This famous saying is in John’s gospel chapter 14 verse 6, ‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”’
What an all-encompassing claim to make about Himself! We need to see what that claim involves. Jesus had told His disciples,: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.” John 14:3,4. Thomas asked Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:5.
Jesus answered his question with this statement. He was saying that He was the only way, as well as being the absolute truth and the only giver of eternal life. Let’s examine His claim a little more closely.
J]. Jesus is THE WAY
He is THE WAY ABOUT HOW TO COME TO GOD. Jesus had said, in John14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” In the Bible, “the way” often means a road or path of life. Jesus is saying: not just that He shows the way; but that He IS the way. There is nothing that anyone can do to be close to God except by trusting in Who Jesus is and in what He has done. So access to God isn’t through rules, religion, or effort—it’s through a personal relationship with Him.
He is THE WAY TO LIVE BEFORE HIM. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” John 14:15-16. Christian living is all about relationship, our relationship with Jesus. Jesus promised those who loved Him, that the Helper [the Holy Spirit] whom they would receive, would teach them all they needed to know to live for Him. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26. The word for “Helper “ is παράκλητος , paraklētos; an intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter, counsellor, helper, one called alongside to help. They would know how to live and be helped in their endeavours by the Holy Spirit.
2]. Jesus is THE TRUTH
What is truth? The meeting between Pilate and Jesus, documented in John chapter 18, is a scene where Pilate asks a question “What is truth?“ We might wonder if he wanted to hear an answer. We read that Pilate was intrigued by Jesus and saw Him as being innocent of the charges against him. However TRUTH stood incarnate before him, but he lacked the courage to release Him.
He is THE truth about God.
Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus replied in words that showed His identity as being one with the Father and showing Him in human flesh. 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’? 10 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 14:9-11. Jesus in His character and His works revealed the truth about God. His character manifested the holiness of God in His rejection of temptation and hypocrisy. His works were as He said were the work of the Father working through Him.
He is THE truth about Humans.
When humans saw Jesus they saw a man as God intended humans to be. Jesus was the perfect human living in total dependence upon God for every moment of His life.
His will was to do His Father‘s will as He told His disciples, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38 He did that even though it cost Him His life. With faced with a possibility of death, He cried out to His Father “Not my will but your will be done!”
He is THE truth about Sin
There are those who believe that humans are born innocent and perfect but it is the world around them that influences them to sin. It may be true that they are born innocent but it is their fallen nature in them that causes them to sin. Jesus spoke of human nature when He taught, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” Matthew 15:18-20. His words show how shallow are some aspects of modern Psychology which believes humans are born good but it is the factors and environment around them that influence them towards evil. The official teaching of the Anglican Church is contained in the 39 Articles of Religion where Article IX speaks of the fallen nature of humans in these words, “And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God.”
He is THE truth about and Forgiveness and Salvation.
As John 14:6 reminds us Jesus is the only way to God because on the cross He dealt with our sin on our behalf. St Paul expressed it like this, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We come to belong to Jesus and to rest in the peace of God when we repent of our sins and put our trust in Him, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”1 Corinthians 1:30.
Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross secured for us an eternal redemption, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, … 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12, 14.
He is THE truth about Love.
Today we use the word “love” to cover many different types of feelings and activities. In the New Testament times there were 4 words used for ”love,” 3 of which occur in the New Testament. They are Philia: friendship, tender affection. Storge for family affection. Agape, especially for God’s love which humans can share, as His love is poured into the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5.
We see that the motivation for Christian living is love, and love is the proof that we know God, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8.
God’s love for us should be the motivation for us to love others, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11.
This divine agape love is imparted to us as we obey God’s word, ”but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:5-6.
3]. JESUS IS THE LIFE.
John in his first chapter of his gospel introduces Jesus as, “ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus as the Creator was responsible for every form of life in the universe, for “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. We all owe our lives to Him as our Creator.
But there is a special form of life that is eternal, called eternal life. It comes to those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus for salvation, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14-15. John repeated that truth in the very next verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.
SUMMING UP
Perhaps St Paul has the best summary. He expressed the truth about the Person of Jesus and His ministry in these few verses, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” Colossians 1:17-18.
So when Jesus said, ”I am the way. The truth and the life” He was saying that He is the truth about everything for He created everything and now upholds it all. He cannot be ignored and all people in whatever position they hold should look to Him for the wisdom they need to fulfil the responsibilities they face.
As James reminds us, human wisdom is limited. It is “not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. James 3:15-16.
What the world needs now is people being open to be led by the wisdom of God, for, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.“ James 3:17-18.
We need to pray that the so-called peacemakers in our world recognise that peace is not just the absence of war, but the deep inner peace in individual human hearts as they are filled with the peace that only the Prince of Peace can bring. St Paul expressed the purpose of God in Colossians 1:18, “… in everything he [Jesus] might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”
Who is preeminent in your life today? Jesus, who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE?
