In My Father's House Are Many Mansions

I would like to investigate a thought we have just discussed, about the word 'dwelling' as found in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9, this word is also found in John 14. When you are studying something, you need to use more than one scripture to qualify a truth.

Many people think and have been taught that when Jesus is talking in John 14:2-3 that they are going to get a great home of brick and mortar, or a mansion. I believe that in light of the words being used in 2 Corinthians 5:1 (For we know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.) Jesus could be talking about preparing our new resurrected bodies for us to dwell or abide in at the Resurrection or maybe He is talking about an even deeper truth. The thing to remember is that the real you is a spirit and our body on earth is our earth suit or dwelling. Is it not reasonable to consider that we will not need to live in brick and mortar buildings, but we will need to have a new dwelling for our spirits in the everlasting?

In verse 2 of John 14, the word mansion is correctly translated dwelling or abode. In the Amplified Bible, it is translated dwelling place (home). Can we agree that a spirit needs to have a dwelling? I believe that our resurrected body will be a glorious body. It will be magnificent in every way with many facets, much better than the dwelling we have now, I believe that's why Paul was excited about what was to come. Jesus may have gone to prepare a glorious body for us to dwell in, for an eternity with Him and the Father, Hallelujah! Or there may be a deeper mystery to be revealed

Let's read these two accounts in John 14 and also the verses in 2 Corinthians 5;

John 14:1-3, NKJV

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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.

John 14:1-3, AMP

Do not let your hearts be troubled (distressed, agitated). You believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely on God; believe in and adhere to and trust in and rely also on Me. In My Father's house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you. And when (if) I go and make ready a place for you, I will come back again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

We need to remember when Jesus said these words in the book of John He had not risen from the dead yet and the disciples did not know that much about the Holy Spirit and what was to come due to Jesus going to the cross. Jesus goes on for the next few chapters disclosing the person of the Holy Spirit. Whereas what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians is the outpouring of the revelation of the truths taught by Jesus after the resurrection. Stay with me as we investigate what the scriptures have to say.

2 Corinthians 5:1-9, AMP

1 FOR WE know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Here indeed, in this [present abode, body], we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over [we yearn to put on our celestial body like a garment, to be fitted out] with our heavenly dwelling, 3 So that by putting it on we may not be found naked (without a body).

4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply (weighed down, depressed, oppressed)--not that we want to put off the body (the clothing of the spirit), but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body) may be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].

5 Now He Who has fashioned us [preparing and making us fit] for this very thing is God, Who also has given us the [Holy] Spirit as a guarantee [of the fulfilment of His promise].

6 So then, we are always full of good and hopeful and confident courage; we know that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the home with the Lord [that is promised us]. 7 For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.

8 [Yes] we have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.

9 Therefore, whether we are at home [on earth away from Him] or away from home [and with Him], we are constantly ambitious and strive earnestly to be pleasing to Him.

When we read John 14:2 in context to the whole chapter we will see, it is talking about Jesus' journey He is about to take with His crucifixion and ascension. We need to remember this is before the establishment of the New Covenant because the promise of the New Covenant did not come into effect until the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So we can conclude that Jesus is speaking to a group of people who only know the Old Testament law. Who also have had the unique opportunity to experience what Jesus has already shared with them up to this point, and we can also conclude that they do not understand anything about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or the New Birth yet.

John 14:2-4, NKJV

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."

As you read John 14, in verse 2 and 23 you will find the same Greek word used for mansion, but now in verse 23 it is translated abode in the 'KJV.' We find in John 13:33 Jesus said "As I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,'" then in John 13:36 Jesus speaks these words to the disciples, "Jesus answered him, where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward." So the question we need to ask is, where is Jesus going that no one can follow?

I believe if you take everything into context throughout John 14, you will find it all points us toward the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, for the redemption of humanity to be in a relationship with God the Father! So I think the first question we need to ask is, 'What is the father's house?'

After considering all the thoughts I have presented to you, what would your conclusion be about the concept of the mansion Jesus went to prepare?


 By Trevor Bartley


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