MANY MANSIONS
by Jeremy Chance Springfield
4/1/2024
As the hours drew near for Yeshua to be crucified on the cross, He spent those final meaningful moments with His students. That precious time was filled with vital instruction and a touching attempt at comforting them over His inevitable departure. Their beloved rabbi and long-awaited Messiah was readying Himself to take His leave of them, and He knew they deserved to know that this absence was not only necessary, but for their own good.
The emphasis Yeshua gave on reassuring the students that all would be okay even without Him there to lead them has been a source of solace for believers across the centuries. His words soothe us even now, a reminder that beyond this realm awaits a world of reward for our present faithfulness. It is an encouragement to consider that He has gone to prepare for our eventual coming to Him.
In the midst of His words recorded from that night, we find that He made a promise involving the preparation of a place for His beloved students. In John 14:2 we read about His consoling words.
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Many are the chambers of my Father’s House. And if not, I would have told you. For I go that I shall prepare a place for you. |
This passage I have translated from the Aramaic of the Peshitta New Testament. While I have rendered the word AWANE as “chambers,” it really signifies a generic concept of “residences” of some unspecified type.
However, the passage has been popularly presented in traditional Bible versions with the phrase “many mansions.” Why the difference in translation?
The Aramaic term itself is used in various Talmudic, Midrashic, and Targumic passages. Context determines the nuanced meaning it can take, from that of a “room,” to a “house,” to an “inn” or other temporary place of dwelling. The way it is used by Yeshua does not immediately mandate that it must be translated into any specific nuance of meaning, which is why I have rendered it with the generic term of “chambers.”
The Aramaic term itself is used in various Talmudic, Midrashic, and Targumic passages. Context determines the nuanced meaning it can take, from that of a “room,” to a “house,” to an “inn” or other temporary place of dwelling. The way it is used by Yeshua does not immediately mandate that it must be translated into any specific nuance of meaning, which is why I have rendered it with the generic term of “chambers.”
The traditional rendering of “many mansions” is a phrase evoking imagery of an extravagant heavenly home that is bestowed as a reward for one’s faithfulness here on earth. This concept of vast supernal dwellings prepared for the righteous is the widespread view when the passage is typically read in English translations.
The popular rendering of “mansions” is by no means a wrong translation, to be sure. Rather, the reason for opting to not use it in the above translation is that the word originally simply meant a “residence” of some type in which a person could stay for any given period of time. The term’s sense of an “incredibly large home” did not take on that meaning until later in time. Since that more recent usage is essentially the only context in which the word is now used, its archaic definition of a simple “room” is entirely lost, and the meaning of Yeshua’s words are somewhat obscured with the use of the traditional choice of “mansions.” For this reason, it is important for us to at least perceive the true intent of what He said to His students by using the term, for it factors on how we are to understand the context of the phrase “many mansions” in light of how it would have been taken before we apply just a large structure to the notion.
The phrase Yeshua uses after mentioning AWANE “chambers” does allow us to understand the context in a slightly helpful way. The phrase BETH ABI “My Father’s House” meant something specific to Yeshua. This referred explicitly to the Temple itself, as we see in John 2:16, where Yeshua’s words were uttered in the midst of His “Temple-tantrum” aimed at clearing out the so-called “Bazaars of Annas” that were unjustly erected on the holy grounds of the Temple complex in the days leading up to Passover [see my study: A HIGH PRIEST IN HELL for more history on this matter].
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“…and do not make the House of my Father a house of trade!” |
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In this event we see Yeshua refer to the Temple as BATEH DABI “the House of my Father.” The mention of the nearly identical phrase in John 14:2 should be understood in that same Temple context. Speaking of a “House” belonging to the Creator was an idiom for the Temple.
Yeshua’s looming departure from His students, however, was not to go to the earthly Temple in Jerusalem, but rather, to ascend into the heavens. In that exalted supernal realm exists the eternal Temple wherein is the focused Presence of the Creator Himself, as seen in Psalm 11:4.
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YHWH is in His holy Temple; YHWH—in the heavens is His throne…
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The supernal Temple is the source and blueprint for all that the Torah contains when it discusses the structure and function of the earthly Sanctuary. The Creator was very clear in the Torah that the earthly components must be made explicitly according to their heavenly appearance, as we see mandated in Exodus 25:40.
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And you must see, and you must make by their pattern which you were shown on the mountain.
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This transcendent Temple was the destination Yeshua had in mind when He spoke to the students in John 14. He would ascend to the heavenly House and in those sublime dimensions prepare lodging for His followers.
To be sure, the Tabernacle as built in the wilderness for mobile purposes did not come with instructions for varied chambers attached to it. It was a stripped-down structure specifically arranged for use in the generational travel that the people of Israel would experience for several centuries.
Only when the land of Canaan had been secured from the overwhelming threat of enemy inhabitants did the next phase of the structure come into play: an immobile complex that would serve to meet the needs of everyone.
