Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us.

“(vii. de Trin) A declaration so new startled Philip. Our Lord is seen to be man. He confesses Himself to be the Son of God, declares that, if He were known, the Father would be known, that, if He is seen, the Father is seen. The familiarity of the Apostle therefore breaks forth into questioning our Lord, Philip saith unto Him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.He did not deny He could be seen (non visum negavit), but wished to be shewn him; nor did he wish to see with his bodily eyes, but that He whom he had seen might be made manifest to his understanding. He had seen the Son in the form of man, but how through that form He saw the Father, he did not know. This he wants to be shewn him, shewn to his understanding, not set before his eyes; and then he will be satisfied: And it sufficeth us.”

“Above, the Lord comforted the disciples concerning his departure, promising them that they would have access to the Father; here he consequently treats of the way by which they come to the Father. Now a way is not known without its terminus; and therefore he also treats of the terminus, and first he sets forth the way and the terminus, as known to them; second, he makes manifest what he had proposed, where it says, Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going." Concerning the first, it should be known that the Lord had said: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to you" (John 14:3). Because perhaps the disciples might ask him where he was going, as above, at John 13:36, Peter asked: "Lord, where are you going?" Therefore the Lord, knowing this, said to them, "And where I am going you know, and the way you know" (John 14:4). For I am going to the Father, whom you know as made manifest to you through me; below, John 17:6: "I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me." But the way by which I go is myself, whom you know; above, John 1:14: "We have seen his glory." Rightly, therefore, he said, "Where I am going you know, and the way you know": because they knew the Father through Christ, and they knew Christ through his manner of life and presence among them. Next, when it says, "Thomas said to him," etc., the Lord makes manifest what he had proposed, and first the occasion of the manifestation is set forth beforehand; second, the manifestation of what was proposed is added, where it says, "Jesus said to them: I am the way, the truth, and the life." Now the occasion of the manifestation was the doubt of Thomas as he questioned. Hence Thomas said to him: "Lord, we do not know where you are going," and so on. Here notice that Thomas denies both things which the Lord had affirmed: for the Lord said that they knew both the way and the terminus of the way; but Thomas denies that he knows the way and the terminus. Yet both are true. For it is true that they knew, yet they did not know that they knew. For they knew many things about the Father and the Son, which they had learned from Christ; but they did not know that the Father was he to whom Christ was going, and that the Son was the way by which he was going. For it is difficult that one should go to the Father. Nor is it surprising if they did not know this: because although they knew Christ perfectly according to his humanity, they nevertheless knew his divinity imperfectly; Job 28:7: "The bird has not known his path." And he adds: how can we know the way? For knowledge of the way depends on knowledge of the terminus; therefore, since the terminus is unknown to us — 1 Timothy 6:16: "He dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen, nor can see" — therefore his way is beyond our investigation, according to that saying of Romans 11:33: "His ways are past finding out." Next, when it says, "Jesus said to them: I am the way, the truth, and the life," the manifestation of the things asked about is set down. Now the Lord had proposed two things to be manifested to them: first, indeed, the way and its terminus; second, that they knew both. He therefore first manifests the first, and second the second, where it says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." Concerning the first, he does two things. First he manifests what the way is; second, what the terminus is, where it says: "No one comes to the Father except through me." Now the way, as has been said, is Christ himself: and therefore he says, "I am the way," and so on. And this indeed has sufficient reason: for through him we have access to the Father, as is said in Romans 5:2. It also fits the purpose by which he intends to resolve the doubt of the doubting disciple. But because this way is not distant from its terminus, but joined to it, he adds "the truth and the life"; and thus he himself is at once the way and the terminus. The way indeed according to his humanity, the terminus according to his divinity. Thus, therefore, according as he is man, he says, "I am the way"; according as he is God, he adds, "the truth and the life." By these two the terminus of this way is fittingly designated. For the terminus of this way is the end of human desire, and man especially desires two things: first, indeed, the knowledge of truth, which is proper to himself; second, the continuation of his own being, which is common to