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I am the Way, the Truth and the Life by Jean-Louis Coraboeuf "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me... 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 [hodos], the truth, and the life [zoe]. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves" (John 14:1-11). The expression, "The Way, the Truth and the Life" is a triptych of the Christian life in Jesus Christ. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews says that the Tabernacle of the first Covenant is a parable [parabole] for the present time (Hebrew 9:9). In fact, by means of the blood of Jesus Christ, a recent and living Way [hodos] has been opened up through the veil (His flesh) to provide access to the sanctuary where He is established as High Priest forever in the House of God (Hebrew 10:19-21). The sanctuary is comprised of three parts, the courtyard (the Way), the Holy Place (the Truth) and the Holy of Holies (the Life). The courtyard shows the Way to be followed to gain access to the Holy of Holies, but it is only the first stage of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Torah was given by Moses, but Truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Jesus left us His Word, "the Truth" (John 17:17), and sent us the Spirit of Truth, to recall it to us and lead us into this Truth (John 16:13), which makes His disciples free (John 8:31-32). In fact, when the Holy Spirit is at work, He transforms us into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) by stripping us of he old man and by reclothing us with the new man created in the righteousness and holiness of the Truth (Ephesians 4:21-25). God wants all those who are saved to come to a knowledge of the Truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4), for Jesus Christ desires a Bride purified by His Word (Ephesians 5:25-27). The Holy Place is therefore that of sanctification by the Truth, "It is no longer we who live, it is Christ who lives [zao] in us" (Galatians 2:20). We then become priests for God in His Kingdom for the purpose of offering sacrifices of praise and worship. God the Father has given His Life [zoe] to Jesus Christ (John 5:26). For us, to have eternal life [zoe] is to know [ginosko] God the Father and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). The Greek verb ginosko defines 'a knowledge based on personal experience'. The Holy of Holies is therefore the place of encounter with God, the place of intimacy with the Father and the Son, in the dwelling place that we are (Ephesians 2:22). If we dwell united to Christ, we shall be one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). As He spent time with His Father in order to accomplish His works, we must also spend time with our Father so that He may accomplish His works through us. And as Jesus Christ reigns in our lives, we will also reign with Him on the earth when He returns (Revelation 5:10). But, "The Way [hodos], which leads to Life [zoe] is narrow and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:14); in fact, many neglect the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, and do not seek after holiness without which they will not see the Lord (Hebrew 12:14). |