Reading the NT I am struck with Jesus' passionate fixation about togetherness. When he speaks to his disciples, it's not about the mansion, it's about who is there, WITH him.
I think it is fascinating how we, in the US, mistranslate the Greek to read, "there are many mansions...", when a better rendering would be "many quarters..."; the NIV does a better job with: "are many rooms...".
So it's about being together in the Father's House, not streets of gold; it's not about getting some fancy mansion, one for each...
How many Americans would fall away from their idea of faith if it were revealed that heaven is really just one big youth hostel where everybody shares what they have with their roommates, and everybody eats rice, beans and corn tortillas?
Or better, how many would flock to the loving, passionate embrace of Jesus when they found out it wasn't about marble alters, red carpet and golden candleholders? :)
That the streets of gold have nothing to do with the inhabitants? that all present are simple sharecroppers of faith, humbly and simply living in borrowed space, paid for by Another?
Would it matter?
Would we get it?
Or do we just like the "jesus" thing because he makes bread happen?
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4 comments:
dude that is awesome. I needed that.
Great thoughts Jim!
Mansions and Rooms - a cautionary tale.
I was in my early 20s when my 2nd grandmother passed away. One of the scriptures read at her funeral was the "In my Father's House.." passage. In my zeal for 'rightness' I requested that we use the N.I.V. translation at the funeral. My parents (who didn't know the diffence between trtanslations) thought it a reasonable request.
When the phrase '...are many rooms' was read, my Mum got upset. This was not the translation she was used too and it made her feel uncomfortable at at time when she wanted comfort.
At Mum's funeral last year we had the passage read as it was one of her favorites - and we used '...many mansions'. Sometimes it is better to be Loving than to be Right.
Pete- you're right, Love is key. Sorry you had that experience with your Mum.
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