Today we begin reading from the “Last Testament” of Jesus. For the next four Chapters Jesus prays to the Father and opens up to the Apostles.
Thomas and Philip each have a question. Thomas asks: “How can we know the way?” and Philip asks, “Let us see the Father and we shall be satisfied.”
We have noted before that Jesus always answers sincere questions. To Thomas, Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”.
There are seven “I AM” phrases in John’s Gospel. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the good shepherd. I am the gate of the sheepfold. I am the true vine. I am the resurrection and the Life and I am the way and the truth and the life. The “I AM” in all of these is a clear reference to God’s Holy Name. The divinity of Jesus is at the heart of the gospel of John from the very first verse of Chapter one. Jesus doesn’t show the way, He is the Way. He doesn’t just teach truth. He is the Truth. He doesn’t just bring life, He is Life. He is God. No other leader has every claimed this.
Philip’s question is about the Father. He wants Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus explains to Philip and to us that the Father and He are one. “To have seen me is to have seen the Father. The words I say to you I do not say from myself: it is the Father living in me…. You must believe me when I say I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”
We can thank God today for Philip and Thomas for their questions. Through these questions Jesus is telling us of his divine life shared with the Father in unity. Trust in Jesus as God is our reason for not being afraid.
Thomas and Philip each have a question. Thomas asks: “How can we know the way?” and Philip asks, “Let us see the Father and we shall be satisfied.”
We have noted before that Jesus always answers sincere questions. To Thomas, Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”.
There are seven “I AM” phrases in John’s Gospel. I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the good shepherd. I am the gate of the sheepfold. I am the true vine. I am the resurrection and the Life and I am the way and the truth and the life. The “I AM” in all of these is a clear reference to God’s Holy Name. The divinity of Jesus is at the heart of the gospel of John from the very first verse of Chapter one. Jesus doesn’t show the way, He is the Way. He doesn’t just teach truth. He is the Truth. He doesn’t just bring life, He is Life. He is God. No other leader has every claimed this.
Philip’s question is about the Father. He wants Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus explains to Philip and to us that the Father and He are one. “To have seen me is to have seen the Father. The words I say to you I do not say from myself: it is the Father living in me…. You must believe me when I say I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”
We can thank God today for Philip and Thomas for their questions. Through these questions Jesus is telling us of his divine life shared with the Father in unity. Trust in Jesus as God is our reason for not being afraid.
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