John 14:5

5 Thomas says to him, Lord, we know not where thou goest, and how can we know the way?

John 14:5 Meaning and Commentary

John 14:5

Thomas saith unto him, Lord
Who was one of his apostles, and here betrays his ignorance, as elsewhere his unbelief; and not only speaks for himself, but for the rest of the apostles, of whom he judged by himself; and who, it may be, might understand things better than himself, though their knowledge at present was but small:

we know not whither thou goest;
though he had but just told them of his Father's house, and of his going to prepare a place for them:

and how can we know the way?
for if we do not know the place, it is not reasonable to think we should know the way to it. Thomas seemed to have no other notion than that Christ was talking of some particular place in Judea, whither he was going, and of the road to it.

John 14:5 In-Context

3 and if I go and shall prepare you a place, I am coming again and shall receive you to myself, that where I am ye also may be.
4 And ye know where I go, and ye know the way.
5 Thomas says to him, Lord, we know not where thou goest, and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father unless by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye would have known also my Father, and henceforth ye know him and have seen him.

Footnotes 1

The Darby Translation is in the public domain.