22 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
The first sentence of our verse for today is reminiscent of Jesus’ words to us in Matthew when announcing the great commission to His disciples: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matt 28:18-20 (NIV)
Jesus spoke to His followers stating that He had been given the official right and achieving power by the Father and now He was instructing His disciples to go forth in that exact same authority. I am reminded of Paul’s word to the Colossians: 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Col 2:15 (NIV)
Christ fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law thus disarming and triumphing over all the demonic powers and authorities. The only right Satan has over the life of a believer is what the believer allows. They were to make disciples by proclaiming the truth concerning Jesus and their hearers (those that would believe) would be evangelized and enlisted as followers. Jesus’ commission continues to be applicable for all of His followers (this would include us) and involves the following commands – making disciples through His power and authority and teaching them to obey what He has set forth. In the second sentence of our verse for today Jesus states: “No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” This, too, is reminiscent of another passage of Scripture: 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. John 1:18 (NIV)
Jesus, the One and Only, presently at the right hand of the Father, has made God known to us. God in His essence is invisible. Paul tells us in I Timothy: 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim 1:17 (NIV)
Immortal and invisible speak of two of the central attributes of God. This point is reiterated in the last chapter of the same book: 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. 1 Tim 6:11-16 (NIV)
As children of the King we are to pursue righteousness, fighting the good fight of faith so that our lives will be a continuous testimony of the confession that we espouse. God is the ultimate ruler of the universe and alone is immortal living in unapproachable light. It is Jesus who reveals the Father to us. If we desire to know God better, we must know His Son. He has fleshed out God’s character for us, wooing us to Him by His love. As John tells us:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)
I love what the Bible Knowledge Commentary states about the above verse: “Christ, the eternal Logos, who is God, came to earth as man. Yet in doing so, He did not merely “appear” like a man; He became one (cf. Phil. 2:5-9). Humanity, in other words, was added to Christ’s deity. And yet Christ, in becoming “flesh,” did not change; so perhaps the word “became” (egeneto) should be understood as “took to Himself” or “arrived on the scene as.” We have seen most naturally implies that the author was an eyewitness. His glory refers to the unique splendor and honor seen in Jesus’ life, miracles, death, and resurrection. The one and only Son (monogenous; cf. John 1:18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9) means that Jesus is the Son of God in a sense totally different from a human who believes and becomes a child of God. Jesus’ sonship is unique for He is eternal and is of the same essence as the Father. The glorious revelation of God which the Logos displayed was full of grace and truth, that is, it was a gracious and truthful revelation (cf. John 1:17).” We are also told by Jesus in John:43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. John 6:43-47 (NIV) Again, the Bible Knowledge Commentary gives us insight with their exegesis of this verse: "Without God’s help any assessment of God’s Messenger will be faulty. No one can come to Jesus or believe on Him without divine help. People are so ensnared in the quicksand of sin and unbelief that unless God draws them (cf. v. 65), they are hopeless. This drawing of God is not limited to a few. Jesus said, “I... will draw all men to Myself” (12:32). This does not mean that all will be saved but that Greeks (i.e., Gentiles; 12:20) as well as Jews will be saved. Those who will be saved will also be resurrected (cf. 6:39-40). 6:45. In support of this doctrine of salvation by God’s grace, Jesus cited the Old Testament. The quotation, They will all be taught by God, is from the Prophets, probably Isaiah 54:13, though Jeremiah 31:34 has the same thought. This “teaching” of God refers to His inner work that disposes people to accept the truth about Jesus and respond to Him. Everyone who listens to and learns from God will come to and believe in Jesus.”“He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 11:15