all things. Now Christ is the way of arriving at the knowledge of truth, since he himself is nevertheless the truth; Psalm 85:11: "Lead me, O Lord, in your truth, and I will enter into your way." Christ is also the way of arriving at life, since he himself is nevertheless the life; You have made known the ways of life. And therefore he designated the terminus of this way by truth and life: which two things were said above, in chapter 1, concerning Christ. First, indeed, that he himself is life: hence, "in him was life"; then, that he is truth, because "he was the light of men" (John 1:4); and light is truth. But it should be noted that these two things belong to Christ properly and of themselves. For truth belongs to him of himself because he himself is the Word. For truth is nothing other than the equation of a thing to the intellect, which comes about when the intellect conceives the thing as it is. The truth of our intellect, therefore, pertains to our word, which is its conception. But although our word is true, it is nevertheless not truth itself, since it is not true of itself, but from the fact that it is equated to the thing conceived. The truth of the divine intellect, therefore, pertains to the Word of God. But because the Word of God is true of himself, since he is not measured by things, but things are true only insofar as they approach a likeness to him: hence it is that the Word of God is truth itself. And because no one can know truth unless he adheres to truth, it is necessary that everyone who desires to know truth should adhere to this Word. Life, moreover, belongs to him properly: because everything that has some operation from itself is called living; but those things are called non-living which do not have motion from themselves. Among the operations of life, the chief are the intellectual operations: hence the intellect itself is called living, and its act is a certain life. Now in God, to understand and the intellect are the same; hence it is manifest that the Son, who is the Word of the Father's intellect, is his life. Thus, therefore, Christ designated himself as the way, joined to the terminus: because he himself is the terminus, having in himself whatever can be desired, namely, existing as truth and life. If, then, you should ask by what way you may cross over, take Christ, because he himself is the way; Isaiah 30:21: "This is the way, walk in it." And Augustine says: walk by means of the man, and you will arrive at God. For it is better to limp along the way than to walk strongly outside the way. For he who limps on the way, even if he makes little progress, draws nearer to the terminus; but he who walks outside the way, the more strongly he runs, the further he is removed from the terminus. But if you should ask where you are going, cling to Christ, because he himself is the truth, at which we desire to arrive; Proverbs 8:7: "My throat shall meditate truth," and so on. If you ask where you may remain, cling to Christ, because he himself is the life. Proverbs 8:35: "He who shall find me shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord." Cling, therefore, to Christ, if you wish to be secure: for you will not be able to go astray, because he himself is the way. Hence those who cling to him do not walk in a pathless place, but by the straight way; Proverbs 4:11: "I will show you the way of wisdom." On the other hand, it is said of certain people: "They have not found the way of the dwelling of truth". Likewise, he cannot be deceived, because he himself is the truth, and teaches all truth; For this I was born, and for this I came, that I might bear witness to the truth. Likewise, he cannot be disturbed, because he himself is life and the giver of life; above, John 10:10: "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." For, as Augustine says, the Lord says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," as if he were saying: By what way do you wish to go? I am the way. Where do you wish to go? I am the truth. Where do you wish to remain? I am the life. For, as Hilary says, he who is the way does not lead into wandering paths, nor does he who is the truth mock by falsehoods, nor does he who is the life abandon one in the error of death. Or, otherwise: there are three things in man which pertain to holiness, namely action, contemplation, and intention; and these are perfected by Christ. For to those who exercise the active life, Christ is the way; but to those who persevere in the contemplative life, Christ is the truth; and he directs the intention of both the active and the contemplative to life, namely eternal life. For he teaches them to go forth and to preach for the age to come. Thus, therefore, the Lord is for us the way by which we go to him, and through him to the Father. But since he himself, who is the way, goes to the Father, is he then a way to himself? But, as Augustine says, he himself is the way, and the one who goes by the way, and that to which he goes: hence he goes through himself to himself. For he, insofar as he is man, is the way: hence he came through the flesh, remaining where he was; and he goes through the flesh, not abandoning that from which he had come; through the flesh also he returns to himself, to truth and life: for God had come through the flesh to