Question: Moses had direct communication with God almost face to face and even saw His glory. Yet in John 1:18, John seems to say that no one has ever seen God, except Christ alone.
Answer:
The “seeing” of God mentioned here does not mean looking upon His physical face as if to describe His appearance, what He looks like, or the shape of His features. No, that is not the meaning. Rather, it refers to knowing and understanding Him.
For example, when we say, “We have seen the hand of the Lord,” it does not mean we literally saw His physical hand in heaven, or that it came down and we observed its color and number of fingers! No. What we mean is that we have seen His mighty power at work.
In the same way, when we say we have “seen the Lord” in our lives, it does not mean He appeared before us physically, but that we have experienced His presence and recognized His reality.
Therefore, when Scripture says no one has ever seen God, it does not mean no one has ever seen His physical form it means no one has ever fully known or understood Him in His power, authority, and nature except Christ alone. Others may have had partial knowledge of Him, but not to the extent that God intended. In that sense, it is as if they had not truly seen Him. Only the Lord Jesus fully knew and revealed the Father to us.
Luke 10:22 “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Luke 10:22
“All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Do you see? Only Christ truly knew the Father as He should be known. Moses did not fully know God that is why the Law of Moses could not make anyone perfect. Christ alone came to reveal God to us as He truly is, and to show us His perfect will.
John 1:17 “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
John 1:17
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
For example, the disciples of Jesus saw Him every day, but they still did not truly know Him the eyes of their hearts were closed. That is why, when He asked them who He was, they could not answer correctly until Peter by revelation from the Father confessed that He was the Son of God. This fulfilled the Scripture: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
Therefore, the Lord Jesus the Son of God is everything. There is no other person, no other prophet we can follow and reach heaven. The law of Moses could not bring anyone into the presence of the Father, nor could the teachings of any other prophet. Only Jesus opened the way for us to reach the Father in heaven, because He alone knows the Father. And the way to the Father is Christ Himself His life and His Word.
John 14:5–6 “Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
John 14:5–6
“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
Do you want to go to the Father in heaven?
If yes, then know this: The Way is Jesus. No other knowledge, religion, or wisdom can take you there only Jesus! He is the One who has seen the Father, and the Father Himself confirmed Him. There is no shortcut to eternal life.
Therefore, if you have not yet received Him, receive Him today. Repent, be baptized, and let Him enter your life to guide you in the way of eternal life.
Maranatha!
Please share this good news with others.
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