After Jesus explained the dwelling places that He is going to prepare for His followers and the promise to come again and receive us to Himself, He continued,
“And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (Jn 14:4-6).
John 14:6 is one of the most succinct descriptions of who Jesus is in the entire gospels. There is so much depth in each of these descriptions that Jesus applies to Himself; “the way, the truth, and the life.”
Thomas is thinking of a route or path when He asked Jesus about “the way” that Jesus is going. Jesus clarifies that He is the way, He is the path. He is not a destination on the way. He Himself is the way.
Of course, we understand this “Jesus is the way” much better than the disciples ever could have at this point because we are looking back on the cross. We are looking back on exactly what Jesus meant by Him being the way. His death, burial, and resurrection are the way to eternal life. He is the way to the Father. Jesus is the way to a right relationship with God. Jesus is the way to heaven. Jesus is the way to dwelling forever with the Father and the Son.
Jesus is also the truth. Jesus made clear throughout His earthly teaching that some things are true and others are false. Jesus’ words were always true. Jesus’ message was always true. In fact, Jesus was so much the epitome of truth that He could simply be called The Truth.
Jesus, in His own words, is the truth. There is no falsehood in Him. We can trust what Jesus says to be true. So when Jesus speaks of Himself as the Way, the way to eternal life, I know He is telling us the truth.
And finally, Jesus is the life. This is such a prolific message throughout the gospel of John. Jesus came to bring us life. Abundant life in the here and now (Jn 10:10), resurrection life (Jn 11:25) in the here and hereafter, and eternal life in His presence (Jn 6:40, 14:3). Jesus’ ministry was consumed by bringing what Peter called “words of eternal life” to situations and places and people who were “dead”. Life in place of death is a gift that Jesus brought to His time on the earth and continues to give to people all over the world. Jesus is life. Jesus is The Life.
The Way, The Truth, The Life; an all-encompassing description of Jesus. God, the Son, come to earth to show us the way, the truth, and the life.