He said above that you "know" where I am going, you also know this Way, that is, Me; but here he says that "if ye had known" me, you would have known my Father also. How is that? There is no contradiction in His words. For they knew the Father, but not as they ought to, they knew him as God, but they did not yet know the Father. Only later did the Spirit, descending upon them, impart perfect knowledge to them. Thus His words have this meaning: If you knew My essence and dignity, you would also know the essence and dignity of the Father. And from now on you began to know Him through My intermediary, and you saw Him, that is, you knew Him with your mind, as far as possible. Since you acknowledge Me to be Lord and Teacher, you have undoubtedly received sufficient knowledge of Me, as far as is attainable for you; and of the Father, for they have not yet received that which is perfect. And it is different. The words, "If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father," do not mean that they do not know him, but have this meaning: I have told you that you know where I am going, that is, to the Father, and you know this way, that is, me. Thomas said to Me, "We do not know whither you are going," and so on, and we do not know this way. I said to Thomas: I am the Way, and no one comes to the Father except through Me. Therefore, if you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. But you know Me, therefore you also know My Father. For henceforth, he says, you know him, and have seen him when you have seen me.

Philip said to Him, "Lord! show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, "How long have I been with you, and you do not know me, Philip?" He who has seen Me has seen the Father: how then do you say, "Show us the Father"?

Philip thought that he knew Christ well, but did not know the Father. For this reason He said: "Show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." For no matter how much you tell us that if you knew Me, you would know My Father, we cannot know the Father in this way. And show Him to us, our bodily eyes. Philip had heard that the prophets had seen God, and he himself wished to see Him in the same bodily way, not knowing that the visions of the prophets were condescension. Thus, teaching Philip that God cannot be seen bodily, Christ says: "So long have I been with you, and you have not yet known Me, Philip?" He did not say, "You have not 'seen,' but you do not 'know,'" in order to distract Philip from earthly thoughts, from the desire to see the Father bodily. For it is said of God to know, and not to see bodily. Then he adds: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." The words have the following meaning: Philip! you desire to see the Father with your bodily eye, and you think that you have already seen Me. And I tell you that if you had seen Me, you would have seen Him. And since thou hast not seen Him now, thou hast not seen Me either, as thou shouldst look upon Me: thou hast seen Me bodily, since I also have a body, but thou hast not seen the Divine being; therefore you cannot see bodily the essence of the Father. Neither Me nor the Father can be seen bodily. For he who has seen Me has seen the Father also. However, many think that they see Me, but they do not see the Father. Therefore they see Me not according to the Divine nature, but according to the human nature. You can also understand it more clearly thus: I am of one essence with the Father. Therefore, whoever has seen Me, that is, has known Me, has known the Father. For when there is one being and nature, then there is one knowledge. Let Arius be ashamed to hear that he who has seen the "Son," that is, who has known the Divinity of the Son, has come to know the "Father," that is, the Divinity of the Father. Let Sabellius also be ashamed, who says: "One essence and one person of the Father and the Son." For behold, the Lord distinguishes the Hypostases, and shows another Person in the Father, and another in the Son. For in the words: "He who has seen Me" points to His Face, then in the words: "He has seen the Father" – to another Person. If He and the Father were one Person, then He would not have said anything of the kind, but to Philip's request, "Show us the Father," He would have replied that I have no Father, but I am the Father and the Son. And it would be extremely unwise to hear the Son say, "I go to My Father," and "I am in the Father," and so on, and not to understand that there is another Person of the Son and another of the Father, not to merge them. For this reason the Lord reproaches this disciple for having followed Him for so long, for having seen the signs and works of the Godhead, but for not yet knowing Him as God, so that through Him he might also know the Father. But now, he says, from the fact that you desire to see the Father bodily, it is revealed that you believe neither that I am God, nor that He is God.

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 of myself; The Father who dwells in Me, He does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; and if not, believe Me according to your very works.

