What is “the Way” in the Bible?

Answer

“The Way” is mentioned multiple times in the book of Acts (Acts 9:2; Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22) in relation to early followers of Christ. It was to arrest men and women who “belonged to the Way” (Acts 9:2; Acts 22:4) that Saul of Tarsus traveled to Damascus. After Saul’s conversion, he became a missionary and adopted the name Paul. In Ephesus, Paul encountered some individuals in the synagogue who “became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way” «But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. », (Acts 19:9). Paul left the synagogue and continued to preach the gospel where it would be heard rather than staying with those who disparaged the Way.

During his trial before Felix, Paul stated, “I acknowledge that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect” «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: », (Acts 24:14). It is also mentioned that Felix was aware of the Way (verse 22). It appears that the Romans viewed the Way as a sect of Judaism rather than a distinct religion.

Presumably, the early followers of Christ identified themselves as followers of the Way due to Jesus’ declaration in John 14:6 that He is “the way and the truth and the life.” Luke mentions that Aquila and Priscilla explained to Apollos “th

The way of God” more fully «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. », (Acts 18:26). Peter refers to Christianity as “the way of truth” «And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. », (2 Peter 2:2). And the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus’ broken body is the “new and living way” for us to enter the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 10:19-20).

Today, there are various Bibles that include The Way in their titles. There is also a book by Josemaria Escriva, founder of the Catholic Opus Dei, titled The Way. Additionally, there is a cult called The Way or The Way International. For more information on this cult, please refer to our article “What is the Way International?”.