Jesus said that we can see the Father when we look at Him (Jesus). He also said that He and the Father are one. What did Jesus mean by those statements? Does it mean that He and the Father are exactly the same?
In order to answer that question, we need to first look at the differences between the Father and the Son in the New Testament.
Jesus had a body; the Father is a Spirit
Jesus is the Son, submissive to the Father
Jesus experienced human limitations; the Father has never been limited
Some say that Jesus and the Father are simply different “modes” of the same God (modalism). However, in His high-priestly prayer to His Father, Jesus describes an intimate, personal relationship that has existed throughout eternity (John 17:5, NCV).
“And now, Father, give me glory with you; give me the glory I had with you before the world was made.”
Jesus’ prayer reveals that He existed as a distinct, eternal person with His Father in eternity past. In fact, Hebrews 13:8 tells us that, like the Father, Jesus never had a beginning. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
In other words, there never was a time when Jesus Christ existed in a different mode of God or as a different person. When He took on humanity, His deity remained the same.
So, what did Jesus mean by saying that we can see the Father when we look at Him?
When we see a person (although we can’t see the mind or soul) we recognize him or her by observing their face. The smile or frown tells us what the person is thinking. We identify a person’s uniqueness by his or her face.
That’s the illustration Jesus used in John 14:9. In Hebrews 1:1-4, Jesus is spoken of as the “radiance of the glory of God, the flawless expression of the nature of God.”
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Jesus said that we can see the Father when we look at Him (Jesus). He also said that He and the Father are one. What did Jesus mean by those statements? Does it mean that He and the Father are exactly the same?
In order to answer that question, we need to first look at the differences between the Father and the Son in the New Testament.
Jesus had a body; the Father is a Spirit
Jesus is the Son, submissive to the Father
Jesus experienced human limitations; the Father has never been limited
Some say that Jesus and the Father are simply different “modes” of the same God (modalism). However, in His high-priestly prayer to His Father, Jesus describes an intimate, personal relationship that has existed throughout eternity (John 17:5, NCV).
“And now, Father, give me glory with you; give me the glory I had with you before the world was made.”
Jesus’ prayer reveals that He existed as a distinct, eternal person with His Father in eternity past. In fact, Hebrews 13:8 tells us that, like the Father, Jesus never had a beginning. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.”
In other words, there never was a time when Jesus Christ existed in a different mode of God or as a different person. When He took on humanity, His deity remained the same.
So, what did Jesus mean by saying that we can see the Father when we look at Him?
When we see a person (although we can’t see the mind or soul) we recognize him or her by observing their face. The smile or frown tells us what the person is thinking. We identify a person’s uniqueness by his or her face.
That’s the illustration Jesus used in John 14:9. In Hebrews 1:1-4, Jesus is spoken of as the “radiance of the glory of God, the flawless expression of the nature of God.”
Explanation: