Question: Will you please comment on John 14:1-3 together with I Timothy 3:15?
Answer: Yes, I will, to the best of my understanding and ability, by the help of God. First, I will insert the full text of John 14:1-3 and discuss it separately from I Timothy 3:15 and pick that up later. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
The first thing to consider here is that Jesus was nearing the time of His going to the cross and dying and He knew what confusion and wonderment this would produce in His disciples and how disheartening this would be to them. Read Luke 24:13-21 to get a picture of the dejected, defeated, deeply disappointed spirit and disposition of two of them. Verse 21 says, “…We TRUSTED that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:…” It does not go on to spell it out, but we conclude from the entire passage that they had trusted and hoped, but now their hopes are all dashed because He is dead. Another look at the downcast, crestfallen spirit of the disciples after the death of Jesus is found in John 21:3 where Peter said, “I go a fishing,” and the others said they would go too. They had been fishermen before they had left all to follow Jesus and now that was all over and they just returned to their old occupation. Jesus knew this would happen and was trying all He could to fortify them against total disaster when it did happen.
Jesus endeavored to draw out their minds and thinking to the kingdom of glory which He would soon enter and which they also would enter in due time. But their minds were not at this time spiritual enough to comprehend this. This is evident from the context following this. (Verses 4 through 14.) He presented that kingdom of glory as His Father’s house. (Verse 2.) Then as a descriptive term of His “Father’s House,” He said there were many mansions there. In my understanding, He is not presenting the idea of a literal place with literal mansions but something comparable to that of a spiritual nature. He endeavors to convey the thought to them of heaven as a real place with real people and real substance; not just an imaginary, mystic something with disembodied, even invisible, spiritual beings floating around up there in the uncharted sky some place.
The reference to “many mansions” describes the spaciousness as well as the grandeur, glory and breathtaking beauty of that place. Jesus did not refer to a place with segregated areas for different classes of people; mansions for the rich, other areas with less magnificent dwellings for the common people, and ghettos with dirty, run-down tenement houses and dirty little shacks for the poor and poverty-stricken such as we know here. Oh no, heaven is a place of supreme grandeur, glory and matchless beauty with nothing to mar it; nothing there but grand mansions. Many mansions would require an area of great expanse because mansions are large structures. The place prepared for the eternal abode of the righteous is sufficiently large to accommodate all who will get there. Neither will God be straightened for providing places for late arrivals and unexpected guests. He provided room in His great heart for every member of the human race from the start, even though He knew they would not all be coming.
Even though all of this may be true, yet the “mansions” convey a definite message concerning the eternal abode of the saints, so let us examine them a little in particular. A reference to II Corinthians 5:1 will throw considerable light on this statement of Jesus. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” It is clear here that “our earthly house of this tabernacle” which was to be dissolved refers to our earthly, physical, material bodies in which we now live. Also, it is clear that “we have a building of God, an house not made with hands,” refers to that resurrected, immortal, glorified body in which the righteous will live in eternity “eternal in the heavens.” This is also confirmed by verse 2 where it says that in this (physical, corruptible body) “…we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven,” or that spiritual, glorified body. Verse 4 further confirms this where the closing phrase says, “…that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” This is endless, eternal life.
Again in Philippians 3:20-21 we read, “…the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,…” Again in I John 3:2 we read, “…But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him;…” Also in I Corinthians 15:42-44 where Paul is discussing the resurrection of the saints he says, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body….” In verse 51 Paul says, “…We shall all be changed.” In verse 53 he says, “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
From all of this we see that this mortal, earthly, natural body in which we live our lives here is not fit or acceptable to enter into heaven; it must be changed into a body fitted for that place. All of these scriptures and a number of others make it very clear that the resurrected body of the saints will be a glorious, immortal, incorruptible, spiritual body fitted for that eternal world prepared for the righteous. Projecting all of this into the sayings of Jesus in John 14:1-3, and considering the totally magnificent, shining glory of the resurrected bodies of the saints which would fittingly correspond to what Jesus spoke of as “mansions” in His kingdom of glory, we could safely conclude that those mansions were the resurrected, glorious bodies in which they would live in that everlasting kingdom of eternal glory prepared for them. Jesus said there were many mansions and we are sure that there are myriads of redeemed souls, through the ages, who will be there, every one in his own mansion.
