“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way…’”

“Yahoos.”  That was what he said.  I didn’t even know what he meant, but I figured it wasn’t a compliment.  Many years ago when I was raising our financial support to work fulltime in the field of international student ministry (ISM) I called lots of churches “cold turkey” — without any warning or referral.   I got out the phone book — see how dated this is? — and started compiling a database.  Then I randomly called until I got an invitation to meet with a church leader.  So here I sat in this assistant pastor’s office in a North Miami church whose denomination I’ll keep anonymous only because there are a few churches in that group that are still OK.  When he asked me why his church should get involved in ISM, I listed off several reasons, one of them being evangelistic.  “Well, we don’t have any real evangelistic motivation to do that.  I mean, we don’t believe that stuff in the Bible that Jesus is the only way to heaven like those yahoos do.”  Yahoos?  Whatever that meant, I knew I must be one of them.  This yahoo rapidly concluded that he must do a better job at evaluating churches before sauntering in with any assumptions.

Believing Jesus’ words here is certainly OK.  But in an age of supposed tolerance and alleged openness, speaking the belief that Jesus is The Way is neither socially acceptable nor politically correct.  Narrow-minded, bigot, prejudiced, extremist, intolerant, and even terrorist are samples of just the printable words one is likely to be called.  Throw in yahoos too.  As I quickly discovered, this reality exists even in professing churches too.  So what are we to make of his statement that he is The Way?  Did he really mean that, or was that pastor right?  Examining the multiple contexts points us to only one conclusion.

Let’s look at the historical context first.  Jesus washed the disciples feet in John 13 at the Last Passover.  In chapter 14 he is presumably still in the upper room.  In chapter 15 they most likely begin making their way to the Garden of Gethsemane where he prays in chapter 17.  Thus, the conversation between the Lord and his followers had the utmost gravity to it: Jesus would be dead in less than 12 hours.  It was not a light, upbeat or happy time for the Master.  He was extremely focused and deliberate about everything he said.  The disciples would be in shock after the cross and would need to draw deeply on their last conversations with him to maintain their sanity and stability until Sunday.

Second, let’s look at the verbal context, the words that Jesus used.  He didn’t say he was just the way, but in the same breath he tied that to the “truth” and the “life”.  Over and over before this, Jesus maintained that he was true and real, and continued it afterwards (15:1).  Ditto with life, only much more.  Speaking to Martha at the time of Lazarus’ death he told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (11:25-26).  Just so she (and we) didn’t miss his point, he is the resurrection and the life — unmistakably clear.

Third, let’s consider the conversational context.  This conversation is truly amazing.  Jesus begins by preparing them for his impending departure.  Their world is about to be turned upside down.  So he tells them about their place in his “Father’s house” (vs. 1-2).  Then he tells them about his return for them (v. 3).  Next he reminds them that they know where he is going and how.  Now how would they know that?  Obviously in two ways: (1) he told them before, and (2) he literally was the way.  Thomas, apparently speaking for the rest, said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (v. 5).  In other words, so much, if not most — could we say way too much? — of what he told them before went right by them.  They didn’t get it.  Lest anyone think that we’re being too harsh with the poor disciples, I think anyone in their place wouldn’t have gotten it either.  Their worldviews and frameworks simply were not big enough and didn’t stretch that far.  All too frequently, neither do ours.  In light of such a challenged faith, Jesus reiterates the fact: he is the way!  And the truth!  And the life!  “No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Further conversation with Philip (v. 8) and later Judas son of James (v. 22) only serve to highlight his completely serious tone.  In the final analysis, Jesus was unambiguous, unapologetic and totally exclusive.  He is the only one who can provide what we need to be restored to God — himself, because of his work on Calvary.  Yahoos need not worry, fear or apologize!

“My way or the highway” is a catchy slogan. His way is the High Way.  Is he your Way?