In short: the Temple proper.
To be sure, the Tabernacle as built in the wilderness for mobile purposes did not come with instructions for varied chambers attached to it. It was a stripped-down structure specifically arranged for use in the generational travel that the people of Israel would experience for several centuries.
Only when the land of Canaan had been secured from the overwhelming threat of enemy inhabitants did the next phase of the structure come into play: an immobile complex that would serve to meet the needs of everyone.
In short: the Temple proper.
This notion of the Temple having many rooms may not be so readily recognized based on the popular images we see of it, but when we look at the Scriptural description of the blueprints for its original construction that David gave to Solomon, we find that it absolutely is intended to contain all manner of chambers, as recorded in 1st Chronicles 28:11-12.
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11 And David gave to Shlomoh his son the pattern of the porch and its rooms, and its treasuries, and its upper parts, and its inner chambers, and the house of the covering,
12 and the pattern of all which he had by the Spirit: for the courts of the House of YHWH, and for all the cells surrounding; for the storehouses of the House of the Deity, and for the storehouses of the holy things. |
David was divinely informed of how the Temple should be constructed. Like Moses before him, he was tasked with making sure it was built to the specifications given to him by the Spirit. These included numerous chambers and rooms to be used for all kinds of holy purpose.
Besides the obvious quarters for the priests who minister, the Temple is mandated to also have rooms for the Levites to aid the priests (1st Chronicles 23:27-28), for the various gatekeepers (1st Chronicles 9:26), for the singers who constantly led the worship by psalms (1st Chronicles 9:33), for the scribe in charge of maintaining and reproducing correct Torah scrolls (Jeremiah 36:10+20), and for various treasuries and storehouses.
Besides the obvious quarters for the priests who minister, the Temple is mandated to also have rooms for the Levites to aid the priests (1st Chronicles 23:27-28), for the various gatekeepers (1st Chronicles 9:26), for the singers who constantly led the worship by psalms (1st Chronicles 9:33), for the scribe in charge of maintaining and reproducing correct Torah scrolls (Jeremiah 36:10+20), and for various treasuries and storehouses.
These details serve to provide much better context for Yeshua’s statement in John 14:2. His task of preparing ATHRA “a place” among the chambers of the heavenly Temple reveals that believers are meant for an exalted supernal function surpassing what we experience on earth.
The text of the Zohar, Chayei Sarah 129b, also comments on this heavenly realm of lodging for the righteous ones.
The text of the Zohar, Chayei Sarah 129b, also comments on this heavenly realm of lodging for the righteous ones.
The Aramaic of the Zohar uses the exact same Aramaic term for “places” that Yeshua used in John 14:2—ATHRIN in the plural. It also uses a term that helps to further exemplify what awaits believers: MOTVEI “dwellings.” This is merely the plural of the word MOT’VA, which can have several meanings, depending on the context.
The term MOT’VA can also refer to a “study hall” for Torah, as we see it used in the Talmud Bavli, Bechorot 5b. There, it is specifically referred to as BEIT MOT’VA RABAH—the “great house of study.”
While synagogues and Scripture study halls existed all over the land of Israel, this one called BEIT MOT’VA RABAH was different. It was located in the Temple and is where the teaching of Hebrew Scripture occurred if one wanted to learn while in the Temple complex. It is referenced without specificity in such passages of the New testament as Matthew 21:23, 26:55; Luke 2:46, 20:1, 21:37; John 18:20, 26:55—all regarding the teaching Yeshua gave when in the Temple. This was not done just anywhere in the Temple, but located in a specific chamber, as we see mentioned in the text of Tanna d’Vei Eliyahu Rabbah 10:2.
Here we see the notion of Scripture study occurring in the Temple being viewed as the greatest reward that could come into the chambers of the treasuries—where all the various gifts were stored that worshipers brought to the Temple. The Temple chamber referred to as BEIT MOT’VA RABAH was intentionally set apart for Scripture learning, and therefore was viewed as where the greatest treasures are located, for while all the gifts brought to the Temple were inherently temporal in nature, the gifts of Scripture study and the insights that come with it are eternal matters everlasting in nature.
Knowing that Yeshua was departing to the supernal Temple and there preparing places for His followers, helps us to appreciate the type of abodes that await believers. Far from being dwellings where we will abide merely to “pass the time” in the realms of heaven, they are understood as places where we continue to learn and grow in the eternal truths of the Word! An eternal inheritance where we deepen our relationship to the Spirit of the Holy One is far more valuable than just possessing a heavenly structure in which to dwell.
The text of the Zohar, Bereshit 38a, explains this in further detail.
