Knowing the Father Through the Son
In John 14:7-14, Our Lord presents one of the most profound mysteries of divine revelation: "If you know me, then you will also know my Father." This statement unveils the essential unity between Jesus and the Father - a unity so complete that to encounter one is to encounter the other. The Second Person of the Trinity, made flesh and dwelling among us, offers humanity direct access to the First Person. This is not merely representational knowledge but a real participation in divine life. Through the Incarnation, the invisible God becomes visible, the transcendent becomes immanent, and what was beyond human comprehension enters into our experience through the person of Jesus Christ.
The Lord continues by promising that those who believe in Him will perform even greater works than He has done. This astonishing declaration speaks not to the qualitative superiority of the disciples' works but to their quantitative expansion. Through the sacramental life of the Church, the work of salvation extends across time and space, reaching souls in every corner of the earth. The power to perform these works comes not from human strength but from Jesus Christ Himself, who, having ascended to the Father, pours forth His Spirit upon the faithful. In this way, the Church becomes an extension of Jesus' own ministry, continuing His redemptive work throughout history.
Our Lord's teaching here also illuminates the proper understanding of prayer. When Jesus promises to do whatever the disciples ask in His name, He is not establishing prayer as a mere mechanism for obtaining earthly desires. Rather, to pray "in His name" means to pray in accordance with His divine will and for the sake of the Father's glory. Authentic Christian prayer always seeks conformity to the divine will and the advancement of God's kingdom. Through such prayer, believers participate in the Son's eternal dialogue with the Father, entering into the very communion of the Trinity.
The climax of this passage reveals the ultimate purpose of Christ's mission: the glorification of the Father through the Son. All that Jesus does - His teachings, His miracles, His Passion, Death, and Resurrection - directs humanity toward the Father. This mutual glorification within the Trinity overflows into creation, inviting humanity to share in this eternal exchange of love. By believing in Jesus Christ and following His way, we are drawn into this divine relationship, becoming adopted children of the Father through our incorporation into the Son. This is the very heart of our faith - not merely knowledge about God, but intimate communion with Him, made possible by the revelation of the Father in the Son through the power of the Holy Spirit.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
