Jesus: The Way, The Truth, The Life

John 14:1-6

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 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.

3 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.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Apparently Thomas had trouble understanding what Jesus was talking about here in this passage. Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to prepare them a place and that they know where it’s at and how to get there. Thomas must of not been paying very close attention to Jesus’s previous teaching because he goes on to say… we don’t know where you’re going, how are we supposed to know how to get there? Jesus responds back with the three main points of this post, He says he is….

1. The way

2. The truth

3. The life

The Way

Let’s get grammatical for a moment. The word “the” is a definite article. This simply means that it indicates a specific noun. It is not one of many but it is the only one. The phrase “The book” for instance indicates that it is talking about a specific book rather than “a book” talking about one out of many books. Also a definite article implies that the thing mentioned has already been mentioned and the listener/reader already should know what the speaker/writer is talking about. Take for instance a town that has only one store, if one person would say to another “Let’s go to THE store” you would automatically know which one they were talking about. Keep this information in mind as it can be applied to every one of these three topics.

Okay now that that’s over with let’s get back into the Bible. That’s what is important. The first thing Jesus said in response to Thomas’s question was that he was “the way”. What does being “the way” really mean though? The word “way” in greek is “Hodos” which means “road, journey, path”. That doesn’t really clear it up much does it? Let’s look in the Bible and find out some different ways we can look at “the way”.

John 14:13-14

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Later on in John chapter 14, verses 13-14 Jesus explains that the way to get through to the father in our requests is to pray in His name. We use the Son’s name so that God can be glorified because people are believing on the name of His son. When God hears us pray in the name of Jesus he receives glory. He was the one that sent Jesus after all. It probably does God good to know that we have accepted his only Son. Its as if when we sincerely use Jesus name to get through to God, he knows that we know His son. What parent doesn’t want their Son to have friends? Since God is Jesus’s father, we best not use His name unworthily or we could very well invoke God’s wrath. I assume God as the father would not take kindly to someone trying to falsify or forge a friendship with his son Jesus just to use His name to get things. I think God knows better and knows who is sincere and legitimate. The main idea though is that by the name of Jesus is the only way we reach the throne of God and get our prayers answered.

2 Peter 2

2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

I know, I know. What does this have to do with being “the way”? This passage doesn’t have much to do with that but it is a warning from the book to not be those who give Christianity a bad name. We as Christians should be helping people find the way not giving justifiable reason for people to speak evil of this way of life. It would be a shame that by the actions of so called Christians, that Christ who is “The way” would be evil spoken of. Moving on….

Matthew 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

There are two different definite ways here, Broad and narrow. These two words are completely antonymous or opposite. Broad means spacious, in other words there’s plenty of room to walk just about any way you want. Narrow as the opposite would then mean that there is not room to walk any way you want. It must then be that the narrow way is specific and not prone to swaying from one side of the road to the other. A drunk sways when he walks and would need a lot of room. As many may know, Christians are called to be sober which would allow a narrower way to be walked.

The Greek word “thlibó” translated narrow here can also mean afflicted or inflicted with tribulations. How many Christians can testify that the Christian walk is laden with troubles and trials? Something interesting to think on if the narrow path is the afflicted path….

Psalm 119:67

Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

The Truth

The word truth in the post today means “not a truth merely spoken but truth of idea, reality, sincerity, not an illusion”. Jesus is the reality, He is sincere, He is not an illusion. What Jesus says is a for sure thing. When he told the disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them it was not an illusion. It was real. They could count on what he had said. He was being sincere. As Jesus said, if there wasn’t many mansions in His fathers house he would of told them, but there is and he’s going to prepare a place especially for us. We can count on it.

Mark 12:28-33

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

We find a scribe here telling Jesus that what he had said was the truth that the greatest commandment was to love God with everything you have and to love your neighbor as yourself. These two things are greater than all the works of the law. If you keep these two commandments you will by default keep any other commandments you are required to keep. This is the truth. Jesus is the embodiment of Truth. He is actual truth personified. It is almost inexplicable. Jesus encompasses everything that is truth. It is Him that enables us to be able to even keep these two commandments. That’s the truth.

John 17:17

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth

Sanctify is a whole other word that needs it’s own post to explain it adequately. For the sake of this section lets use a quick definition, sanctify means “to make holy, set apart as holy, purify, or to separate from things profane”. We have in past posts made the determination that Jesus is the word. It is through Jesus that we are sanctified. It is by the truth, by the word, by Jesus that we are made pure and ready to be used by God. That’s the truth.

John 8:31-36

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

He was telling a group of Jews who were converts that if they continue in the word they were indeed his disciples. We found out in a passage earlier that the word is truth. So with that in mind, we could understand this scripture as if we continue in the truth then we will be his disciples. If you continue in the truth, then you will know it and it will make you free. The people did not like being called servants but Jesus told them that’s what they were. Whoever commits sin is the servant of it. It is their master. A servant won’t always be around but a son will. So truthfully if the Son makes you feel you are most definitely free. If the Truth makes you free, if Jesus makes you free, you are free indeed. Jesus is the truth that frees you. Not bound to being a servant to sin any longer. That’s the Truth.

The Life

John 1:3-5, 9-10, 12-13

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

We have covered so far that Jesus is the way and the truth. In this last section of the post we will consider how Jesus is “the life”. I believe the broadest way to look at this is found in verse 3. It says in so many other words that it is through Jesus that everything came into existence. He is the life of all things. Without Jesus nothing would exist. God spoke creation into exist. Speaking involves words. You see where this is headed? As it has been stated in previous posts, Jesus is the word. God spoke the word and things came into creation. Therefore Jesus/the word is how everything in creation came into being.

Even though it was through Jesus that every man is able to exist the whole world did not come to know Him. Those who believed in Him he gave them power to become sons of God. In order to be a son you have to first be born. If there were never a boy child born to parents there would never be a son for the parents. Jesus was the reason that everyone has natural life but He took it a step further. He gave the whole world the opportunity to become sons of God. All you have to do is receive and believe. Believing is a whole different topic but I hope the point for this post is settled.

John 3:14-16

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

In the previous section we found that Jesus was the reason for everything in existence to have life and that he took it further to allow those who believed to become sons of God. What a lot of things He accomplished. According to this well known passage of scripture Jesus extended Himself being “the life” to a whole different level. He was speaking to a man named Nicodemus here, who was a master/teacher of Israel. Jesus doesn’t just say that it is possible to become a son of God but He says that this life that He will give is eternal. You are born and become a son of God and that life is never ending. It is everlasting.

Romans 8:1-14

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

That was a long passage. Whew wee. I will try to just hit the very basic points and wrap this post up. If we receive and believe in Jesus then we are freed from sin and the consequence death. We are given a great piece of knowledge here. If the Spirit of God dwells in us then just as Jesus was we will be raised from the dead. With this promise why would we feel so compelled to be a debtor to the flesh. To constantly pay dues to the flesh in the light of this would be futile. Reaping to the flesh will only bring death. Jesus Christ brings life and this life is everlasting. If we allow the spirit to lead us then we have eternal life but if we life after the flesh we die. If we constantly feel the need to be in debt to the flesh, sinning to pay our dues to it, then we will commit suicide of the spirit. If we take our sinful nature and kill it’s deeds then we will live. It’s all our choice. It’s not God’s choice. It shows how gracious God is to leave the choice to us. The right choice is Life.

Remember that Jesus being the way is the truth and this leads to everlasting life.

The most important thing:

If you don’t know Jesus and want to here’s what to do…

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

And you know it works because…

Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.