JESUS WAS "THE WAY" NOT
"THE DESTINATION"
"JOHN 14:6" A POPULAR BUMPER STICKER...
One of the significantly popular text from the New Testament, with the evangelical missionaries, is verse 14:6 from John's Gospel. I have many a times noticed the selected portions from this verse on the bumper stickers of all kinds of vehicles in North America.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and
the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
Based upon the next that follows, one can say the end part of the above verse means; "No one comes to (know, recognize) the Father except through me." However, we will continue the study of this verse as it is written in the Bible. Before Jesus spoke these words, he said (four verses earlier(;
"In my Father's house are many mansions (dwelling places); if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a mansion (a dwelling place) for you." John 14:2
The above statement demonstrates that there are "many mansions" in the kingdom of heaven. And, Jesus was going to prepare "a mansion" for his followers. To argue or presume that the Almighty God had built "many" mansions but only "one" was to be occupied by the followers of Jesus and the rest of the "many mansions" were to be left vacant or unoccupied sounds too far fetched a notion.
Imagine visiting a town with "many" buildings and only "one" was occupied and the rest had signs "not to be occupied". Would not the people living in that "one" building feel they were living in a "Ghost Town"? On the other hand, would it not be perfectly logical thing to understand that the prophets that came before and after Jesus would have also prepared mansions from the remaining mansions, for their respective followers to occupy? Is it not an appealing thought that the prophet that came after Jesus could have possibly lead his followers through the "current way"? Do not the readers of the "New Testament" along with the "Old Testament" think they have a better understanding of the God's MESSAGE than those who have not read the "New Testament? Why do the Muslims, who have read the Old and the New Testament say; the Qur'an is the "Final" Testament?
John 14:6 clearly states; Jesus was the "WAY". It is a folly to believe that Jesus (or any prophet) was the "DESTINATION":
Jesus said; "I am the door" to find the pasture. (Jn. 10:9). A sheep that walks through the "door" will find the pasture. A sheep that keep circling around the "door" will never find the pasture. One who uses the "Way" (Path) shown by Jesus will reach the Mansion prepared by him. Anyone that stops on the "Way" believing the "Path" to be the end of his/her journey will be out in the open without any shelter.
Finally, here is the WAY shown by Jesus, who spoke the TRUTH and declared how to have an eternal LIFE;
"Not every one that says to me; 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21
"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal LIFE..." John 5:24