Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Thomas, known for his thoughtful questioning, points out a crucial disconnect: if they don't grasp where Jesus is going, how can they possibly understand the way? This reveals that their current understanding is still very earthly, missing the spiritual journey Jesus is about to undertake.
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told his disciples not to be troubled because he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house, assuring them they know where he is going and know the way. Thomas, hearing this, voices the confusion of the group, admitting they don't know his destination and therefore can't possibly grasp the way to get there. This honest confusion from Thomas prompts Jesus' profound declaration about himself being the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus is talking about leaving, but the disciples are still stuck on earthly ideas. What did they miss, and why?
In John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure, a concept that deeply troubles them. Thomas’s question, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?' reveals a significant gap in their understanding.
When the disciples are lost, Jesus doesn't give them a map. He declares Himself to be the entire journey. What does this mean for us?
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Jesus’s response to Thomas is profound: 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' (John 14:6). He doesn't just point the way; He is the way.
When we are unsure of our direction or the path ahead, Jesus offers Himself as our complete solution. He is not just a guide; He is the journey itself, the destination, and the very essence of life.
Understand the original words
kyrie · Greek Noun
A title of respect, sovereignty, and divinity; recognizing Jesus as the Master, the Messiah, and the rightful authority over the lives of His followers.
Thomas's question reveals the disciples' struggle to grasp Jesus' departure to the Father, highlighting their earthly mindset which couldn't yet comprehend his spiritual destiny or the nature of the 'way' he offered.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Farewell Discourse
Jesus shares intimate final teachings and reassurances with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem during Passover week.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Impending Death
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified by Roman and Jewish authorities, a traumatic event that deeply shakes his followers.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection
After his crucifixion, Jesus is miraculously raised from the dead, appearing to his disciples over a period of 40 days.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven, returning to the Father's presence, leaving his disciples to carry on his mission.
c. AD 30-33
Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples at Pentecost, empowering them to understand Jesus' teachings and fulfill their mission.
This passage immediately follows Thomas's question and is Jesus's direct answer, revealing that He Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, directly addressing Thomas's confusion about direction and destination.
John 16:5Here, Jesus again addresses His departure, and the disciples' lack of understanding of where He is going, highlighting a recurring theme of their difficulty grasping His spiritual mission and ultimate destination.
John 13:36Simon Peter asks Jesus a similar question about His destination ('Lord, where are you going?'), showing that Thomas's confusion was not unique but shared by other disciples wrestling with Jesus's statements about leaving them.
Hebrews 9:8This passage speaks to the 'way into the holiest' not being made manifest while the old tabernacle system still stood, which parallels Thomas's question about the way, as Jesus is revealing Himself as the new and living way to God.
Acts 1:11This verse describes Jesus ascending to heaven, the ultimate 'where' He was going that the disciples struggled to understand, and it promises His return, echoing the promise in John 14 that He would come back for them.
calvinJohn 14:1-7: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."
- Let not your heart be troubled -- you believe in God, believe also in me. 2. In my Father's house are many dwellings, and if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. 3. And if I go away and prepare a place for you, [60] I will return again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be also. 4. And whither I go you know, and you know the way. 5. Thomas saith to him, L…
expositorsJohn 14:5: "Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"
IX. THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. "Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; how know we the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also: from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him."-- John 14:5-7 . It surprises us to find that words which have b…
Thomas, known for his thoughtful questioning, points out a crucial disconnect: if they don't grasp where Jesus is going, how can they possibly understand the way? This reveals that their current understanding is still very earthly, missing the spiritual journey Jesus is about to undertake.
Jesus has just told his disciples not to be troubled because he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house, assuring them they know where he is going and know the way. Thomas, hearing this, voices the confusion of the group, admitting they don't know his destination and therefore can't possibly grasp the way to get there. This honest confusion from Thomas prompts Jesus' profound declaration about himself being the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus has just told his disciples not to be troubled because he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house, assuring them they know where he is going and know the way. Thomas, hearing this, voices the confusion of the group, admitting they don't know his destination and therefore can't possibly grasp the way to get there. This honest confusion from Thomas prompts Jesus' profound declaration about himself being the way, the truth, and the life.
"Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”" — Thomas, known for his thoughtful questioning, points out a crucial disconnect: if they don't grasp where Jesus is going, how can they possibly understand the way? This reveals that their current…
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Last reviewed October 2026