Few verses are cited as often as this Scripture. Jesus is preparing His disciples with reassurance, in advance of His arrest and death (John 14:1–4). These words also broadly encourage believers to maintain faith in the face of hardship. Confidence comes to Christians, in part, from knowledge that Jesus is preparing to take us to be with Him. Travel home is usually much less stressful than the outbound trip, since we're so much more familiar with the destination (Romans 8:18; Hebrews 12:2).

In the prior verse (John 14:5), Thomas asked a reasonable question: if we don't know where we're going, how can you say we know the way there? Christ's answer reinforces a doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, as well as denying there are "many paths" to God. Prior to the label "Christians" (Acts 11:26), faith in Jesus was often referred to as "the way" (Acts 24:14).

Thomas' question (John 14:5) assumes the normal pattern of human accomplishment: we determine an end goal and work accordingly. But salvation cannot be accomplished by good works (Titus 3:5). Our sinful natures make it impossible to behave in a way that reconciles us to God (Romans 3:20). Jesus did not tell the disciples they knew the destination—in fact, He said He would come to get them (John 14:3)—but they know "the way" there (John 14:3–4). This is true because the means of salvation is not a process, it is a person. It is through—and only through—the person of Christ. We cannot strive to earn heaven, we can only seek to follow Christ. That is how we are meant to know God (John 14:7).

Paul memorably restates that salvation comes through a person in 2 Corinthians 4:6. Rescue from sin comes through Jesus, not rituals, or accomplishments, or personal virtue. The disciples know how to arrive where Jesus is going because they know Him—they know "the Way" because that Way is Jesus. Eventually, men like Thomas will connect this declaration to Jesus' other teachings, and fully realize the meaning of salvation by grace through faith (John 3:16; 10:10; 11:25–26; 12:44–46; Matthew 16:15–17).

Each component of this statement is given a definite article; both Greek and English refer to "the" way, "the" truth, and "the" life. There is no possibility of translating this comment as Jesus being "one way," or "a truth," or just "life." He doubles down on the idea, in fact, by emphasizing that nobody comes to God "except through [Christ]." Rarely does anyone object to the idea that those who believe in Christ will be saved. What offends many is the suggestion that only those who believe in Christ find salvation. Yet that is the clear teaching of Scripture (Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5–6).

This is the sixth of seven moments in John's gospel where Jesus invokes the "I Am" terminology. This echoes God's self-identification to Moses (Exodus 3:14). The seventh, and last, "I Am" statement will come later in this same discourse (John 15:1).

John 14:1–14 continues Jesus' discourse with the disciples at the last supper. He has recently mentioned a traitor in their midst and predicted Peter's denials. That leads Jesus to reassure these men—reminding them that He has told them the truth and has all things in hand. In this passage, Christ famously refers to Himself as ''the way, and the truth, and the life.'' That is the sixth of seven such ''I Am'' statements included in John's gospel. This section includes Jesus' words, personal experience, and evidence of His miracles as reasons to maintain trust.

Christ reassures His followers that faith in Him is faith in God. To know Christ is to know ''the way, and the truth, and the life'' (John 14:6). The words, actions, and miracles of Jesus should give Christians confidence to trust that He will make good on His promises. Among those are His guarantee that He is preparing to come for us, so we can be where He is. Jesus also predicts the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is only available to believers, and this Helper acts to guide, teach, and remind us. Both for the disciples, and for future Christians, these words are meant to be comforting during hard times. Since Christ knew, in advance, what would happen, we can be even more confident to trust Him.

After completing His public ministry in Jerusalem (John 12:36–38), Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples (John 13:3–5), predicted His betrayal (John 13:21), and foreseen Peter's denial (John 13:37–38). Chapter 14 begins a series of remarks meant to encourage the disciples, in the face of dire warnings. Among these are reminders that Jesus is planning to bring them to be where He is, assurance that He is ''the way,'' and the first explicit promises of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 15 will continue this address, beginning with Jesus' claim to be ''the true vine.''

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

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