LEARNING DAILY

John 14:6, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

In the previous verse, Thomas asked the question all of the disciples probably wanted to ask. “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” That was asked after Peter had asked Him where He was going (John 13:33); I bet Peter was not going to say anything for a while. Was Thomas still thinking about human accomplishments being the determining factors for eternal life?  It is difficult to be too hard on the disciples who had been with Jesus for the time of His earthly ministry and still did not understand these things. People still believe being a good person, their position in life, their wealth, and how others view them as the way to get into heaven.

Jesu told the disciple in verse 4, “And you know the way to where I am going.” He did not tell them the destination, only that He was coming to get them. They knew the way there because getting there was through a person – Him – not a process, or by anything one could do. Again, not works; it cannot be earned!

Verse 6 is one of several “I am” statements made by Jesus when referring to Himself. They reflect the very name of God in the Hebrew language; Yahweh means the Self-Existent, Eternal God. It is the name of power and authority, and Jesus said it was His.

The disciples were confused and wanted to know how they could get to where He was going. What are the directions or the way to get there? Has Jesus not been telling them and showing them who He was during the time they were with Him? “You know the way!” “The way is through Me!” “I am the way!” “There is no other way! Follow Me!” The disciples are eventually going to understand. Peter is going to tell a crowd in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Be careful! There are many who say there is a different way; they are deceivers meant to cause confusion and mislead all who listen. They will even present an easier way (which is the broad way that leads to destruction) than walking a narrow way into God’s kingdom.

Jesus said He was the truth. John writes in chapter 1, verse 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John was establishing that Jesus was God from the Beginning because He was always with God. The work of Jesus are the works of God, the Father. He said and did only what the Father told Him to say and do. As the Father is Truth, so is Jesus, the Son the Truth; they are one and the same.

Jesus also states that He is the life as He tells the disciples about His approaching death. He is telling them that He is the source of all life but is laying down His life for all who would believe in Him (John 3:16-17). He will speak later about His authority over death by saying the world will no longer see Him, but they will and because He lives, they will also (John 14:19).

Jesus is making it clear, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The disciples still did not understand – but they would. Once they did, they were changed individuals and changed the world. They believed His words and obeyed what they believed. That led them to tell others the truth about sin, righteousness and the only way to go to heaven. When those who believe follow Jesus on the narrow “way”, they can be assured they are following Him right into eternal life in His kingdom!