You have to understand the context. You’re referring to Jesus’ statement in John 13:33 that says “…Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will search for Me; and just as I told the Judean leaders, so I say to you now, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” (TLV).
It’s at the beginning Passover, in which He will wash feet, celebrate the Last Supper, go to Gethsemane to pray and be arrested. Within 12 hours, He’s going to be crucified and buried. When He dies, He’s not going to Heaven! He’s going to Sheol (the Hebrew word for the place of the dead). He’s going there to preach his victory over sin and the demonic world to the souls there (in both the righteous and unrighteous compartments which He described in Luke 16). Then, He will rise on the 3rd day. Peter has just volunteered to die with Him – and Jesus is explaining that’s not the plan.
His disciples, will be shattered and distraught in those hours between the death and Resurrection – feeling suicidally despondent wondering if they should die too. Jesus is explaining to them that He has to do this alone. No one can assist Him; no one needs to die with Him.
However, Jesus will explain shortly after that, in John 14:3, that He will return later to take the disciples with Him to “the Father’s house”. That is a yet future event. In that passage, Jesus is using verbiage and imagery from the customs of the Galilean Wedding Feast to explain how things will go for the church as His bride. Making a place for us in the Father’s house. Going and returning. The cup and the bread. Those are the statements and customs of the Wedding betrothal ceremony of the Galileans of that day. He even elaborates “I will not drink of this cup again until I return and we drink together in my Father’s house”. That is a direct quote of the Galilean wedding betrothal custom.
Reconciling John 14:3 on Following Jesus
You have to understand the context. You’re referring to Jesus’ statement in John 13:33 that says “…Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will search for Me; and just as I told the Judean leaders, so I say to you now, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” (TLV).
It’s at the beginning Passover, in which He will wash feet, celebrate the Last Supper, go to Gethsemane to pray and be arrested. Within 12 hours, He’s going to be crucified and buried. When He dies, He’s not going to Heaven! He’s going to Sheol (the Hebrew word for the place of the dead). He’s going there to preach his victory over sin and the demonic world to the souls there (in both the righteous and unrighteous compartments which He described in Luke 16). Then, He will rise on the 3rd day. Peter has just volunteered to die with Him – and Jesus is explaining that’s not the plan.
His disciples, will be shattered and distraught in those hours between the death and Resurrection – feeling suicidally despondent wondering if they should die too. Jesus is explaining to them that He has to do this alone. No one can assist Him; no one needs to die with Him.
However, Jesus will explain shortly after that, in John 14:3, that He will return later to take the disciples with Him to “the Father’s house”. That is a yet future event. In that passage, Jesus is using verbiage and imagery from the customs of the Galilean Wedding Feast to explain how things will go for the church as His bride. Making a place for us in the Father’s house. Going and returning. The cup and the bread. Those are the statements and customs of the Wedding betrothal ceremony of the Galileans of that day. He even elaborates “I will not drink of this cup again until I return and we drink together in my Father’s house”. That is a direct quote of the Galilean wedding betrothal custom.
Published in Bible, Commentary, Great News and Teaching