As He spoke to His apostles on the night of His betrayal concerning the need to follow Him in order to have a home with the Father, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV).
Since Jesus Christ is “the Way” it should not be surprising that the New Testament refers to the religion of Christ as “the Way.” In fact, the book of Acts makes direct mention of “the Way” in five specific instances. From these references to the “the Way” we learn that it:
1. Was persecuted by Saul. Shortly before his conversion to Christ, the Bible says, “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2). Those of “the Way” whom Saul persecuted were the “disciples of the Lord” who were members of His body, which is the church. The risen Christ confronted and questioned Saul concerning his persecution of “the Way,” saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (v. 4).
2. Was spoken against in Ephesus. After the apostle Paul had preached for three months in the synagogue of Ephesus, the Bible says, “But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:9-10). In speaking evil of “the Way,” unbelievers spoke against the gospel message of salvation in Christ and against the followers of Christ.
3. Precipitated a riot in Ephesus. During the time period in which Paul lived and preached the gospel in Ephesus, the Bible says, “And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: ‘Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands’” (Acts 19:23-26). The preaching and practicing of “the Way” led to an uproar among those who profited from false religion, since it exposed false religion and false religious practices in the light of the truth.
4. Fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. While wrongly imprisoned in Caesarea, Paul gave his defense before the Roman governor, Felix, and an assembly of Jewish leaders, saying, “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets” (Acts 24:14). Rather than standing in contradiction to the overall plan of God, the life, teaching, death, burial, resurrection, and saving message of Jesus Christ constitute the fulfillment of what had been prophesied in the Old Testament. Following His resurrection, Jesus said, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44). “The Way” is the fulfillment of God’s plan.
5. Can be known. Following Paul’s defense before Felix and the Jewish leaders, the Bible says, “But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, ‘When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case’” (Acts 24:22). It is evident that “the Way” is neither mysterious nor unknowable. Even Felix, a pagan Roman governor, was able to arrive at an “accurate knowledge of the Way” upon hearing Paul speak. The gospel plan of salvation can be known and understood by those who hear it. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).
Conclusion: While the Bible speaks clearly concerning “the Way” of Christ so that all may come to Him for salvation, it should be understood that merely having knowledge of “the Way” and actually obeying the gospel are two different things. We would do well to be reminded that, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). “The Way” of Christ leads to eternal life, while the way of man leads to death and destruction. Whose way are you following?