Have you ever watched an old movie or listened to an old song from your youth and saw something new? But now, watching or listening with older ears, you understand the double meanings that your younger ears missed. The disciples of Jesus find themselves in the same kind of dynamic in our next section of John’s Gospel.
John reports, “Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 13:36–14:6, NLT)
We’ll cover Peter’s denials later in the series. Today, let’s look at the cryptic mystery of where Jesus is going that the disciples cannot follow. This particular thread began a few verses earlier. When Jesus said, “Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going.” (John 13:33, NLT)
Both Peter and Thomas speak up and ask Jesus where He is going. Peter, being Peter, makes a bold statement to which Jesus responds with a prophetic word. Jesus’ response to Thomas’s question continues to shape all who follow Christ. But in between Peter and Thomas is a moment of comfort and assurance.
With these words, Jesus provides assurance for all who believe. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” (John 14:1–3, NLT) In these few words, Jesus not only expresses the vastness of those who will follow – there is plenty of room. And Jesus also makes this extremely personal – I go to prepare a place for you.
Now, Thomas gets a bum rap for being a doubter. I think it’s just a bit unwarranted. But that may be that I identify with his pragmatic take on things. In this instance, it is like he is saying, “Ok, Jesus, I hear you, but we’re missing a piece – how can we follow if we don’t know the destination?” I get that. It’s like getting one of those “Wish you were here” postcards without knowing where “here” is. Jesus’ response provides that missing piece.
Jesus replied to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:6–7, NLT) The destination is Father God. The way, the only way, is through Jesus Christ.
You could call John 14:6 Christ’s razor. In philosophy, a razor is a simple device to separate ideas. Occam’s Razor, for example, says that when there are competing answers to a problem, the simplest answer or solution is most often correct. Christ’s razor implicitly acknowledges other ways and truths but explicitly shaves them away with four claims of exclusiveness. Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, and Jesus is the life – it is only through Christ that anyone can encounter God the Father.
The world pushes the idea of many ways, many truths, and many ways to live a life. And in one sense, they are correct. But (and this is a gigantically mega “but”) the only true way to life with God is through Jesus Christ. There is no other answer.
Through these verses, Jesus gave us an adult understanding of faith and purpose if we have ears to hear.
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