One Way
Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by the situation.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
- John 14:1 NKJV
Jesus has just washed the feet of His disciples. He has also identified Judas Iscariot as His betrayer and also predicted Peter’s denial. The words recorded in John 13-17 are the last words He spoke to His disciples before He was taken away by the Roman soldiers and eventually crucified. In this post, I will focus on the words Jesus spoke as recorded in John 14:1-6.
Jesus is comforting His disciples and trying to prepare them for what is about to happen. Leaving is never easy, and Jesus knows that His followers will face challenges once He leaves. Jesus begins with a strong prohibition, a negative imperative which carries the meaning of “Do not let your hearts be overcome with turmoil” or perhaps, more colloquially, “Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated by the situation.” (Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, p. 103). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
In other words, life will be challenging, overwhelming at times, but you must not allow yourself to be overcome with turmoil, don’t become intimidated by the situation you are facing. This is not so much about the situation you are facing as it about the God you trust.
Trust God
[…] you believe in God, believe also in Me.
- John 14:1b NKJV
This second portion of verse one is interesting to translate. In Greek the imperative and indicative forms in the tense here employed are identical. So we have to rely on the context to determine the choice of mood. This allows for several possible combinations:
Both verbs imperative: “Believe in God, believe also in me.”
Both verbs indicative: “You believe in God and you believe also in me.”
The first verb indicative and the second imperative: “You believe in God, believe also in Me.”
The first imperative and the second indicative: “Believe in God and you believe in me.” (This last combination makes for a somewhat awkward construction and is the least likely of the four.)
The first three options are entirely consistent with the context. When the first element is regarded as imperative the admonition is in harmony with instruction earlier given to “have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). (Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 1034). Review and Herald Publishing Association.) So either we believe/trust in God and also ought to believe/trust in Jesus, or we already believe in both, or we ought to believe in both. The key point is the same, the reason for us not allowing our hearts (minds, the core of our being and consciousness) to be troubled is because of our trust in God and Jesus.
But there is more to this message.
Mansions!?
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.
- John 14:2 NKJV (bold mine)
This is another verse that is interesting to translate. Our English word “mansion” is from the Latin mansio, in meaning almost equivalent to the Greek monē. Mansio, like monē, means “a remaining place,” “a place of abode.” Therefore, the idea of a building of great size or pretentiousness does not originate from Latin, and much less from Greek. That idea was a later development of the English word and the meaning should not be introduced into the present verse. Either “mansion” should be understood in its archaic sense of “a dwelling place,” or “abode,” or one of these meanings should be substituted in a translation of the verse. (Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1980). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 5, p. 1034). Review and Herald Publishing Association.)
Here’s a more in-depth explanation I found helpful.
The Greek word monai was rendered in the Vulgate by the Latin mansiones, which came down through the Tyndale version to the KJV as “mansions.” The use of the word “mansions” here is unfortunate because it has become infused into popular Christian culture so that one can hear some Christians speaking about the fact that they have “a mansion just over the hilltop.” Such a concept, unfortunately, supports the Western economic notion that following Jesus will lead to economic prosperity either in this life or in the life to come, especially if one must suffer in this life. But such a concept fails for several reasons. First, God does not promise economic prosperity. Second, the idea is a typical Semitic word picture describing a relationship of God with the people of God like the picture of heaven in Revelation 21–22. Third, and most importantly, monai does not mean a castle-like home anymore than mansiones in the Vulgate is to be interpreted in that manner. The word is derived from the Greek verb menein, “to remain,” and monai means “dwelling” or “abiding” places. So if the monai are in God’s house, the NIV’s “rooms,” or perhaps “apartments” or “flats,” would be much closer to the meaning of the text here.
- Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, pp. 103–104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers. (bold mine)
To be honest, I have no desire for a big mansion, all I really want is to live in the presence of God. Also, I am more of an outdoors person. I feel that I need a place to sleep, but I imagine myself spending the bulk of my time out and about, exploring, meeting and talking with people, and making beautiful music. So the size of the house is not a concern for me. Also, I trust God to know exactly what I need.
Some may wonder what kind of place God is preparing, and Revelation 21:9-27 describes the new Jerusalem in a detailed manner. However, I believe that the preparing of a place for us encompasses Jesus’ ministry as our Intercessor and Heavenly High Priest (Hebrews 7), and is not meant to be understood as Jesus doing manual construction labor. I believe that the physical place is also being prepared for us, but I assume Jesus could have that done in the blink of an eye. I say this based on it taking Him only one week to organize and create life on earth. (Genesis 1-2)
I will come again
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 14:3 NKJV
The promise of Jesus’ return to take the disciples with him after his preparatory “going” or departure has been the subject of considerable discussion. Some theologians argue that these verses do not represent a Jewish-Christian eschatology, in other words, Jesus is not talking about His second coming. A number of scholars have looked for other answers than the futuristic eschatology that the text seems to espouse. Some, like have opted for a realized or inaugurated type of eschatology that regards the resurrection and the coming of the indwelling Spirit to be a fulfillment of these words. (Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, p. 105). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
After reading some of those views, however, it seemed to me like it took a lot of theological gymnastics to make the text mean something else than what we get from its plain reading. Here is one quote that made a lot of sense to me.
