The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-22
JOHN xiv, liza

ment concerning His departure, which
caused some surprise verse ~. Jesus de-
clared that His disciples knew His des-
tination and the way to 1t, intending,
doubtless, to remind them of His en-
trance by the cross into the realms of
glory, both of which matters lie had
mentioned to them (John vii; SS; Matt.
xvi: 2D. But Thomas, the doubter
John Xxx: 25), did not grasp His mean
ing, apparently attaching literal sense
to the words, as If Jesus were proposing
"A Journey of which all present were g-
norant (verse 81. 1t Is not at all sur
prising that the disciples should fail TO
see how by an ignominious death their
Master would attain TO that elevation
which would make Him Lord and Sa-
viour worthy of their faith and service
CEph. /: Ply. Jesus did not directly re-
ply to Philips remark-time and future
events alone would make plain, under the
illumination of the Spirit, what was now
obscure. But IIo did call the thought Of
all back to Himself, as the way, tho
truth, and the hfe-the way of approach
to the Father, the truth or illustration Of
that way, and the glver of life to those
who seek 1t Nerse 6).
DISCLOSURE This reply to Thomas
contained one word, father" that at
tracted the attention of Philip. That
name, as applied to the Deity, had been
used only twice in Old Testament Scrip
ture DER XXI: o. and then not in the
sense in which Jesus employed 1t (Mal.
| /: g. And yet IL was the favorite ap-
pelation under the Gospel, not merely to
distinguish a person in the Godhcad
| Matt. XII 90, but to express the rela-
| ton which ought to subsist between God
| and man (Matt. vi: 81, the character of
God and the feeling of His children (John
| iv: 22). There may have been before
| some questioning concerning this new
word and some desire to know Its mean
Ing. Hence Philip indicated that Z
| Jesus would disclose the Father, explain
| the use of the term, the whole company
would be satisfied and would require no
further instruction on the matter before
| them (verse s.. Then came a lesson which
was needed more than any other-who-
ever had seen Jesus had seen the Father
| oversees and 81. If the disciples had
| known the one Person who m they saw
| they would know the Person whom they
| had not seen (Col. : l5). Jesus said this.
surprised that it had not been remem-
bered that lie had previously said II
| (John xii: 450.
| UNITY.-IIad Jesus paused here some
might have fallen into error. and in all
| the subsequent centuries the church
might have quoted His words to sustain
| what was very far from His thought He
did not intend to say that there were
two distinct and independent Beings. the
Father and the Son, the latter such an
image of the former that He needed only
TO be seen to convey a correct idea OF
the other on the contrary Father and
Son are indissolubly Joined to constitute
one Being. That thought is very forci-
bly, and clearly expressed (verse 1N
Jesus, the Son. vas in the Father, and
the Father was ia Him (John x: 3S. The
two were present at one and the same
time and in one and tho same place, and
were never separated Dohn xvii: 2D
This unity was such that even in His
speech Jesus did not act alone. but. as
He had stated on another occasion Dohr
vii: 16). the words were also those of the
Father, dwelling in Him, speaking with
Him. Here is probably q bolder declar.
alton OF Christ's essential Deity thar
was made by Him at any other time ir