The Son is in the Father, because He appears in His essence, and again the Father is in the essence of the Son, just as the king appears in his image, and the image in the king. For the image and the tsar have the same features. And that My and the Father's beings are one, this is clear. For "the words that I speak, I do not speak of myself," that is, I speak them no other way, but as the Father would say, so do I speak; for I have nothing special with Me that is separate from the Father, but all things that are common; for one being, though the persons are different. But the Father owns not only the words that I speak, but also the deeds, the works of God. But if the works are God's, and the Father and I are God, then the works are one Being, so that if I do, the Father does, if the Father does, I do. "Believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me," that is, you who hear about the Father and the Son, should not seek any other proof of their kinship in essence. But if this is not enough for you to prove the consubstantiality and oneness of godliness, and that the Father appears in My essence and I in the essence of the Father, then at least believe Me in works: for the works are God's.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works which I do, he shall do also, and greater than these; for I am going to My Father. And if you ask the Father anything in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

Christ, showing that He can do not only these works, but also others, much greater than these, speaks of this with extraordinary force. For he does not say, "I can do greater works than these," but, what is much more surprising, I can also give power to others to do greater works than these. Do you see how great is the power of the Only-begotten? He also gives others the strength to do works greater than those that He Himself did. Because I am going to My Father, that is, now you will work miracles, for I am already departing. Explaining to us how he who believes in Him can do great and wonderful works, He says: "If you ask anything in My name," Here He shows us the way of working miracles: everyone can work miracles through petition and prayer and invocation of His name. Thus the Apostles said to the lame man: "In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk" (Acts 3:6). Wherefore He did not say, Whatever ye ask, I will beseech the Father, and He will, but, I will do, showing His own authority. "Let the Father be glorified in the Son." For when a son appears to have great power, then there is glory to him who begat such a son. See how the glory to the Father flows. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, miracles were performed; the preaching of the apostles believed in miracles; finally, passing on to the knowledge of God, they came to know the Father, and in this way He was glorified in the Son. Let those who suffer from Arianism say: how did He perform miracles through the Apostles, not by Himself, but with the help of the Father? How did He give strength to others, but He Himself did not have it? Why did He say the same thing twice? For having said, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it," then adding, "That the Father may be glorified in the Son," he again says a second time, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." He says this twice in order to confirm His word and show that He creates Himself and does not need outside power. All this He says to His disciples for their consolation and as a confirmation that He will not perish or be destroyed after death, but will again remain in His dignity and will be in heaven. For I, he says, go to the Father; I will not be destroyed, but I will depart to where life is most blessed. Though I shall die, I shall not be in the least powerless; on the contrary, I will endow others with the power to do great deeds. And whatever you wish, I will give you. Therefore, do not be discouraged because My death is such as I have pointed out to you.

If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him and does not know Him; but you know Him, for He is with you, and will be in you.

He said above: I will do whatever you ask; now he shows that one should not ask simply, but with love for Him and keeping the commandments. For then I will do it when you ask in this way. And it is different. Hearing that they would be forsaken by Him, they could naturally be saddened and troubled in their souls. He says, "Loving Me does not consist in being sad and troubled, but in obeying My words." I have given you a commandment not to be afraid of those who kill the body (Matt. 10:28). If you love Me, then keep it and no longer grieve over My death. For it is not characteristic of him who keeps the mentioned commandment to grieve. How, then, not keeping My commandment, but fearing death, do you say that you love Me? To this they might have said, "How can we not grieve when we are about to lose your comfort and guidance?" Therefore he says, "This will not happen; You will not be left without consolation. For I will ask, that is, I will beseech the Father, and He will send you another Comforter, another but one like Me. Let Sabellius be ashamed of these words, who says that there is one person of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For behold, listen: he will send "another" Comforter; it means that the face of the Spirit is different. Let Macedonius also be ashamed, who says that the Spirit of another being is inferior to the Son. For listen: the Spirit is also the Comforter, as is the Son. Thus, the Spirit is the Comforter, just as the Son is. Thus, the Spirit, who is of one essence with the Son, is undoubtedly of one essence with the Father. For the Father and the Son are one and the same being. Do not be surprised if He says, "I will pray the Father." For He does not ask as a servant; but in order to assure the disciples that the Comforter Spirit would certainly come to them, He condescended to them and said: "I will beseech" the Father. For if He had said, "I will send," they would not have believed so much; and now, in order to make His word more trustworthy, He says: "I will pray the Father," that is, if it is necessary to both ask and pray, then I will try in every way that the Spirit will come to you. This is similar to how we often say: I will lay down my life so that this and that may happen. Though often the work does not require much effort, yet we speak in this way, wishing to show that we will not give up the effort. Otherwise. Since the Lord offered himself for us as a sacrifice to the Father, propitiating him by his death as a high priest, and then, after the destruction of sin and the cessation of enmity, the Spirit came to us, therefore he says, I will pray the Father, and will give you a Comforter, that is, I will propitiate the Father for you, and reconcile him to you who are hostile to him because of sin, and he, propitiated by my death for you, and reconciled to you, will send you the Spirit. "May He be with you forever." He also said this for their consolation. His coming is not like mine, it is not only for a time, but will last forever; He will not forsake you even after your death, but will abide with you and glorify you; He always dwells with all the saints, even after their death, especially since they then rise even more above the passions of the flesh. "The Spirit of truth," he says, that is, the Spirit is not of the Old Testament, for he is the image and shadow, but of the New, which is the truth. Those who lived under the Law also had the Spirit, but had it in form and shadows, and now, it can be said, the Truth itself has essentially descended to the disciples. And lest they think that the Spirit will be incarnate like Him, he says that the world cannot receive Him. He, he says, will teach you differently from me, for the world cannot receive him bodily. He will dwell in your very souls.

