The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 217

to introduce the Greeks 1o Je1111s: and plying e. process continuing from the pa~t every hint we obtoin o.bout him ie grn.pbio into the present.) The rovolation of the nnd vo.luo.ble. Philip saith to him, Lord, Fathor, rathor than nn unveiling of the ab- show us the ll'o.ther, and it auffloeth us. solnte God whom no man bath ever yet This query is o. very no.tum! one. Though seen (seo ob. i. 18), hnd beon coneto.ntly under or<lino.ry circumsta.ncoe men c11I1not going on before their eyes. Our Lord first with mortnl eyes look on God, yet one of all appeals to that fact ; and yet fact, of the high purports of the Ohristian reve- reality e.e it was, the disciplos had failed lation is to mo.ke it possible that men may even to know him, inasmuch llo8 they had not look o.nd live. Theopho.nies of Jehovah seen in him the Fa.ther. He tbns oonfirm8 are not infrequent. The favoured prophets, the statement of ver. 7. "There is an evi- Jo.ooh, Moses, Joshua, Elijo.h, Isaiah, Eze- dent pathos in thi~ personal appeal. The kiel,' o.nd others had been favoured with only partial parallels in St. John n.re eh. xx. visions of Divine majesty, and it wae not 16 (Mary); xxi. 15 (Simon, etc.)" (West- unreaeone.ble that the practical Philip, who cott). There is no right understanding of believed in the invincible e.eeent wliich per- Jesus Christ until the Father iB actually sonal experience wonld give, who not only seen in him, He is not known in his hu- ho.d seen in J esue the Messiah of their pro- manity until the Divine Personality flashes phecies, but he.d said to Ne.the.nael, "Come through him on the eyes of faith. We do e.nd see," e.nd be e.e satisfied e.s I e.m, should not know any man until we know the best now think that some gorgeous vision of the of him. How far more true is it of God a.nd Father's face we.e possibly within their reach of the Father-God revea.led in the Christ? and within Christ' 11 power to confer-a vision He that hath seen me hath seen the l!'a.ther. which wonld for ever sca.tter their doubts e.nd The "seeing" here mnst be adequate, com- enforce certitude with ple.usibility. B. Weiss prehensive vision. How I sa.yest thou-m- suggests that some whisper of the Transfigu- pho.tio-Bhow us theFe.thert Philip, by the ration-glory ho.d escaped from the favoured hints already given of him, might havo three, leading the other disciples to desire discarded the Jewish and crude idea of e. a corresponding theophany. As Luther physical theophany. "How sayest thou?" says, " Hie faith flutters up into the clouds," reveals that sense of failure which Christ A dazzling spectacle would satisfy e.nd suf- experienced when he sought to realize in the fice for e.ll needs. To see e.nd know the poor material of our human nature hie own Fe.ther, to have irresistible evidence that ideal. the Eternal Power is one who ho.a begotten Ver. 10.-Believest thou not that I am in us from himself, and both knows e.nd loves the l!'ather, and the l!'a.tber in me t Philip us, is the highest e.nd most sacred yearn• had heard in. e.n inverted order these very ing of the human heart. The desire is im- words (see eh. L 38). He might have planted by God himselt: Philip, with his gre.eped their meaning; two aspects of the fellow-disciples, had ,not yet learned the so.me Divine truth or reality-the recipro- se.cred truth that they he.d already he.d the cal fellowship between the Father and the opportunity of seeing in the life of the God- Son, between the Father e.nd the Effulgence Man the most explicit manifestation of the of the Father's glory who is now the God- Fe.ther. A dazzling phenomenon, outside Man. I am in the Father, I the God-Me.n of Christ, might he.ve given to the disciples am in the Father, e.s the Logos has ever e. new impression of awe and fear like tha.t been in him and proceeding from him. I, which fell on Moses and the elders of Israel, who we.a for ever in. the bosom of the Father on Ise.iah and Elijah ; yet a far more com- in heaven though ou earth, a..m in the Father prehensive revelation of Divine perfection, now, as the sun dwells in its own effluent inspiring the spirit of obedience, reverence, light; and the Father is in. me, seeing I am trust, and love, devotion, and self-sacrifice, the Ime.ge of his substance, the Agent of his had 11lre11dy been me.de to them, but their purpose, the Speaker of his words, the Doer of eyes·were holden. They were not satisfied, bis works. The words (~-!,µa.Ta.) which I speak or Philip would not he.vo ea.id Kai a.pKEi 71µw. (;>.,!-y..,, R.T.) unto you-those words which Ver. 9.-Christ'e reply is, Have I been so a.re "spirit and life" (eh. vi. 63), those long a period (xp&vov) with you, and hast " words of eteme.l life," e.ccording to Peter's thou not come to know (t..,,,..,Kds) me, Philip 1 gre.nd confession (eh. vi 68, 69}-l do not (Compare the aorist 8Ei(ov, suggesting one utter (Aa..\c.) from myself; i.e. they are the great complete euflioing a.et, with the per- words of the Father, and also the proof fect forms, l-yvc.,Hds µ,, lc.,pMws, U·pME, im- that I am in the Father, but the F11ther worketh always and ever more in e.nd 1 Gen. nviii. 12, etc.; l.Xxii. 24 ; Exod, through the Son, these works which may iii. ; xxxiii; :x.xxiv.; Numb. xvi. 42; Josh. v. 13; Juel g. vi. 22; 1 Kings xix.; Ian. vi.; 1 The Kai of T.R. is omitted by R.T., e.nJ Ezek, i. o.nd x. others, with 1:-:, B, Q, etc. 224 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JORN, [cu. xiv. 1-31.