John 14 reveals the full identity of Christ in a very powerful way. This post will examine the chapter systematically with commentary given after each verse. I will only focus on the verses that address the identity of Christ.
John 14:6-11 (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus said that He is the truth. Remember this; Jesus is the truth. Say it out loud; Jesus is the truth. This is a key point so repeat it two or three times.
Jesus is the truth. There aren’t multiple truths or multiple ways to God. Jesus is the only way. He is the only truth. It is essential that we know who He is.
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Jesus makes a very astounding statement, "If you really knew me, you would know my Father. You know Him and have seen Him." (paraphrase)
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
The disciples did not understand. "We’ve seen the Father? Show us Him please."
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Some claim that when Jesus said that He was one with the Father that He simply meant that "they" were one in agreement or one like we are individual saints but come together as one body of believers.
However, notice that Jesus is claiming identity. Philip says show us the Father and Jesus responds by saying, “You don’t know who I am. After all this time. Really Philip.” (paraphrase)
Jesus then says, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” This is beyond simple agreement. My brothers and I are individual members of one church so in a sense we are one, but they are very thankful that when you see one of them you don’t see me. (Neither lacks any confidence in his appearance.) Jesus' claim of unity with the Father transcends simple agreement or a singular corporate bond. Jesus is the very image of the Father.
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
The Bible says that God dwells in inapproachable light. It also says that Jesus is the light of the world. The analogy of a light helps us to understand Jesus’s words.
Right now in my living room, the lights are on and shining brightly. Everything in this room is in the light. What makes the light bulb unique is that while it is in the light, the light is in it. Likewise we are all in the presence of God. Acts 17:28 says, “for in Him we live and move and have our being” What made Jesus unique was that He was not just in the presence of God, but the fullness of God dwelled in him.
Colossians 2:9 (NKJV)
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
God was in Christ. The Father was in the Son. He was both man and God. Notice Jesus's words, “The Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
If the Trinitarians are right, that God exists as three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, what is the Father doing in the Son? Why wouldn’t Jesus Christ, the Son of God, be filled with God the Son?
How can "they" be separate if the Father dwelled in the Son?
Your spirit dwells in your body. We can make distinctions. Your body will die, but not the spirit. There are distinctions within a man between flesh and spirit, but there is only one you. You are one person.
We can also make distinctions between the humanity of Christ and the Spirit of God that dwelled in Him. These are not two people. There were two natures present in Christ: true humanity and true Deity.
Jesus wanted them to know that He was a true human. He did not have super powers in His humanity. He was flesh and blood like us. As a man, He couldn’t walk on water. As a man, He couldn’t feed five thousand. As a man, He couldn’t raise the dead. However, He was more than just a man. The Father, God Almighty, dwelled in Him. He was one with the Father. It was the Spirit of God, dwelling in Him bodily, that performed these miracles.
11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Jesus said, “Don’t be startled that I said if you see me you have seen the Father. Don’t doubt when I say that the Father is in me. I’ve proved I am exactly what I am claiming to be.” (paraphrase)
People claim to be what they are not. Jesus, on the other hand, backed up His claims and the words spoken about Him. He proved that He was exactly who the prophets and apostles said that He was.
Isaiah said:
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
6 For unto us a Child is born,Unto us a Son is given;And the government will be upon His shoulder.And His name will be calledWonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus said:
John 8:5 (NKJV)
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Revelation 1:8 (NKJV)
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,”says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Paul said:
Titus 2:13 (NKJV)
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV)
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh…
His works, the works of the Father, proved that Jesus was not just a man. He was not just a prophet. He was not just a teacher. He was not just the Son of God. He was all of these things, but He was also God manifested in the flesh. The Father was seen in the Son.
Jesus went on to tell His disciples that they must continue His mighty works because He was going to ascend back to Heaven. They would be the lights of the world. How could these poor men expect to accomplish such great things? Well, they would not be going alone.
John 14:16-18 (NKJV)
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
They would receive a Counselor, a Helper, that would abide with them forever.
17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Who did the world not receive? Who did the world not know? Who dwelled with them? (Jesus)
Who did Jesus claim to be? (If you follow directions, you said it out loud three times when you first started reading this post.)
Remember? Jesus said that He was the truth. Now he tells them that He is going away bodily, but they will receive the Spirit of truth. They would receive Him as Spirit. He dwelled with them, but when they received the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, He would be in them.
Jesus is the truth. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth. Jesus dwelled with them in the flesh, His Spirit dwells in us when we receive the Holy Ghost.
18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
The KJV translates the term “orphanos” as comfortless. The NKJV translates the term as orphans. Both are describing the same condition of being alone without guidance. Both translations are accurate. Both prove who Christ is.
KJV –Who is the Comforter? The text plainly explains that the Comforter is the Holy Ghost (John 14:26) yet Jesus says, “I won’t leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” Jesus was claiming to be the comforting Spirit. The truth would be experienced as the Spirit of Truth.
NKJV – “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” Orphans lack parents. The disciples knew Jesus in the flesh as their brother, but He was also their Father.
This promise of knowing Jesus as our Father is experienced when we are born into His family. We become the true children of God by a spiritual birth.
Why is it essential to receive the Holy Ghost? The Comforter is the Spirit of truth. We spiritually receive Christ, the truth, when we receive the Holy Ghost.
John 1:10-13 (NKJV)
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
If they received Him and believed on His name, they would be born again.
John 3:5 (NKJV)
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
We are born of water when we are baptized in Jesus name. We are born of the Spirit when we receive the Holy Ghost.
When we ask if you have been born again or if you have received the Holy Ghost, we are truly asking, have you spiritually received Christ? Is He dwelling in You?
Ephesians 3:17 (NKJV)
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
Remember Jesus said that the Spirit of truth would not just dwell with them. The Spirit would dwell in them.
Ephesians 4:4 (NKJV)
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
There are not two or three different spirits that we receive. There is only one Spirit. Who is this Holy Spirit?
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
What will set you free from sin? What will set you free from the wage of sin, death? The Spirit, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one that can bring liberty and life.
1 Corinthians 15:45 (NKJV)
45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving spirit.
Christ became a life giving Spirit. When we receive the Holy Ghost, we are born again, given new life, by the Spirit.
Romans 8:9 (NKJV)
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
If you haven’t received the Spirit, than you haven’t fully received Christ yet. You must keep the faith. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. You must be born again.
Colossians 1:27 (NKJV)
27 ...Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Everyone that receives the Holy Ghost receives power. Everyone that receives the Holy Ghost speaks in tongues. However, these signs are not primarily what you are seeking for. These miraculous demonstrations accompany the experience. When you are seeking the Holy Ghost, you are seeking for Christ. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the gift of Christ.
Christ wants to live in you.