Introduction
I AM
There are 16 signs recorded in John’s gospel, 8 are things which Jesus did and 8 were things which Jesus said. John is basically saying that the ‘I AM’ claims of Jesus are signs, selected from many other signs.
And he says these signs are selected with a purpose in mind and that purpose is that you believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be, John 20:30-31.
Here we find the seventh of seven of Jesus’ I AM’ claims, John 6:35 / John 8:12 / John 8:58 / John 10:9 / John 10:11 / John 11:25 / John 14:6 / John 15:1.
Each of His ‘I AM’ claims are claims that He is God, EGO EIMI, is the Greek equivalent of YHWH, Exodus 3:13-14 / John 5:18. He is Eternal, Psalm 135:13, and self-existent, Psalm 88:6-7.
When we come to the ‘I AM’ claims of Jesus, we need to remember that Jesus was not giving Himself a Name or a title, but was asserting His Deity. In other words every ‘I AM’ reveals some aspect of His nature and purpose.
I AM THE WAY
“I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6
Jesus never went outside of scripture for an illustration, Isaiah 35 talks about the kingdom, the WAY of holiness. Hebrews talks about boldness and a new and living way, Hebrews 10:19-20, the word for way is ‘hodos’ which means the road.
The High priest would take the blood and the blood was spilt on the way to the Holy of Holies, sprinkled blood on way, blood-stained way.
Jesus says He is the way, John 14:6, He’s not showing the way because He is the way. Three times on the same day, the high priest would sacrifice for the following reasons.
1. For his own sins.
2. For the sins of the priesthood and
3. For the sins of the people. Jesus’ blood has created the way, Hebrews 6:19.
Matthew 26:1ff tells us it was at Passover that Jesus wanted to die for them. Jesus wanted to let it happen in Passover. Jesus died on a day when a one-off event took place, Passover, the Day of Atonement was once a year, Jesus didn’t die on this day.
The veil was Jesus’ flesh, the veil was torn when He died. A careful reading of the Book of Acts tells us that the early church was called the way, they were in ‘the way’.
The blood-stained way into the very presence of God.
Two of the most remarkable statements by Jesus are found in one verse. ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ ‘No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ John 14:6
These statements were made in a discussion with His disciples. As He prepared them for His impending death, John 14:1-4, prompted questions by Thomas and Philip, John 14:5 / John 14:7-9.
In making such statements, Jesus claims to be three things, ‘The Way, The Truth, And the Life.’
Let’s take a closer look, at where we first observe that Jesus is. Jesus is the only way to God. Jesus clearly claims to be the only way to God, John 14:6.
As Peter would later proclaim, there is no salvation but through Him, Acts 4:12. This may sound politically incorrect, but Jesus states it nonetheless.
How is the Jesus the Way to the father? By revealing Him, stressed in the Gospel of John, John 14:7-9 / John 1:18 / John 12:44-45. By opening the way to Him, emphasised in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 10:19-20.
By serving as our high priest, another theme in Hebrews, Hebrews 2:17-18 / Hebrews 4:14-16 / Hebrews 10:21-22. He now intercedes for us as our Advocate, 1 John 2:1.
At the right hand of God, Romans 8:34. The one (and only) Mediator between God and man, 1 Titus 2:5. Whoever lives to intercede for us! Hebrews 7:24-25. By virtue of His life on earth, His death on the cross, and now His service in heaven, Jesus is truly the only way to God! Isaiah 35:8-9.
Christ is the ‘way’, the ‘means’, the Person by whom we can come to a knowledge of God, John 1:18. How wonderful, to know that all man has to do to know the Father is to look to Jesus.
Jesus says, ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father,’ John 14:9. Via Jesus the Father has fellowship with us and we with the Father, Romans 5:12 / Matthew 11:27-28.
How awful would be our situation without Jesus our Mediator! There would be an abyss so wide and deep and dark between God and mankind that man could never make any contact with God and thus man would be lost forever.
Is it difficult to come to God via Jesus? No, definitely not! Since, once we accept Jesus in our lives, he will protect us, Isaiah 27:3. Jesus teaches us the way, by speaking the truth, Luke 20:21. By showing us the way, Matthew 16:24 / 1 Peter 2:21.
All we have to do is follow Jesus, knowing that we shall never be tempted beyond our strength, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and that if we submit to God and resist the devil, James 4:7, the latter will flee from us, Isaiah 4:7.
It is via Jesus that we come into the sanctuary, the presence of God to whom Jesus is the living way, Hebrews 20:19-20.
I cannot help feeling that when Jesus said ‘I am the way’ he puts the emphasis on ‘I’ indicating he is the only way as indeed he is, Acts 4:12.
And so, Jesus declares Himself to be the way, He isn’t a guide to show the way, nor a map to help those lost upon the path. No, Jesus is ‘The Way’ He is God and so, all life is available through Him, and only in Him is the truth to those eternal questions found. He wants to answer the questions of life for all mankind, He has the ability, He has the knowledge and He has the life.
The disciples had received so much teaching, they had had the opportunity to learn all of Christ, but how often did they neglect the teaching?
They allowed points the Lord had made to pass, they could have really known Jesus but they didn’t. Now that Jesus has fully exposed Himself to them, they have the chance to fully understand and know and see the Father as well.
In knowing Jesus, they know the way to the eternal Father which means life. Jesus was the ‘Way’, ‘Hodos’, the Road, the one through whom we have access to the Father.
