Yecyec, Apple Jean G.

EDUC 201 - Advanced Philosophy of Education

Jesus’ Personalism: Seeing “Jesus Only”

Scripture Reference at Matthew 17:8 (This was when Jesus was with Peter, James and John
and His face shone like the sun and His garments became white as light and the disciples fell
on their faces and were filled with awe. When they lifted their eyes, they say no one but Jesus
only)
I. What it meant by Seeing “Jesus only”?
-Transfiguration: It was not a transfiguration of Jesus’ reality but of the disciples’ vision. Jesus
did not change and become brighter than light. He always was and is brighter than light.
- In II Kings 6 it is exactly similar to this scene, when the wicked king of Syria finds out where
the prophet Elisha is staying, and sends troops to kill him. God did not put this vision of the fiery
army of angels into Elisha’s servant’s eyes. He simply removed the scales from his eyes.
-Matthew 14, when Peter took his eyes off Jesus began to sink

II. How did they manage to see “Jesus only”?

-Obedience (Matthew 17:6)
-Fear : Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). And this is moral wisdom,
the wisdom of holiness (Job 28:28)
-Wisdom : (John 7:17)

The only way to attain this advanced wisdom of seeing “Jesus only” is to begin with the primitive
wisdom of the fear of the Lord and obedience to His voice.

III. What does it mean to see “Jesus only”?

- The “only” here is not the exclusive “only” but the inclusive “only.” It is not Jesus outside of all
things but Jesus inside all things; not Jesus excluding all things but Jesus including all things.
- “Grace perfects nature”: God does not belittle us, He “be-greats” us.
- Why grace perfects nature? Because God is love.
Love does not harm or rival or destroy or displace anything at all. He does come to destroy
something, though: sin. He is the Lord of life and therefore the enemy of the enemy of life, which
is sin. He kills only that which kills and therefore needs to be killed. So the divine gardener
prunes us,
killing the lesser life to grow the greater. The pruned bush naturally doubts the good intentions
of the
gardener. But if it lets itself be pruned now, in faith, it will see next year why it was right to trust
the
gardener.

- It’s not true that “seeing is believing” but it is true that “believing is seeing.” As Jesus said at
Lazarus’ tomb, “See? Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see?” ( John 11:40)

Conclusion: That’s the best thing we can do: look at Jesus. And when we look to Him for help
because we have real or apparent needs, whether big or little, whether falling World Trade
Centers or falling ice cream cones, the best thing He can tell us is what He told Job: “Just trust
Me, child. Know yourself and know Me. I am the giver of ‘every good and perfect gift’ ( James
1:17), and you are only a child who cannot understand My designs. Your wisdom is trust, my
wisdom is providence.

Job 38:4 “Where were you when I designed your world?” You were in the center of my vision
and at the center of my heart. I designed the universe for you, for your highest good and
greatest joy, which is also my greatest glory and my greatest joy. My greatest joy is you, and
your greatest joy is me. Our faith is true, and precious, and priceless, but it is not heavy enough.
It is like a beautiful golden cloud. When life deposits a heavy burden on us, it falls through the
cloud like a cannonball because it is heavier than any cloud, even a golden one. Our faith must
become more than a cloud; it must become a thing, a thing more real and solid and substantial
than any burden. And that thing can only be “Jesus only.” It cannot be “Jesus if ” or “Jesus and”
or “Jesus but.” In Christ there are no ifs, ands, or buts. (II Corinthians 1:20)