Smoodock's Blog

One’s final words often have great meaning for those who are left behind. Sometimes, it is these words that reverberate so clearly in the hearts and minds of those who are bereaved of the passing of the one they love. Most of what Jesus said after his final meal with his disciples is recorded only by John. The Synoptics tell us very little about what Jesus said between the meal and Gethsemane. Here John began to describe what the life of the believer would be like without the physical presence of Jesus. It was a sad moment, but, also, as one looks back, it was a joyful moment. Nevertheless, the joy wasn’t understood until later. So, at this point in our study, we’ve come to Jesus’ final hours with his disciples, and he sought to console them by preparing them for the difficult times ahead.

The disciples were deeply troubled over the things Jesus had been saying during this, his final week on earth. The week began with their descent from Mount Olives singing and praising God and presenting Jesus to Jerusalem as its Messiah. Since that time, Jesus had not only denounced the present leaders of the nation (Matthew 23), thus cutting himself off from any aid they might have been willing to offer him in his mission as their Messiah, but he had also foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (Matthew 24), leaving his disciples wondering what the coming of the Messiah actually meant (cp. Matthew 24:3). Jesus told his disciples not to permit their hearts to be disturbed (John 14:1). To make matters even worse, Jesus announced to all who were coming to believe in him that he must be slain in order to save them (John 12:32-33). Thus, once more folks began to wonder what sort of Messiah Jesus thought himself to be (John 12:34)!

Such things put it in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus, most likely to force him to come to his senses and be the Messiah everyone hoped he would be. Nevertheless, not all of Jesus’ disciples went to that extreme. They were confused, they may have had the same vision of a savior that Judas had, but they still clung to the belief that Jesus would help them understand what he was saying. Nevertheless, their confusion grew, as they were told a traitor was among them. To make matters worse, Jesus even told the traitor to go ahead with his plan. Moreover, amid promises of loyalty from the rest, Jesus told them they would all abandon him, and even Peter would deny knowing him three times before the night was over. So, they were troubled, deeply troubled, not only over what had transpired these last few days, but even over Jesus’ words during and after the meal they partook with him. Then, in an effort to bring a sense of calm and peace into the gathering, Jesus told them there was no reason for them to be so troubled, because they trusted in God, and they trusted in Jesus. Knowing this should help them to understand their greatest fears would not be fulfilled, but God would take care of them, and the Messiah would have his way. Basically, that’s all they needed to know.

Jesus had told them that their house, vis-à-vis the Temple would be destroyed (Matthew 23:37-38), but in reality, the Father’s House, vis-à-vis the real Temple, which the Temple at Jerusalem was supposed to represent, that House, the Father’s House had many rooms in which to abide, and Jesus was leaving in order that he might prepare their abiding place with them (John 14:2).

Therefore, because they had continued (unlike Judas) to believe he is the Messiah (cp. John 14:1), that fact that he is going away (physically) to prepare an abode with them as part of his Father’s House (John 14:2), the fact that he is going away demands his return, if he is to build that abode with them (John 14:3). In other words, they are the abode of the Father (cp. John 14:23). John uses the Greek word mone (G3438) for both mansions (John 14:2) and abode (John 14:23), and they are the only places in the New Covenant text where that word is used. Abode (where the Father and Jesus dwell) is the same as mansions. The “place” Jesus is going away to prepare is his disciples’ own hearts, and he does that **with** them, not **for** them, as the translators render it (cp. 1Corinthians 3:11-16; Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11).

Thus, it was necessary for Jesus to go away. In the flesh, he could be an example for them to follow, but in order to change their worldview, he had to die in the flesh and be made alive in the Spirit, so that he could return in their flesh (cp. 1John 4:2-3; 5:20; 2John 1:7) to give them the understanding they needed to come into the full possession of the truth about God (cp. John 1:18).