Jesus Shows Us The Father

Jesus (at John 13-17) opens to us a special window into the Fatherhood of God. This also gives us helpful input for our human parenting.

Philip asked Jesus to “show us the Father”. Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14: 8-9). John focuses on the relationship of Jesus with the Father.

Four features are evident:

Both identification and distinction

“We are one” (17: 22), but “the Father is greater than I” (14: 28). The union of the Father and the Son is unique because of the sharing of Godhood, but the relationship is described in such terms as to be transferable to human relationships.John gives plenty of indications that inter-disciple relationships are to be an imitation or flow on of Christ’s relationship with them, which is a flow-on from the Father’s relationship with the Son. It is important to realise that inter-disciple relationships will include relationships between parents and their children.

The Son is perfectly fulfilled

The words “I am not of this world” of 17: 16 imply unashamed self-awareness and self-acceptance. He has a sense of self-worth (17:24). He is powerfully motivated to self-sacrificial service (13: 3-5). He is absolutely confident of his Father’s reliability to him (16: 23). Indeed, he basks in love and joy (15: 10-11).

The Son’s behaviour towards the Father is motivated by love

The result and evidence of that love is obedience. The priority is on the internal factor (love) rather than the external factor (obedience). “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (14: 31). To Jesus the commandments of the Father are not burdensome. “I know that this commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the father has bidden me.” (15: 20). Obedience involves no sense of loss, and maturity is not synonymous with independence. However, the operative response of the Son is love. Indeed, he was willing to experience the rejection of the divine Father upon the Cross (Mark 15: 34), for us!

The nature of the Father’s parenting

He loved the Son (15: 9). He has empowered the Son (13: 3, 17: 2). He has given the Son work to do (17: 4). He has spoken to the Son habitually, clearly, at length, and with openness (15: 15). Loneliness is missing (16: 32). The key word is “love”, a quality of love which flows from the Father and through the Son.

It is amazing how the doctrines of the Trinity and of Christ are able to help us with principles for “down- to -earth” parenting.

Lindsay Johnstone

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