Many times I have mentioned that in order to understand the New Covenant Writings we must know the Hebrew mentality, since being the Hebrew Writers, their messages are understood more clearly from a Hebrew background. Without this knowledge we can not see the Hebrews or the method of thought of what they want to transmit to us.
We all know the famous passage of Yohanan (John) 14: 6 where Yeshua says that "He is the way, the truth and the life." Here we see a very clear example of what a Hebraism is. What Yeshua is saying goes far beyond the literal meaning of these words.
Something that is clear when Yeshua says that "He is the way," we know that he means that he is the only way to the Father, but that is not all he is telling us. The Hebrew word for way is% rd (derej) and it is mentioned 590 times in the Bible as "way" referring to the commandments of God, let's see some examples:
"And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt;
because all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth. "
B'reshit (Genesis) 6:12
"I have chosen him to instruct his children and his family,
so that you stay in the way of the Lord
and put into practice what is just and right ... "
Genesis 18:19
"Keep the commandments of the Lord your God, help him and follow his ways."
Devarim (Deuteronomy) 8: 6
"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you?
Simply that you fear and walk in all your ways,
that you love them and serve them with all your heart and with all your soul,
and that you keep the commandments and precepts that today
Send to fulfill, so that it goes well to you. "
Deuteronomy 10: 12-13
"Blessed are the perfect ones on the way,
those who walk in the law of the Lord. "
Tehilim (Psalms) 119: 1
Now let's see what Yeshua meant when he said that he was the "truth." This word in Hebrew is tma (emet) and it is interesting to note that this word has the first, the middle and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Why? Because all the Word of the Lord, that is to say in all the books of the Bible, we find the truth, the Holy Word of the Lord.
"Keep the precepts of the Lord your God, walking in his ways,
and observing their statutes and commandments, their decrees and their testimonies,
in the way that is written in the law of Moses, for you to prosper
in everything you do and in everything you undertake ... if your children keep my way, walking in front of me with truth, with all their heart and all their soul ... "
1 Kings 2: 3-4
"Your righteousness is eternal justice, and your law the truth."
Psalm 119: 142
"You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true."
Psalm 119: 151
"Your word is true from the beginning,
and your righteous judgments remain forever. "
Psalm 119: 160
"Sanctify them in the truth, Your Word is the truth."
Yohanan (Juan) 17:17
And finally let's see what it means that Yeshua is life. The Hebrew word for life is hyx (jaya). The first time this word is mentioned we find it in the book of Genesis 2: 7 when the Lord blows the breath of life to man and man becomes a living being. Now let's see what is that breath of the Lord that is life.
"Follow the path that the Lord your God has set for you, so that you may live,
thrive and enjoy long life on the land that you will possess. "
Deuteronomy 5:33
"No, the Word is very close to you, you have it in your mouth
and in the heart, so that you obey it.
Today I give you a choice between life and death, between good and evil. "
Deuteronomy 30: 14-15
"Meditate well on all that I have solemnly declared to you this day,
and tell your children to obey all words faithfully
of this law. Because they are not empty words for you,
but their life depends on them; they will live for a long time
in the territory they will possess on the other side of the Jordan. "
Deuteronomy 32: 46-47
"Turn away my sight from vain things, give me life according to your Word."
Psalm 119: 37
"The Spirit gives life, the flesh is worthless.
The Words that I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. "
John 6:63
"On the other hand, the love of God is fully manifested
in the life of one who obeys his Word. "
1 John 1: 5
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Seeing all this we can clearly see that when Yeshua says that he is "the way, the truth and the life," he is referring to the fact that he is the word made flesh. That Holy Word that comes from God, that teaches us how to live in this world. The Word of God that includes his commandments, laws, precepts, that when we obey them we not only receive blessing, but life in abundance. His word that is true, that does not change, that they are not a burden but quite the opposite, when they are obeyed they produce life and freedom, because we no longer follow our own paths, nor walk in paths of lies, but on the contrary, we live according to the Word of God.
Sadly, the laws and commandments of God have been discarded because we think that now under grace we no longer have to obey them. Grace is an attribute of God, because our God is a God of grace and mercy. Above all we must understand that God does not change, that God is the same yesterday, today and always. The problem with the human being is not the law of God, since it gives us life, the problem is we who are not willing to submit to the law of God, because we think that they are a burden for us, as the Apostol says. Paul:
"The sinful mentality is an enemy of God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it capable of doing it." Romans 8: 7
And we have not understood that the Word of God sanctifies us, makes us a people set apart for the Lord, because we do not obey man but obey God. Yeshua came to take away sin, to bring us back to the ways of the Lord, he paid the price with his blood, to take us to the one who created us, who traced paths for us, who left us his Holy Word to be obeyed , that is why the Apostle John says:
How do we know if we have come to know God?
If we obey his commandments. The one that affirms:
"I know him," but he does not obey his commandments,
He is a liar and does not have the truth.
1 John 1: 3-4
"Everyone who commits a sin breaks the law, in fact,
Sin is the transgression of the law.
Everyone who abides in him does not practice sin.
Everyone who practices sin has not seen it or known it. "
1 John 3: 4, 6