New Life in God’s House—Lectionary Reflection for Easter 5A (John 14)

John 14:1-14 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. 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, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place 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. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 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, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

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                As we continue our journey through Eastertide we turn back to Jesus’ “Farewell Address.” It is the night of his betrayal. Jesus has been sharing a final meal with his disciples. Now he begins a final word of instruction and encouragement. The opening verses will be familiar to many as they often are read at a funeral or memorial service. Jesus begins his final discourse by addressing the tension in the room. That tension had resulted from something Jesus had shared earlier during their meal together. After the meal had concluded and the disciples were chatting, Jesus gave the disciples (minus Judas) a new commandment to love one another, and told them that soon they won’t see him and that where he is going, they can’t follow. Oh, and Jesus tells Peter that before the cock crows he’ll deny him three times (Jn 13:31-38). Although his disciples might not fully understand what is about to happen, they know it can’t be good. So, it’s understandable that there would be some tension in the room. Perhaps sensing that to be true, Jesus moves to calm their fears, telling them: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Instead, believe in God and in Jesus. That is, put your trust in me and God, and it will be okay.

                The words that follow are the reason portions of John 14 are often read at funerals. I’ve reflected on this passage many times over the years at funerals. Having told the disciples to trust him, according to John, Jesus tells the disciples: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” Jesus might be going away, but he won’t forget them. No, he’s going to prepare a place for them. The good news is that this place he’s going to has many dwelling places or rooms. In other words, he might be leaving them for a moment, but he’s going away so he can prepare a new home for them. There is but one home, with many rooms or dwelling places inside that home. He has to get it ready for them. So, as Jaime Clark-Soles notes:

Jesus prepares this “place” (topos) where we are all united in God’s household by heading to the cross. There he births the church, God’s home: “Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home” (19:27). After all, home is where the (singular) heart is. Church is a real place (topos), not a u-topia (from Gk. ou not + topos “place”). Augustine proclaimed: “Our heart is restless until it finds rest in thee.” Church is to be such a place. [Clark-Soles, Reading John for Dear Life, p. 92].      

Whether this word is shared at a funeral or in some other context, Jesus provides the place where our restless hearts can find rest. That might be heaven, as we usually intend at a funeral or the church as Clark-Soles intimates. The good news is that there are lots of rooms, so there is plenty of room for everyone! Oh, and Jesus promises to return and take everyone with him to the Father’s house so that they might dwell together.

                Having made the promise to return for them, Jesus tells the disciples that they already know the way to the Father’s house. When Jesus tells them that they already know the way, Thomas isn’t convinced. He tells Jesus that they don’t know where he’s going so how can they know the way? Thomas does have a point. Jesus talks about leaving and going to the Father’s house, but where is the Father’s house? They’re confused! When Thomas asks that question Jesus tells Thomas and the others that he is the way, the only way to the Father’s house. He adds: “If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (Jn. 14:6). You want to see God, well Jesus has revealed God to them. In other words, if you see Jesus, you see God.

                This verse, John 14:6 has proven troubling since it seems to suggest a rather exclusivist perspective on the divine-human relationship. For many Christians, the only way to heaven is through Jesus. Confess Jesus as savior or expect to face eternal damnation. It seems clear enough, but is this the best way to read the passage? First, let us remember how John’s Jesus speaks, using the formula “I am.” When Jesus tells the disciples that he is the way to the Father, we might want to put that in context. When Jesus speaks of himself as the way to the Father, it is in the context of his declaration of self-identification: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” It is in that context that no one comes to the Father but through him. So, what might John’s Jesus have in mind here? Ron Allen and Clark Williamson note that “The ‘way’ that Jesus reveals is also the truth and the life. For John, the ‘truth’ is not a metaphysical category but the revelation of God through Jesus. It is also ‘life,’ that is, existence animated by the Spirit and shaped by the aims of God. According to John, Jesus is now the way to God” [Preaching the Gospels without Blaming the Jews, p. 43].  In terms of how John’s larger message might be understood, the exclusiveness that is often attached to this passage needs to be set in the context of the declaration that God loves the kosmos. If that love is unconditional, then “the divine love cannot be limited to Jesus’ followers” [Preaching the Gospels, p. 43]. Ultimately, the message here is to a group of disciples who are already believers. In that context, Jesus is attempting to encourage them to stay the course and stay with him, because he knows the way. John invites us to do the same. We can do this without putting an exclusivist stamp on the passage.  of other declarations, including Jesus’ declaration that “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

                Moving on, not only is Thomas confused by what he’s heard, but so is Philip. He’s even more direct in his request. Thomas wants a map. Philip wants to see the Father. Yes, “Show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” At this point in the story, Jesus seems a bit frustrated by the questions/requests. He wants to know how they could have been with him all this time and yet still don’t seem to know who Jesus is. Had they not already seen the presence of the Father in him?  Whatever Jesus’ feelings at the moment, the message to us is clear. In answer to Philip’s request, Jesus points to himself. If you see me, you see the Father. As the prologue to John’s Gospel reveals, the Word of God (logos) became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Not only do we see the Father in Jesus, but God is working through Jesus. If we will believe, that is, put our trust in him, then we will be empowered to do what Jesus has been doing. In fact, we can do greater works because Jesus returns to the Father.

                The message here connects a spiritual relationship with God, which Jesus reveals in his relationship with the Father, to a practical outworking of that relationship. Philip Wingeier-Rayo captures this aspect of Jesus’ instructions to his disciples in answer to their questions about his future. 

This is an invitation to be a disciple of Jesus who is not only a believer but also a follower and a doer. This is a helpful counterbalance to an understanding of the Gospel of John that is spiritualized and overemphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus without the resulting social responsibility and fruits of the Spirit that come with discipleship. The passage invites us to continue the works of love, compassion, and service to others that Jesus embodies throughout his ministry on earth. The Christian life is not a truncated gospel about belief in Jesus for the sake of my own personal salvation; rather it is about living out the gospel message in all areas of our life “so that the Father may be glorified” (v. 13).  [Connections: A Lectionary Commentary forPreaching and Worship (Kindle Locations 8761-8766).]

To entrust our lives (believe) to Jesus is to entrust our lives to God. When we do this, we put ourselves in a position to continue Jesus’ work in the world, a work that ultimately brings glory to God through our works of love, compassion, and service.

                When we take John 14:6 out of context we’re left with an exclusivist and truncated message that fences God in. If we take this passage in its context, we see Jesus pointing to himself, reminding them that if they wish to see God, they need only look to him, and they will see God’s self-revelation. That encounter should lead to service. Thus, instead of building fences, our encounter with Jesus releases us to go into the world and carry with us the legacy of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. This is a constant message in John’s Gospel: If you see Jesus and his works then you see God. When we respond to this divine revelation in Jesus by putting our trust in Jesus we are enabled to participate in God’s work in the world. In fact, we can do greater works than Jesus because he paved the way for us. Then, when the time comes, we’ll take our place in God’s house.