“Lord, show us the Father”
We should look at John 14:18 from the Greek text: Οὐκ ἀφήσω ὑμᾶς ὀρφανούς, ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς. (Ouk aphaso humas orphanous, erchomai pros humas) “I will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you.” (Please notice that the word “coming” [erchomai] is present tense: “now coming and continuing to come.”) One must take note of the setting of this statement, in order to appreciate these words of Jesus. The Last Supper was over, Judas had departed to betray Him, He is speaking intimately, with His disciples, of personal things: of last minute things, things that He had purposely not spoken of until now. He spoke to them of the Father, v9; and He spoke to them of His death, that was only hours away. How distressing this must have been on the Apostles. Like children uncertain of their future, afraid of tomorrow, without their parent to guide them, the Apostles became fretful, and all of them at once clamored to ask Jesus questions—questions that reflected their fears. It was as though they had lost all direction, and were reaching out from the darkness of their despair for a hand to ... comfort them. Simon Peter spoke first, and said, “Lord, whither goest thou?” Jesus told Simon that he could not go with Him. Just as a child, afraid of being left alone, Simon replied, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee? I will lay down my life for thy sake.” Why would Simon mention death if he did not have, at least, some idea that that was where the Lord was going? And why would he be pleading to follow his Master into death, if he were not afraid of being left alone? Now it is Thomas, his mind tearing at the words of Jesus, trying to make some sense of them: “And whither I go ye know and the way ye know,” Jesus had said. Speaking from the cavern of his fear, his voice betraying more than his words ever could, Thomas asked, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” Philip speaks, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Can you not hear his cry, “Lord, if we cannot go with you, please do not leave us without anyone, introduce us to the Father.”
Unto these fearing and fretful children, their Father speaks and says, “I will not orphan you, I am coming to you.” Oh friend, notice his words, I am (even now) coming to you. I am not leaving, I am actually coming. I am not going away, I am just arriving. I am with you now, but in just a moment I will be in you. My dying is an act of arriving. I must pass through my flesh in order to dwell within your flesh. It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I do not go away the Comforter will not come unto you. No, my children, I will not orphan you!
Notice, again, the scene: death, a father, fearful children, then a promise: “I will not leave you as orphans, I am coming to you.”
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Jesus spoke of His oneness with the Father in parables (figures of speech). Jesus said,
“These things have I spoken to you in proverbs: but the time is coming when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father” (John 16:25).
The fulfillment of the promise to “show you plainly of the Father” is fully fulfilled in the book of Revelation. Phillip’s request (John 14:8), “Lord, show us the Father,” if not fulfilled that day to his satisfaction, surely it is here.
The prophet Isaiah had written of the Messiah, that He would be the “Mighty God” (Isa 9:6). Many, have accepted Isaiah’s testimony in a limited way, and said: Yes, Jesus the Messiah, is “A” mighty God – along with two other mighty god-persons. But, here, in the Apocalypse (the unveiling) of the Messiah, the Messiah announces Himself to be, not just “A” mighty God, but, “THE ALMIGHTY.” There may be many that are “mighty;” but there could be only ONE “Almighty!”
The Holy Spirit, as a master artist, had worked for aeons on a sculptured masterpiece, and had now come to the day of unveiling what no human had ever fully seen. Humanity was gathered with all eyes riveted on the veiled figure; the breathing of the masses was momentarily suspended, as the Veil rippled and flowed, like a mystic wave, from the object of adoring anticipation. Then, finally, there for all to behold, stood the awesome Truth. From head to foot He was revealed: the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the Yahweh who is “the Almighty;” (Grk—pantokratōr; Heb—Shaddai), namely, the absolute and universal Sovereign, the Omnipotent One: Jesus! Selah.
Apostolically Speaking;
Bp. Jerry L Hayes D.D.
View the video of this essay at the link provided here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_qC5t4P_cQ&t=4s&ab_channel=BishopJerryLHayes
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