Christians know that Jesus is the THE WAY to draw closer to God.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
Let’s take a deeper look at the context of this scripture to see what it reveals.
Jesus, several times during His ministry, compared Himself to the Tabernacle (John 2:19), which later became the Holy Temple.
This Tabernacle was the earthly dwelling place of God and was a vital part of His plan to allow Israel to connect with Him.
Exodus 25:8-9
Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
When Jesus said that He was the way, the truth, and the life … He was comparing Himself to the Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle was divided into three separate spaces: The Outer Courtyard, The Holy Place, and The Holy Of Holies. And the entrance to each of these spaces was marked by very special gateways.
The Outer Courtyard was the first, most outer part of the Tabernacle.
THE NAME OF THE GATE INTO THE OUTER COURTWARD WAS CALLED THE WAY.
The Outer Courtyard would invite worshiping Israelites to leave behind the corporeal world and enter a God-focused space.
The next innermost area of the Tabernacle was The Holy Place.
THE DOOR THAT ALLOWED ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY PLACE WAS CALLED THE TRUTH.
Only priests were allowed to enter this part of The Tabernacle. Once inside the Holy Place, the priests would see the table of showbread to their right and a golden menorah to their left. It’s an interesting parallel that Jesus referred to Himself at the bread of life and the light of the world, when these items are found in The Holy Place.
Once a year – on Yom Kippur – one priest was allowed into the third and last chamber of the Tabernacle. This area was called The Holy Of Holies.
THE NAME OF THE VEIL INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES WAS CALLED THE LIFE.
This area contained the Ark of the Covenant. It was where God would speak to the serving priest. And it was where an animal’s sacrificial blood would be sprinkled upon the top of the Ark, called the Mercy Seat.
This the same veil that was torn at the time of Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:51), signifying the eliminating of a barrier between God and people seeking to be in His presence.
Jesus’ Comparison of Himself And The Tabernacle is significant. The Tabernacle provided every Israelite the means to approach God. Jesus, with this comparison, is telling us that we too can approach God. This path of The Way, The Truth, and The Life IS Messiah Jesus.
John 10:9
“I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.”
“I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out and will find pasture.”
