Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 14:9-11

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works` sake." — John 14:9-11 (ASV)

Jesus says to him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; and how do you then say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Note how the Master continued to urge his disciples to believe.

Again and again he returned to that vital point: Do you believe?

"Believe me...: believe me." This he did because there is no relief from heart-trouble but by believing the everlasting truth of God, and especially by believing him who is "the truth." The believer alone has true peace of heart; the unbeliever is tossed to and fro on the billows of the great ocean of doubt.

How can he rest? There is nothing for him to rest upon. Happily, Christ is still saying, 'Come to me, and I will give you rest;' and they are truly wise who accept his gracious invitation.

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

The eternal union between Christ and the Father should never be forgotten by us. He seems to humble himself, as the well-beloved Son insists that his words are not his own, but come from the Father.

I cannot help remarking how different this is from some who profess to be ministers of Christ. They must be original; they must be great thinkers. Everyone nowadays makes their own gospel, but the Savior was no original—the grandest of all intellects—and yet he says, "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake."