John - 12:45



45 He who sees me sees him who sent me.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of John 12:45.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me.
And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.
and he that beholds me, beholds him that sent me.
and he who is beholding me, doth behold Him who sent me;
And whoever sees me, sees him who sent me.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

And he who seeth me. The word see is here taken for knowledge; for, in order to give true and thorough tranquillity to our consciences, which would otherwise have been constantly liable to various agitations, he sends us to the Father. The reason why the stability of faith is firm and secure is, that it is stronger than the world, and is above the world. [1] Now, when Christ is truly known, the glory of God shines in him, that we may be fully persuaded that the faith which we have in him does not depend on man, but that it is founded on the eternal God; for it rises from the flesh of Christ to his Divinity. And, if it be so, not only must it be fixed perpetually in our hearts, but it must likewise show itself boldly in the tongue, when it is necessary.

Footnotes

1 - "Pource qu'elle est plus forte que le monde, et pardessus le monde."

Seeth me - This verse is a strong confirmation of his equality with God. In no other way can it be true that he who saw Jesus saw him that sent him, unless he were the same in essence. Of no man could it be affirmed that he who saw him saw God. To say this of Paul or Isaiah would have been blasphemy. And yet Jesus uses this language familiarly and constantly. It shows that he had a consciousness that he was divine, and that it was the natural and proper way of speaking when speaking of himself. Compare John 5:17.

And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. Not with bodily eyes, for there were many that saw Christ, who never saw the Father: they saw Christ as a mere man, and were offended at the meanness of his outward appearance; they saw nothing divine in him, nor the glory of the Father through him; but with the eyes of the understanding, whoever saw or perceived the glory of Christ in his miracles, saw the glory of God in them also, for the Father that dwelt in him did the works, John 2:11, and whoever truly sees Christ with an eye of faith, sees his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, as the brightness of his Father's glory, as having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, the same perfections as in the Father; so that he that hath seen the one, hath seen the other also, John 14:9.

And he that seeth me - By the eye of faith.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on John 12:45

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.