John 14:5-8 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life — Aneel Aranha
Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel. Today we will reflect on John 14:5-8. Listen.
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
In this passage, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure. Thomas, one of the disciples, expresses a concern: they don't know where Jesus is going, so how can they know the way?
Jesus' response is one of the most profound statements in the Bible. He says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Let's unpack this.
First, Jesus is the way. He is not merely showing or pointing to the way; he himself is the way. The path to God is not a set of rules or a philosophical system but a person—Jesus Christ.
Second, Jesus is the truth. In a world of relativism and subjectivity, Jesus is the ultimate reality. He is not just truthful but the very embodiment of truth.
Third, Jesus is the life. He is the source and giver of life, both physical and spiritual. In him, we find not just existence but abundant life.
Jesus then makes an exclusive claim: "No one comes to the Father except through me." This is not a popular saying in our pluralistic world, but it is the consistent testimony of Scripture. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man.
As we reflect on these verses, let's ask ourselves: Is Jesus the way, the truth, and the life for us? Have we come to the Father through him? And are we willing to proclaim Christ’s exclusivity in a world that often resists it?
God bless you.