THE JOHN 14 DILEMMA

Conversations generally have a particular main idea and topic they are centered around. If one comes in the middle of a conversation, and begins to participate without knowing the real issue at hand, that person may implement subject matter irrelevant to the conversation or non-supportive to the main idea. This is how I feel, at times, when I hear people discuss John 14. The setting of this conversation is most important to the final things Jesus discussed with His disciples before His death. Physically, He's about to leave them while assuring them of certain things. We'll miss thrust of this conversation if we don't catch it from its beginning. At this point, separating by chapter leaves something to be desired. It is only good for readability and addressing.

Many of God's children use John 14 to substantiate the Lord's appearing to take them home to receive a mansion in heaven someday. Also, I have heard men say that Jesus cannot literally come because He hasn't finished building mansions yet. I find this position to be problematic, highly contradictory to the Word of God, and essentially useless to the dominion mandate. Are such things really what John 14 is about, or is there some greater picture we're missing? I propose this chapter has a much broader scope and different subject matter than what is consistently proclaimed from pulpits supported by unsupportable modern theology, biblical commentaries and footnotes. It is vital to look at this chapter of scripture from the context of a fuller conversation Jesus engaged in without isolating verses attempting to justify a cherished doctrinal viewpoint. Let's consider a few of these thoughts.

Jesus begins His final discourse, His farewell speech with the disciples. It continued from John 13:31 to John 18. The night is somber and perhaps the mood pensive. The disciples are now considered His intimate friends. Judas vacates the room during their last Passover meal together (see John 13:31) because his heart is filled with a substitute plan. This season launched him into a place of no return. God's wisdom and redemptive plan were in motion. Judas' betrayal would ultimately culminate in the crucifixion (fulfilling the Passover lamb = Lev. 23:5; Rev. 13:8) and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, thus fulfilling in essence what the Sheaf of Firstfruits was in typology (see Lev. 23:9-14 and 1 Cor. 15:20-23). Jesus began his speech with a sense of finality and endearment toward His disciples. He raised the bar concerning how they should love one another by having modeled before them what He was now commanding them to do. Peter uttered his commitment to Jesus only to hear Him say that he was unprepared for such a drastic pledge. Actually, this was a transaction between the Father and the Son just as Abraham and Isaac pictured the same many centuries earlier. Jesus' announcement obviously left the disciples troubled and despairing. Jesus provided answers to His disciples' concerns in John 14.

The words, "Yet a little while I am with you," upset the disciples tremendously. The antidote to their pain was to listen carefully, trusting God's integrity with His own plan. As Jesus continues the conversation, He reminds them that they have a prepared place in the Heavenly Father's house. In fact, He said, "there are many mansions in the house!" (See John 14:2) What was this all about? The disciples were reacting as though they were being abandoned or deserted. The adversary used this as an opportunity to agitate them, to cause inward commotion, and to disturb their equanimity. Jesus had to arrest this mentality and deal with the connected issues (the lack of protection and provision) before He died. The word translated "mansion" is related to the Greek verb meaning "to remain, to abide, and to dwell." He was promising them a dwelling beside Him, wherever He might be. Later, we will discover that this dwelling actually became an "indwelling" as Jesus makes His home in His followers' hearts through the Holy Spirit. The word mansion is used only twice in the whole of the New Testament. The other occasion is John 14:23.   We must study this dual witness in order to understand the true nature of this word. Law confirms a matter by two or three witnesses. Note the words of Jesus:

     "Judas saith unto Him, (not Iscariot,) 'Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?' Jesus answered and said unto him, 'If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, and MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM" (John 14:22-23).

"Abode" and "mansion" are the same word. The issue is never about us going someplace - it is about God coming unto His people. We are never deserted, discarded, abandoned, and left unprotected. GOD HAS CHOSEN TO LIVE IN US WITH ALL OF HIS MIGHTY PROVISION! It follows the same pattern of God, dating back to the Garden of Eden: God dwelt in the midst of man. It was always God's desire to dwell with man once He released him to dwell in the earth. There are several other examples of this principle: (1) God remaining with Jacob until He fulfilled His purpose in him (see Gen. 28:15); (2) God remaining with Moses as the invisible leader during and following the Exodus (see Exod. 13:21-22 and Exod. 33:12-17); (3) The Tabernacle providing God a place to dwell among His redeemed people (see Exod. 25:8); (4) The LORD spoke of His abiding presence with Joshua and the people as they prepared to enter their inheritance (see Deut. 31:1-8); (5) The LORD speaking personally to Joshua as he began his leadership (see Josh. 1:1-8); (6) David encouraged Solomon of the LORD'S abiding presence as he finished the work of the Temple (see 1 Chron. 28:20); (7) The Temple was a house for God to dwell among men and not particularly for men to go someplace (see 1 Chron. 28:2; 29:1-5 and 2 Chron.  2:3-5); (8) David stated that God never forsakes His seed (see Psalm 37:25-26); (9) Isaiah released the same comforting words to the nation of Israel (see Isa. 43:1-2); and (10) Jesus provided God a house to dwell among us (see John 1:14), and now, we become the house (see Heb. 3:3-6). It was God coming to man in each case, not man going to God. How did we get to man leaving the earth when God desired to occupy the earth through him?

