John Calvin Commentary John 14:6

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me." — John 14:6 (ASV)

I am the way. Though Christ does not give a direct reply to the question put to him, yet he passes by nothing that is useful to be known. It was proper that Thomas’s curiosity should be checked; therefore, Christ does not explain what his condition would be when he was to depart from this world to go to the Father, but dwells on a subject far more necessary. Thomas would gladly have heard what Christ intended to do in heaven, as we never become weary of those intricate speculations; but it is of greater importance to us to employ our study and labor in another inquiry: how we may become partakers of the blessed resurrection.

The statement amounts to this: whoever obtains Christ will lack nothing; and, therefore, whoever is not satisfied with Christ alone, strives after something beyond absolute perfection.

The way, the truth, and the life. He lays down three degrees, as if he had said that he is the beginning, the middle, and the end; and hence it follows that we should begin with him, continue in him, and end in him. We certainly should not seek for higher wisdom than that which leads us to eternal life, and he testifies that this life is to be found in him. Now the method of obtaining life is to become new creatures. He declares that we should not seek it anywhere else and, at the same time, reminds us that he is the way by which alone we can arrive at it.

So that he may not fail us in any respect, he stretches out his hand to those who are going astray and stoops so low as to guide young infants. Presenting himself as a leader, he does not leave his people in the middle of the course but makes them partakers of the truth. Finally, he makes them enjoy its fruit, which is the most excellent and delightful thing that can be imagined.

As Christ is the way, the weak and ignorant have no reason to complain that they are forsaken by him; and as he is the truth and the life, he also has in himself what is fitted to satisfy the most perfect. In short, Christ now affirms concerning happiness what I have lately said concerning the object of faith. All believe and acknowledge that human happiness lies in God alone, but they afterwards go wrong in this respect: seeking God elsewhere than in Christ, they tear him—so to speak—from his true and solid Dignity.

The truth is thought by some to denote here the saving light of heavenly wisdom, and by others to denote the substance of life and of all spiritual blessings, which is contrasted with shadows and figures; as it is said, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). My opinion is that the truth here means the perfection of faith, as the way means its beginning and first elements. The whole may be summed up thus: “If anyone turns aside from Christ, he will do nothing but go astray; if anyone does not rest on him, he will feed elsewhere on nothing but wind and vanity; if anyone, not satisfied with him alone, wishes to go farther, he will find death instead of life.”

No man cometh to the Father. This is an explanation of the former statement. For he is the way because he leads us to the Father, and he is the truth and the life because in him we perceive the Father. As to calling on God, it may indeed be said with truth that no prayers are heard but through the intercession of Christ; but as Christ is not now speaking about prayer, we should simply understand the meaning to be that men contrive for themselves true labyrinths whenever, after having forsaken Christ, they attempt to come to God.

For Christ proves that he is the life, because God, with whom is the fountain of life (Psalms 36:9), cannot be enjoyed in any other way than in Christ. Therefore, all theology, when separated from Christ, is not only vain and confused, but is also mad, deceitful, and spurious; for, though the philosophers sometimes utter excellent sayings, yet they have nothing but what is short-lived and even mixed up with wicked and erroneous sentiments.