The Only Way

John 14:5-6 states, “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Sometimes the way can get foggy. One winter morning, on a winding narrow road, the visibility was 10 feet at best. The new snow had caused a whiteout. The fog on top of that made the roadway impossible to see. I had driven school bus for years, and this was the worst visibility I had ever encountered. I had picked up Jason, my first student. His dad had left for work just before me. I was following his tracks in the snow, when it appeared they made a wrong turn. I stopped and got out. Sure enough, he had driven into the ditch. We talked a moment and came up with a plan. Jason’s dad walked along beside the open door of the bus on the very edge of the road next to the ditch. We inched our way along for about 100 yards until we got better visibility. He rode with me as we made our way to the school.

Sometimes the path of life can get obstructed and we need to stop and get our act together. Jesus was talking to His disciples about leaving them and going somewhere to prepare a place for them. They had been walking with Jesus for the last few years. He had always led them. Now He was telling them to keep walking in the right way. Jesus told them, “The way ye know.” Jesus had been teaching them the way. Thomas asked how they could know the way when they didn’t know where He was going. Jesus answered him with a profound truth; “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Thomas asked the question, “How can we know the way?” Jesus answered him very directly when He said, “I am the way.” For a moment, let’s take out the phrase “the truth and the life.” Jesus’ answer would then read, “I am the way, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This is very clear. There is a way to the Father. In verse 2, Jesus had mentioned His “Father’s house.” He said He was going there to prepare a place for the disciples. Thomas still didn’t know where He was going. He wanted to know where Jesus’ physical pathway would lead. Jesus did not tell him that. His answer was for Thomas to keep walking after Jesus the way he had walked the last few years. They would not see Jesus, but could remember what He had taught them. They could be obedient to the path He had shown them.

Now let’s deal with the phrase “the truth, and the life.” Jesus is truth and life. How does this apply to the question Thomas asked about the way? Truth alone, or life alone, is not the way to the Father. When Jesus said, “I am the way,” I believe He added “truth” and “life” as adjectives to describe the way. This would help the disciples to remember the way He had taught them to walk.

As we look through the Old Testament we see these two concepts—“truth” and “life”—appear together in a single verse over and over. They seem to represent the law (truth), and mercy or salvation (life). Psalm 23:4 speaks of the “rod” (correction) and the “staff” (salvation). In Psalm 61:7, David prays for mercy and truth to preserve him. In Hosea 12:6, the prophet calls out to keep mercy and judgment.

Jesus came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). The “truth” is that we have sinned. We can move from death to life because Jesus, our sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26), has provided the only way!