When Jesus told the poor disciples where He was going, they had not yet understood. They still relied on their physical senses. Up to then everything they observed had to be seen or heard. They still expected Jesus to become their physical king. I can therefore imagine Thomas thinking in terms of the geographical map of the Middle East. I can picture him paging in his mind through all the possible places in the surrounding areas where Jesus’ Father’s house possibly could be. He might even have thought of Joseph as Jesus' father - who knows. So he asked the most logical question, “Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way? (John 14:5)” to which Jesus answered: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him (John 14:6, 7)."
Did the disciples really attempt to know and understand Jesus or were they just focusing outwardly on His works and their own concerns? It’s difficult to say. We do find much evidence in the Bible of their carnal thinking and their anticipation of Jesus as an earthly king. Think of their reactions when the children wanted to come to Jesus, during the multiplication of the food, when the blind man called after Jesus, when Jesus was glorified with Moses and Elijah, and so on. Their response was protecting Him physically, caring for His physical needs. They saw the physical miracles, but did not connect it to a spiritual Kingdom. They simply didn't have an idea of who He really was and why He came to earth?
Do we take trouble to get to know Jesus? Do you, dear reader, know the Way? It is not whether you know about the Way, whether you heard a description of the Way or an explanation of His character or His abilities. Have you personally experienced the Way?
If one travels a road for the first time, one carefully follows the instructions given you and looks out for road signs and turnoffs, but by the second and third time you have established beacons and eventually have no difficulty finding the place.
In your relationship with the Lord, do you know how He would react to some of your behaviour? In an earthly relationship we eventually know our friend/spouse/employer so well that we know what turns her on and off, what irritates her and what frustrates her. We know when she is happy and what makes her sad. Do you know this about your Saviour and Master? Jesus actually said to Thomas: “If you know Me and are one with Me you would have no trouble to relate with my Father because we are the same”.
Why did Jesus say He is the way, the truth, and the life? Why did He not only say the way, in other words the door to the Father? He had already answered Thomas’ question. Why did he carry on saying “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well?” I believe it is because He wants us to know His way of doing things on a daily basis, what He truly is like (the truth about Him) and the life that is in Him. He wants to show Himself to us; what it's like to have the right purpose and direction (Psalm 32:8), how to live in truth (John 8:32) and how to live life to the full (John 10:10).
The disciples knew Jesus very well. They walked very closely with Him every day. They, however, according to the record in the Bible, had no experience of His spiritual relationship with His Father. They were not there when He prayed, they could not hear when His Father answered back and they could not hear the Word of Knowledge and Wisdom that Jesus received whenever He needed it in His ministry. In fact, when He invited them to pray with Him during His time of anguish in Gethsemane, they they seemed to have been so bored they fell asleep. They just did not have any insight into the spiritual realm.
How many modern day Christians have understanding of the spiritual realm? My observation is that too many only see the physical. We tend to focus on our physical needs and outward worship activities, don't we?
But the disciples would, once they received the Holy Spirit, know that side as well, which is why Jesus said: “From now on, you do know him and have seen him”.
The Holy Spirit is the connection between the Father and us. Through Him we view Jesus and therefore Father God. It is impossible to get to know everything about a person by reading about such a person. The only way you get to know someone is by living with him.
Lord, help me to obey so you could reveal yourself to me.
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