John 14:5–9 (WEL) Thomas says to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus explains to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 7 “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also, and from now on, you know him and have seen him.” 8 “Lord, show us the Father, which will satisfy us,” Philip said to him. 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, yet you have not known me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father, so why do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’”
V5 Thomas says to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
This is an honest question. So many things that these Jews have been taught are different from what Jesus was teaching. They did believe in Jesus completely, but still they needed instruction. Truth was what they needed, not the twisted interpretations of their teachers, who redefine, add, subtract, twist, and interpret Scripture other than the plain, normal sense. Most pastors and teachers, so very sadly, do the same today. We must believe the words of God as they are written, for they are the very words given by God the Holy Spirit.
“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” ~Dr. David L. Cooper
V6 Jesus explains to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
One of the greatest truths, if we can accept it.
Jesus is the way:
- To truth (reality—Luke 4:25-27 (Jesus’s words correspond to reality]).
- We must love truth. Compare 2 Thessalonians 1:10 and Psalm 119:160.
- The Bible is the truth—Daniel 10:21. Also see Psalm 31:5.
- Our salvation depends on one set of truth for all times past, present, and future.
- According to Proverbs 12:19, truth never changes. What is truth originally is still truth today.
- To salvation—He is the only way to prevent God’s wrath and restore fellowship with the Creator (Acts 4:12).
- To a holy life. Compare Psalm 119:11, 2 Peter 2:21–22, and Matthew 6:33.
- To wisdom—Psalm 51:6 and Psalm 31:5
- To worldview—Colossians 2:8
- To the greatest rules for people, society, and believers’ life—the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)
- To having the best marriage, child-rearing, society, government, education, medical, law, etc.
Jesus is the truth:
He tells the truth, lives the truth, dies for the truth, resurrects according to the truth, and now instructs all believers via the Holy Spirit according to the Book of Truth.
Jesus is the life:
This is a holy life now and eternal life. He alone is the life (Acts 4:12, Acts 16:30–31, and John 3:14–18).
Acts 4:12 (WEL) “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among people whereby we must be saved.”
V7 “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also, and from now on, you know him and have seen him.”
Jesus teaches the oneness yet separateness of the Trinity, which is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Three persons and one God. All three persons have the same essence of God. The stuff God is (spirit—John 4:24) and has the character traits of God, both the incommunicable and the communicable.
V8 “Lord, show us the Father, which will satisfy us,” Philip said to him.
Philip is thinking but misunderstands.
Principle: Ask questions for we learn much.
V9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, yet you have not known me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father, so why do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
Jesus repeats the same information as in verse 7 but words it differently. Compare Hebrews 1:3.
We learn:
- There is no salvation, truth, worldview, way of life, way of peace, etc., except through Jesus Christ.
- All have a choice to make: follow Jesus Christ in everything or some other way.
Questions:
- What salvation did you believe?
- Is the teaching of Jesus Christ your way of life, truth, and life?