“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” -John 14:6. (KJV)
We live in a day when many seek to proclaim that there are more ways than Jesus Christ to restore relationship with God the Father. We must be constantly aware of insidious claims to untruths that would negate personal faith in and acceptance of Christ as the way back to the Father.
The context of this powerful verse declaring Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only way to the Father gives us powerful insight into the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. He faced imminent and close death. He had held his last supper with His disciples, and Judas, the disciple who betrayed Him, had already departed from the upper room. Christ was in the midst of His great discourse in which He stated, “Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3, KJV).
This talk of going away, of a mansion awaiting, and of Christ coming to take the disciples to that prepared place was too much for Thomas to comprehend. He interrupted the Lord’s discourse to declare that he didn’t know where Jesus was going, and therefore how could he possibly know the way. And in His answer to Thomas, the Lord gave not only Thomas but believers through all generations since, that marvelous affirmation and way to the Father: “I am the Way! I am the Truth! I am the Life!” (John 14:6). And in that same context, Jesus promised the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—Who would dwell in believers, comfort them, teach them bring to remembrance what they need to remember. Thomas, at the time he asked this question, was limited in his concept of Christ, because he saw the Messiah as one who would establish an earthly kingdom and make the Jewish nation strong again. But to Thomas’s credit, later when he saw the wounds in Christ’s side and hands, he declared, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) The questions and doubts Thomas had help us to see ourselves, for we too often question and wonder about the great truths Jesus wanted us to understand. Then and now and into the future, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever: He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the only Way to the Father.
A companion verse to John 14:6 is Acts 4:12. It is part of Peter’s masterful testimony before Caiaphas and Ananias, high priests, as he boldly proclaimed: "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Jesus gave to His followers at the time of His ascension into heaven a very important commission. The same is part of each Christian’s assignment, even today and until His return: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV). No people, no places, no times are excluded from the message of the only way to the Father.
We live in a day when many seek to proclaim that there are more ways than Jesus Christ to restore relationship with God the Father. We must be constantly aware of insidious claims to untruths that would negate personal faith in and acceptance of Christ as the way back to the Father.
The context of this powerful verse declaring Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only way to the Father gives us powerful insight into the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. He faced imminent and close death. He had held his last supper with His disciples, and Judas, the disciple who betrayed Him, had already departed from the upper room. Christ was in the midst of His great discourse in which He stated, “Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3, KJV).
This talk of going away, of a mansion awaiting, and of Christ coming to take the disciples to that prepared place was too much for Thomas to comprehend. He interrupted the Lord’s discourse to declare that he didn’t know where Jesus was going, and therefore how could he possibly know the way. And in His answer to Thomas, the Lord gave not only Thomas but believers through all generations since, that marvelous affirmation and way to the Father: “I am the Way! I am the Truth! I am the Life!” (John 14:6). And in that same context, Jesus promised the Comforter—the Holy Spirit—Who would dwell in believers, comfort them, teach them bring to remembrance what they need to remember. Thomas, at the time he asked this question, was limited in his concept of Christ, because he saw the Messiah as one who would establish an earthly kingdom and make the Jewish nation strong again. But to Thomas’s credit, later when he saw the wounds in Christ’s side and hands, he declared, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) The questions and doubts Thomas had help us to see ourselves, for we too often question and wonder about the great truths Jesus wanted us to understand. Then and now and into the future, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever: He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the only Way to the Father.
A companion verse to John 14:6 is Acts 4:12. It is part of Peter’s masterful testimony before Caiaphas and Ananias, high priests, as he boldly proclaimed: "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Jesus gave to His followers at the time of His ascension into heaven a very important commission. The same is part of each Christian’s assignment, even today and until His return: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV). No people, no places, no times are excluded from the message of the only way to the Father.
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