Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6, TLV

Which Way?      The Way. This verse not only was the message that Yeshua was the only way to the Father, but it became an indelible identity for the followers of Jesus after His ascension.

Jewish followers of Yeshua were not called Christians. They were called, oddly enough, Jews who followed The Way. Especially in the early years when there were more Jews than non-Jews (Acts 9:1-2; 19:1, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22) who came to faith through the word of the apostles.

He was and is The only Way to the Father.

It wasn’t until the first gentile congregation was formed in the Syrian city of Antioch (Acts 11:26), that non-Jewish followers of Jesus were called “Christians.” Christians is the English derivative of the Greek word for Messianics. As more and more Gentiles came to faith the term grew. When did it usurp the term, “Followers of the Way?” I don’t know.

Why the distinction between Jewish and Gentile followers?

It’s a shame we’ve lost the simplicity of calling ourselves followers. Or perhaps Redeemed Children. It seems more unifying.

But the real clincher in this verse is that Jesus says He is the only way to the Father—Jew or Gentile.

So I am eager to proclaim the Good News also to you who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the Good News, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who trusts—to the Jew first and also to the Greek. In it the righteousness of God is revealed, from trust to trust—or trust to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by emunah [faith/trust].” Romans 1:15-17, TLV

While folks might think these concepts of trust and faith of the righteous are unique to the New Testament, check out these passages:

Behold, the puffed up one—
his soul is not right within him,
But the righteous will live by his trust. Habakkuk 2:4, TLV

The whole purpose of Yeshua coming to earth as a human was to direct first the Jewish people, then the nations as well, to His Father.

Yeshua was all about showing us how to live for His Dad and His Dad said that sin divides us from Him. We can’t get near the Father without Yeshua’s atonement.

I wonder. Many religions acknowledge that Jesus was a good guy. Even a prophet. But the only way to GOD? The Creator of the Universe, to ADONAI?

Sometimes the Father is lost in the gratitude and love of Jesus. I think we miss out on the full story of ADONAI’s love. If we don’t also focus on our relationship with the Father — the reason His Son sacrificed Himself for us — then we lose perspective.

Next time you pray Yeshua’s example of how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13), take note that He instructs us to direct our prayers to His Father. Then we nestle our petitions in the covering of Yeshua, in His Name (John 14:13-14). That’s the foundation of changing our paradigm.

Think More About It

What do you think of this perspective? Love your thoughts and insights.

May we seek our Father’s perspective.

Praying for Israel—Prayer Prompts

They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God. And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We looked upon His glory, the glory of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John testifies about Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘The One who comes after me is above me, because He existed before me.’” John 1:13-15, TLV

Today’s prompt is a declaration. Declarations remind us of whom we serve and worship. We stand in the gap for this truth to be made known. That whatever it takes He will be glorified, and His love will be poured out. Amen? God bless you.