John 14:10

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Believest thou {G4100} not {G3756} that {G3754} I {G1473} am {G2076} in {G1722} the Father {G3962}, and {G2532} the Father {G3962} in {G1722} me {G1698}? the words {G4487} that {G3739} I {G1473} speak {G2980} unto you {G5213} I speak {G2980} not {G3756} of {G575} myself {G1683}: but {G1161} the Father {G3962} that dwelleth {G3306} in {G1722} me {G1698}, he {G846} doeth {G4160} the works {G2041}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Don’t you believe that I am united with the Father, and the Father united with me? What I am telling you, I am not saying on my own initiative; the Father living in me is doing his own works.

Berean Standard Bible

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works.

American Standard Version

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In John 14:10, Jesus profoundly articulates the inseparable and essential unity between Himself and God the Father, responding to His disciples' confusion regarding His identity and relationship with the Father. He asserts that His words are not self-derived but originate from the Father, and the miraculous works He performs are the Father's own actions, actively accomplished through Him, thereby confirming His divine nature and the complete revelation of the Father in the Son.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal statement within Jesus' Farewell Discourse (John chapters 13-17), delivered to His disciples in the Upper Room on the night before His crucifixion. Following Jesus' announcement of His imminent departure and the disciples' distress, He offers comfort and profound theological truths. Specifically, [John 14:10](/john/14-10 "John 14:10 - Jesus' Unity with the Father") directly addresses Philip's request in [John 14:8](/john/14-8 "John 14:8 - Philip's Request to See the Father"), "Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." Jesus' response clarifies that to see Him is to see the Father, emphasizing their mutual indwelling and the divine origin of His words and works. This passage sets the stage for further teaching on the Holy Spirit's role and the believer's union with Christ.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The concept of God in first-century Judaism was strictly monotheistic, emphasizing the singular nature of Yahweh. Jesus' claims of intimate union with the Father, particularly statements like "I and my Father are one" in [John 10:30](/john/10-30 "John 10:30 - Jesus' Unity with the Father"), were revolutionary and often perceived as blasphemous by Jewish leaders, as they implied a shared divine essence. The disciples, steeped in this monotheistic tradition, struggled to reconcile Jesus' humanity with His divine claims and His relationship with the unseen Father. Their cultural understanding of a prophet or Messiah did not typically include such an ontological identification with God, making Jesus' words both comforting and challenging to their established worldview.

* **Key Themes:** [John 14:10](/john/14-10 "John 14:10 - The Co-Indwelling of Father and Son") contributes significantly to several major themes in John's Gospel. Foremost is the **unity and co-inherence of the Father and the Son**, a central tenet of Trinitarian theology. Jesus' assertion "I am in the Father, and the Father in me" (often referred to as perichoresis or circumincession) underscores their shared essence and intimate, mutual indwelling. This verse also highlights the **divine authority of Jesus' words and works**, clarifying that His teachings and miracles are not merely human endeavors but direct manifestations of the Father's will and power. It reinforces the theme of **Jesus as the full revelation of God**, as seen in [John 1:18](/john/1-18 "John 1:18 - No One Has Seen God Except the Son"), where He is described as the one who has made the Father known. Finally, it implicitly touches upon the theme of **faith and belief**, as Jesus challenges the disciples' understanding and calls them to believe in this profound relationship, a recurring motif throughout [John's Gospel](/john/1 "The Gospel of John - Introduction").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Believest (Greek, _pisteúō'_):** From G4100, meaning "to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ)." Jesus' opening rhetorical question, "Believest thou not," directly challenges the disciples' understanding and calls for a deeper trust in His identity and claims. It's not merely intellectual assent but a profound commitment of faith in His revelation of the Father.
* **In (Greek, _en'_):** From G1722, a primary preposition denoting "fixed position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality... a relation of rest." In this context, "in" signifies an intimate, mutual indwelling and essential union between the Father and the Son. It's not merely proximity or agreement but an ontological reality where their essences are intertwined, forming one divine being. This concept is foundational to understanding the Trinity.
* **Works (Greek, _érgon'_):** From G2041, meaning "toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act." Here, "works" refers to all of Jesus' actions, particularly His miracles, healings, and authoritative teachings, which demonstrate divine power and validate His claims. These are not merely human achievements but are divinely empowered deeds, actively performed by the Father through the Son.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?"**: Jesus poses a rhetorical question, designed to prompt His disciples to a deeper level of understanding and faith. He asserts the profound, mutual indwelling (often called "coinherence" or "perichoresis") between Himself and the Father. This is not a unity of purpose alone, but an essential, ontological union where the Son fully embodies the Father's presence and nature, and vice-versa. This statement is the bedrock of Trinitarian theology, revealing the intimate relationship within the Godhead.
* **"the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:"**: Jesus clarifies the divine origin and authority of His teachings. He states that His words are not His own independent thoughts or human wisdom, but they are directly from the Father. This underscores that Jesus is the perfect mouthpiece for God, ensuring that everything He communicates is the absolute truth and the very word of God, not subject to human error or limitation.
* **"but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."**: Extending the principle from His words to His actions, Jesus reveals that His miraculous deeds and all aspects of His ministry are also divinely empowered. The Father is actively at work within Him, performing these "works" through the Son. This validates Jesus' divine identity and mission, demonstrating that His power is not His own but is derived from and is the very power of the indwelling Father. These works serve as undeniable proof of His unity with God.

