Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it will satisfy us.
All Commentaries on John 14:8 Go To John 14
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Philip saith unto Him, &c.—Philip did not understand Christ"s answer; how, namely, he who knows Christ knows also the Father. He urges therefore Christ to show them the Father Himself. "Thou sayest that the Father is in Thee, as it were lies hid in Thee. Open Thyself, and shew Him to us."
And it sufficeth us1st. Says S. Chrysostom, we desire nothing else but to be shown the Father.
2d. S. Cyril, It sufficeth us, viz, for blessedness, that we should be delivered from all trouble and sorrow; for since the Father is God He will bless us.
3d. It sufficeth us, for confounding the Jews, who deny that Thou art the Son of God.
4th. And more simply, as though it were said, "instead of all the reasons which Thou, 0 Christ, bringest together, to console us in our sorrow for Thy death, we ask one, that Thou wouldst show us the Father. This one will suffice us instead of all the rest."
Anagogically. Hear S. Augustine, "With that joy which shall fill us with His countenance nothing more will be required." This Philip well understood when he said, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. But he did not yet understand that he might say, Lord, show us Thyself, and it sufficeth us. But that he might understand this, he received the answer, Have I been so long time with you? &c.
Herein is that saying of S. Augustine true, "Thou sufficest for God, let God be sufficient for thee." For God is Saddai, i.e, sufficiency, abundance of all good things." Wherefore the Psalmist says, "We shall be satisfied when Thy glory shall appear" ( Psalm 16:15); and, "They shall be inebriated from the richness of Thy house, and Thou shalt give them drink from the torrent of Thy pleasure" ( Psalm 35:9); and, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever" (Ps l73:25-26).
The reason priori Isaiah , because God made man after His own image and likeness, wherefore He gave him an infinite capacity, and infinite desires, such as cannot be satisfied with any finite goods. Therefore it is necessary that God alone, who is infinite Good, should fill and satisfy that capacity. As S. Augustine says (lib1 , Conf. c1), "0 Lord, thou hast made us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee." And the same saith (in Ps. lxii.), "Lovest thou riches? God Himself will be thy riches. Lovest thou a fountain of good? What is more excellent than wisdom? What more full of light? Whatever here can be loved, He who made all things shall be Thine instead of all things."
