The Way part 1

The Way

From an early first century viewpoint, what exactly is the way and how is it referenced? List look at the Scriptures first for definition.

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be. And you know the way to where I am going.”

Our Master told His disciples that they already knew the way that He was going.

Thomas said to Him, “Master, we don’t know where You are going. How can we know the way?

The disciples or at least some of them did not understand to what He was referring.

How can we know the Way?

Let’s look through the Scriptures.

Exodus 18:20

Enlighten them as to the statutes and the laws, and show them the way by which they must walk and the work they must do.

Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, saw how Moses was holding court by himself to answer questions and make judgement on cases so that the people could understand God’s statutes and His laws.

Jethro advised Moses to make some changes before he wore himself out. to appoint capable men who fear God, men of truth, who hate bribery to take on some of his burden.

He advised him to appoint them over tens, fifties, hundred and thousands. they would hear the peoples concerns and pass up only those they could not or did not know how to rule. This would then limit the number of cases coming to Moses that he would have to give clarification.

Jethro also advised that Moses that Moses was the people’s representative before God and bring their cases before God. So Moses should enlighten them as to the statutes and the laws, and show them the way by which they must walk and the work they must do.

Deuteronomy 8:6

So you are to keep the mitzvot (commands) of Adonai your God—to walk in His ways and to fear Him.

As Moses prepares Israel for their journey into the promised land, he reminds them of the importance of keeping the commands of the Almighty so that they can be successful in their new home. And reminds them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word of the Almighty.

Psalm 1:6

For Adonai knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.

Job 22:15

Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod?

The psalmist tell us, in the first psalm, that there is a way for the wicked and a way for the righteous.

Job asks if we will choose the way of the righteous or stay in the way of the wicked.

Proverbs 12:15

A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but the wise listen to advice.

Proverbs 12:28

In the path(way) of righteousness is life— it is a path(way) to immortality.

As we have just read, there is a path that is right and one that is not.

The psalmist point out that that one leads to righteousness and life and the other to foolishness and death.

Matthew 21:32

For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and even after you saw this, you had no change of heart to believe him.”

Matthew 22:16

And they sent to Him some of their disciples, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are honest and teach the way of God in truth. And what others think doesn’t concern You, for You do not look at men’s appearance.

John 14:6

Yeshua said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life! No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Acts 9:2

He requested letters of introduction from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Acts 19:9

But when they were hardening and refusing to believe, speaking evil of the Way before the whole group, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples with him, debating daily in the hall of Tyrannus.

Acts 19:23

Around that time, there arose no small uproar concerning the Way.

Acts 22:4

I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prisons—

Acts 24:14

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way (which they call a sect), I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything written in the Torah and the Prophets.

Acts 24:22

But Felix, having a rather extensive knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will rule on your case.”