Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Before his impending death, Christ comforted his disciples with the words, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1, 27). The disciples were distressed because in John 13, Christ had told them shocking things. In John 13:21, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” In 13:33, Jesus said, “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer.” He said, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” Then he told Peter in 13:38, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.”

Thus, in several short verses, Jesus mentioned his 1) betrayal 2) departure and 3) denial. These statements had shaken the disciples to the core. In light of these distressing truths, John 14 begins with a call to trust Jesus: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me.”

In the subsequent verses and chapters Jesus’ outlined several advantages of his imminent departure. Jesus convinced the disciples that it was good that he was going away because:

1. Jesus was “[going] to prepare a place for them” (v. 2).

2. Jesus promised to “come again and receive them to himself” (v. 3).

3. Jesus promised the disciples that they would do greater works than he had done, “because [he was going] to his Father.” (v. 12).

4. Later, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to equip them for worldwide mission.

In the midst of outlining these advantages, Jesus spoke to Thomas and said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (v. 6). These words were not spoken primarily as a polemic against religious pluralism—instead, they were a response to Thomas’s confused question: “How can we know the way, if we do not know where you are going?” While Thomas was confused by Jesus’ statements about his departure, that did not mean he did not know the way. In effect, Jesus said to him, “Thomas, you do know the way. You know me. And I am the way.”

The Way to God's House

When Jesus claimed that he was the way, the question was: “What was he the way to?” Where was Jesus bringing his disciples? In v. 2, Jesus gave the answer, “In my Father’s house are many dwellings.”

Therefore, Jesus is the way for the disciples to the Father’s house. By the Father’s house, Jesus was referring to heaven itself—the place of God’s abode from which he rules over all creation. In Scripture, heaven is called God’s holy habitation, his dwelling place. It is the locale where his glory is manifested and where he is worshipped by angels. Thus, when Jesus said he was the way, he meant that he was the way into God’s presence.

Jesus had been preparing the disciples for this truth from the beginning of the gospel. In John 1:51, for example, Jesus spoke to Nathaniel saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Jesus was alluding to Genesis 28, a chapter in which Jacob fled from the murderous rage of Esau and dreamed at Bethel:

“Then Jacob dreamed, and behold, a ladder [or probably better, a staircase] was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”

In John 1:51, Jesus compared himself to the staircase in Jacob’s dream. He made the comparison because God’s angels were ascending and descending on the staircase, which was the access point to the heavenly realm. In other words, Jesus was telling Nathaniel that he would come to see Jesus as the “staircase” who would grant access into God’s holy abode.

How Jesus Prepares a Place

But how is Jesus the way into the Father’s house? What will he do in order to grant heavenly access to his disciples? In v. 2, Jesus said, “I go in order to…” This is a statement of purpose. Jesus’ purpose in departing is to “prepare a place for you.” But what will his departure entail? How will the Father's house be prepared for the disciples?

The answer is found by looking at the entirety of John’s gospel and letting it reveal Christ’s Via Dolorosa:

1. John the Baptist said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Jesus took away the sins of the world at the cross.

2. In John 3, Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Jesus was lifted upon the cross, that sinners might look upon him in faith and live.

3. In John 6:51, Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven…and the bread that I shall give is my flesh.” By giving his flesh as bread Jesus spoke of his crucifixion.

Thus, John’s gospel makes it clear that heaven is attained through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Jesus laid down his life as a sacrifice for the sheep, and took up his life again in glorious resurrection, entering God’s paradise so that we might enter God’s paradise.

Jesus is the Truth and Life

But Jesus not only claimed to be the way. He also claimed to be the truth. By truth, Jesus meant that he was God’s ultimate saving revelation. In Scripture, truth is sometimes distinguished from what is false. “True” can also designate what is reliable or dependable. But here, Jesus said, “I am the truth” to indicate that God’s ultimate saving revelation was found in him. “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). The law was helpful, it was true revelation. It was necessary in God’s plan, but it was only provisional. The law could not open the path to heaven.

But Christ did! Hence, the ultimate revelation of God's salvation came through Christ. 

Jesus also said, “I am the life.” By that, he meant that he was God’s agent for giving eternal life to all who would believe in him. Jesus grants access to the abundant pastures of which he is the door (John 10:9). Life is being in God’s presence. Jesus is the “access giver” into the presence of God.

Exclusivity

Finally, Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Believing in Christ is the indispensable condition of entering God’s presence. There is simply no other way.

Christians believe this on the basis that no one else was (or could be) the atoning sacrifice for sin. No one else came from heaven, died, and was received back into heaven. There is no other trailblazer of salvation, no other high priest of our confession. Only Christ is at the Father's right hand in glory. There is, therefore, no other name given among men by which we can be saved  (Acts 4:12). This is because of what Jesus accomplished in carrying out the Father’s commission at the cross.

Believing in Christ is, therefore, imperative. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you…” The question is, do you have that comfort? Do you know the Lamb of God? Do you have the risen Son? Do you have the ascended Lord? Because if you don’t, there is no access for you into the Father’s house. The ancient doors of heaven are only open to those who take hold of Christ, since he's the only one who has entered them in resurrection glory.

Application

Dear Christian, here is an anchor for your soul. Jesus shed his precious blood in order to bring you to God. If you belong to Jesus today, cling to this promise, “I go to prepare a place for you.” Christian, the Father’s house is yours. There is nothing cold or clinical about the Father’s house. It is our destined place of joy, and Jesus shed his blood to bring us there. Jesus said, “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold My glory which you have given me.” (John 17:24).

Christian, take heart! You are destined to behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. With Jesus you have the way into God’s presence securely opened. Trust him. He will be true. If the disciples were called to trust in him before his departure, should you not trust him now that he sits in heaven as the Lord of glory?