Seeth me ... - This verse is a strong confirmation of his equality with God. In no other way can it be true that he who saw Jesus saw him that sent him, unless he were the same in essence. Of no man could it be affirmed that he who saw him saw God. To say this of Paul or Isaiah would have been blasphemy. And yet Jesus uses this language familiarly and constantly. It shows that he had a consciousness that he was divine, and that it was the natural and proper way of speaking when speaking of himself. Compare John 5:17.

And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. Not with bodily eyes, for there were many that saw Christ, who never saw the Father: they saw Christ as a mere man, and were offended at the meanness of his outward appearance; they saw nothing divine in him, nor the glory of the Father through him; but with the eyes of the understanding, whoever saw or perceived the glory of Christ in his miracles, saw the glory of God in them also, for the Father that dwelt in him did the works, John 2:11, and whoever truly sees Christ with an eye of faith, sees his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, as the brightness of his Father's glory, as having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him, the same perfections as in the Father; so that he that hath seen the one, hath seen the other also, John 14:9.

Seeth (θεωρεῖ)

Rev., properly, beholdeth. Compare John 14:9. The word is purposely chosen to mark an intent, continuous contemplation of Christ, issuing in ever larger knowledge of the Father.

I am come (ἐλήλυθα)

The perfect tense, pointing to the abiding result of His manifestation. Compare John 5:43; John 7:28; John 8:42; John 16:28; John 18:37.

Abide in darkness

The phrase occurs only here. Compare 1 John 2:9, 1 John 2:11; also John 8:12; John 12:35.

And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

12:45 And he that seeth me - By the eye of faith.

12:44-50 Our Lord publicly proclaimed, that every one who believed on him, as his true disciple, did not believe on him only, but on the Father who sent him. Beholding in Jesus the glory of the Father, we learn to obey, love, and trust in him. By daily looking to Him, who came a Light into the world, we are more and more freed from the darkness of ignorance, error, sin, and misery; we learn that the command of God our Saviour is everlasting life. But the same word will seal the condemnation of all who despise it, or neglect it.