As I looked over several commentaries and their interpretation of the verse (Isaiah 9:6), there were a variety of very interesting and thought-provoking explanations:
“If the term ‘Father,’ applied to our Lord, grates on our ears, we must remember that the distinction of Persons in the Godhead had not yet been revealed.”[1]
“There are four compound titles. These are probably the child’s new names when coronated king. The term Immanuel in Isa. 7:14 and 8:8-10, as well as the term ‘Mighty God’ in Isa. 9:6, does not automatically imply Deity, but reflects the ideal king. The names reflect God’s character which hopefully characterized the Davidic King. It must be remembered that these titles deal with (1) the area of administration, (2) military power, (3) pastoral care, and (4) the quality of the reign.”[2]
“The Hebrews used the term father in a great variety of senses – as a literal father, a grandfather, an ancestor, a ruler, an instructor. The phrase may either mean the same as the Eternal Father, and the sense will be, that the Messiah will not, as must be the ease with an earthly king, however excellent, leave his people destitute after a short reign, but will rule over them and bless them forever (Hengstenberg); or it may be used in accordance with a custom usual in Hebrew and in Arabic, where he who possesses a thing is called the father of it. Thus, the father of strength means strong; the father of knowledge, intelligent; the father of glory, glorious; the father of goodness, good; the father of peace, peaceful. According to this, the meaning of the phrase, the Father of eternity, is properly eternal.”[3]
I shared the above for those who may want to dig a little deeper into the passage. For me, however, the best way to understand the passage is through Jesus’ own words.
However, before we go to those words, we must remember that there is an “otherness” of the Lord’s words that necessitates a spiritual backcloth to their understanding. Otherwise, we would always interpret Jesus’ words of being “born again” the way Nicodemus did in John 3. That backcloth includes the revelation of the Trinity—God in three persons.
So with that backcloth in mind, what did Jesus mean is His conversation with Philip regarding the Father and in conjunction with Isaiah’s prophecy?
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 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’?”
— John 14:6-9 ESV
Bottom line: “Jesus is the revelation of God and that revelation leaves the mind of man staggered and amazed.”[4]
Without Jesus, there could be no understanding of the Father, for the Father is Spirit. Thus, when you see Jesus, you see the Everlasting Father in Him…and yet, Jesus still went to the Father in heaven.
Simply amazing, our Everlasting Father!
