Seeing the Son Reveals the Father

When Philip said, “Lord, shew us the Father,” Jesus answered, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). And right there the Oneness folks stop and say, “See, Jesus is the Father.” But that is not what He said, child of God. He said seeing Him is seeing the Father revealed, and revealing is not the same as being.

Image reveals; it does not become

Scripture tells you exactly how the Son shows us the Father: He is the image. “Who is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). “The express image of his person” (Hebrews 1:3). “The only begotten Son… he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Now hear me: an image reveals the one it images: it does not become that one. Think of it this way: the Bible says we are being “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29), but that does not make you Jesus! Image is not identity. So the Son perfectly reveals the Father without being the Father.

The same chapter proves it

And you do not even have to leave John 14 to see it. In that very same chapter the Son speaks to the Father, and asks the Father to send “another Comforter” (John 14:16), another, and says, “I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). You cannot go to yourself. You cannot ask yourself to send another. So when you look at Jesus, you are looking at God, the Father perfectly revealed in the Son, yet the Son is not the Father. Equal in deity, distinct in Person. Glory to God.

Related Teaching

• “I Am in the Father” (John 14:10)
• Jesus Is Not God the Father Incarnate
• Honor the Son as You Honor the Father