
ask in my name
The name stands for a person. Jesus assigned
the apostles and other disciples as his representatives to continue his
mission. So, when they ask anything on Jesus’ behalf, he will do. Many
Christian prayers end by saying, “in the name of Jesus, the Lord.” The
prayers in Jesus’ name should have the spirit of his prayer at the
garden of Gethsemane: “not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39).
So that the Father may be glorified in
the Son.
(14) If you ask me for anything in my
name, I will do it.
This verse is repeating the promise Jesus
made in the previous verse. That was to give assurance to his disciples
that he will assist them when they continue his mission by providing
anything that they ask on his behalf.
MESSAGE
1. When we are in trouble, our comfort shall
be our faith in Jesus and through him in God the Father. Jesus has
promised us his kingdom in heaven, where he will reward us for all the
good things we do on his behalf in this life.
2. Our house in this world is temporary.
Christ went to heaven, our destination, to prepare an everlasting
dwelling for us. So, we should aim at making use of our resources here
to accrue our spiritual investment in heaven.
3. Jesus promised that he will return to take
us to himself and to be with him forever. With that hope, let us be
faithful in our mission that Jesus has entrusted to us in our families,
workplaces, and communities.
4. Jesus revealed to the apostles he is the
only way to the Father. Let us remain in this hard path without
deviation. We must gladly take up the hardships in our service for God
and his people.
5. Just as Jesus represented his Father, let
us stand for Jesus in our lives. We are the present hands, feet, and
tongue of Jesus to communicate his message of mercy and love in our
words and actions.
6. Jesus has assured his support for whatever we ask in his name for the glory of God. Let us give importance to the will of God and work for His Kingdom with the confidence in Jesus’ words.