The promise “I will come back” (v. 3) has been variously understood by interpreters. But in the context of death, ascension, and heaven, it seems difficult to arrive at any conclusion other than the second coming of Jesus.
- Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 264). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
I love this picture Jesus paints of His followers living with Him forever. Living in the Father’s house has a family connotation: we will live as children of God. The people of God’s community relate with one another as members of one family. (Kanagaraj, J. J. (2013). John. (M. F. Bird & C. Keener, Eds.) (Vol. 4, p. 145). Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.)
As a Seventh-day Adventist, I must confess that this promise has a special place in my heart. The promise of the second coming of Jesus is what drives me to live the life I live. The decisions I make in life are all shaped by my eager anticipation of Jesus’ return. I don’t feel like I have to walk around with a sign saying that the end I near, but I do feel that I have a responsibility to hasten the coming of Jesus.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
- 2 Peter 3:10-13 NKJV (bold mine)
This passage may be a little intense and some may desire to shy away from it. But I look forward to it. It is scary in some ways, but I believe it is worth it because nothing sounds better to me than eternal life in perfect harmony with God and one another. I also believe that we are able to hasten the return of Jesus by sharing the gospel with the world. I say this based on Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
- Matthew 24:14 NKJV
I look at the world around me and I think, “as scary as the end times will be, I would still rather hasten it than to allow all this suffering to go on much longer.” And once again, I believe we hasten the second coming of Jesus by sharing the gospel. I believe that sharing the good news about Jesus ought to be our way of life. In all that we do, we ought to proclaim not only our love for God but also His love for all of humanity.
Adventures in Missing the Point
And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
John 14:4-5 NKJV
I am so glad for people like Thomas who can ask the question that I would likely ask. I must admit that what Jesus says is not always completely clear to me at first. But questions like the one that Thomas asked give Jesus an opportunity to make His message even clearer to us.
Jesus had been talking about a house and rooms and Thomas wants a road map. Do we not behave similarly? “Jesus give me the list that I can follow.”
“What do I have to do to make sure I arrive?”
Thomas is thinking about a geographical journey and Jesus is talking about a relationship.
When Jesus talks about the way, He means a way of life.
This concept of a way of life was foundational not only to the proclamation of Jesus, Paul, and John but also to Israel and to the teachings of the rabbis. The Hebrew word halak (“walk”) can provide insight to this discussion. The law or Torah was not to be understood primarily as a set of rules but as a walk with God.
- Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, pp. 107–108). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
When Paul instructs us to live lives of integrity as Christians, he calls us to “walk not according to the flesh” (Rom 8:4, NRSV), to walk “in love” (Rom 14:15), and to walk “by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16). But many, he said, walk instead as “enemies” (Phil 3:18). Yet Christians are called to walk “worthy of God” (1 Thess 2:12). In the Gospel of John to follow Jesus is the equivalent of walking in the light or the daytime (11:9; 12:35). The Greek verb that is used in all these cases, both in Paul and John, is peripatein, and it means “to conduct one’s life in a certain way or manner.”
Unfortunately, ideas of law, command, or instruction can all degenerate into keeping a set of rules causing us to fail to relate directly to One who gave the rules or instructions. In such a case the law and instructions become ends in themselves.
““The way” then fades into an act of human effort so that dynamic relationship with God becomes swallowed up in keeping a set of wooden rules. Following rules is hardly what is intended in John as the “way” to the Father. Accordingly, the “way” in this verse was hardly meant to be understood as a road or pathway on which Thomas could stride or ride to get to the Father’s house. ”
Jesus answers Thomas’ question with one of the most frequently quoted verses in the Gospel of John.
egō eimi
Jesus’ response is introduced by another egō eimi (“I am”) saying.
In previous chapters egō eimi has been used to indicate that
Jesus is the Messiah (4:28).
The bread or sustenance of the community (6:35, 48, 51).
The light of the world (8:12; 9:5).
The one who is from above and not from the world (8:23).
The gate or entrance way to the sheepfold (10:7, 9).
The good shepherd (10:11, 14).
The resurrection and life (11:25).
Here John joins three powerful ideas of “way,” “truth,” and “life” to produce a classic statement concerning the significance of Jesus in providing salvation.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- John 14:6 NKJV
Stop focusing on rigid rules and focus on the person. The rules are meant to help clarify, to guide, to direct, but the ultimate truth and goal is Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God! Do you want to know what it looks like for someone to perfectly keep God’s laws? Look at Jesus. When you live like Jesus, you are living the life God meant you to live. Jesus’ life was perfect in every way, He is our perfect example. Whenever you get confused about what to do, take time to study and learn what Jesus did. I would also add that if you ever feel like Jesus contradicted God’s law in any way, it just means we are not properly understanding God’s law.
