Word Studies - Part 8

John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NKJV)

Strong’s # 2222 zoe (dzo-ay´)

Lexicons/Bible Dictionaries

Strong’s – life or lifetime, vitality. From the word zao (Strong’s # 2198) meaning to live, lifetime, or quick

Vine’s – life in the sense that God has it, life as a principle or in an absolute sense, separation from God forfeits this life

Word Study (NT) – physical life, as opposed to death, life without end, a life or existence after rising from the dead

Analytical Greek Lexicon – living, existence, spiritual life of deliverance from the proper penalty of sin, the final life of the redeemed, the source of spiritual life

Thayer – life, possessed of vitality, absolute fullness of life

NASB Greek – alive, life, living

NIV Greek – physical or spiritual life

NIDNTT – make alive, give life to, create life, living creature, refers to both physical life and spiritual life


Translations

KJV – Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

NASB95 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

ESV – Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

NLT – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

AMP – Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.”

NIV – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

MSG – Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.

NRSV – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Darby – Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father unless by me.

Young’s – Jesus saith to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me


Commentaries

Barnes’ – The life that Jesus offers is an eternal life that is not dependant on earthly immortality. The life that Jesus offers is an eternal and abundant life in the presence of God that is not dependant on mortal bodies.

Clarke – Jesus provides a life that energizes us in this life, bringing both grace and glory, and that not only saves us from an eternal death, but also completely destroys that death.

McGee – Jesus is the only way, the very standard for truth, and the very source of life. In both the physical and spiritual realm Jesus is the source of life, the origin of life.

Expositor’s – Jesus is responding to the earlier question regarding the groups destination. In response Jesus basically states the foundation for the ultimate philosophy of life in this verse as he claims to be the answer to the problems that humans face, and rather than offer a formula, Jesus offers a relationship. By recognizing and accepting that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and all that this means, one enters into relationship with Jesus. Additionally, Jesus is the life because death could not hold Jesus, so rather than death being the end of His life, He made death subject to Him when He rose again.

Life Application – Jesus makes it clear that their destination is not a physical location, but the Father, a person, and He makes it clear that He is the only roadway that leads to the Father. In this verse Jesus also tells the disciples that He is the fulfillment or the reality of the promises of the Father, and that He is the life who joins our mortal life to his eternal and divine life. The life Jesus gives us is both for this life, and for eternity as He is the only source of life.

Barclay – Humanity of often obsessed with legacy and immortality, like death of the mortal body can be stopped. Yet Jesus offers that which humanity seeks, a life that lasts eternally, a life worth living that is truly a full and fulfilling life.

Tenney – Jesus is the life, He is that spiritual vitality that originates only with God, and is capable of lifting one out of one’s sin to the Lord Himself.


Word Application

Just as Jesus not only showed the way to the Father but also became the way to the Father, so to does Jesus show us how to have life abundantly and eternally and also become that life for us. Jesus showed humanity how to live an abundant life by living a life submitted to God. He made it possible for us to have the eternal life in God by dying on the cross to break the hold of death in believers’ lives and therefore blessing those who confess their faith in Him with eternal life. This life that Jesus offers His followers does not begin when one dies, rather it begins the instant that one accepts Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior. The gift of the Holy Spirit that one receives with one’s salvation allows one to live a life submitted to God, and therefore to live an increasingly holy and abundant life. The life Jesus offers gives rest from trying to achieve one’s own immortality, and from striving against God, and as one submits to the Lord’s authority in all areas of one’s life this abundant life provides rest from much of the stress and pressure of this life.
Popular culture encourages one to have a fulfilling life, to do it all, to see it all, and to experience it all. Yet this life encouraged by culture does not leave one fulfilled, it often leaves one exhausted and disappointed. Abundant and fulfilling life is only found through salvation if Jesus, to look elsewhere is to be disappointed. As many believers still face this pressure to live up to society’s expectations it is only by bringing this pressure to the Lord that one will be freed of it, and be set free into the life God intends His children to have.