Gettysburg Battlefield in the Early Morning with a Begin One-Way Sign - John 14:6 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)
This article is the fifth and final article in the series on the topic, "About the Way."
Consider. The eternal Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the way to the Father and to the Father's dwelling place in heaven.
On the night before his crucifixion and departure, Jesus told his disciples, "In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. And you know the way where I am going" (John 14:2-4). Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?" (John 14:5) Jesus replied with his famous declaration, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus is the way -- the road, the path, the journey -- to the Father
When Jesus said to his disciples that he was the way, the "way" was a concept that was familiar to his disciples (Ref. 1). In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to walk in his way by keeping his commandments (Deuteronomy 5:33). During the Exodus, God went before the Israelites in a pillar of cloud to show them the way they should go (Exodus 13:21). David prayed, "Teach me your way, O Lord" (Psalm 27:11).
In the New Testament, the main Greek word for way is hodos (Ref. 2). Hodos means a way, road, journey, or path (Ref. 2). When Jesus said, "I am the way," he was saying that he, and he only is the way, road, journey, or path to the Father. In John 14:6, Jesus emphatically used the pronoun "I," meaning "I, and none besides Me" (Ref. 3). "He, and He only is the means through which men can approach to the Father" (Ref. 3). Recall that in Isaiah 43:11 God said: "I, only I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me." The world may try other methods to reach the Father -- for example, trusting in works. Yet, no person can come to the Father -- obtain his favor, access his throne by prayer, and finally to enter his kingdom -- except by the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ (Ref. 4). That is why believing and trusting in Jesus is the way, the only way, to the Father and to his dwelling place in heaven.
Apply. Believe in (trust in, put your faith in) Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Jesus will lead you on the way -- the road, the path, the journey -- to your heavenly Father and to your ultimate destination in heaven.
Related Lessons
"The Way to Heaven" - John 14:6 "What Does 'The Way' Mean in the New Testament?" - Matthew 7:13-14 "The Way of the Lord (Old Testament)" - Deuteronomy 5:33
References
1. https://www.scriptureway.com/home/the-way-of-the-lord-old-testament 2. https://biblehub.com/greek/3598.htm 3. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/14.htm Ellicott's Commentary on John 14:6 4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/14.htm Barnes Notes on the Bible, John 14:6
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Gettysburg National Military Park Path with Matthew 7:13-14 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Consider. In the Old Testament, the scriptures describe "walking in God's way" as keeping God’s commandments (Deuteronomy 5:33, Deuteronomy 8:6, Psalm 119:1-3).
The New Testament builds upon the description of God’s Way in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the main Greek word for "way" is hodos (Ref. 1). The following paragraphs describe the meaning of "way" [hodos] in the New Testament. A "way" is a traveled road
A "way" is a traveled road (Matthew 2:12, Acts 8:26, Acts 26:13). In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus taught a challenging truth. The way that leads to life is narrow, and there are few who find it. The Greek word for life in this verse is zoe, which means the blessing of real life after the resurrection (John 11:25, Ref. 2). Christ himself is the way [hodos] that leads to the Father and to eternal life (John 14:6).
A "way" is a journey
In Acts 8:39, the Ethiopian eunuch went on his way rejoicing after Philip led him to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Acts 8:30-37).
A "way" is a manner of thinking, feeling, or deciding
Acts 18:24-25 describes the teaching and speaking ministry of Apollos, who was instructed in the way of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. Acts 18:26 tells us, "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately." (italics added)
In Acts 16:16-18, Paul and Silas were near Philippi when they encountered a slave girl who had a spirit of divination. Acts 16:17 tells us the slave girl's remarkable statement. "She followed Paul and us, crying out, 'These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.'" (italics added) "The Way" was the name for Christianity in the early church
Many believers today may not know that in the Book of Acts "The Way" was the most widely known name for the early Christian church. The first use in Acts of the name, "The Way," occurs in Acts 9:1-2. "Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem."
Acts 19:8-9 describes how the Apostle Paul in Ephesus moved the disciples to another location when "hardened and disobedient" people spoke evil about the Way. Acts 19:23 says "About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way." The disturbance about the Way led to the near-riot in Ephesus described in Acts 19:23-41. Later, when Paul was brought under Roman custody to Caesarea, he testified before Felix, the governor. When Paul was given the opportunity to speak at the hearing, he said, "This I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets" (Acts 24:14). In comparison to "The Way," which is mentioned several times in Acts, the term, "Christian," is mentioned only three times in the entire New Testament (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28,1 Peter 4:16).
Apply. Are you walking in the way that leads to real life now and beyond the resurrection? Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
Related Lessons
"The Way of the Lord (Old Testament)" -- Deuteronomy 5:33 "Jesus is the Way to the Father" -- John 14:6 "What Is Eternal Life?" -- John 17:3 "The Way to Heaven" - John 14:6 |
Daily Bible Verse(Published on my Bluesky account) AuthorMr. Whitney V. Myers. Christian. For more information, please visit the Author Page. Posting ScheduleI plan to provide new postings about once a month. Planned Topics(subject to change) Recent Posts(most recent three months) Popular Posts(top 10) Categories
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The ScriptureWay site provides Bible Teachings that point to Jesus. The Bible teaches that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -- Jesus speaking in John 14:6 
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