In I Timothy 3:15 it says, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I will also insert a few scriptures here to establish the use of the term “house” as used in the Scriptures and what it means. In Ruth 4:11 we read, “…The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel:…” “Israel” was Jacob, and Rachel and Leah were his two wives. From them came all of his children and these children constituted his house (household). Luke 1:27 says that Joseph, to whom the virgin Mary was espoused, was of the “…house of David;…” Luke 2:4 says that Joseph was “…of the house and lineage of David.” This makes it clear that the whole line of David’s posterity constituted his house. In Johsua 24:15, Joshua said, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” His house was his family or household and he could speak for them. I Timothy 3:4 gives one of the qualifications of an elder or bishop as “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection…” This text spells it out that his house was his family. The Bible abounds with texts of this nature which make it perfectly clear that a man’s house was his children and their children to many generations.
It is the same here. The house of God is His household, or His children. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26. It is certain that every person who is saved from sin by faith in Christ is a child of God in the family of God. This is God’s household which is declared to be the Church of God. (I Timothy 3:15.) Hebrews 3:6 says, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,…” The redeemed saints make up the house of God. In Ephesians 2:19, Paul declares the whole company of redeemed saints to be the household of God. Isaiah 53:8 asks, “…Who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living:…” But verse 10 makes it clear that out of His death a seed or generation would come forth who would declare His generation; millions and millions and millions of us. Revelation 7:9 refers to “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,…” Ah, saints and brethren, that illustrious company, that innumerable company is us. We and all the others who have been redeemed by Jesus’ blood and become children of God by faith in Christ Jesus throughout this gospel age of time make up the generation of God who declare His generation.
Now let us see how this all relates to John 14:2 in regard to many mansions in the house of God. We have already seen by Scripture that the house of God is God’s household, family, or children, who have been saved by faith in the merit of the all-atoning blood of Jesus Christ. This makes up the Church of God in this dispensation of time. But Ephesians 2:22 says that we are “…builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” I Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,…” Then we go to Hebrews 3:6. “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,…”
These texts all refer to the collective Church of God as being the house of God. But the house or family of God is made up of saved men and women, boys and girls. (Hebrews 3:6.) There are numbers of other texts confirming this thought. In this great house (II Timothy 2:20), there are many other houses (mansions) all enveloped in this great house. In other words, the entire Church of God, or body of Christ, is composed of many members. “For as the body is one, and hath many members,…so also is Christ.” (I Corinthians 12:12.) I Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” Ephesians 1:22-23 declares the Church to be His body. But since His body is also His Church, then it must be clear also that every saint is a member of God’s Church, dwelling in that “great house.” (II Timothy 2:20.) But we are all houses, too, as I shall show by the Scriptures.
I Corinthians 3:16 says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” I Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,…?” These texts and others refer to the individual saints as temples, buildings, houses, and mansions indwelt by the Spirit. In Ezekiel, chapters 40 through 47, we have recorded a vision Ezekiel had of a man with a measuring reed measuring the temple and all the appurtenances thereof and other things. In chapter 40, verse 5, he measured the outside wall and it was one reed broad and one reed high. He measured the threshold of the gate (verse 6) and it was one reed broad. In verse 7 he measured each little chamber in the building and each one measured one reed broad. How surprising this is! How could this be that each chamber in the building and the gate be as large as the whole building? A good understanding of God’s plan of salvation and work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and lives of all who are saved and then indwelt by the Spirit will make this clear.
By reading Hebrews 9:1-9, 25; 8:1-2 and Matthew 16:17-18, we see that all these scriptures combine together to build the case and establish the fact that Old Testament temple with its system of sacrifices and worship was a type or figure of this New Testament temple (a spiritual house) with its spiritual sacrifices (I Peter 2:5), and its spiritual system of worship (John 4:23-24). Now with this in mind, let us take special note of these measurements of Ezekiel’s vision and see what they tell us. The whole building measured one reed broad and one reed high. Then the threshold of the gate measured one reed or the length of the entire building. (Ezekiel 40:6.) In John 10:9, Jesus, the gate or door, measured the same as the size of the entire building, because He fulfilled every principle of righteousness and truth upon which the Church of God is built. He dwells in it and fills every nook and corner of the building.
