John 14:1-4
By Ji Yun
The Word
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Exegesis
Many things have taken place since the arrival to the upper room—Sharing of the Passover meal, institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus washing of the disciples’ feet and the reason behind it, and the new commandment to love one another.
There is one other thing, Jesus has been talking about betrayal of one within His circle of friends. He quoted Psalm 41:9, “who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” Conversation between the Lord and Peter ended with Jesus addressing Peter’s future betrayal while the disciples listened.
There is tension in the air.
“Let not your heart be troubled.”
Jesus knew the tension, confusion, and mixed emotions that His disciples were experiencing. He eases the tension by His Word of grace and comfort to His loved ones. Jesus knew His end is close, His journey to the cross is right around the corner and though He is about to experience the most excruciating suffering and death, He takes the time to comfort His disciples.
Jesus’ words to His disciples is followed by:
1. Believing in God
2. Believe in Him.
His words of comfort are to assure the disciple’s to put their faith and trust in the Father and the Son. He is ultimately encouraging His disciples to trust God and His plan for His Son, that all that is about to happen is God’s plan. What is truly amazing is that the One who is about to suffer the most is more concerned about His friends than Himself.
“In My Father’s house are many mansions.”
Jesus’ comfort is assured by our faith in Him and His plan of salvation, but it does not end there. Jesus assures His disciples that heaven is the ultimate destination where Father and Son resides. It is in heaven, where Jesus is going to prepare a place, and will be the home for those who believe and place their trust in Him.
One of man’s primary needs is shelter; we all longs to be at our own home where we feel safe and find rest. When we do not have these basic needs met, we are called homeless, without a sense of security, peace, or rest. What is Christ offering to us? The assurance of our place in heaven, our heavenly home where we will find the true rest and fellowship with the One who created us.
“And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Jesus, as the forerunner, is the One who is going to heaven first. Not only to prepare a place for us but also granting the right to go where He is. In John 1:12, I believe John is revealing this mystery of the way:
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
The way to heaven is to believe in the Son whom God sent.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.John 3:16
There is no way to heaven but through faith in the Son.
There is no way to a relationship with God without faith in the Son.
There is no way to salvation without the Son.