John 14:5

5 Thomas saith to him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how be we able to know the way [and how may 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 make ready to you a place, again I come, and I shall take you to myself, that where I am, ye be.
4 And whither I go, ye know, and ye know the way.
5 Thomas saith to him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and how be we able to know the way [and how may we know the way]?
6 Jesus saith to him, I am way, truth, and life; no man cometh to the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, soothly ye had known also my Father; and afterward ye shall know him, and ye have seen him.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.