what does Jesus mean by I am the way?

blueviceroy

I'm wondering what Jesus means when he says the only way to the father is through me

Does he mean believe I existed? Does he mean believe what I teach? Does he mean live your life like I did?

Is merely believing he lived enough ? Is believing the story enough ? Is seeking enlightenment enough?Jesus said he was the word and the light what does that mean? Was he supposed to show us what were capable of? And another question, since he said obedience was what God wanted and not sacrifice or more accurately that obedience was more important than sacrifice why do people sacrifice so much time and effort when God says that all we value is basicaly rags and refuse compared to what he truly values. Just some thinds floating in my head I would like some feedback on

greendawn

He means he is the only way to salvation, he is the only one that has the authority to give someone the status of "son of God" which means salvation. Someone becomes a son through the Holy Spirit which came to the church through Jesus.

JamesThomas

If we relinquish our superstitions, gods and deities, we can find in the phrase "I am the way", a pointer found deep within the beginning foundations of most all religions. And that is that the "I", the most intimate and closest sense of conscious-being within you, is the I am which is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. To come to a realization of this, generally requires an acute investigation that looks through all that is believed to be true regarding "self" and "other".

So, the statements attributed to Jesus, are not tragically limited to some tiny, tiny, tiny piece of the universe, but rather the words point to an endless universal Truth.

Ultimately, the true Source of all universes has no beginning and no end, so, what does that make you (just beneath the story character believed to be)?

j

stillajwexelder

(

John 14:6) " 6 Jesus said to him: "I am the way and the truth and the life.. . ."

(Acts 9:1-2) "9 But Saul, still breathing threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he found who belonged to

The Way, both men and women."

(Acts 19:8-9) ". . .. 9 But when some went on hardening themselves and not believing, speaking injuriously about

The Way before the multitude, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples from them, daily giving talks in the school [auditorium] of Ty·ran´nus.. . .

So back in bible times it was aclled THE WAY

Now it is called THE TRUTH

and in the new system it will be THE LIFE

Siddhashunyata

We must perceive that which is through all and in all. Only one Mind can do this . Find that Mind within yourself and all the enigmatic words of Jesus will come to life because his words are that mind speaking to itself.

Narkissos

Compare:

I am the bread of life (6:35,41,48,51)
I am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5)
I am the gate (10:7,9)
I am the good shepherd (10:11,14)
I am the resurrection and the life (11:25)
I am the way, and the truth, and the life (14:8)
I am the vine (15:1,5).

There is something of a pattern... where metaphors from Wisdom, prophetic and apocalyptic literature, all referring to their own "ultimate good/goal," are used almost interchangeably and concentrated upon the christical "here and now". The Johannine point is in the predicative pattern itself, not in the specific "meaning" of any particular predicate imo.

Afterthought: you can't explain a metaphor without killing it... and missing it at the same time.