A Misconception about Heaven
Growing up in a country church has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is the lack of Scriptural understanding many times due to the lack of knowledge of the original languages. It was often taught to me that heaven was a 'mansion' just over the hill top...whatever that means. Where did this concept come from? Some have taken Jesus' words in John 14:2 to mean that heaven is a literal house ('mansion') which we, as believers, will dwell. As a child, I was never really fond of this concept. I didn't want to live in a big house with a lot of people that I didn't know. Now as a man and a born-again christian for the past 26 years, I'm still not fond of the concept. There seems to be a misconception to Jesus' words here in John 14:2.First, the word mansion was used in the old King James version of the Bible. The King James version of the Bible was written in 1611 in England, therefore that translation of the original languages is saturated with 17th century thought and words, not 21st century thought and words. Words change in meaning over time. The word mansion did not indicate a large rich home in 17th century England, rather a very modest dwelling. What picture do you get when you hear the word mansion? I'm sure its not a modest dwelling in your mind. Why? the reason is that language changes. What does the original Greek say about the word used here in John 14:2? The word is a dwelling place, but says nothing about the prestige of the place other than there are many, many rooms.
Second, the word for rooms in this passage helps to qualify the house and what John is describing in this passage. The word for rooms in this passage is derived from a verb not a noun. This means that Jesus is not talking about a physical, literal house. The verse reads: "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you." (NIV). Jesus uses the word house as a metaphor of eternal indwelling. The rooms, which are ready to be occupied, is a state of being or spiritual dwelling. Jesus is saying in verse 2, that the Father is inclusive and wants a relationship, or fellowship, or communion with His people. This is eternal indwelling. This eternal indwelling is possible now to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as the eternal Son from the Father, the Savior of the world! How is it that Jesus says, "I am going there to prepare a place for you."? Well, we know He was a carpenter while on earth, so maybe He is currently building this big house. That would seem to be the logical conclusion of a person who takes this passage literally, correct? The house is a metaphor for relationship. Look at two other places where John records Jesus using this word house as a metaphor: "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." And, "Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (ESV)
God wants to have an eternal indwelling in us and us in Him, but this is only made possible through the "way"(John 14:6), or the "door" (John 10:7) to the metaphoric house, in other words Jesus Christ.
2 Comments:
Ron,
Thanks for your insight on this passage.
I find that another popular misconception regarding heaven that I grew up with is that heaven is a purely spiritual place. We don't talk very clearly about the physical ressurection. In my childhood, I thought of heaven as being a very weird, spiritual existence with actual streets of gold, harps, clouds, etc..., but scripture seems to indicate that heaven is actually a new earth, a lot like ours, but redeemed and re-created the way God originally intended it to be; which seems a lot more appealing to me than some foreign spiritual existence.
Similar problems.
I came across this problem in my church in MS, a few years back. We had roses that don't fade, and cloudless skies and lots of mansions, but no God.
I had not preached on heaven in my church and one week as I was preparing recognized my need to do so. I began reading Revelation and the Gospels looking for good biblical illustration. What I was quickly overwhelmed with was the real content of Heaven.
Heaven was about God.
So as I then went to pull together some songs and hymns to accompany my sermon I noticed that most of the well known hymns that we sang failed to mention God.
Go and read the text to I've got a mansion.
Or shall I quote verse one,
"I'm satisfied with, just a cottage below, a little silver and a little Gold, but in that city where the ransomed will shine, I want a gold one that's silver lined. I've got a mansion, just over the hill top,
In that bright land where
we'll nev-er grow old;
And some day yon-der,
we will nev-er more wan-der
But walk the streets that
are pur-est gold."
Strikes me that if we were satisfied we might not be hungering for wealth. Or if Heaven were about God He might get mentioned. No the song not only misinterprets the biblical reference, but it misses the mark completely. Not about God, it's about me. Me getting richer, me not growing older.
I banned it from our church as not having sufficient Christian Content.
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