Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. 4 Where [I] am going you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. 12 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.
Jesus told his disciples not to worry but have faith in God and have faith in him. Jesus is moving the disciples to believe that he and the Father are one (vv. 9-10). His Father’s house (v. 2) is traditionally understood to mean heaven, and the many mansions are the dwelling places of the diverse multitudes of God’s holy ones in heaven where all who worship God hope to be. He was going to prepare a place for them, that is to intercede with the Father for them, and would come back for them at the hour of their death and by extension, at the time of death for all who believe in him. He told them that they knew where he was going but Thomas asked, “How can we know the way?” Jesus told the disciples that he is the way, the mediator, the truth that shows them the path, and the one who will give them eternal life. He is the source of life and truth (v. 6), and no one can enter God’s house except through Jesus who is not the gatekeeper but the gate (Jn. 10:9).
To see Jesus is to see the Father because they share the same divine nature so if they look with the eyes of faith they will see the Father. Jesus’ words are the Father’s words. Just as Jesus is truth and life (Jn. 1:4), to attain eternal life we must worship him in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23). We are all capable of understanding the Truth and the Life, but not all find the Way (Mt. 7:13). Phillip’s request to see the Father allowed Jesus to explain that he was the revelation of God and that, “Whoever sees me sees the one who sent me (Jn. 12:45).” Jesus reproved Philip and the disciples for not understanding that he was, “The image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15).” Jesus told his disciples that if there had any doubt observe the divine works that he does which speak for themselves. They will see even greater works when he returns to his Father.
Almighty Father, you reveal your truth to us through your Son and tell us about eternal life and the joy that awaits all to whom it is granted. In your infinite mercy grant us the grace to pray with our whole heart that your Spirit will help us to follow the truth and the way to eternal life. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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