No other way but 'the way'

"Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses and 176 is 16 times 11--1611 as in our 1611 King James Bible. It's a psalm about the Word of God. Every verse except three refer to the Scripture, under 10 different titles.

Psalm 16:11: [11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. "That's the joy that you get out of God's Word," explains Richard Jordan.

"The 176 verses are divided into 22 paragraphs. In verse 1 you see the Hebrew letter and the English equivalent alpha. In verse 9 you have Beth. The reason it's in 22 sections is it's called an alphabetical psalm. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. There they are.

"Twenty-two in the Bible is a number associated with wisdom and guidance. Eight is the number of resurrection. Jesus said, 'The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.'

Hebrews 4:12: [12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

"So you have a lot of symbolism associations that way all packed into this psalm.

"You see the symbol in front of verse 25? That little-bitty mark is a tittle. When it says in Matthew 18 'every jot and tittle', that's what Christ's talking about. In verse 153, that Hebrew letter's the jot.

"One hundred and seventy-one of the verses talk about something related to the Scripture. Verse 1: [1] Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

"The Bible is called 'the way'; it's called 'the law'. Verse 2: [2] Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

"It's called 'the testimonies'. Verse 4: [4] Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 'Precepts' is another title for your Bible.

Verse 5: [5] O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 'Statutes' is another title.

Verse 6: [6] Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 'Commandments' is another title. Verse 7: [7] I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 'Judgments' is another title.

Verse 9: [9] Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 'Thy Word' is another title.

Verse 81: [81] My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Verse 89: [89] For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Verse 105: [105] Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Verse 160: [160] Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

(to be continued and below is an old post on 'the way')

John 14: [5] Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? [6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

"That term, that little expression 'the way' became sort of the shorthand description of the followers of Christ," explains Jordan. 

"Acts 16:17: [17] The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

"In chapter 18 when Apollos shows up at Ephesus, the passage reads,

[26] And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
[27] And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
[28] For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

“That term 'the way' has picked up sort of a personification to it. In Acts 24:14, when Paul is giving his defense before Felix, he says: [14] But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
[15] And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

“The way, the doctrine Paul followed, they called heresy. When Christ says, ‘I am the way,’ what He's talking about is, ‘I am the way to the Father; I’m the way to God!’

"And that’s the whole issue about 'the way' of God. The whole issue is how do you get to God? You get to Him through Jesus Christ, no other way.

“Hebrews 10:19-20: [19] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

[20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

“He’s talking about the New Covenant. The new and living way is in contrast to the old ministration of death in the Mosaic law. What the Messiah’s going to do is He’s really going to get them to God. He’s bringing the disciples to a place where He’s going to talk to them about the New Covenant.

“He’s saying to them, ‘Here’s the whole scope of what ought to keep your heart from being troubled. That’s what we’re doing. I’m going to go away and I’m going to come back and you’re going to reap benefits over here because I am the way; I’m the one who’s going to provide this new and living way that’s going to accomplish that. I’m the truth. Thy Word is truth. I’m the life.’

“By the way, without Him there is no life. He’s the Creator. Everything in life is about Him. He said, ‘The words I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.’

"The real issue there is in life is He’s the resurrection and the life. He’s already told them that in chapter 11. He’s the way because He’s the truth. He’s the truth because He’s the life."

"The great proof of the fact that He is the truth and the way is that He’s the life. It all hinges on His resurrection. His resurrection says sin has been put away by the sacrifice of Himself.”