Some of you have been scratching your heads since yesterday. I started talking about Jesus’ statement from John 14: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” I told a story about a woman and a ladder.
What does that story have to do with the claim that Jesus is making?
Here’s the thing. I don’t think he’s making a claim, building an argument. I think Jesus is building a relationship.
Jesus and his disciples are at a meal, not a debate, not an argument with the religious leaders. Jesus has said that he’s going to leave them but that he’ll be back. And then he says, “You know the way to the place I am going.”
Thomas points out that they don’t know where he’s going so how could they know the way? He saying, “If we don’t know the destination, how can we know what direction to go?”
At that point, we would love to predict Jesus’ next words: “I’ll bet he’s going to say, ‘it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.'” That’s what we would say. We want to focus on process, on developing, on growing.
And Jesus doesn’t say anything about the journey. And he doesn’t say anything about the destination. Instead he says, “I am the way.” It’s not a where that Jesus is going to. It’s a who.
I don’t think he’s trying to be tricky or complicated when talking with his disciples. I don’t even think he’s trying to do a foreshadowing of “Who’s on first.” (“You want a way? You’re talking to the way.”)
I think that in these last few moments, Jesus is being as clear and simple as he can be: You can’t get there if you aren’t with me, and if you are with me, you are there.
300 words a day 
Frank Reed
Agreed, Jon. By leaving no choice Jesus actually makes this all very easy. It’s like a tunnel. You go in the tunnel to go in one direction and to get to one place. It’s clean quick and very direct. Jesus provides that simplicity for us. There are no alternate routes from from Point A to Point B once you have entered and once you are through you realize that there really was no other way to get between those to two points other than because of the work of someone else to make it easy to choose and execute.
Now, as a believer this all makes perfect sense, right? From the outside this is one of those ‘exclusionary’ statements that riles everyone up. That used to bother me but not anymore just because it is so simple and direct. Jesus also says at another point in Scripture that each person person is either for Him or against Him. Once again a clean quick and direct statement that leaves no wiggle room.
The world hates absolutes because they perceived as limiting. This one is liberating (as they all are) and I am so happy to have heard and listened.
Peace.
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Rich Dixon
So, stretching your metaphor beyond the breaking point, here’s the real question. If the lady saw you climbing the ladder without asking permission but understood why you were there, would she have kicked the ladder from underneath you or allowed you to remain?
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Jon Swanson
Ah Frank and Rich. You are both thinking more clearly than I today. I should have you answer each other’s comments.
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Kathy Hogeveen
A great 2 day post. It reminded me of Charles H. Spurgeon’s quote: “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.” His way involves a faith filled life; child like faith, knowing that you know the way.
Thank you Chris Brogan for introducing me to this devotional it is right up there with http://www.thevinetoday.com/word/today that I have been reading for years.
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