Knowing that Yeshua was departing to the supernal Temple and there preparing places for His followers, helps us to appreciate the type of abodes that await believers. Far from being dwellings where we will abide merely to “pass the time” in the realms of heaven, they are understood as places where we continue to learn and grow in the eternal truths of the Word! An eternal inheritance where we deepen our relationship to the Spirit of the Holy One is far more valuable than just possessing a heavenly structure in which to dwell.
The text of the Zohar, Bereshit 38a, explains this in further detail.
The mention of “temples” here is not to suggest that there are multiple Temples in the heavens. Rather, the term is HEIKHALIN in the Aramaic text, being the plural of HEIKHALA, which literally means “Palace,” but is very often translated as “temple.”
This is a cognate to the Hebrew term HEIKHAL “palace” / “temple.”
In this aspect of heavenly HEIKHALIN “palaces” the concept of “many mansions” in the sense of extravagant dwellings begins to factor into the topic. The idea is that there are many “palaces” existing in the supernal realms, but they are distinctly made for the spiritual pursuits of their inhabitants, as they ultimately connect in some way to the supernal Temple itself. This reality cannot be ignored if we want to properly understand the words of Yeshua in their Jewish sense.
Returning again to the text of the Zohar, we find that it devotes considerable attention to the concept of the heavenly abodes prepared for the righteous. In several different places it describes them at length and differentiates them by unique descriptors—affirming that Yeshua’s words were meant in a spiritual nature connected to the holy heavenly Temple.
In the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 162a, we see a place called METIVTA ILA’AH “House of Study Above.” In this is said to reside the artisan Bezaleel—the young carpenter from the tribe of Judah who was anointed by the Spirit to actually oversee the building of the Tabernacle [see: Exodus 31:1-5, 35:30 to 36:4, 38:22].
Returning again to the text of the Zohar, we find that it devotes considerable attention to the concept of the heavenly abodes prepared for the righteous. In several different places it describes them at length and differentiates them by unique descriptors—affirming that Yeshua’s words were meant in a spiritual nature connected to the holy heavenly Temple.
In the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 162a, we see a place called METIVTA ILA’AH “House of Study Above.” In this is said to reside the artisan Bezaleel—the young carpenter from the tribe of Judah who was anointed by the Spirit to actually oversee the building of the Tabernacle [see: Exodus 31:1-5, 35:30 to 36:4, 38:22].
In the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 163a, we read about the abode of Aaron, which is called METIVTA DIRCHIMUTA “House of Study of Love.”
Also in the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 163a, we find that our teacher Moses dwells in the place called METIVTA DINHURA “House of Study of Light,” and is also called METIVTA D’MOSHEH “House of Study of Moses.”
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Additionally, in the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 163a, we read about METIVTA DIRKI’A “House of Study of the Firmament,” which appears to be a place overseen by the highest angels.
Elsewhere, in the Zohar, Shlach, Rav Metivta 167b, the text mentions that there are six special HEIKHALIN “palaces / temples” where serene women study Scripture, and names some, such as Deborah the prophetess, Jochebed the mother of Moses, and many others not specifically named.
Among those palaces the text also mentions are the HEIKHALIN D’BANOT BOTKHOTH “Temples / Palaces of the Trustworthy Daughters”—in which abide the four Matriarchs of our faith: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.
From these passages we can glimpse that myriads of dwellings await the righteous in the heavenly worlds beyond this one. In John 14:2, Yeshua’s words emphasized the continued path of revelation we are on even after this life is over: we will grow ever nearer to the One who has so graciously and abundantly provided for us an eternal purpose in His Presence.
Yeshua returned to the notion again in John 14:23 with a wonderful promise for us.
Yeshua returned to the notion again in John 14:23 with a wonderful promise for us.
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Yeshua replied, and said, “He who loves me guards my word, and my Father shall love him, and unto him we come, and a chamber with him we make.” |
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When all of these details are understood and considered, the believer reading the words Yeshua uttered on Passover so long ago can today can be comforted knowing that what awaits us is better than what we leave behind.
In this life we serve Him as best we are able. Amidst the lack in our own selves and the absence of a physical Temple, we live in anticipation of that day we will receive the summons to enter into the intimate reward for our faithfulness here.
The psalmist said it so wonderfully in Psalm 65:5 (4 in most English versions).
The psalmist said it so wonderfully in Psalm 65:5 (4 in most English versions).
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Blessed is he You choose and draw near to dwell in Your courts. We shall be sated by the goodness of Your House—Your holy Temple.
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True blessing means we experience the Presence of the Holy One. Where He abides is where man should be. To stand in the courts of His House—be it earthly or in the heavens—is a state of grace we cannot fathom from fleshly minds.
What more can the believer desire than to be in the Presence of our Maker—sustained by His goodness and delighting in the many mansions He has prepared for His people!
What more can the believer desire than to be in the Presence of our Maker—sustained by His goodness and delighting in the many mansions He has prepared for His people!
All study contents Copyright Jeremy Chance Springfield, except for graphics and images, which are Copyright their respective creators.