men — truth to liars, life to the mortal. For "God is true, but every man is a liar" (Romans 3:4). But when he withdrew himself from men, and raised up his flesh to that place where no one lies, that same one who is the Word made flesh returned through his flesh to the truth, which is himself. And it is similar if I were to say: my mind too, while I speak to others, goes out to them, yet does not abandon me; but when I fall silent, I return in a certain way to myself, and yet remain with those to whom I speak. Thus, therefore, Christ, who is the way for us, was also made a way for himself, that is, for his flesh, that it might go to truth and life. Next, when it says, "No one comes to the Father except through me," he makes manifest what had been asked concerning the terminus of the way. Now the way, which is Christ, as has been said, leads to the Father. But because the Father and the Son are one, this way also leads to himself. And therefore Christ says that he himself is the terminus of the way. "No one," he says, "comes to the Father except through me." But it should be known that, as the Apostle says, "no one knows the things of man except the spirit of man that is in him" (1 Corinthians 2:11), which is to be understood as applying except insofar as a man wishes to manifest himself. Now one manifests his secret through his word; and therefore no one can come to the secret of a man except through the word of that man. Since, therefore, no one knows even the things of God except the Spirit of God, no one can come to the knowledge of the Father except through his Word, which is his Son; Matthew 11:27: "Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son." And just as a man, wishing to reveal himself by the word of his heart, which he brings forth by mouth, clothes that word in a certain way with letters or voice, so God, wishing to manifest himself to men, clothed his Word, conceived from eternity, with flesh in time. And thus no one can arrive at the knowledge of the Father except through the Son. Hence, above, John 10:9, he says: "I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved." But it should be noted, according to Chrysostom, that above, at John 6:44, the Lord says: "No one can come to me unless my Father draws him"; but here he says, "No one comes to the Father except through me." In this the equality of the Son to the Father is shown. It is clear, therefore, what the way is, namely Christ; and what the terminus is, namely the Father. Next, when it says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father," he shows that the disciples know both things, namely where he is going, and the way; and first he sets forth the manifestation, second he excludes the doubt that arises, where it says, "Philip said to him: Lord, show us the Father." Concerning the first, he does two things. First he shows the concomitance of the knowledge had of the Son with the knowledge had of the Father; second he makes manifest how the disciples stand with respect to knowledge of the Father, where it says, "and from now on you shall know him." He says, therefore, first: I have said that I am the way, and that you know the way, namely myself; therefore you also know where I am going, because knowledge of me cannot be had without knowledge of the Father. And this is what he says: "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father." Above, at John 8:19, he says to the Jews: "If you knew me, perhaps you would also know my Father." What, then, is the meaning of his saying here, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father," whereas there he says "perhaps"? It seems that there he was in doubt about what he here asserts. But it must be said that there he was speaking to the Jews, whom he was rebuking; and therefore he adds "perhaps," not doubting, but rebuking them. Here, however, he is speaking to the disciples whom he is instructing; and therefore he proposes the truth to them with assertion, saying, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father"; as if to say: if you knew my grace and dignity, you would also assuredly know that which is the Father's. For a thing is known by nothing better than by its word and its image; but the Son is the Word of the Father; above, John 1:1: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God"; ibid., 14: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father." The Son is also the image of the Father; Colossians 1:15: "Who is the image of the invisible God"; Hebrews 1:3: "Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance." In the Son, therefore, the Father is known, as in his own proper word and image. But it should be noted that insofar as something approaches the likeness of the paternal Word, to that extent the Father is known in it, and likewise insofar as it has something of the image of the Father. But since every created word is some likeness of that Word, and in each thing a likeness of the divinity is found, whether of image or of trace, but an imperfect one: hence it is that through no creature, and by no understanding or conception of a created intellect, can that very thing which God is be known perfectly; but only the only-begotten Word, which is the perfect and complete image of the Father, knows and comprehends the very quiddity of