John 14:7-14 (ESVST)
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus just told his disciples that he was the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through him. Now Jesus tells them that if they had known him, they would have known the Father as well. Other translations translate this verse as “if you really knew me, you would have known the Father”. I suppose it makes more sense for one to understand that although Jesus’s disciples were always with him and he always taught them, they were not at a stage where they really knew who Jesus truly was. As any other human being, they had some doubts. Hence Jesus say here that if they had known him, they would have know the Father. This means if they really completely beleived in him and saw him for who he is, then they would Have seen the Father through him. Jesus is here representing the Father, he is here as the Father incarnate and he is here as the glory of the Father. If they saw this in him, they would have seen the Father as well.
8 Philip said to him, “ Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘ Show us the Father ’?
As I just indicated, there was still,a lot of doubt among the disciples. Philip’s question is the evidence of that doubt. In other words, if Jesus can show them God, then they will completely beleive. Indicating that at this stage, there was still some doubt in their hearts. Jesus’s question to Philip is a convicting one. Having been with Jesus for so long and having seen the works that Jesus has done, he still did not beleive? He again says to Philip, whoever has seen him, has seen the Father.
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Jesus continues here to say that he is in the Father and the Father is in him and they must beleive that. They must believe that his authority comes from the Father who is in him and through him, he does his works. He urges them again to beleive that he is in the Father and the Father is in him. If there is nothing else that convinces them of this fact, then they must at least, believe because of the works that Jesus has done.
12 “ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Jesus then told them that because he is going back to the Father, whoever believes in him, will do the works that he did and even greater.
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Then Jesus gave them the assurance that whatever they ask in his name, he will do so that the Father may be glorified. Jesus is not saying that he will do whatever they ask so that they must be glorified, not even himself but, so that God must be glorified.
If one were to summaries John 14:1-14, it would be like this: “Jesus is the only way to God and we need to beleive in him”.