Way to the Father

By Genelle Austin-Lett

Categories: Easter (Passion Week), Jesus

Question

Jesus is hours from the cross when his disciples tell him they don't know the way to the Father or who the Father is. (John 14:2-8) How can the disciples be so unprepared?
GJB Chicago

Answer

The disciples weren't unprepared, they were frightened and grieving. They could see that all that Jesus had been telling them concerning his death was about to happen. Jesus was patient with them: he used language that would spark their understanding.

During the Passover meal, the disciples had just read the story of the first Passover celebrated in Egypt before the Children of Israel were freed by Pharoah. When Moses asked God who he should say sent him to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, God told Moses to tell the people that I Am. Now Jesus was reminding his disciples of that very story – when he says, I am the way. Jesus and all he taught them is the road map to the Father. By using the "I Am," he quells their doubts and fears. He tells them that because he is at one with the Father, they have seen the Father. But if they have any doubts about the Father, to think about all the works Jesus has done. He couldn't do any of that without the Father.

Talk about compassion! Think of all Jesus knew he was going to meet and yet he had patience with his disciples. They needed to be comforted. In fact, the next message he gives to them is about the comforter (John 14:16-31). Then he gives them a visual lesson in how God is caring for them by showing them some grape vines [see the Q&A about the vine dresser], and then he closes the discourses with a beautiful prayer for himself, for his disciples, and for us (John 17). He is telling his disciples and us that we can take our prayers directly to God.

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