John 14:1–7 (ESV) — 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;
believe also in me. 2 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? 3 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. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can
we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and 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. From now on
you do know him and have seen him.”
NOTE: One of the
most famous statements of Jesus is his claim of being the way to God--actually,
the only way to God. It is an exclusive statement, and if true, it must be
exclusive. One cannot make truth to be what they want it to be. Truth is. Or it
is not truth. Just as God is, or does not exist. Jesus makes multiple claims of
divinity. They cannot be ignored without risk to a person's eternal destiny.
Jesus was returning to heaven to prepare a new home. Thomas was focused on the
seen and material. Jesus was referring to the unseen and eternal, our larger
life. Claims, like Jesus made, can be dismissed but only if you categorize the
claimant as lying, deranged, or ignorant. Jesus' life clearly shows none of
these characteristics. He was rational, logical, incredibly precise, and
organized in his speech and thought processes. He was not trying to be popular.
He would challenge a follower as easily as a hypocritical Pharisee. Which
brings us back to his claim to be the only way to God--how can he make such a
claim? He is God and truth is.
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