The Way, the Truth, and the Life
John 14:1-14
International Sunday School Lesson
May 27, 2012
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
Success—Failure
Right—Wrong
Strong—Weak
Truth—Lie
Light--Dark
Good—Evil
As you notice there is an opposite of all these things and that is what I thought about after reading today’s scripture about Jesus being the way to the Father. If there were those who trust in God there are also those who do not. If there was a place for those who follow The Way there is a place for those who do not.
Back when John wrote the words that we read today the church was in a fledgling state yet despite all the persecution it rapidly grew. I am sure you must have thought about how Christianity grew and spread in light of how terrible that persecution was and continued to be for centuries.
Fox’s Book of Martyrs is a book that I downloaded from Amazon that happens to be in the public domain so it was free but the cost in terms of human lives that are detailed is beyond calculation.
In this book the atrocities that were poured out upon Christian martyrs is detailed in agonizing detail. The depravity is beyond human invention and is clearly of the devil as he fought with a fury against The Way.
Christianity spread despite the persecution because the world was longing for its truth. Once they had tasted it there was no denying it, meaning God, and no amount of threat of torture would cause those that had tasted this truth to denounce it.
In receiving the faith one must confess that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. So it stands to reason doesn’t it that to denounce would be the route that the devil would take via the spirit of the antichrist, the opposite of God’s Son.
The Apostle John tells us that this denial of Jesus and the Father is a sign of being in what he called the “last hour”. For him it was already at that time when he wrote the words in 1 John 2, 1 John 4 and 2 John 1 because many antichrists were among them even then.
We know because Christ told us that in Matthew 24 verses 11 and 23 that in the progression up to the end this would be one of the main signs of the end of the age, false christs and false prophets that will deceive. There way will be the lie and therefore no way at all because it is the opposite of Christ. Let’s look at the final fulfillment of this opposite by looking at 2 Thessalonians 2.
Our scripture for today finds us listening in as Jesus tells the disciples words of comfort in part by telling them that He is going to the Father but that one day He will be back for His chosen. Paul tells us it 2 Thessalonians 2:3 to not be deceived about when this will occur. He says that two things will happen:
1. That a rebellion occurs, what I understand to be apostasy, a rebellion from the faith, a falling away from Christianity.
2. That the man of lawlessness will be revealed, what I understand to be the culmination of the many antichrists with this final fulfillment in the antichrist.
Remember how I have stressed it is always about the glory of God even for Jesus who is fully God? In the antichrist we see the opposite as we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Even before the cross and even at the end when every knee will bow at the name of Jesus it was and will be to the glory of God, not this perversion.
Verse 9-11 in this chapter Paul wrote tells us more of the opposites from Jesus’s way to the Father. We read of false miracles, false signs, false wonders and all manner of evil. These things will deceive just as Jesus warned in Matthew 24 and people will, “perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” Jesus is the truth and what saves but this is the opposite of The Way.
The big question seems to be how could the fledgling faith of Christianity grow despite the terrible persecution that was going on as they held on to Jesus as the way and the truth but yet once established as the world’s largest religion have this rebellion or falling away?
For me to answer that I would bring all types of personal theology to bear which could taint the truth I am afraid. The most honest answer is that we won’t know the total truth of this fulfillment until after its conclusion. But it is fair, is it not, in comparing what Christ said in Matthew 24 and Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 in that they say the same thing? There is every sort of thing that deceives, this is the key, and it is the opposite of the truth. To believe in the truth brings eternal life and to believe in the lie brings death.
The scariest thing of all is that God of course will take it personal and as it says in verse 11 that God will send them a powerful delusion so they believe the lie!
Brothers and sisters, you are here with me studying the truth in John 14:1-14 today but many around you are not. We do not all have to study the Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lessons but all those who are not studying His word in some literal fashion are at risk of being deceived. False teaching and false teachers are the opposite of the way, the truth and the life, the only way to the Father.
For Discussion:
1. I never really answered that question near the end of why, at the end, this deceit will reach a climax. Note in Matthew 24 verse 14 Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” With technology that can now put the truth in every corner of the world and in every hand so comes the means to put the opposite before every eye and into every ear.
2. Discuss Thomas in verse 5. It could be said that he was slow on the uptake but I would rather think that we should consider that he cared; he was upfront that he didn’t understand but wanted to.
3. Jesus talks to His disciples about knowing Him and seeing Him and that they therefore knew and had seen the Father. Discuss how it is only through God’s word that we can know Him and recognize Him and recognize conversely what is NOT Him or of Him.
4. In verse 12-14 Jesus talks of some things that are not talked about in most of our churches. Where was this lost? How are we missing out? How has it been corrupted? How can we get this back? Discuss.
5. The Way, see Acts 9:2; 16:17; 18:25-26; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14, 22.
6. A private lesson question could be for us to examine during a time of silence a series of probing questions that you hand out. The individual would answer in their own heart if they are walking in the Way or the opposite.
7. Jesus begins our scripture for today by saying, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” How many different ways can you share that Christ offers comfort in today’s passage?
Upcoming Adult Sunday School Class Commentaries
6-3-12: Rules for Just Living (Practice Justice) Exodus 23:1-9
6-10-12: Living as God’s Just People Leviticus 19:9-18, 33-37
6-17-12: Celebrate Jubilee Leviticus 25:8-12, 25, 35-36, 39-40, 47-48, 55 or Leviticus 25:8-12, 25, 35-40, 47-48, 55
6-24-12: The Heart of the Law (Love God; Love People) Deuteronomy 10:12-22; 16:18-20
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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