What does Jesus' relationship with the Father teach us about knowing God? John 17:25 — The Son Reveals the Father “O righteous Father, although the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.” Jesus Knows the Father Perfectly • No distance or misunderstanding exists between the Son and the Father. • John 1:18 — “No one has ever seen God; but the one and only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.” • Matthew 11:27 — “All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” • Because Jesus possesses perfect, intimate knowledge, He is the only reliable guide into true knowledge of God. Knowing God Begins with Faith in the Sent Son • John 17:25 pairs Jesus’ unique knowledge (“I know You”) with the disciples’ dawning recognition (“they know that You sent Me”). • John 14:6–7 — “I am the way and the truth and the life… If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well.” • 1 John 5:20 — “The Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true.” • Personal trust in the One the Father sent opens the door to knowing the Father Himself. Relational Knowledge, Not Mere Information • Biblical “knowing” (Greek: ginōskō) speaks of relationship and experience, not simply data. • Jesus invites believers into the same family intimacy He enjoys: John 17:26, “I have made Your name known to them… so that the love You have for Me may be in them.” • The aim is communion—hearts intertwined with the living God. The Father’s Heart: Righteous Yet Approachable • Jesus addresses God as “O righteous Father,” uniting holiness with tenderness. • Psalm 145:17 — “The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.” • Through the Son’s atoning work, believers approach this righteous Father with confidence (Hebrews 10:19–22). Confidence in the Reliability of Divine Revelation • The world’s ignorance contrasts with the certainty Jesus provides. • Hebrews 1:1–3 — In His Son, God has spoken decisively and finally. • Because Scripture records the Son’s words faithfully, we possess an unshakable foundation for knowing God. Living Out the Knowledge of God • Grow in intimacy: continually behold Christ in the Word (2 Corinthians 3:18). • Obey what He reveals: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him” (John 14:23). • Reflect His character: as children of a righteous Father, pursue righteousness in everyday conduct (1 Peter 1:15–16). |
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