The first followers of Jesus did not identify themselves as Christians. That term came much later, and was a term used by others to describe, probably in a negative or mocking tone, those who were followers of Christ. Used first in Antioch, probably by Greeks, it was a way of identifying the adherents of this new religion (Acts 11:26). The first followers saw themselves as Jews who had found the Messiah. They continued to follow Jewish practices and customs, including going to the synagogue and the temple, seeing themselves as very much part of their own heritage and history—now fulfilled in the person of the Messiah.

Rather than Christians, these believers are called by what seems to be their own self-description: belonging to “The Way.” Certainly that is how Saul identifies this new “sect” within Judaism, asking the high priest in Jerusalem for letters to the synagogues in Damascus for permission to imprison those “who belonged to the Way.” (Acts 9:2 NIV).

Once Saul becomes Paul and a follower of the Way himself, he preaches in the synagogue in Ephesus. “But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.” (Acts 19:9 NIV). Later the silversmiths of Ephesus riot over these new teachings, seeing the danger to their trade. “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.” (Acts 19:23).

Later still, before a crowd in Jerusalem, Paul recalls his conversion from once being the one who “persecuted the followers of this Way.” (Acts 22:4 NIV). In his trial before Felix (“who was well acquainted with the Way,” Acts 24:22 NIV), Paul says: “I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect.” (Acts 24:14 NIV).

Followers of the Way. There’s much to see in this description. Way as method, as in “That’s the way we do things.” Way as pathway—a clear sense of direction. And way as being “on the way”—in process, on the journey.

No doubt these early believers would call to mind Jesus as the Way. In his own words: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV). Not the proponent of a way to know God, but the actual expression of it. Jesus did not come as a religious teacher to explain the way to God, he came to be the way to God. In the exclusive meaning of this statement, Jesus says his way is the only way, and the only way is him.

In a world in which there were many ways, many gods and goddesses, many religious systems, Jesus clearly says there is only one Way. The singular and exclusive perspective is perhaps one reason why the early believers took the name of the Way, since it so clearly identified with their belief in Jesus as only Saviour.

But there is more. They were on “the Way.” They were in process, not claiming self-achievement, but part of the dynamic and continuing activity of God. They were in the process of being saved.

Then they were heading on the Way in terms of direction. They were sure of where they were going, their destination. Jesus had clearly marked that out. Followers of the narrow way that leads to life, they were determined to avoid the broad way that leads to destruction (see Matthew 7:13,14). They were “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” certain not only of the one who would meet them at journey’s end, but also confident that he was with them on the way (I am with you unto the end of the world.)

The way is a frequent image in the Bible:

Prepare way of the Lord (Matthew 3:3)
Way of peace (Isaiah 59:8, Luke 1:79, Romans 3:17)
Way of truth (2 Peter 2:2)
Way of God (Luke 20:21)
Way of salvation (Acts 16:17)
Way of the Lord (Acts 18:25)
Way of God (Acts 18:26)
Way of the meek (Amos 2:7)
The right way (2 Peter 2:15)
Way of righteousness (Proverbs 8:20, 2 Peter 2:21)
A more excellent way (1 Cor. 12:31—intro to 1 Cor. 13)
A new and living way (Hebrews 10:20)

Jesus told his disciples, “The Way you know.” But they missed the point, and asked, “How can we know the way?” (John 14:4,5)

And in Acts 9:17,27 Paul describes his own experience. Seeing Lord on the way—on the way to persecute those on the Way, he meets Jesus on the way. “I saw in the way a light from heaven” (Acts 26:13).

In the Old Testament, especially Kings and Chronicles, the phrase “he walked in the way of…” is used to say that a king followed the example, adopted customs of, thought like one of his predecessors, usually a bad way.

But “As for God, his way is perfect.” Psalm 18:30 KJV. And throughout the Psalms and Isaiah, God’s way is described.

So for us, there’s much to think of in the idea of way-followers. We have not yet arrived—we are on the way. We are all in process, and God is working with each one of us.

We are all on the way, the journey that leads to the heavenly kingdom. We are marching to Zion. We are looking for that better place, this world is not our home, we are pilgrims and strangers—we are wayfarers.

We follow the Way of Jesus—the way of truth and love and light. That is the way in terms of methods, values, principles—the way we do things, the way we believe and act.

We are followers of the Way because we are followers of Jesus who is the Way. We are not following a religious system, a collection of teachings. We are following a person—more than that our salvation is in that person. Not by trying to emulate Jesus the Way are we saved, rather we are saved by Jesus the Way, the Truth, the Life.

As way-followers, we need to listen: “This is the Way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21). We cannot be “in the Way” and be going off-track, walking in another direction. We need to be walking and talking with Jesus of the way in his way along the way…

So, way-follower, which Way are you going?

© Jonathan Gallagher