“Let not your hearts be
troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my
Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am you may be also. And
you know the way to where I am going.”Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not
know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:1-5
The meal was finished, Jesus had washed their feet and dismissed Judas. Now the private teaching was beginning, for those who would become His Church. Believers only. He had spent three years offering the kingdom of God to the Jews. The Jews did not want His spiritual kingdom. They wanted Him to become an earthly king and continue the religion they had always practiced, while overthrowing the rule of Rome. In chapters 14 through 17 of John’s gospel, Jesus intimately taught and prayed for these men and those who would believe through them. In these three chapters, there is no mention of the Jews. These deep truths of God would be shown to the eleven, before they had to face the offering of their Master as the Lamb of God, being sacrificed for their sins and ours
Jesus began to seriously instruct the eleven about the future intimacy they would share with Him and with the Father and with each other. When He mentioned his departure from the earth, they would protest and question Him about where He would go. They began to suffer from separation anxiety, because His words were heavy on their hearts. Up to now, He had been matter-of-fact in His comments about His own human destiny. Now, He was more somber as He spoke of going away. They seem to have been blocking from their consciousness the expectation of His cruel death. This cannot be the first they had heard of it. Hence, their troubled hearts.
The meal was finished, Jesus had washed their feet and dismissed Judas. Now the private teaching was beginning, for those who would become His Church. Believers only. He had spent three years offering the kingdom of God to the Jews. The Jews did not want His spiritual kingdom. They wanted Him to become an earthly king and continue the religion they had always practiced, while overthrowing the rule of Rome. In chapters 14 through 17 of John’s gospel, Jesus intimately taught and prayed for these men and those who would believe through them. In these three chapters, there is no mention of the Jews. These deep truths of God would be shown to the eleven, before they had to face the offering of their Master as the Lamb of God, being sacrificed for their sins and ours
Jesus began to seriously instruct the eleven about the future intimacy they would share with Him and with the Father and with each other. When He mentioned his departure from the earth, they would protest and question Him about where He would go. They began to suffer from separation anxiety, because His words were heavy on their hearts. Up to now, He had been matter-of-fact in His comments about His own human destiny. Now, He was more somber as He spoke of going away. They seem to have been blocking from their consciousness the expectation of His cruel death. This cannot be the first they had heard of it. Hence, their troubled hearts.
Jesus pointed out to them that if He didn’t have future
plans for them, He would not have led them to believe so. Since He did have
future plans and was going away to make arrangements for them, they must know
He would be back for them, to be with Him again. He assured them that they knew
the way.
Jesus knew about His Father’s house. He came from there. Now, He would ascend back to there and prepare our eternal dwelling place. Then He will personally return for us, so we can be with Him forever. They knew His meaning about the Father’s house, but Thomas wanted a more detailed explanation. “We don’t know, Lord, and how can we know the way?”
There is only one way: through the I AM.
Jesus said to
him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
He is the Way: Greek, hodus – plan of action;
consistency. The only access to the Father.
He is the Truth: alatheo – all truth; Word of God
He is the Life: zoes – source of all life
He is the Truth: alatheo – all truth; Word of God
He is the Life: zoes – source of all life
There is no other way to the Father.
This leaves no room for speculation about other possible means of salvation. This denies any possibility that people who practice religions will receive admission into the presence of God. There is no such thing as “good enough.” Human works are not an option.
I’ve heard some who profess Christianity say that when someone tells them that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, they don’t want to hear anything else that person has to say.
Well, Jesus Christ Himself said it, more than once, but this is the most forceful and unmistakable of His statements on the subject. It cannot be explained away. You either believe that He is the only way, or you believe He is a liar.
Jesus also said this, in John 3:18: “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” And this, in John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
This leaves no room for speculation about other possible means of salvation. This denies any possibility that people who practice religions will receive admission into the presence of God. There is no such thing as “good enough.” Human works are not an option.
I’ve heard some who profess Christianity say that when someone tells them that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, they don’t want to hear anything else that person has to say.
Well, Jesus Christ Himself said it, more than once, but this is the most forceful and unmistakable of His statements on the subject. It cannot be explained away. You either believe that He is the only way, or you believe He is a liar.
Jesus also said this, in John 3:18: “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” And this, in John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
If you had known me, you would
have known my Father also. From now on you do know him
and have seen him.” John 14:7
If they had known (ginosko – perceived, been sure of,
understood) – 2nd class
condition “if” - and they did not perceive or understand before. From this
point onward, they’ll know.
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the
Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to
him,“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me,
Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us
the Father’? Do you not believe that I am
in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do
not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his
works. Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works
themselves. John 14:8-11
The men were stressed, confused, frustrated and sad about
this heavy talk from Jesus. They kept wanting more detail from Him. They sensed
a crisis looming and were scared. They were little children, clinging to Mama’s
skirt, as she is about to leave them in an unfamiliar situation and go away. He
gave them all the comfort He could at the time.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever
believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these
will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever
you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. John 14:12-14
“Truly, truly” signifies a point of doctrine. Through faith
in Jesus Christ, the believers will continue to perform Jesus’ own works in the
world, and even greater works. BECAUSE He was going away, they would do these
things. In order for His Spirit to expand in the world, He must go away. As
long as He remained in that human body, His Spirit was localized. Since He went
away, His Spirit lives in every believer. This is a divine technicality, and
that last Passover celebration with His men was when and where He introduced
it to them.
Here’s the promise: after I’m gone, ask anything in My name (ask
as I would ask….ask in agreement with Me….exercise the power of attorney as My
agent) and I will do it. This way, the Father is glorified. After all, it is
the Father’s plan.
Jesus came to earth as a man to present His Father’s plan of grace, which would purchase the redemption of every human who will believe. He lived among us until the appointed time and then He executed that perfect plan. It is finished. He is the ONLY way. This discourse with the eleven took place before the physical execution of the plan, but the plan was a reality from eternity past. Those who lived before looked forward to the atonement of the cross. We who live after are looking back to the atonement of the cross. Same plan. Same atonement. Same Savior. Same means of access: faith in Him.
Same eternal dwelling place: the Father's house.
Jesus came to earth as a man to present His Father’s plan of grace, which would purchase the redemption of every human who will believe. He lived among us until the appointed time and then He executed that perfect plan. It is finished. He is the ONLY way. This discourse with the eleven took place before the physical execution of the plan, but the plan was a reality from eternity past. Those who lived before looked forward to the atonement of the cross. We who live after are looking back to the atonement of the cross. Same plan. Same atonement. Same Savior. Same means of access: faith in Him.
Same eternal dwelling place: the Father's house.
