In John 14:6, Jesus makes a statement to Thomas that was quite profound and controversial – especially for His primarily Jewish audience at the time. His proclamation that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life is still controversial today, but there is more meaning to what our LORD has said, than only declaring that He alone gives us access to the Father.
So today we will be examining the totality of this statement made by Jesus, to see all of what He meant when He made this bold declaration, and how His statement applies for us as believers.
Let’s begin by reading the scripture verse itself in context, John 14:1-7:
“Let not your heart be troubled: you 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 to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
And where I go you know, and the way you know.
Thomas said to him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know the way?
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from now on you know him, and have seen him.”
Jesus begins in verse 1, saying Let not your heart be troubled. Quite a statement in itself. He would not make such a statement, without also telling us how and why we could accomplish such a thing. And He does indeed, by continuing on to say you believe in God, believe also in me.
Now if you do not know Jesus, or His character, or what He has accomplished, then these words would be no comfort. This is why it is so very important to develop not a religion, but a true relationship with Jesus. Notice the details of what Jesus has said right here in verse 1 of our text… He says “You believe in God, believe also in me.” Please understand that these are two separate and distinct things being spoken of here. There are many people who believe in God, that God is all powerful and ruler and judge of the universe, but they do not believe in Jesus as the perfect sacrifice and mediator of the New Covenant that restores our personal relationship to God our Father. This is why Jesus said this first, because if we do not understand this point, that He has restored our relationship to God and we are no longer under His wrath, then the rest of what we are about to read means nothing.
Next in verses 2 and 3, Jesus says that in His Father’s house are many mansions. This gives us an idea of the sheer scope of it all. This is not a Holiday Inn, this is not even Embassy Suites. Nothing that we have ever even seen on this earth can compare with the size, affluence or awesomeness of Heaven. Next we see that Jesus is not just bragging, He goes to prepare a place for you – yes, you! And when He comes again, He will receive you to Himself; that where He is, there you will be also.
You see, the Father in Heaven is not just Jesus’ Father, He is also your Father (John 20:17),;and please see the heart of Jesus here in these verses. He does not just say that He is coming to take you to Heaven, He says that He is coming again to receive you to Himself. That is personal, that is intimate, and it demonstrates His love and care for you. And that love and care is what enables you to let not your heart be troubled, as He says in verse 1.
In verse 4, Jesus says that you know where He goes, and we know the way. And in verse 5, Thomas says that they do not know where Jesus is going; and wondering how they can know the way.
The disciples walked with Jesus, heard His words, ate with Him, saw His miracles, and still did not know who He really was. It is possible to have Jesus right next to you and be all around you, but still miss Him.
Then, we have verse 6, which is the main verse of our study today. Jesus says: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.
Now as mentioned earlier, this statement is controversial. It’s controversial because it shatters the message of the world, that “all roads lead to God, and that all religions and Christianity are the same. Yet the truth of following Christ is that it is not a religion – it has nothing to do with following rules, but it is about the restoration of relationship – and not just any relationship, but relationship with God your Father in Heaven.
Notice in the second half of this statement, Jesus does not say that “no-one comes to Heaven, but by me.” Of-course Heaven is included in His statement, but Jesus goes deeper than that. His focus is not on the place, but on the person. Jesus’ emphasis here is on the relationship between you and your Heavenly Father, not just on the place and position of getting into Heaven.
This same emphasis on the personal relationship is also reflected in the first half of this same verse. The Jewish people understood this. The Old Covenant tabernacle was divided into three main-sections: the Outer Courts which were the wide and all could freely enter. This gate led directly to the altar and laver (where ritual cleansing occurred), to sacrifice and to having peace restored with God. The people had to offer animal sacrifices and the priests had to ritually wash themselves before they entered the tent (Exodus 30:17). Only the priests could enter. Today the blood of Jesus is the sacrifice which cleanses us from all sin (1st John 1:7-9) and Christ has washed us (1st Corinthians 6:11). But wait, only the priests could enter the tent, who are the priests today? 1st Peter 2:5 tells us that we are the priests today! You can enter!
Next, beyond that was the door to the Inner Court (Holy place) – half as wide and twice as high as the gate. This is where the golden lampstand representing righteous illumination The lampstand is first mentioned in Exodus 25:31. It is comprised of a center shaft or “trunk” or as I like to say “a vine with three branches on each side.” The lampstand was the only source of light in the Holy Place, and it directly correlates to Christ being the only source of light to the world. The lampstand was to be filled with pure olive oil (representing the Holy Spirit) and was to be cared for and maintained day and night (Exodus 30:7-8, Leviticus 24:3). The lampstand’s center shaft represents Christ being our Vine today in John 15:5) as the branches are all connected and supported through Him. And today we have the Holy Spirit which insures that we burn continually and brightly for Christ.
The table of showbread representing fellowship and communion with God. It too represents Jesus, as He is the true bread of life that all must receive to have fellowship with Him (John 6:32, 35, 53–58). It was made of Acacia wood overlaid with Gold, symbolizing the human nature of Jesus (wood) along with His Divine nature (gold). The bread itself was position in two stacks of six loafs each of unleavened bread; each representing the two houses of Israel (Judah and Ephriam). Both houses were equal in God’s eyes. In Leviticus 24:8, it mentions that every Sabbath, fresh bread was to be placed on the table. God’s Word is never stale, it’s never dull. It was made with fine flour and sprinkled with Frankincense. Now frankincense is both sweet and bitter, and today we have Jesus, the Living Bread, whose life was both sweet and bitter as well. He took the bitterness of our sin and bore the punishment in our place, so that we could experience the sweetness of righteousness, acceptance and fellowship with God in Him. We offer this sacrifice to God in one way by remembrance of Him through communion.