Blog No.593 posted on Friday 17 April 2026.
holbeck 
593 Jesus Said He Was THE Way and THE Truth and THE Life. What that truth means for us today.
This famous saying is in John’s gospel chapter 14 verse 6, ‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”’
What an all-encompassing claim to make about Himself! We need to see what that claim involves. Jesus had told His disciples,: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.” John 14:3,4. Thomas asked Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:5.
Jesus answered his question with this statement. He was saying that He was the only way, as well as being the absolute truth and the only giver of eternal life. Let’s examine His claim a little more closely.
J]. Jesus is THE WAY
He is THE WAY ABOUT HOW TO COME TO GOD. Jesus had said, in John14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” In the Bible, “the way” often means a road or path of life. Jesus is saying: not just that He shows the way; but that He IS the way. There is nothing that anyone can do to be close to God except by trusting in Who Jesus is and in what He has done. So access to God isn’t through rules, religion, or effort—it’s through a personal relationship with Him.
He is THE WAY TO LIVE BEFORE HIM. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,” John 14:15-16. Christian living is all about relationship, our relationship with Jesus. Jesus promised those who loved Him, that the Helper [the Holy Spirit] whom they would receive, would teach them all they needed to know to live for Him. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26. The word for “Helper “ is παράκλητος , paraklētos; an intercessor, consoler, advocate, comforter, counsellor, helper, one called alongside to help. They would know how to live and be helped in their endeavours by the Holy Spirit.
2]. Jesus is THE TRUTH
What is truth? The meeting between Pilate and Jesus, documented in John chapter 18, is a scene where Pilate asks a question “What is truth?“ We might wonder if he wanted to hear an answer. We read that Pilate was intrigued by Jesus and saw Him as being innocent of the charges against him. However TRUTH stood incarnate before him, but he lacked the courage to release Him.
He is THE truth about God.
Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus replied in words that showed His identity as being one with the Father and showing Him in human flesh. 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’? 10 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 14:9-11. Jesus in His character and His works revealed the truth about God. His character manifested the holiness of God in His rejection of temptation and hypocrisy. His works were as He said were the work of the Father working through Him.
He is THE truth about Humans.
When humans saw Jesus they saw a man as God intended humans to be. Jesus was the perfect human living in total dependence upon God for every moment of His life.
His will was to do His Father‘s will as He told His disciples, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38 He did that even though it cost Him His life. With faced with a possibility of death, He cried out to His Father “Not my will but your will be done!”
He is THE truth about Sin
There are those who believe that humans are born innocent and perfect but it is the world around them that influences them to sin. It may be true that they are born innocent but it is their fallen nature in them that causes them to sin. Jesus spoke of human nature when He taught, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” Matthew 15:18-20. His words show how shallow are some aspects of modern Psychology which believes humans are born good but it is the factors and environment around them that influence them towards evil. The official teaching of the Anglican Church is contained in the 39 Articles of Religion where Article IX speaks of the fallen nature of humans in these words, “And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in Greek, phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God.”
He is THE truth about and Forgiveness and Salvation.
As John 14:6 reminds us Jesus is the only way to God because on the cross He dealt with our sin on our behalf. St Paul expressed it like this, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. We come to belong to Jesus and to rest in the peace of God when we repent of our sins and put our trust in Him, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”1 Corinthians 1:30.
Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on the cross secured for us an eternal redemption, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, … 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12, 14.
He is THE truth about Love.
Today we use the word “love” to cover many different types of feelings and activities. In the New Testament times there were 4 words used for ”love,” 3 of which occur in the New Testament. They are Philia: friendship, tender affection. Storge for family affection. Agape, especially for God’s love which humans can share, as His love is poured into the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5.
We see that the motivation for Christian living is love, and love is the proof that we know God, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8.
God’s love for us should be the motivation for us to love others, “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11.
This divine agape love is imparted to us as we obey God’s word, ”but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:5-6.
3]. JESUS IS THE LIFE.
John in his first chapter of his gospel introduces Jesus as, “ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” Jesus as the Creator was responsible for every form of life in the universe, for “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3. We all owe our lives to Him as our Creator.
But there is a special form of life that is eternal, called eternal life. It comes to those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus for salvation, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” John 3:14-15. John repeated that truth in the very next verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.
SUMMING UP
Perhaps St Paul has the best summary. He expressed the truth about the Person of Jesus and His ministry in these few verses, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” Colossians 1:17-18.
So when Jesus said, ”I am the way. The truth and the life” He was saying that He is the truth about everything for He created everything and now upholds it all. He cannot be ignored and all people in whatever position they hold should look to Him for the wisdom they need to fulfil the responsibilities they face.
As James reminds us, human wisdom is limited. It is “not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. James 3:15-16.
What the world needs now is people being open to be led by the wisdom of God, for, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.“ James 3:17-18.
We need to pray that the so-called peacemakers in our world recognise that peace is not just the absence of war, but the deep inner peace in individual human hearts as they are filled with the peace that only the Prince of Peace can bring. St Paul expressed the purpose of God in Colossians 1:18, “… in everything he [Jesus] might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.”
Who is preeminent in your life today? Jesus, who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE?
Blog No.593 posted on Friday 17 April 2026.