John 14:5
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Thomas's question isn't just about a destination; it reveals a fundamental struggle to grasp the nature of Jesus's journey. He’s thinking in earthly terms of locations and paths, missing that Jesus is talking about a divine transition that redefines both "where" and "how."
Jesus has just been speaking about leaving them to prepare a place in his Father's house, promising to come back and take them there so they can be with him. Thomas, ever the one to voice the disciples' confusion, expresses their inability to grasp where Jesus is going, making it impossible, in his mind, to understand how to get there. This uncertainty highlights their earthly-mindedness, still expecting a physical kingdom rather than understanding Jesus' spiritual departure and return.
Thomas's question reveals a common struggle: trying to understand God's big plans with earthly expectations. It’s like trying to navigate a new city with an old map!
The Disciples' Earthly Hopes
The disciples, like many people throughout history, were focused on a visible, earthly kingdom. When Jesus spoke of going away and preparing a place, they imagined Him setting up a new, grand earthly kingdom.
This misunderstanding isn't unique to Thomas. We too can get stuck on earthly concerns, missing the heavenly perspective God offers.
When we feel lost, unsure of the direction or the destination, Jesus offers Himself as the answer. He's not just pointing the way; He is the way.
Beyond a Map to a Guide
Thomas’s second question, “How can we know the way?”, is a natural follow-up to not knowing the destination. Jesus’s answer is profound and personal:
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 arises in the intimate setting of Jesus' final hours, highlighting the disciples' confusion about his impending death and ascension, and Jesus' profound response that he himself is the divine path to God.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Farewell Discourse
Jesus shares his final teachings with his disciples during the Last Supper, preparing them for his departure.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Arrest and Crucifixion
Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and crucified, events that would deeply trouble his followers.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection and Appearances
After his death, Jesus is resurrected and appears to his disciples, beginning to clarify his mission and destiny.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven, leaving his disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit and the commission to spread his teachings.
This passage speaks of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, full of grace and truth, directly paralleling Jesus' later declaration in John 14:6 that 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.' Thomas's confusion about Jesus' destination and the path to it is addressed by this foundational truth of Jesus' identity.
John 14:6Thomas's question, 'How can we know the way?' is answered by Jesus' profound statement, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.' This passage is the immediate and direct response, revealing that the path to God is not a geographical location or a set of instructions, but Jesus Himself.
Acts 1:6-7The disciples still question Jesus about restoring the kingdom, revealing their continued struggle to grasp His purpose and destination, even after His resurrection. This echoes Thomas's earlier confusion in John 14:5 about where Jesus was going and the way to get there.
Hebrews 9:8This verse speaks of the Holy Spirit indicating that the way into the holy places was not yet disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. Thomas's question reflects this very uncertainty about how the 'way' to God's presence (the Father's house) would be opened, which Jesus then reveals as Himself.
Colossians 1:15-17calvinJohn 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's question isn't just about a destination; it reveals a fundamental struggle to grasp the nature of Jesus's journey. He’s thinking in earthly terms of locations and paths, missing that Jesus is talking about a divine transition that redefines both "where" and "how."
Jesus has just been speaking about leaving them to prepare a place in his Father's house, promising to come back and take them there so they can be with him. Thomas, ever the one to voice the disciples' confusion, expresses their inability to grasp where Jesus is going, making it impossible, in his mind, to understand how to get there. This uncertainty highlights their earthly-mindedness, still expecting a physical kingdom rather than understanding Jesus' spiritual departure and return.
Jesus has just been speaking about leaving them to prepare a place in his Father's house, promising to come back and take them there so they can be with him. Thomas, ever the one to voice the disciples' confusion, expresses their inability to grasp where Jesus is going, making it impossible, in his mind, to understand how to get there. This uncertainty highlights their earthly-mindedness, still expecting a physical kingdom rather than understanding Jesus' spiritual departure and return.
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These verses describe Jesus as the image of the invisible God and the creator through whom all things hold together, underscoring His central role in God's plan. This gives context to Thomas's struggle to understand Jesus' departure and the path, as Jesus is ultimately the one through whom all access to the Father is made possible.
"Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”" — Thomas's question isn't just about a destination; it reveals a fundamental struggle to grasp the nature of Jesus's journey. He’s thinking in earthly terms of locations and paths, missing that Jesus…
