Bible Gem 92 – I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life (John 14:6)

Here is another of those I AM sayings with a complement. Note I wrote complement and not compliment.

In this case three of them: I am the way; I am the truth; I am the life!

I am the way to where? – the way to God. The way to the Father. Not only am I the way to truth but I am the truth; the embodiment of Truth. “What is truth?” Pontius Pilate never asked a more important question. “And though the man of whom he asked it did not utter a single word in reply, no man ever received a more complete and articulate answer. . . . We would have given Pilate a very impressive statement – all quite scriptural and correct. His silence was not born of a lack of truths. He possessed truths in abundance. In that moment to utter a single truth would have been to obscure the living truth that He was. If Pilate could not see truth before him, in a light and clarity heightened by the silence in which it stood, then nothing he might have heard could have saved him.” Art Katz

“Not only am I the water of life springing up to eternal life but I am that life.” Jesus

Life and life abundant is embodied in the Christ. Jesus is all these things and more. John has listed out all the things that Jesus is, that He embodies in life. He is all of the following:

1. Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
2. Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” John 6:41
3. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. John 6:51
4. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. John 6:58
5. Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. John 8:12
6. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:5
7. so He explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. John 10:7
8. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. John 10:9
9. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep. John 10:11
10. “I am the good shepherd; I know My own sheep, and they know Me, John 10:14
11. why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set Me apart and sent Me into the world. John 10:36
12. Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. John 11:25
13. You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. John 13:13
14. I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah. John 13:19
15. Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. John 14:6
16. “I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. John 15:1
17. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
18. Pilate said, “So You are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” John 18:37

I need to address one other issue on this matter before we leave it. The claim of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that Jesus did not say “I am the Way” but rather he said “I am a way.” Is that true or not?

The element we are looking for is 

No Greek Text of John 14:6 has “a way”. All have “the way”

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἡ ζωή· οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εἰ μὴ δι᾿ ἐμοῦ.  – [the standard eclectic Greek Text] 

λεγει  αυτω ο ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος ουδεις  ερχεται  προς  τον  πατερα  ει  μη  δι εμου  [Byzantine Greek Text]

λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος και η αληθεια και η ζωη ουδεις ερχεται προς τον πατερα ει μη δι εμου  [Textus Receptus]

λεγει  αυτω[ο]ιησους  εγω  ειμι  η  οδος  και  η  αληθεια  και  η  ζωη  ουδεις  ερχεταιπρος  τον  πατερα  ει  μη  δι εμου   [Westcott & Hort Greek Text]

All of the standard texts have the definite article η (“the”); only the Jehovah’s Witness Greek Version does not have it. They published their own text so they could make it say what they want it to say. Case closed!

There’s trouble ahead when you live for the approval of others…Your task is to be true, not popular.

Anon

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 

Regina Brett