John 14:6

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

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John 14:6 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
6 Jesus saith unto him,I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
New Living Translation (NLT)
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
The Message Bible (MSG)
6 Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.
American Standard Version (ASV)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
6 Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6 Meaning and Commentary

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way
Our Lord takes the opportunity of this discourse about the place he was going to, and the way unto it, more fully to instruct his disciples concerning himself, saying, "I am the way"; Christ is not merely the way, as he goes before his people as an example; or merely as a prophet, pointing out unto them by his doctrine the way of salvation; but he is the way of salvation itself by his obedience and sacrifice; nor is there any other; he is the way of his Father's appointing, and which is entirely agreeable to the perfections of God, and suitable to the case and condition of sinners; he is the way to all the blessings of the covenant of grace; and he is the right way into a Gospel church state here; no one comes rightly into a church of Christ but by faith in him; and he is the way to heaven: he is entered into it himself by his own blood, and has opened the way to it through himself for his people: he adds,

the truth
he is not only true, but truth itself: this may regard his person and character; he is the true God, and eternal life; truly and really man; as a prophet he taught the way of God in truth; as a priest, he is a faithful, as well as a merciful one, true and faithful to him that appointed him; and as a King, just and true are all his ways and administrations: he is the sum and substance of all the truths of the Gospel; they are all full of him, and centre in him; and he is the truth of all the types and shadows, promises and prophecies of the Old Testament; they have all their accomplishment in him; and he is the true way, in opposition to all false ones of man's devising. And this phrase seems to be opposed to a notion of the Jews, that the law was the true way of life, and who confined truth to the law. They have a saying F18, that (tma wtrwtw hvm) , "Moses and his law are the truth"; this they make Korah and his company say in hell. That the law of Moses was truth, is certain; but it is too strong an expression to say of Moses himself, that he was truth; but well agrees with Christ, by whom grace and truth came in opposition to Moses, by whom came the law: but when they say F19, (hrwt ala tma Nya) , "there is no truth but the law", they do not speak truth. More truly do they speak, when, in answer to that question, (tma hm) , "what is truth?" it is said, that he is the living God, and King of the world F20, characters that well agree with Christ.

And the life:
Christ is the author and giver of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; or he is the way of life, or "the living way"; in opposition to the law, which was so far from being the way of life, that it was the ministration of condemnation and death: he always, and ever will be the way; all in this way live, none ever die; and it is a way that leads to eternal life: and to conclude all the epithets in one sentence, Christ is the true way to eternal life It is added by way of explanation of him, as the way,

no man cometh unto the Father but by me;
Christ is the only way of access unto the Father; there is no coming to God as an absolute God, not upon the foot of the covenant of works, nor without a Mediator; and the only Mediator between God and man is Christ: he introduces and presents the persons and services of his people to his Father, and gives them acceptance with him.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 T. Bab. Bava Bathra. fol. 74. 1. Bemidbar Rabba, fol. 223. 2.
F19 Hieros. Roshhashanah, fol. 59. 1. Praefat. Echa Rabbati, fol. 36. 2.
F20 Ib. Sanhedrin, fol. 18. 1.

John 14:6 In-Context

4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Related Articles

Cross References 5

  • 1. S John 6:35
  • 2. John 10:9; Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:20
  • 3. John 1:14
  • 4. S John 1:4; John 11:25
  • 5. Acts 4:12
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