The Way of Christ
Jesus said to His disciples, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
What does it mean that Jesus is the Way?
The disciples of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch (cf. Acts 11:26); back then and now, to be called a Christian meant that one is a follower of Christ. But even before the term “Christian” was used, the followers of Christ were referred to as people who belonged to “The Way” (cf. Acts 9:2).
Why is this term “The Way” so significant?
In the Old Testament, the Mosaic Law was “The Way” (cf. Deuteronomy 5:1-21, 32-33; 8:6, Psalm 119:1-3). When Moses gave the Law to the Israelites at Mount Horeb, he instructed the people: “Be careful, therefore, to do as the LORD, your God, has commanded you, not turning aside to the right or to the left, but following exactly the Way that the LORD, your God, commanded you that you may live and prosper, and may have long life in the land which you are to possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33)
When Jesus declared Himself as “the Way,” He declared that He is the fulfillment of the Old Law. This goes together with what Jesus said at the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) In this context, “to fulfill” means “to make perfect;” therefore, Jesus is telling the crowds not to break even the least of the commandments, but unless their righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees (who were the strict followers of the Old Law), they will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (cf. Matthew 5:19-20) It is no longer enough for one to follow the commandments of the Old Law; rather, one must follow the Way of Christ; i.e., one must follow Christ Himself – who is the Way. As a result, the Way of Christ was adopted by the followers of Christ: they thought according to Christ, they lived according to Christ, and they loved according to Christ.
What does it mean that Jesus is the Truth and the Life?
After Jesus was arrested and sent to Pilate for trial, Jesus said, “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate responded, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38)
In Christ Jesus, the whole of God’s truth has been made manifest. (CCC 2466) The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus Himself is the Truth; therefore, the disciple of Christ seeks to know Jesus, because to know Jesus is to know the Truth. The disciple of Christ also lives in the Truth; to live in the truth means to live in Christ; i.e., to live a life that is in conformity with the Lord’s example and teaching, and to consistently abide in Him. “If we say, we have fellowship with him, while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the Truth.” (1 John 1:6, RSV)
Finally, Jesus is the Life, because to live in Christ is to live a blessed life on earth; Jesus is also the Life, because He is our only way to everlasting life.