But the main thing in connection with our question is the little, individual chambers in the temple and that they measured one reed long and one reed broad (verse 7); the size of the entire building. Now if the building was a type of the New Testament temple or Church of God, and the Scriptures clearly establish this to be true, then what would the little, individual chambers in the building represent but the individual members in the Church? Surely this is a proper conclusion. The measuring of the size of the whole building indicates that whatever is the standard set forth in the Scriptures of holiness, righteousness, truth, victory, and grace for the Church of God, is the standard of life for each individual member of the Church. In this respect, every individual member is as big as the whole Church. But God through His Spirit dwells in the individual members (I Corinthians 3:16). Therefore, every blood-washed saint is a mansion (not a shack or cabin or slum area anywhere around) in the language of the text (John 14:2) in our question. Throughout this gospel age of time there are many of us millions and millions and millions of us who have been washed from our sins and made white in the blood of Jesus. We have been clothed in spotless, white robes which is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:8), and we are fulfilling the will of God in our lives according to the standard set for us by our example, Jesus Christ (I Peter 2:21). We are the many mansions in “my Father’s house” which is the Church.
Where did Jesus go to prepare a place for us? My answer is, to Calvary, and I will bring forth some scriptures (just a few of many) to confirm my thinking on this point. In Hebrews 10:19-22 we have this passage: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,…” Verse 19 speaks of our entering into the “holiest.” The discussion through the 9th and 10th chapters of Hebrews is a running comparison between the Old Testament sanctuary and its system of sacrifices and worship and the New Testament sanctuary (the Church of God) and its spiritual system of spiritual sacrifices (I Peter 2:5 and Hebrews 13:15) and spiritual worship. That Old Testament sanctuary had two compartments in it, the holy place and the holiest of all, or most holy place. This was a type of the New Testament temple, the Church. But for the anti type to conform to the type it must have two compartments also; and indeed it does. These correspond to two parts of our salvation, justification and sanctification. This text only mentions the “holiest” which is the ultimate of our salvation. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” The sanctification of God’s people required an acceptable sacrifice and that sacrifice was the blood of Jesus which was shed at Calvary. Hebrews 13:12 says, “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” Hebrews 10:20 said that He consecrated a new and living way for us through His flesh. But His flesh was torn and His body broken for us and His blood flowed out at Calvary to open up a way for us into an experience of full and free salvation; saved and sanctified filled with the Holy Spirit.
In Ephesians 2:16, we read, “And that he might reconcile both unto God (“Both” here refers to the Jews and Gentiles) in one body by the cross,…” Verse 18 says, “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Hence we see that a way was opened up for us to approach unto God and be brought into fellowship with Him and be reconciled with Him through the sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary and our faith in the merits of that sacrifice. Some of the words of a song I used to sing said, “Jesus Christ the Lord opened up the way to glory, when He died to save us from our ruined sate.” One of our present songs says, “Let us sing a sweet song of the home of the soul, the glorious place of our rest; It is not far away in the heavens untold, but deep in the infinite breast.” The “home of the soul” spoken of here is the Church of God, the body of Christ, where the soul finds it’s glorious rest in Christ, the blessed Rest Giver. The Church of God was purchased with the blood of Christ. (Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:25-27).
We could multiply scriptures on this thought on and on. But to what profit? We always wind up at the same place; that we enter into this glorious place of rest and peace, perfect love and holiness, victory over sin and victorious and triumphant living, the abundance of divine grace, the glorious estate and habitation that Jesus prepared for us by the sacrifice He made and the blood He shed when He went to Calvary.
However, all of this pertains to our salvation and our habitation in the kingdom of God in this world. But this is not the end or ultimate. When Jesus died for our sins at Calvary, He didn’t stay dead in the tomb where He was laid. On the morning of the third day He burst the bars of death and the grave asunder and came forth a living Christ, immortal and glorious to never die anymore. Jesus said to His disciples, and us, in John 14:19, “…Because I live; ye shall live also.” Read also I Corinthians 15:51-57, Philippians 3:20-21, I Thessalonians 4:13-18. All of these passages and many more attest to the fact that in Jesus’ rising from the dead and ascending to heaven, He prepared a way for us to resurrect and be glorified and gathered to Him where He is in heaven. In II Peter 1:11, Peter speaks of the faithful saints having an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. We are in the present, earthly phase of the kingdom when we are saved, but we enter into the everlasting phase of the kingdom at the time of our resurrection at the last day. Jesus went to prepare the entrance into this place for us when He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