the Father. Hence, according to Hilary, these words can be construed otherwise. For when the Lord says, "No one comes to the Father except through me," Arius, when asked how one goes to the Father through the Son, answers that it is through the admonition of teaching, namely insofar as the Son instructs men about the Father by his teaching, according to that saying below, John 17:6: "Father, I have manifested your name to men." But the Lord, excluding this, says, "If you had known me, you would also have known my Father"; as if to say: Arius, or any other man whatsoever, can indeed announce things about the Father, but no one is so great that, once he is known, the Father is known through him, except the Son alone, who is of the same nature as him. Next, when it says, "and from now on you shall know him," he shows how the disciples stand with respect to the knowledge of the Father. Now the Lord had said above to the disciples that they knew the Father, saying, "Where I am going you know." And this Thomas denied, saying: "Lord, we do not know where you are going." And therefore here the Lord shows that in one way they know the Father, so as to show that his own word is true, and in another way they do not know him, so that Thomas's word may be true. And for this he sets down a twofold knowledge of the Father: one which will be in the future; the other which was in the past. He says, therefore, that "from now on you shall know him." He says "from now on" because there is a twofold knowledge of the Father. One is perfect, which is through the immediate vision of him, which will be in our homeland; 1 John 3:2: "When he shall appear, we shall be like him." The other is imperfect, which is through a glass and in a riddle, which we have through faith; 1 Corinthians 13:12: "We see now through a glass, in a dark manner." This, therefore, can be understood of either; so that the sense would be: "from now on you shall know him" with perfect knowledge in our homeland; below, John 16:25: "I will tell you plainly of my Father"; as if to say: it is true that you do not know him with perfect knowledge, but from now on you shall know him, once the mystery of my passion has been accomplished. Or "from now on," that is, after my resurrection and ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit, you shall know him with a perfect knowledge of faith, because, "when the Spirit the Paraclete shall come, he will teach you all things, and bring to your mind whatsoever I shall have said to you" (below, John 14:26). Thus, therefore, you speak truly in saying that you do not know him with perfect knowledge; but I speak truly in saying that you have seen him; Baruch 3:38: "Afterwards he was seen upon earth, and conversed with men." For they saw Christ according to the assumed flesh, in which was the Word, and in the Word the Father: hence in him they saw the Father; above, John 8:29: "He who sent me is with me." But note that the Father was not in the flesh through unity of person, but was in the incarnate Word through unity of nature, and in the incarnate Christ the Father was seen; above, John 1:14: "We saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father."”

“Philip saith to him, Lord,.... Another of his disciples addresses him in a reverend and becoming manner, as Thomas before had done, calling him Lord, and saying to him, "show us the Father, and it sufficeth us": he speaks in the name of them all, seems to own their ignorance of the Father, and expresses their desire of seeing him: shew us the Father; it was a corporeal sight of him he asked for; such a sight of the glory of God as Moses desired, and the elders of Israel had at Mount Sinai; and signifies, that if this could be obtained, it would give them full satisfaction: and it sufficeth us; we shall be no more uneasy at thy departure from us; we shall have no doubt about thy Father's house, and the many mansions in it; or of thyself, as the way unto it, and of our everlasting abode with thee in it; we shall sit down easy and contented, and trouble time no more with questions about this matter.”

“Show us the Father - As if he had said, We have seen and adored thee, and our happiness will be complete if thou show us the Father. The demand of Philip was similar to that made by Moses, Exo 33:18. He wished to see the glory of God. In Peter, James, or John, this would have been inexcusable; but Philip had not seen the transfiguration on the mount. The Jewish history is full of the manifestations which God made of himself, and especially when he gave the law. As Christ was introducing a new law, Philip wished to have an additional manifestation of God.”

“The substance of this passage is that the Son is the ordained and perfect manifestation of the Father, that His own word for this ought to His disciples to be enough; that if any doubts remained His works ought to remove them (see on Joh 10:37); but yet that these works of His were designed merely to aid weak faith, and would be repeated, nay exceeded, by His disciples, in virtue of the power He would confer on them after His departure. His miracles the apostles wrought, though wholly in His name and by His power, and the "greater" works--not in degree but in kind--were the conversion of thousands in a day, by His Spirit accompanying them.”