Context No. 3178 of 4322 · John
Context · Reflection
John 14:1-5: in context
1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. 4You know where I go, and you know the way.” 5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
On the night before he dies, Jesus turns to comfort his frightened friends. Do not let your heart be troubled, he says; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; I am going to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Thomas answers, Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?
On the eve of the cross, Jesus' concern is to comfort his troubled disciples, and the comfort is a promise of place and reunion: in my Father's house are many rooms; I go to prepare a place for you. He is not leaving them orphaned; he goes ahead to make room, and he will return to bring them home, so that they will be where he is. And the heart of the hope is not merely a place but a Person, that where I am, you may be also. Heaven's comfort is being with Christ. And Thomas's honest confusion sets up the answer coming next: Jesus himself is the way.
When my heart is troubled, do I rest in Jesus' promise that he has gone to prepare a place, and will come to bring me to be with him?