#### Literary Devices
[John 14:10](/john/14-10 "John 14:10 - Jesus' Divine Origin of Words and Works") employs several powerful literary devices. The verse opens with a **Rhetorical Question** ("Believest thou not...?"), which is not meant to elicit a direct answer but to challenge the disciples' current level of understanding and to emphasize the profound truth Jesus is about to reveal. There is strong **Parallelism** in the structure of Jesus' statement, first concerning His words ("I speak not of myself") and then His works ("he doeth the works"), highlighting that both aspects of His ministry share the same divine origin. The phrase "I am in the Father, and the Father in me" is a profound expression of **Mutual Indwelling** or **Perichoresis**, a theological concept made concrete through the use of the preposition "in," which functions as a **Metaphor** for an intimate, essential, and inseparable union. This repetition and structural balance serve to underscore the absolute unity and co-operation between the Father and the Son, making the theological point both clear and memorable.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
John 14:10 is a cornerstone for understanding the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, particularly the relationship between the Father and the Son. It asserts not merely a unity of purpose or will, but an ontological, essential unity where the Father and Son mutually indwell each each other. This "coinherence" means that to truly know Jesus is to know the Father, and to witness Jesus' works is to witness the Father's power in action. This verse dispels any notion of Jesus acting independently of God and firmly establishes His divine authority as the perfect revelation of the invisible God. It assures believers that the words of Christ are the very words of God, and His redemptive work is the Father's ultimate plan for humanity.

* [John 10:30](/john/10-30 "John 10:30 - I and My Father Are One")
* [Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Colossians 1:15 - Christ, the Image of the Invisible God")
* [Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - The Radiance of God's Glory")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
John 14:10 calls us to a deeper, more profound faith in the person of Jesus Christ. If Jesus' words are the Father's words, and His works are the Father's works, then our trust in Christ is implicitly trust in God Himself. This understanding should bolster our confidence in the absolute truth and authority of Scripture, as Jesus' teachings form its core. It also provides immense comfort, knowing that the divine power that accomplished the "works" of Christ, including His resurrection, is available to us through the Holy Spirit. We are invited to rest in the assurance that our salvation is rooted in the perfect, unified will and action of the Father and the Son. This verse challenges us to move beyond a superficial understanding of Jesus and to embrace the mystery of His divine nature, allowing it to transform our worship, our obedience, and our daily walk.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does understanding the mutual indwelling of the Father and Son (as described in John 14:10) deepen your appreciation for the Trinity?**
* **If Jesus' words are the Father's words, how does this impact your approach to studying and obeying the teachings of Christ?**
* **In what ways do you see the "works" of the Father being done through Jesus (and subsequently through His body, the Church) in the world today?**
* **What does Jesus' rhetorical question, "Believest thou not...?" reveal about His desire for His disciples' faith? How does it challenge your own faith?**

### FAQ

**What does "I am in the Father, and the Father in me" mean?**

Answer: This profound statement describes the essential, ontological unity between Jesus (the Son) and God the Father. It signifies a mutual indwelling, often referred to as "coinherence" or "perichoresis" in theology. It means that they are not merely united in purpose or will, but they share the same divine essence and nature. The Father is fully present in the Son, and the Son fully reveals the Father. To see Jesus is to see the Father [John 14:9](/john/14-9 "John 14:9 - Seeing Jesus is Seeing the Father"), and His words and actions are not His own independent initiatives but are expressions of the Father's will and power. This concept is foundational to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, emphasizing that while distinct persons, they are one God.

**How do Jesus' words and works prove His unity with the Father?**

Answer: Jesus explains that "the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself" and "the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." This means that His teachings are not human wisdom but divinely inspired truth directly from the Father. Similarly, His miracles, healings, and all His redemptive actions are not merely human feats but are the Father's power actively at work through Him. These "words" (teaching) and "works" (deeds) serve as undeniable evidence of His divine origin and His inseparable union with the Father. They are the visible and audible manifestations of the invisible God, validating Jesus' claims to divinity and His unique relationship with the Father.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
John 14:10 finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus being the complete and perfect revelation of God the Father to humanity. In a world alienated from God by sin, humanity desperately needed to know the true character and will of the Creator. Jesus, as the Son, perfectly embodies and expresses the Father, making the invisible God visible and comprehensible. He is the "image of the invisible God" [Colossians 1:15](/colossians/1-15 "Colossians 1:15 - Christ, the Image of the Invisible God") and the "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" [Hebrews 1:3](/hebrews/1-3 "Hebrews 1:3 - The Radiance of God's Glory"). Every word Jesus spoke was God's truth, and every miraculous work He performed was God's power in action, culminating in His atoning death and resurrection—the Father's ultimate "work" of salvation. Through Jesus, the Father's love, justice, and mercy are fully displayed, inviting humanity into reconciliation and eternal life. Thus, Jesus fulfills the longing to "see the Father" by being the very presence and power of God dwelling among us, making God accessible and knowable in a way never before possible [John 1:18](/john/1-18 "John 1:18 - No One Has Seen God Except the Son").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

John 5:19

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

John 10:38

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him.

Acts 10:38

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

John 8:28

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

John 6:40

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 10:30

I and [my] Father are one.