Jesus is the Way to Heaven

by Whitney V. Myers

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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