No one comes to the Father, except through me
John 14:6b
John chapter 14 is part of Jesus’ message to His disciples as He prepared for His departure, a message that continues through chapter 17. Yesterday, we explored how Jesus is the way to the Father and how He wants us to put our faith in Him in all situations instead of having a troubled heart. Jesus’ antidote to a troubled heart is faith in God through Him. Today, we will continue with that message by looking at the next few verses.
Jesus went on to tell the disciples about His Father’s House, which has many rooms, and how He is going to prepare a place for them, so that they may be where He is. Although many interpret this as literal rooms or mansions, as the KJV puts it, implying that Jesus is preparing a place for us to live in Heaven, there is more to it than that. The first step to understanding this is to grasp what Jesus meant by ‘My Father’s House,’ since this is Jesus’ destination.
We gain further clarity when Thomas asks Jesus in verse 5, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus responds in verse 6 by saying, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Here, in response to Thomas, Jesus refers to the destination as the Father. So, the Father’s House is symbolic of the dwelling or presence of the Father. Therefore, Jesus helps us understand that our real goal for eternity isn’t actually Heaven, but God. We aren’t looking toward spending eternity in Heaven; we are looking toward spending eternity with God.
Why is this important? It is important because this was God’s plan from the very beginning—fellowship with Him. This is our goal. Jesus shows us that the only way to have a place in eternity with God is through Him, for He is the Way to the Father. He is the Truth that reveals the Father. He is the Life of the Father. Everything you need from the Father is in Him because He and the Father are one, and He is the Father. He is God. This is why He said to them in verse 7, “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Therefore, the assurance we have that we are with the Father and will be with the Father is that we are with Jesus. The assurance we have that we have seen the Father and will see the Father is that we have seen Jesus. Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.
PRAYER
Thank you, Jesus, for showing me the Father. Now I know that I am with the Father because I am with You. My life’s goal is to spend eternity with the Father, so help me to live each day with this consciousness and to show others this precious privilege that I have received from You. Amen.
