The Narrow Path Ministries

John 14

2 In my Father’s household are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4 And you know the way to where I am going."

5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We can see from Jesus’ words, that it doesn’t make sense that the rooms in the Father’s household (understood by some as “house” are special dwelling places in Heaven). For the “way” into the Father’s household is Jesus Himself (verse 6). In order to become a Christian, become part of God’s household, one must enter through Jesus, by submitting to His authority. We enter that household right in this life! When Jesus died, He prepared the way into God’s household, and came again to receive those into that household (the Kingdom of God) by way of Christ, by means of their submitting to Christ’s authority.

I can remember also seeing something along these lines when I came to this portion of John shortly after first hearing Steve's series on the kingdom of God, which series was probably my first experience with having a major paradigm shift in understanding scripture and the gospel.

I share your understanding of heaven, so no surprise I think this was indeed Jesus' intention here. Though I can easily see how many would only regard it as a valid secondary picture of him nonetheless primarily telling us something of what's called "afterlife".

I'm glad to see you're still plugging away on here brother, as well as many others of the 'original crew'

A couple of ruminations:

Often "dwelling places." I see also "abode" sometimes. We tend to see the word "abode" as referring to our homes, but I like "abiding places." In other words, "places of abiding." We are called to abide in Him. So, He goes to prepare a place within Himself for us to do that. This is the "way" He brings us to the Father.

Alternatively, while the temple was the house of God before Calvary where only God could dwell without us, now the Father's "house" is the church body. The temple of the Holy Spirit. Not a place for the believer to dwell, but for the Father/Spirit to dwell. Since Christ is the head of that body and is united as one with the Father, there we will be together.

Just some additional context, a Jew hearing Jesus' words about "God's house" wouldn't have thought of Heaven. Their mind would immediately go to the temple which is referred to repeatedly as the house of the Lord in the OT. So for modern preachers interpret "In My Father's house are many dwelling places" as referring to heaven doesn't have any exegetical validity.

Good point -- here's a thread to a prior discussion of this topic on this site, including some feedback from Steve.

https://www.theos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2843

And the video link to Steve's treatment was broken-- I believe this is it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa75cIdF3V0