Otherwise. His "world" cannot accept Him, that is, people who are vicious and philosophize about the world, because they do not see Him, that is, because His essence is immense. For by vision here he means contemplation with the mind, which is why he added: "and does not know Him." Obviously, by saying, "He does not see," He expressed what He "does not know." Thus He comforts the apostles when He says that the world cannot receive Him, but that this excellent gift will be given to you, and will abide "with you," and what is still more, it will abide "in you." For the word "with you" indicates external help from intimacy, and "in you" indicates inner dwelling and strengthening. This also shows that He is God. For God says: "I will dwell in you, and I will walk" (Lev. 26:12). So the world cannot receive the Spirit, because it does not know Him, and you know Him. Why? Because you are not of the world. That is why you are able to receive Him, and He is now "with you" and will always be "in you."

I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while, and the world will see Me no more, for I live, and you will live. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.

Do not be afraid, he says, "I have said to you, I will send another Comforter." Do not think that you will not see Me again. For I will not depart from you forever. I will come and will not leave you orphans. Since at the beginning of his speech he called them children, now he decently says: "I will not leave you orphans." And so that they do not think that He will still appear to them and everyone with a body, He says: "The world will see Me no more." You are the only ones who will see Me after the resurrection. "For I live"; though I shall accept death, yet I shall be resurrected. "And ye shall live," that is, when you see Me, you will rejoice, and, as after death, you will be made alive by My appearance. Or thus: As My death has brought to life, so ye also, though ye die, shall ye live. Therefore, do not grieve for Me who is dying, nor for yourselves. For even if you die, you will live in the life to come. "In that day you will know that I am in My Father," that is, when I am resurrected, then you will know that I am not separated from the Father, but have the same power. "And ye are in Me," that is, preserved by Me, "and I am in you," that is, I am with you, I deliver you from sorrows, I work miracles through you, and in general I glorify you through everything. And in other words: "I am in you," as the Head in the members, for the apostles are members of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:23), "and you are in Me," as members in the Head. When He was resurrected, then He made clear to them the knowledge of all these things. For after the resurrection, the grace of the Spirit taught them all things.

When you hear the words: "I am in the Father, and you are in Me, and I in you," do not understand them in the same meaning. For the Son in the Father is of one essence, and in the Apostles as a helper and helper, and the Apostles in Him as receiving from Him help, assistance, and fervor. Many other names are used about God and about people, but not in the same sense. Thus, we are also called gods (Psalm 81:6), but not in the same sense as God. The Son is called the Image and Glory of the Father (Heb. 1:3), and man is called the same; but not in one meaning. This is how these words should be understood. As well as the following words: "As the Father has sent me, so I also send you" (John 20:21) – should we understand simply? The Father sent the Son in the sense that He, being incorporeal, became incarnate, having been born of a Virgin. Is it possible that this is why the Apostles were also from heaven and incorporeal, and then became incarnate, and each of them was born of a virgin?! But to understand the words of Scripture in this way is obvious madness.

Whoever has My commandments and keeps them loves Me; but whoever loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and appear to him Myself. Judas – not Iscariot – said to Him: "Lord! What is this, You want to reveal Yourself to us, and not to the world?