About those mansions

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:22-24

Joh 14:22 Judas (not Iscariot) says to him, “Lord, what also has happened that you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world? ”

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered, and said to him “If someone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make a room to stay near him.

Joh 14:24 “The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is my sender Father’s.

About those mansions

Judas’ question was specific. He wanted to know what had happened (γίνομαι) that resulted in the Father and Son revealing themselves only to them (the disciples) and not the world. He and the others had expected that they were on the verge of the eschaton – the final culmination of God’s plan.

Jesus’ answer revealed that the eschaton was not about to happen. Instead, the age of gospel proclamation was to intervene. During this age, the father and Son will come spiritually and make a room to stay near those who love Christ, and keep his his word. Notice that Jesus uses the same word (μονή) that he had used in verse 2. This does not mean he is talking about the same event. Verse 2 referred to our permanent residence with God after the return of Christ. Verse 23 referred to God’s permanent residence with us today, through his Holy Spirit.

The bad news is that we are not going to live with God in glorious mansions when we die. The good news is that he can come to live with us while we are still alive.

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a second promise

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:18-21

Joh 14:18 “I will not abandon you as orphans; I am coming to you.

Joh 14:19 Still, in a little while also, the world will no longer experience me, but you will experience me. Because I am living, you will be living too.

Joh 14:20 On that day you will come to know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.

Joh 14:21 The possessor of my commands and keeper of them is the lover of me. And the lover of me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

a second promise

Jesus has two major events in mind here, not just one. When he says “I am coming to you” (ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς), he was referring back to his previous promise as recorded in verse 3, I will come again (πάλιν ἔρχομαι) and take you to myself.” He wants to make it clear that the promise of his literal coming will not be replaced with some kind of spiritual presence.

But there will be a spiritual presence, and that will take place “Still, in a little while” (ἔτι μικρὸν). From verse 19 on, Jesus is elaborating on his promise to send the other discipler, the Holy Spirit. The καὶ is more significant in verse 19a than other translators indicate. It should be translated “also” because it shows that Jesus is talking about a second promise. It is the promise to not leave his disciples as orphans (ὀρφανούς). That term was used metaphorically of disciples who had lost their rabbi. The other discipler fulfilled that promise.

Lord, thank you for the promise of your coming, and the promise of your Holy Spirit, who is with us now.

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Our other Discipler

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:15-17

Joh 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands.

Joh 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Discipler to be with you permanently:

Joh 14:17 The Spirit of truth, who the world is unable to take, because it cannot experience him or get to know him. But you are getting to know him, because he stays with you and will be in you.

Our other Discipler

I chose the word Discipler for παράκλητος because the Holy Spirit’s role after the ascension of Christ is to do all the things Jesus had done for his disciples. It is also significant that John used the word ἄλλος for “another” instead of ἕτερος. It emphasizes the sameness of the two disciplers, rather than the difference. We have the same opportunities that the original disciples had, because we have another Discipler among us.

The Discipler that Jesus asked the Father to give us is with us from now on. Jesus emphasized that fact by using the phrase εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα in verse 16, which I translate with the adverb “permanently.” He further emphasizes it with the phrase παρ᾽ ὑμῖν μένει in verse 17 – “he stays with you.” I cannot help but believe that Jesus said these things because there would always be those who would teach that the current generation does not have the Holy Spirit in the same way the original apostles did. I cannot reconcile that teaching with Jesus’ promises here.

Lord, thank you for our other Discipler, The Holy Spirit.

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Prayer that glorifies Christ

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:11-14

Joh 14:11 Trust me because I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, trust because of the works themselves.

Joh 14:12 “I am honestly telling you, the one who trusts in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even more works than these, because I am going to the Father.

Joh 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Prayer that glorifies Christ

It is important not to separate the promise in verse 14 from the command in verse 11. The “anything” in verse 11 is not an unqualified “anything.” Jesus is not saying that if I ask for a new car, he’s obligated to produce one for me. There is a purpose for the kind of prayer that Jesus promises to answer. That purpose must be to glorify (δοξάζω) Christ. The more Christ is glorified, the more people will believe in him and put their trust in him (πιστεύω).

So, this is what Jesus is saying: God had some works (ἔργα) to do, and Jesus did those works while down here among us. Those works glorified him. God still wants to do those works through followers of Jesus, to continue glorifying his Son. When we cooperate with God’s plan by discerning the work he wants done, and ask for that work to be done by Jesus and him or herself together, in Jesus’ name – Jesus will do it.

Lord, tune us in to the works you want to do today, and give us the courage to pray boldly for your miraculous power.

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Experiencing one through the other

Posted on January 5, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:8-10

Joh 14:8 Philip says to him, “Lord, exhibit the Father for us, and that’s enough for us.”

Joh 14:9 Jesus says to him, “Have I been among you so much time and you have not come to know me, Philip? The one who has experienced me has experienced the Father. How can you say, ‘Exhibit the Father for us ‘?

Joh 14:10 Don’t you trust that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The statements I make to you I am not speaking on my own. The Father who stays in me is doing his works.

