Whoever has seen me has seen the Father

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father

“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”  (Jn. 14: 9, 11).  Words that may confound some who cannot understand the meaning of a Triune God.  Even Augustine wrestled with this teaching and spent endless hours trying to make sense of it.

Of all the many mysteries of God go back to a beginning as seen in Genesis where we read, “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.”  (Gn. 1: 1 -2 ).  The question that confronts us is what beginning?  To whom was this opening narrative meant as words of creation began unfolding?  Of course, a little further where God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.”  (Gn. 1: 26, 27).  

Who is this when God uses the pronoun us and what is this image of God?  Simple enough to understand that this pronoun refers to more than one person, and his image is of course his infinite being which contains love and an everlasting existence.

This mystery was the most important truth that Jesus iterated to the disciples so they could grasp the meaning of who he was.   When the Pharisees heard these words of Jesus they immediately heard words of blasphemy and decided to seek his death.  However, the trek they sought in order to trap Jesus was not successful at first.  Remember that there was more diligence in play because the Trinity of God was with Jesus.  Let US make man in our own image was part of the plan for the Passion of Christ, and he was not alone.

We must keep in mind that when the powers that be followed Jesus to accuse him the Holy Trinity was the one they were after.  And as that is truth their attempt at the life of Jesus was an attack of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  It’s like a family of boys who stuck up for each other and a bully goes after one, the rest were there to deal with the onslaught of their sibling.  

Even when Jesus was on the cross his Father was nearby, and the Holy Spirit never left his side.  To some this appeared shameful when other two persons of the Trinity didn’t jump in to save him, but this was already known centuries before, or from the beginning, that God’s plan for our salvation was now at its peak.  The shedding of his blood was already prophesied and the glory of the resurrection was observed by Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration.   See Matthew chapter 17: 1 - 8.  Remember with eternity there is no past or future, everything with God is always in the present.  

Ralph B. Hathaway