14:1
The word translated “troubled” is the same one as used in 12:17 and 13:21 where Jesus speaks of being troubled in heart and spirit. Now one might say that given what Jesus was about to go through they should have been comforting Him, but this misses the point entirely. The disciples did not have much appreciation of what was going to happen and its full import. The work of our salvation was the work of Christ alone. So Jesus tells His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled. Instead they should believe in God,”and also in me”. Note that Jesus is making Himself equal with God. He will go on to explain why His going away is a good thing.
14:2
Jesus now starts to expound on why their hearts should not be troubled, and nor should ours. In Christ we have a good and secure future. “In my Father’s house there are many rooms.” Older translations have “many mansions”, but “many rooms” is better. Jesus is not simply leaving them, and certainly not leaving them never to have anything to do with them again! He is going to prepare a place for them. It is the cross that prepares the place for us, that opens the door. Jesus also stresses His utter reliability. Jesus would not tell us these things if it were not true.
No comments:
Post a Comment