Then we have the golden altar of incense. The priests were commanded to offer incense on the altar every morning and evening (2nd Chronicles 2:4). It was to be a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Today as purified believers in Christ Jesus, with the Holy Spirit interceding for us (Romans 8:26), our prayers, praise and worship is as sweet incense to the LORD (Psalms 141:2). Some people think that their prayers are a bother to God, but I offer us as evidence, Romans 8:15. We are not slaves to God in fear, but we are beloved sons, as Jesus is.
Lastly, beyond that was the veil to the Holy of Holies (The Most Holy place) – which contained the mercy seat, the blood of sprinkling, the golden pot of manna, the unbroken tablets of law, and Arron’s rod which had budded.
So when Jesus stated that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, He was making reference to these three parts of the tabernacle, more precisely, how He is the substance of what they only had the shadow of, and of three distinct types of relationship as well. (Hebrews 10:18-22, John 10:1,9,)
You see, the gate to the outer court was wide, all can freely enter and become cleansed and receive salvation for their sins, and there are many believers who understand that Jesus is the way from hell to heaven.
However only a percentage continue further. Only a percentage move on to the inner court the Holy Place where they experience the deeper truth of His righteousness on us, and all the benefits that entails. They miss the wonderful aspect of free communion with Him, and the power and boldness that comes from realizing that Jesus forever intercedes on our behalf.
An even fewer number ever move on to enter the Holy of Holies; which we all can do since the veil was torn by God from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:51) Very few people ever truly develop a close and personal intimacy with God. Realizing that they have unrestricted access to His presence, that the death that was inside of them has given way to the Spirit of Life, that the Law is totally fulfilled and unbroken in them already because of Christ (covered by the mercy seat) that God is both willing and able to feed them daily with His manna, and that He who spared not His own son will certainly with Him also freely give us all things. (Romans 8:32)
God is greater than most people can even imagine. Many do not truly believe how very good and merciful He is. The blessings in Psalms 91, are many, varied and vast. The promises of care and protection cover everything we could ever need, yet many do not experience them because they miss what is plainly stated in verse 1:
“He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
This secret place of the most High, is not a mystery, it is referring to the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle that we just read about. It is a place of intimacy and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is going further and actually cultivating a relationship with Him through the finished work of Jesus. Allowing Him to cover you and making Him an integral part of your life. Most do not do this. Most take the forgiveness of sins that Jesus offers, but never move on to realize that because of the righteousness of Christ their relationship with the Father is now restored. They receive the cleansing, but never inherit their rightful place in His family and kingdom that comes along with the restoration.
So the question is, how far do you want to go with God? How good is He to you? In closing today, I want to share with you one more scripture, in Romans 4:5-8:
“But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes righteousness without works,
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
Again, notice the qualifier in verse 5… to him that works not. This is key because as long as you are doing things to try to earn righteousness with God, you are failing to recognize the completed work of Jesus Christ for you, and remember that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no-one comes to the Father but through Jesus. God is not sitting up in Heaven waiting for you to impress Him so that He can give you a pat on the back for your good service. He is already completely impressed and well pleased with Jesus Christ, and the only thing that you need to do to really please the Father is to accept His Son. In Luke 18, Jesus shares a parable of a Pharisee and a tax-collector. The Pharisee boasted in his own works, and listed His accomplishments before God, but the tax-collector recognized that he was completely broken and empty apart from God, and God justified the tax-collector. Those who think that they will get a pat on the back because they work for God, have completely missed the point. True humility is recognizing that we are utterly bankrupt except for Jesus Christ. And it is upon this foundation of total Grace in Christ that we can have a true, meaningful and intimate relationship with God. Look at verses 7 and 8
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Notice that these are two separate blessings for two different types of people. The first is plural Blessed are they…
These are people who understand that their iniquities are forgiven and their sins are “covered”. They still have an Old Covenant mindset, and these are still the majority of believers today. They believe that they are saved only until their next sin. And when they miss the mark their fellowship with God is broken and they find themselves constantly confessing their sins over and over and rend their garments and pull out their hair to restore fellowship with Him. Such a relationship is not truly one of intimacy, but fear. Will they be blessed? Yes. God is merciful, and these people still have a place in Heaven, but look at the next verse…
Verse 8 is singular, blessed is the man…very few people actually believe what this verse says. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. This is future sins as well as past sins. And He even put His title there. To the one who God does not impute sin, this person can truly be free from condemnation as mentioned in Romans 8:1. To the one who realizes that the sins of his entire life are not imputed to him at all, he can be free to approach God without any fear or trepidation, and be free to receive the love of God unhindered by the shackles of sin.
This is the kind of close, personal relationship that Jesus Christ delivers. The is not only the Way, but the Truth and Life that Jesus paid for us to have. This is the real Good News of the Gospel of Grace in Christ Jesus.
So come, enter in, the way is open, the truth is available, and the veil is torn. Come and know your Father God.