Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Tonight’s Study, Session 37: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
Introduction: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” is the sixth “I Am” statement of Jesus found in the gospel of John. On the last night before His betrayal and death, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the days ahead. For over three years, these men had been following Jesus and learning from Him His teachings and example. They had placed their hopes in Him as the Messiah, the promised deliverer, yet they still didn’t understand how He was going to accomplishment the deliverance. After the Last Supper, Jesus began speaking about His departure, which led to questions from His disciples.
The key Scripture where the statement “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life is found is John 14:6.
Scriptural Context where “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life is Found
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:1–6)
In John 13:33, Jesus said, Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. This prompted Peter to ask where He was going (verse 36). Peter and the others did not understand that Jesus was speaking of His death and ascension to heaven. Jesus’ response was, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter was still misunderstanding and declared that he would follow Jesus anywhere and even lay down his life if necessary. As Jesus patiently continued to teach His disciples, He began speaking more plainly about heaven, describing the place He was going to prepare for them (John 14:1-3). Then Jesus said, And where I go you know, and the way you know” (verse 4). Speaking for the others, Thomas said they did not know where He was going, so how could they know how to follow Him there? It was in the answer to this question that Jesus uttered one of the seven “I Am” statements.
John 14:1-3 – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
I am – In the Greek language, “I am” is a very intense way of referring to oneself. It would be comparable to saying, “I myself, and only I, am.” For Jesus to make the statement “I am” is more that just saying “I am Jesus,” He is proclaiming to be the “I AM.” In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” The Jews clearly understood Jesus to be calling Himself God. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus gave the Great Commission, He gave it emphasis by saying, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” When the soldiers came seeking Jesus in the garden the night before His crucifixion, He told them, “I am He,” and His words were so powerful that the soldiers fell to the ground (John 18:4-6). These words reflect the very name of God in Hebrew, Yahweh, which means “to be” or “the self–existing one.” It is the name of power and authority, and Jesus claimed it as His own.
The Way – Jesus used the definite article to distinguish Himself as “the only way.” A way is a path or route, and the disciples had expressed their confusion about where He was going and how they could follow. As He had told them from the beginning, Jesus was again telling them (and us) “follow me.” There is no other path to heaven, no other way to the Father. Peter reiterated this same truth years later to the rulers in Jerusalem, saying this about Jesus, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The exclusive nature of the only path to salvation is expressed in the words “I am the Way.”
The Truth – Again Jesus used the definite article to emphasize Himself as “the only truth.” Psalm 119:142 says, “Your law is the truth.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded His listeners of several points of the Law (Matthew 5:22-44).
Matthew 5:22-44 – But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Jesus equated Himself with the Law of God as the authoritative standard of righteousness. In fact, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). Jesus as the incarnate Word of God (John 1:1) is the source of all truth.
Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Life – Jesus had just been telling His disciples about His impending death, and now He was claiming to be the source of all life. In John 10:17-18, Jesus declared that He was going to lay down His life for the sheep, and then take it back again. He spoke of authority over life and death as being granted to Him by the Father. In John 14:19, He gave the promise that “because I live, you also will live.” The deliverance He was about to provide was not a political or social deliverance (which most of the Jews were seeking), but a true deliverance from a life of bondage to sin and death to a life of freedom in eternity.
In these words, Jesus was declaring Himself the great “I Am,” the only path to heaven, the only true measure of righteousness, and the source of both physical and spiritual life. He was staking His claim as the very God of Creation, the Lord who blessed Abraham, and the Holy One who inhabits eternity. He did this so the disciples would be able to face the dark days ahead and carry on the mission of declaring the gospel to the world.
Practical Application of Knowing Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life
As “the Way”:
- Purpose and direction: Seek Jesus to discover the purpose and direction for our life, using His will as a guide for making decisions and utilizing gifts.
- Guidance and decision making: When faced with a crossroads, turn to Jesus as the “road” that leads to a life that honors God.
- Holistic living: Live our daily lives in a way that reflects His teachings and love, understanding that following Him is the “way” to live.
As “the Truth”:
- Authenticity and clarity: Find clarity in a confusing world by recognizing Jesus as the embodiment of truth, rather than just a messenger of it.
- Spiritual growth: Grow spiritually and mentally by engaging with His Word and teachings to find wisdom and a renewed perspective.
- Discernment: Use the truth found in Christ to help discern between what is genuine and what is not, in our own life and in the world around us.
As “the Life”:
- Eternal perspective: View our current lives through the lens of eternal hope, even amidst trials, knowing that our ultimate life is in communion with God in heaven.
- Hope and peace: Find an unshakable hope and peace in the face of hardship, as our life is anchored in Jesus, who offers fulfillment that fleeting things cannot provide.
- Abundant living: Experience life more fully by recognizing Jesus as the source of “abundant life,” which is characterized by purpose, love, and holiness.
Conclusion: So how do we follow Him today? The same way the disciples did long ago. They heard the words of Jesus and believed them. They took His words and obeyed them. They confessed their sins to Jesus as their Lord and God. They believed that He died to take the punishment for their sins and rose from the dead to give them new life. They followed His example and command to tell others the truth about sin, righteousness, and judgment. They followed and we follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is the One and Only Way to God, the One and Only Truth of God, and the One and Only life of God!
Next Week, Session 38: I am the Vine