On Line Bible Study - For the Week October 15-21, 2012

Lesson 558

I want to spend a bit of time on this passage –

John 14:  ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

This is often cited as an exclusive claim for Jesus and, by association, for Christianity.  There is only one way – no detours, no options.  Without dismissing that claim, it is important to see this text in a broader context.  The Hebrew Bible has references which link the “way” with faithfulness or truth.  Consider for example:

Psalm 86:  ¹¹Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness. (Today’s NIV)

                     Teach me your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth.  (New American Standard)

                     Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth.  (King James)

Psalm 16:  ¹¹You make known to me the path of life; you will fill ne with joy in your presence.

Psalm 119 tells us they do no wrong but follow [God’s] way.

God reveals the “way” to us.  The community at Qunran (Dead Sea Scrolls) designated itself in an absolute manner as “The Way”.  And we read in Acts 9:2 a reference to the Christian Church is called ‘the Way’.  (See also Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4.)

Father Raymond Brown reminds us of the several occasions in which the Gospel of John uses imagery applied to Israel and layers it onto the message of Jesus or those who follow him.  Several examples:

·         The Temple – God’s physical presence in the midst of the people of Israel.

o   Jesus is the “Temple” - John 2:19.

·         Imagery of sheep and shepherd – Psalm 23; Isaiah 53:6.

o   Jesus is both Sheepgate and Good Shepherd – John 10:7-13.

·         Israel is God’s vineyard – Isaiah 5.

o   Jesus is the vine, and the Father is the gardener – John 15

This provides us with a broader context for Jesus’ word – I am the way, the truth and the life… And it is interesting that early Christians thought of their relationship to Jesus and to each other is constituting The Way.  As Saul of Tarsus went out to find and imprison men and women who belonged to the Way, he encountered a blinding light and a voice claiming to be that of Jesus.  Saul learned his persecution of the Way was a persecution of Jesus.

Perhaps John wants us to realize that acknowledging Jesus as “the way, truth and life” is only half of the project.  We must align ourselves to Christ, even as Christ is one with the Father.