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Jesus’ Interactions with God the Father - Implicit

Before we look at Jesus’ interactions with people in the coming days, it is only fitting that we first examine His relationship with Father. In today’s readings, we will look at the implicit interactions between God the Father and Jesus Christ.

To be clear, the implicit interactions are those where we have to assume there must have been an interaction between the two. This type of interaction between the Father and Jesus is implied most clearly in the words of Jesus.

In the words of Jesus, we find He spoke widely about the opinion of the Father on various topics. Not only did He offer opinions of the Father, He spoke on behalf of the Father.

Matthew 6:1 - Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:4 - Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6:8 - Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

Matthew 6:14–15 - If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:35 - That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.

From this, we can glean that an unseen/unreported relationship existed between them. Our everyday human relationships tell us a person cannot presume to speak on someone’s behalf if they do not know them.

An ambassador speaks on behalf of the country, given their relationship with the head of state. A personal assistant knows how their boss wants things done because of their regular and constant interaction and strong relationship.

We should not be surprised that the relationship between the Father and Son was strong but unseen, because that is precisely what Jesus told us to do. Jesus taught us to pray in our closet in secret and it is then that the Father will reward us.

Matthew 6:5–6 - When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

At Jesus’ baptism and transfiguration, the Father and the Son do not interact directly. What we see is the Father stamping His approval on Jesus in public.

Matthew 3:16–17 - After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.’

Matthew 17:1–5 - Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, ‘Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.’

Perhaps these supernatural encounters were a fulfillment of the Father rewarding the Son openly because of his secret relationship.

Matthew 6:6 - But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

We often attribute these experiences to Jesus’ godly nature, but if we view them in light of His humanity and understand them as His reward for obedience to the principle of secret prayer, we may gain insight into a channel the Father uses to promote us.

The method that God the Father uses to reward and fulfill our vision and purpose is the same for us as it was for Jesus. If we are able and willing to develop our relationship with God the Father in secret, we will be rewarded openly.

Questions: Do I have an unseen relationship with the Father? Am I able to speak on His behalf because of my relationship with Him? Do I believe in the promise that He will reward me openly as I seek Him privately?