Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 14:5

"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?" — John 14:5 (ASV)

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Which was a contradiction of his Master, which Thomas ought not to have uttered. He should have put it much rather in the form of a question for explanation, than of such a fiat denial. His Master said, Whither I go ye know. He said, We know not whither thou goest. But we must take care that we do not contradict Christ.

Our unbelief would be shamed out of us, if we were to look at it and examine it. I am persuaded that your faith will be justified the more you examine it, until you will discover that faith in God is nothing, after all, but sanctified common sense. So unbelief will appear to be more shameful the more you examine it, until you discover at length that it is nothing but garish folly. An outrage upon the first principles of wisdom is distrust of God.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (John 14:5)

It was a pity that Thomas had such a thought as this in his mind, but as it was there, it is a great mercy that he told his Lord of it.

Sometimes to put your trouble down in black and white is a quick way to get rid of it; but to bring it to your Lord in prayer is a still better plan.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

There is always somebody who has not learned the lesson. I am afraid that it is not one Thomas, but a great many Thomases that still have to say, "We know not." Although Christ himself is the teacher, we are always poor learners.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Oh, how much ignorance there may be where there ought to be much knowledge. It is not always the man who lives in the sunlight who sees the most. Thomas had been one of the twelve apostles for years, he had during all that time had Christ for his Teacher, yet he had learned very little. With such poor teachers as we are, it is no wonder if our hearers and scholars learn but little from us, yet they ought to learn much from Christ, although I think that we learn nothing even from Jesus Christ himself except under the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

I like to hear Thomas talk, even though his is a very unwise speech; I wonder when you and I ever made wise ones. We never do unless we borrow them, for all that comes from us naturally is childish and foolish, for we know in part, and we prophesy in part. When the child becomes a man, he will put away childish things; but meanwhile our speech betrays us. We seldom speak even of any of the great mysteries of the gospel without uttering some words of our own which show that we have understood them yet. I think the Lord likes us to display our ignorance, first that we may know it, and then that he may remove it.

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

"You know that I am going to the Father, and you know that I am myself the way to the Father; I am going from where I came."