Experiencing one through the other

I am so glad Jesus and Philip had this conversation. It helps to guide us as to how we should live today. Jesus was bearing witness to the Father’s existence by his life. Anyone wanting to experience the Father had only to get to know the Son.

Now, it’s our turn. Anyone wanting to experience Christ need only get to know us, because we who trust in him are in him, and he is in us.

Lord, shine through us, so people can experience you.

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the way to the Father now

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:4-7

Joh 14:4 You also know the way where I am departing for.”

Joh 14:5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you’re departing for. How can we know the way?”

Joh 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father if not through me.

Joh 14:7 If you have come to know me, you will come to know my Father as well. From now on you have come to know him and have seen him.”

the way to the Father now

Many people read Jesus’ conversation with his disciples here as if he is promising to bring them to heaven after they die. That is not at all what he is promising. He is promising access to a relationship with the Father starting now. He did promise to return to take them to be where he is, but that is not heaven either. When he returns, he will take his place as the rightful king on earth.

So, when Jesus told his disciples that they knew (οἶδα) the way, it was because they had come to know (γινώσκω) the Son. What they had not realized was that by coming to know Jesus, they had come to know the Father as well.

Thank you, Lord, for showing us the Way to the Father.

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Permanent digs

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 14:1-3

Joh 14:1 “Don’t let your heart be agitated. Put your trust in God; and put your trust in me.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms to stay; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 Since I am going away and preparing a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be as well.

Permanent digs

First as a student, then as a pastor, then as a soldier, then as a missionary, now as a student again — I have lived all of my adult life in temporary places. I have to admit a bit of envy of those who own their own homes. I have problems relating to the idea of a permanent residence. But I understand the desire for a personal home.

The disciples of Jesus had been moving around with him, and they probably were wondering if they were going to do that for the rest of their lives. Jesus promised them many μοναὶ – which is a noun related to the verb μένω, which means to stay, to continue. It would have been especially significant for these disciples at this time to know that although Jesus was leaving them, that when he returned it would be to set up permanent digs.

Yes, I said when he returned. When you take away all the extraneous elements of this passage, it reads like this: “Trust me…I will come again.” It’s not about mansions in heaven. It’s about Jesus coming again.

Lord, thank you for the promise of permanent digs.

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Our solo Savior

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 13:36-38

Joh 13:36 “Lord,” Simon Peter said to him, “where are you departing for?” Jesus answered, “Where I am departing for, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.”

Joh 13:37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? My soul I will give up for you.”

Joh 13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you give up your soul for me? I am honestly telling you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.

Our solo Savior

Jesus was going back to the Father, but he had to go to the cross for that to happen. His glorification was not complete until his resurrected body ascended. Peter offered to give up (τίθημι) his soul as well. He was boldly offering to join Jesus on the cross. Jesus rejected the offer. Peter would eventually give up his soul and be crucified for Jesus, but our Lord’s role as the world’s savior is a solo role.

One consolation I get from reading this text is although Peter was going to fail to live up to his bold offer, Jesus did not forsake him. Jesus knew that Peter would eventually be faithful, even if he failed the test at this crucial moment.

Lord, thank you for being our solo Savior.

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the love pattern

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Jefferson Vann
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John 13:34-35

Joh 13:34 “I am giving you a new command: Love one another. Just like I have loved you, you should also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this everyone will come to know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

the love pattern

Two questions came to my mind as I read this text. First, I wondered why the first ἵνα (hina) clause should not be rendered “a new command that…” We had encountered the same combination of the noun ἐντολή (command) and the conjunction ἵνα (that) in John 11:57, and I translated that text as “the Pharisees had given orders that …” But this appears to be an example of an imperatival use of ἵνα. So the word can be replaced with a colon in translation.

My second question was “In what sense is this a new command?” Jesus had taught that we should love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44; Luke 6:27,35). He taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27). He affirmed the Old Testament command that we should love God with our all (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). So, what makes this a new command?

Two things. First, this is a reciprocal command. It is a command to love one another (ἀλλήλων). Secondly, Jesus specifies the pattern of our reciprocal love. We should love each other just like he has loved us.

Lord, help us to follow the love pattern you have set.

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not yet ready

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Jefferson Vann
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John 13:31-33

Joh 13:31 That is why when he had left, Jesus says, “Now the Son of Man was glorified, and God was glorified in him.

Joh 13:32 [If God was glorified in him,] God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him immediately.

Joh 13:33 Children, I am with you a little while longer. You will look for me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I am saying to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

not yet ready

Lots of people think they will see Jesus when they die. They think that all they have to do is shuffle off their mortal coil and they will immediately be glorified and stand in the presence of God. But Jesus explains in this passage that even his followers are not quite ready for God’s presence. We will one day stand in God’s presence, but some things have to happen first.

  • Jesus has to die on the cross (check)

  • Jesus has to be raised from the dead (check)

  • Jesus has to prepare a place for us (14:2-3) (currently happening)

  • Jesus has to come back for us (14:3) not yet

Don’t rush the plan of God. Put your hope in the blessed hope: the second coming of Jesus. Death is not the answer to your problems. Jesus is.

Lord, come quickly. We want to be with you.

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