The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 227

know, nnd the way ye know." (1) llcaven was the goal. (2) The way was com- munion with himself. VoT9. 5-1.-Tl,omas's questioning. It turned upon the ability of Christ to bring the disciples to the end of tho way. I. Tno:r.IAs'e onsoumnEs. "Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how can we kno1v the wny?" 1. He imagined that the 1,Je,siah's reign wa8 to be on wrth. Where then, could ho the royal home to which the Messiah was ahout to depart, anil into wfiich he was to gather his saints? 2. The question illustrates the pe,culiar temper ef a disciple who is not destined to receive the higher bles.,ing of those who "have n,,t seen, and yet have believed." II. OuR Lono'e SOLUTION OF Tao:1u.s's DIFFICULTIES. "I am the Way, the Truth, a-nd the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The answer is larger than the question. 'l'o know Christ is to know the goal and the way to it. I. Jesus is the Way to heaven. (1) He is the only Way (Acts iv. 12). (2) He is the new Way (Heb. x. 20). (3) Ho is the old Way (Heh. xi. 40). (4) He is the Way that joins two worlds. (5) He is the Way of access to the Father. "No man cometh to the Father, but by me." 2. Jesw is the Truth. (1) He is the Teacher of the truth which directs to the way. (2) He is the Revelation of God to the world. (3) He is the eternal Truth. 3. Jesus is the Life. (1) He is the Giver of the life which carries the believer to heaven. (2) He is the living Way. (3) He is that eternal Life that was with the Father and was manifested to us (1 John i. 2). (4) He is the abiding Source of spiritual life. 4. Tl1e Father is the End of the way. "No man cometh to the Father, but by me." Christ's mediatorship is an essential fact in Christianity. 5. The manifestation of Jesus i.~ the manifestation of the Father. "If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." This manifestation will be fuller as the day of Pentecost is at hand, with its shower of spiritual blessings and its wide enlargement of knowledge. Vere. 8-21.-Philip's questioni11g. This disciple, one of the earliest, seizes upon the mst word of our Lord and asks for a bodily sight of the Father. I. PHII.IP's DEMAND TO BEE THE F ATHEB. "Lon.I, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." 1. It is ha,.d to decide how much of ignorance is compatiole with saving grace. 2. Evidently Philip thought of such a revelation of God as was vO'UChsafed to Moses in answer to the request, "Lord, show me thy glory." 3. He believed that such a revelation would solve all his difficulties and doubts. 4. How strange that Philip -should not, in three years, have found what he aspirecl aftffT' ! "He that bath seen me bath seen the Father." 6. Yet his request implies that it u:as in Christ's r,ower to satisfy his demand. (Matt. xi. 29.) II. Oua LonD's ANSWER TO PnILIP's DEMAND. "I have been so long time with you, e.nd yet thou hast not known me, Philip." 1. Phi1ip was longer with Jesw than most <if the disciples. The words have a touch of sadne&s and disappointment, a., if Philip had failed to benefit by all the teaching an,l experience of three years. 2. The ansu:er implies the impossibility of seeing the invisible Father with the eyes of the body. 3. But the Father is seen in him who is his e:r:press Image. "He that bath seen me ha.th seen the Father." He sees the Father's love, faithfulnes...., and power. The life of Christ is the true manifestation of the Father. 4. Jesus points to two proofs of his union with the Father. (1) His teaching. "The words that I speak unto you, I speak not. of myself." All was a revelation of God. (2) His miracles. "And the Father that. dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." The works were a revelation of the Father's power, ns the words were of his character. The disciples ought to deduce the Divinity of Christ's nature from his works. "Believe me for the works' sake." Ill. CHBlBT'B DEPABTUI\E WILL BE THE SIGNAL FOB THE l\EVELATION OF NEW POWER IN THE APOSTLES. " He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do a.l.,;o; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father." 1. Christ endowed his disciples with power to work miracles like his oum. 2. Be endowed then. with power to do still "greater works "-iu Pentecostal conversions-which were of a. for more exalted nature nnd with more enduring results than miracles of power. The prophecy began to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, and ia still in process of fulfil-  TITE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN, [err. nv. 1-31..