Jesus: Way; Truth; Life

extended 26-28/10/23

I (Jesus) am the way, the truth and the life

Access. Direction. Arrival.

The South Downs Way (in England; above) became well established over many, many, long years and walkers have a secure right to pass that way. The path is clearly marked and may be entered, or left, at various points… I dare say to just randomly veer off the Way would be to risk problems! To reach the point aimed for is a lasting achievement. A family member walked here in October, 2023. (The UK weather may not have been exactly great for such activity at the time.)

Photo record of the walk in that Way - probably have to copy and paste: https://www.flickr.com/gp/65422756@N06/rv58225980

Who could say: I am the way; I am the truth; I am the life? - Jesus.

Jesus said (to him, and them, and us): I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. This striking and memorable statement comes uniquely in John, chapter 14, verse 6. The passage comes near the end of Jesus' days on earth, in a time of uncertainty and foreboding in Jerusalem. Jesus then was talking about departing...

The original recipient of these remarkable words (Thomas, who is clearly spokesperson here) asked Jesus about wherever Jesus was going. Evidently they (the plural) grasped that Jesus was leaving, and they were bothered... “Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.[a] There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going.” John 14:1-4. CEV)

That brought a quick response: “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.[c] From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:5-7, NLT - still the plural forms). There was more, but I want to focus here.

Jesus was their way? Clear and correct directions are, and were, vital. They would be able to recall the ancient promise from their old prophetic book: O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any longer, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:19-21, NRSVUE). How much they (we) need to know the way. Now Jesus is saying HE is their way! He is the way. (If you read on - in John 16 - Jesus explained the role of the Counsellor/Helper/Advocate he would send afterwards to bring about inner conviction.)

Earlier on we find Jesus saying:  I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture (10:9, NRSVUE). But then also - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (10:11, ESV). He is the way. Not only is he the means of entry to God's salvation, he is the one who secures his own. In, and, out? The image is of sheep having access to pasture and being safe from predators. (Recorded response from the mob: He’s demon possessed and raving mad!)

The Way. The Truth. The Life. No where else in the Gospels do we read such a claim - or do we? We do find other people, probably tongue-in-cheek, praising Jesus: They questioned him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and you don’t show partiality[a] but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Luke 20:21-22, CSB). They were a delegation seeking to lead Jesus into an anti-government statement. Even if they did not really believe it, I assume they echo and reflect a community view about Jesus teaching the truth. The questioners were early representatives of the brigade who concede, "Jesus was a great teacher".

Anyone who listened to Jesus, anyone who hears him today, cannot but see him laying down the right path to be followed, his "new Commandments". See for example, Matthew chapter 5, verses 20, 22, 26, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44 - indeed the whole of chapters 5-7. I think it fair to say Jesus demanded that God's requirements actually called for obedience from the heart. A path too narrow for hatred and harming others. No room for selfishness. No room for ill-will. He shows up my failures, uncomfortable as that is.

We do also find Jesus explicitly teaching about the way: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV). The way is clearly critical to a good arrival; life, instead of destruction. What is not yet obvious at that moment is that Jesus himself is the way. Arrival at life comes about not by strenuous effort but by trusting in Jesus.

It was no wonder that above section ended with: When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29, CSB).

How then does a person come to God? Through Jesus; he is the way.

Many voices may be heard - this way; no, this way... Human minds have come up with many understandings of "the meaning of life" (apart from 42!). So also with the proposition that all religions lead in the end to God. Jesus' words do not fit those notions. At the start of John we find the summary: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17, NIV). The Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) had been concerned with God's truth. The coming of Jesus throws a different light on that message. Now the way to God is revealed and God's rescue plan complete; the truth can be known. The offer stands!

And Jesus is the life. Probably the hearers would readily recall an extended and confronting conversation back at Capernaum. (Only John gives us this detail.) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. (John 6:51-55, NIV). Sounds cannibalistic? As I have presented it here the message is really stark (but see below). It was challenging then, and it is challenging now, to accept that life depends on the death of Jesus. The listeners had it right - Jesus' flesh and blood would be spent. 