One Way
[…] No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- John 14:6b NKJV
Any hint at universalism, syncretistic patterns of salvation, or reaching the Father through any other means than Jesus is here completely eliminated. ( Borchert, G. L. p110) This is the part of the Christian faith that got early Christians in trouble. The Romans did not mind people worshipping one more God, there were many gods already, the problem was that Christians did not worship any other gods. In other words, following Jesus was not much of an issue, but following only Jesus was a problem. This is still the case in many cultures where people believe that phenomena in the natural world are caused by angry gods and/or spirits. For example, the drought will only end if everyone in the village contributes to a sacrifice to whatever god is in charge of the rain or crops. So the village leaders or priest comes to each family to receive a donation for the sacrifice, and the Christian refuses to worship any other gods, refuses to recognize that god as real.
In this case, the Christians and Jews would have similar views, not recognizing any other gods, this is covered in the first of the ten commandments.
And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
- Exodus 20:1-3 NKJV
However, when Christians believe and teach that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus, they find themselves excluded from Jews who rejected Jesus. The Roman government recognized the Jewish religion. They did not like them, but the Jews were excused from participating in emperor worship, etc. Followers of Jesus found themselves persecuted by the Romans and by the Jews. This teaching of Jesus is a big deal. This level of exclusivity is not easily accepted or tolerated.
I would like to share an interesting perspective I came across while studying this passage. This is taken from the Jewish New Testament Commentary.
Rabbi Moshe Ben-Maimon developed a Two-Covenant theology pioneered in this century by the non-Messianic Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig (1886–1929), and since elaborated by such liberal Christian theologians as Reinhold Niebuhr and James Parkes. This theory holds that the Jewish people were brought close to God by means of the covenant with Abraham and the Torah of Moses, so that they have no need to “come” to the Father through Jesus or anyone else, because they are already with him. Accordingly, Jesus’ word is not for Jews but for Gentiles and is to be understood thusly: “I am the way, the truth and the life; and no Gentile comes to the Father except through me.” (Stern, D. H. (1996). Jewish New Testament Commentary : a companion volume to the Jewish New Testament (electronic ed., Jn 14:6). Clarksville: Jewish New Testament Publications.)
The Two-Covenant theory enables the Jewish Community to live in apparent peace (from its own point of view) with its Christian neighbors by alleviating the pressure on Judaism to downgrade Jesus, the New Testament and Christianity; for a non-Messianic Jew can say, “We Jews have our way, Judaism; and you Gentiles have your way, Christianity. We will each serve God best by following the way provided for us. It is a manifestation of God’s grace that he has provided Jesus for you Gentiles and Torah for us Jews.” Thus Jesus can be held in high regard, because his claims are not taken as posing any threat to the structure of non-Messianic Judaism. (ibid)
Unfortunately for this theory, it does not fit the New Testament facts at all. The “tolerance for Christianity” that it produces is not tolerance of what the New Testament states is true. For Jesus was a Jew who presented himself to Jews, and these Jews remained Jewish after they came to trust in him. He rarely presented the Gospel to Gentiles; indeed, it was only with difficulty and supernatural intervention that his Jewish disciples came to realize that Gentiles could join God’s people through trusting Jesus without converting to Judaism (see Acts 10–11, 15). In the book of Acts, Peter’s initial sermons presented Jesus to Jews as the Jewish Messiah (Acts 2:14–40, 3:12–26; especially Acts 2:36, 3:25–26), as did Saul’s (Acts 9:20–22, 13:16–43). In his letter to the Romans Saul states that salvation through Jesus is God’s Good News “to the Jew especially”; however, since he is stressing that Gentiles too may be part of the people of God, he immediately adds, “but equally to the Gentile” (Ro 1:16). In sum, replacing Jesus’ “No one comes to the Father except through me” with “No Gentile comes … ” does unacceptable violence to the plain sense of the text and to the whole New Testament. (ibid)
Instead of complaining about the exclusivity of salvation being found only in and through Jesus, we should be grateful to God for providing a way out of the sinful condition that affects all of humanity.
“To want some way other than that which God has offered is simply to want to play God, to design one’s own remedy for sin, and ultimately not to take the evil of sin seriously (on the New Testament’s remedy for sin, see Ro 5:12–21&N). This is true arrogance and chutzpah.”
Call to Action
I see the fact that Jesus is the only way to God, to heaven, to eternal life, as the main reason for the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus tells us to go and spread the gospel because it is a matter of life and death, eternal life or death. This also makes sense in light of Jesus’ words regarding His second coming recorded in Matthew 24:14 where He says that the gospel will be preached in the whole world before the end comes. This message is also highlighted in the first angel’s message in Revelation 14:6.
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people
- Revelation 14:6 NKJV
So we do not let our hearts be troubled, we trust God and Jesus. We eagerly await the return of Jesus because He promised He would return, and as we wait, we proclaim the gospel to all. The gospel is proclaimed when everything we do revolves around our love for Jesus. This is the life of all who believe in Jesus.
