My Father's House

My wife and I were discussing John 14 verses 2-3 in particular, which reads:

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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."

Now having a Dispensational/Premillenial background I would have assumed this passage would mean that Jesus is going to heaven to build a physical house and at the rapture Christians would have been caught up to go live there, or this house was going to fall out of the sky and we would pack our bags and move in. Over the years I began to see some major hermeneutical flaws with Dispensational theology. Nevertheless, as one who embraces Covenant Theology, I now approach the New Testament in a slightly different manner, so I want to run this idea out there for open discussion.

Is it possible that Jesus is not necessarily talking about some building in heaven but is actually referring to Himself. The context is that of the Last Supper. Jesus is about to do a work in which God and man will be reconciled. Notice some of His language later on in the chapter.

Joh 14:10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

Jesus mentions that He is going to the Father and yet the Father always abides with Him.

Again He says:

Joh 14:19-20 "After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

Although some may see the words “will see Me” as still remaining future prophecy, but isn’t the context post resurrection?

Again:

Joh 14:28 "You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Again Jesus speaks of going to the Father and also coming back to the Apostles. It seems the immediate context is that Jesus is going to be reunited to the Father in all His glory and also abiding with the disciples. What a promise this is for the believer! Jesus is teaching that all three persons of the Trinity will be with us until till the end of this age and forever.

Notice His words in John 4:

Joh 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Jesus plainly alludes that the Kingdom of God is now here ruling in the hearts of His people. The Kingdom that demands true worship must not be done at a particular location such as Jerusalem or Samaria, but in spirit and truth.

John 10 Jesus says:

Joh 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

Here Jesus ties His death and resurrection with making one new flock and bringing them into one fold. Is this not a parallel thought with John 14 and High Priestly Prayer? Is this not consistent with all of Jesus’ teaching in John’s Gospel?

Jesus is building His church. He is preparing a place for us. I must grant that there is a “now” and “not yet” aspect to Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God, and its reign here on earth. Yet could it be that our Traditions have caused us to make Jesus’ words in John 14 to say something that Jesus did not intend. If even His disciples misunderstood, could we (with our Dispensational glasses and influence) be misunderstanding His words as well?

Much more could be said, but I am trying to keep this short and hoping for some thoughts and discussion.

God Bless