John 14:4 ¶ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye
know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we
know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my
Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the
Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus
saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak
unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth
the works. 11 Believe me that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Jesus states that His disciples know where He is going and
they know Him, which is the way to get to that place where He is going. Thomas,
who is called ‘Doubting Thomas’ in popular sayings, did not get it, as the
disciples often did not get what Jesus was telling them.
Jesus then makes one of the most, if not the most, profound
and important statements in the Bible that should upset all of the
universalists out there who insist we are all God’s children and that everyone
is on their own path to some kind of Heaven of their own imagination. He states
very clearly that there is only one way to God, and that is through Him. He
states that He is the way, the truth, and the life. In this context He is the way to the Father, the only
real truth, and the life that is forever and ever.
Jesus took over the place the Law given to Moses had to the
Jews.
Psalm 119:1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Psalm 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting
righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal
commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
In verse 7 Jesus tells Thomas that he has seen the Father by
seeing Christ. In verse 9 He makes it even plainer by telling Philip
point-blank that to have seen Him is to have seen the Father. They are one and
the same. This is a real mind-twister for these first century Jews to wrap
their minds around as it is for us today. We are not that much more
sophisticated although we have the complete Bible in front of us.
Jesus then explains the relationship between Himself and God
the Father as being wrapped up in each other. It is a very difficult concept
for people to understand so early church councils came to a conclusion that
there were actually three individual persons in the Godhead with two of them
submitting to the will of one. This is incorrect and a heresy as they are all
the same person with one will but are able to express and project themselves
independently. As I have explained previously how Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
is the visible image of God, God’s body and His appearance, there is no need to
repeat it (Hebrews 1:3; 2Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15). By now, you should
be aware of the three parts of God, as in our three parts of a body, soul, and
a spirit (1Thessalonians 5:23). There is God the Father, the Holy Ghost, and
the Son of God, all called, “He,” all
indwelling the believer by the vehicle of the Holy Spirit called, “It.”
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring
all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Ro 8:9 But ye are not
in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.16 The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
God the Father, Jesus Christ the Word, and the Holy Ghost
are one entity.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
1John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the
commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Jesus Christ, walking on earth, was God, the one who created
all things, by whom all things are sustained, who actively controls all reality
from the water vapor in Orion to every beat of your heart, and by whom all
things will come to their conclusion, in human flesh.
John 14:12 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than
these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that
will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will
do it.
Jesus promises His Jewish disciples that, because of their
belief in Him, they will not only repeat the miracles He has done but will do
greater works because they will be on earth much longer than He allowed Himself
on this mission to save humankind.
Peter healed the lame in Acts 3. Paul healed people from
disease and injury and perhaps death (see Acts 20:9-12). The Apostles and their
spiritual descendants crossed oceans and deserts and mountain ranges to spread
the gospel of Jesus Christ far and wide. Millions faced death and imprisonment
as martyrs. Poverty and want was the fate of many more millions denied rights
and privileges for their faith in the countries where they lived including
those countless multitudes murdered by being burnt at the stake, strangled, or
by other such vicious methods.
He tells the eleven remaining Apostles, who God was
preparing to use for His purpose after He was no longer walking physically
among them, that whatever they ask in His name, He will grant it. This does not
give them a special warrant to go against God’s will as laid out in the
Scriptures but confirms to them that He will be active in their mission.
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