There is more from that moment: Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him (John 6:56-66, NLT).

The passage is best read in its context. (Food from heaven for the people in the Moses account - show us something like that! Now, instead, there was a lasting, once for all salvation being brought about.) Hard to understand? Yes.

Why did they desert? Jesus was offering life!

His way was not much like anything they knew. No religious practice, no making of offerings or resolutions was going to change a person's destiny. All hinged upon Jesus' life being spent. We remember Jesus in his body given and blood shed for us, do we not?

[PS Note again "the world": I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51, NRSVUE). For the life of the world. Was it also their problem, that Jesus' saviourship was to be at least available to the whole world?]

In the final few hours before he was taken into custody, we find Jesus and friends gathered to recall the Passover. During that time Jesus gave to his little band of women and men such a simple, unadorned, unfussy act of remembrance of him (Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22). Whilst eating and drinking some of their very ordinary bread and wine their minds could intentionally go back to that critical and decisive moment in Capernaum. His meaning was all too clear - see above.

So consider that strong and heartening statement (here in six translations, some identical):

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (CSB; NIV)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. (CEV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV, NRSVUE)

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (NLT)

This was not the first time Jesus had asserted the reality about himself and his life-critical role - there is, and was, no other.

Here are some related extracts from an earlier post:

Jesus and "I AM"

John records many of the descriptions Jesus applied to himself. They are best read in their contexts, but here is a summary collection of a selection in the sequence of the book:

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he,[a] the one who is speaking to you” (John 4:25-26, NRSV).  This initial disclosure Jesus made to a woman (!), to an outsider (!), to someone who could be viewed as disreputable! It is strong and quite unique so early in the record. Jesus' statement would have been dangerous, in more than one way, if made amongst the Jewish folk.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8:12, ESV). Enlightenment for the whole world! Response: Pharisees said he was just big-noting himself. Why remain in the dark?

Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be,[a] you will die in your sins.” (8:23-4, NLT). Response to this: Who are you? The interaction continued... see following. Taking hold of the real truth about Jesus has eternal significance.

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (8:58, NIV). Response: How can he just say he is God? They picked up stones to throw at him. Accept, or like them, reject?

Jesus then said (to Martha), “I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die (11:25, CEV). Response from Martha: I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God. She knew!

You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am (13:13, NLT). They did stumble, but this much they were getting right! We can do likewise.

I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves (John 14:11-12, CSB). Weighty words - in time they would sink in.

“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you (14:18-20, NRSV). Response: Judas (the other one) asked how come only they would have this revelation? No doubt much puzzlement with them. Today the believer is fortunate to have the story in full, that is, sufficient for salvation and behaviour.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ... I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (15:1,5, ESV). He is the source, all depends on him. Then they heard him say he calls them his friends. Still he calls the friends by that name.

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me (17:21, NLT). Jesus' prayer for us, today? (Seems a bit difficult "out there" in this age.) Nonetheless, he and the Father have full unity.

When Jesus[a] said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6, ESV).  They could seize him and take him, as they did, but though their worst was done, he lives!

So many elements to describe just who Jesus is. Strong language too. The implications seem overwhelming, deliberate and relevant. 

There must be a reason why people do not want to know what Jesus says about himself. In those final hours we have: But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah,[a] the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I am; and

‘you will see the Son of Man

seated at the right hand of the Power,’

and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? (Mark 14:61-63, NRSV). The meaning was all too crystal clear? They refused to hear that. I can imagine fingers in the ears! Surely, I can say, no evidence there of the presence of the Paraclete in them, nor openness to the truth.

This Jesus is the one who does, and will, bring people to the Father. Just ask...

May God bless you .

Allen Hampton

I am the way, the truth and the life - An energetic song arranged for kids.   https://youtu.be/B5135QHRpVI?si=ZEK2ksjlyqjqlmaw

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