Man is God's permanent domicile on earth. It is almost inconceivable for men to perceive this or see themselves as being mansions on earth for the King of glory. We have seen ourselves as decrepit, deformed shacks of the old man for so long our minds are almost seared. Notwithstanding, Jesus came to change this way of thinking. When He used the metaphor "Father's house," a person listening in the first century understood Jesus was speaking of a "man's family." There are many scriptures verifying this point. Listen very carefully as this can be understood in both Testaments.

     "And the LORD said unto Noah, 'Come thou and ALL THY HOUSE into the Ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation'" (Genesis 7:1).

     "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, 'Get the out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy FATHER'S HOUSE, unto a land that I will shew thee'" (Genesis 12:1).

     "And there went a man of THE HOUSE OF LEVI, and took to wife a daughter of Levi" (Exodus 2:1).

     "And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, 'Thus shalt thou say to the HOUSE OF JACOB, and tell THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL'" (Exodus 19:3).

     "But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born IN THY HOUSE: they shall eat of his meat" (Leviticus 22:11).

     "Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, BY THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; from twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of THE HOUSE OF HIS FATHERS" (Numbers 1:2-4.

     "And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, 'We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come INTO THINE HOUSE like Rachel and like Leah, which two did BUILD THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: and let THY HOUSE be like the HOUSE OF PHAREZ, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman'" (Ruth 4:11-12).

     "For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as HE WHO HATH BUILDED THE HOUSE hath more honour than the HOUSE. For every HOUSE is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all HIS HOUSE, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a SON OVER HIS OWN HOUSE; whose HOUSE ARE WE, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3:3-6).

Each passage links a house to a man and his family. When eight witnesses bear the same testimony, it is unlikely that those witnesses privately collaborated or can be nominally refuted. Any logical conclusion would have to agree that a man's house is his family, whether we are speaking of God or man. One of the best methods in hermeneutics is to allow the scriptures to interpret themselves.

The crux of the matter is threefold. First, Jesus was God's official statement of His return to permanently dwell in mankind. A way for that had to be provided and thus Jesus becomes that provision. Access to the Father's presence can only come through Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus asserted exclusivity in this pathway to God, basically declaring God could only be reached through Him. This is another way of saying He was God materialized. If one saw Him as He truly was, one was, in reality, beholding God. The Son reveals clearly the Father; and the Father lives in and through the Son. Jesus accomplished many great works because He was God manifest in the flesh (see John 1:14; John 14:9). His works were one of the credible witnesses that the Father sent Him. The disciples would perform greater works because Jesus would now live through them.

The second great matter is that their confusion of spiritual language led them to think and behave as orphans. Jesus said, "No, I will not abandon you as orphans - I will come to you" (John 14:18, NLT). Jesus had already assured the disciples that they would not become spiritual orphans in John 14:1-4. Unfortunately, some eschatological teachings made this about the church leaving rather than the Lord coming and staying in another form. He was now repeating Himself for emphasis; and He promised to give them another Comforter while He was away. We have come to understand that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter and He maintains Jesus' presence in the world, thus the ministry of Jesus never leaves the earth. He (the Holy Spirit) would be the Spirit of Truth and would lead men into truth about Jesus. As the Holy Spirit filled the disciples and current ones as well, the sustained presence of Jesus remain in men. How exactly would this happen? The resurrection of Jesus inaugurated and installed a spiritual union with men, which paralleled His union with the Heavenly Father. This news was most important because Jesus was providing them peace in His answers to settle their troubled hearts. The only way their confusion could be abolished was to receive the peace of Jesus. His words captured the spirit of reformation and they became the redemptive clause.

The third observation is the number of times Jesus mentioned the Father in John 14. Over twenty times Jesus used some concept of the Father. There was nothing in the Savior that desired to leave earth without the disciples having full knowledge of God's fatherhood. Jesus wanted the disciples to have a profound, intimate, and enduring relationship with the Father. The disciples needed to know that they had a provider and a protector, of which, a real father is! God didn't invest three years of Kingdom instruction into the soon to be apostles with the intent to forsake them and distance Himself. The disciples would comprehend things like family, purpose, destiny, and inheritance, as they understood God's fatherhood. One of the most sterling revelations for them to catch was that God was cancelling man's orphan status. Jesus was and is the link of connectivity between the Father and His human sons. A new season had dawned and God's perfect plans were operational.

The dilemma of John 14 is the "different gospel" this chapter has become in modern times. It is only through apostolic revelation that this chapter of scripture will be wrestled from the hands of the peddlers of misinformation. Jesus was giving His final instruction, as He was about to terminate an old order. It was important for His disciples to comprehend His exit strategy and wait patiently as a new order is about to unfold. Jesus' grace and peace would be the strength needed in order for them to endure this momentary lack of spiritual comprehension. The Holy Spirit was commissioned to explain all of this to them in due season. And when He did, they remained in Christ. Today, the Son is in the Father and we are in the Father and the Son. Thus, we become the mansion Jesus was initially speaking of; and our lives provide God a permanent address in the earth. This chapter was never about humanity going to heaven - it was about heaven interfacing with earth in a suitable and tailored environment.