now that he was not going to die any more, to remove the fear of death from
SERMON 229G
ON THE TUESDAY AFTER EASTER
Date: 416-4171
1. You have heard what the Lord said to his disciples after his resurrection, now that he was not going to die any more, to remove the fear of death from those who were going to die.
The one who said "Show us the Father, and that is enough for us " was unable to recognize the Father in the Son
2. That Christ is God is not denied even by those who refuse to confess that he is of one substance with the Father.2 They confess that he's God, deny that he's equal; so they make two Gods. We, however, say that the Son is equal to the Father in such a way, that if we are asked about each in turn, whether the Father is God, we acknowledge that he is; whether the Son is God, we acknowl¬ edge that he is; whether these two, Father and Son, are Gods or God, we acknowledge they are God. This is something that weak and human minds cannot grasp; something so great and divine, whenever there is talk about God, that human weakness cannot think about it adequately; but it can believe, so that later on it may form suitable thoughts.
The Lord was asked, you see, Show us the Father, and that is enough for us (Jn 14:8). The person who said this wasn't able to recognize the Father in the Son. What he could see, after all, was what the Jews could crucify; he couldn't see the one who was the hidden stumbling block for the Jews. And he assumed that that was all Christ was, what he could look at with his eyes; and that's why he wasn't enough for him, because he couldn't see all of him. And because he thought there was nothing more in Christ, that's why he was asking for the Father as what would be enough for them. As though to say, "We know you, of course, we can indeed see you; but we are still longing for something more. Show us the Father, and that is enough for us; after all, there will be nothing further for us to look for, when we have learned all about the Father." And Jesus, wishing to show that he is equal to the Father, said, Have I been with you all this time, and you do not know me ?