Spiritual reading of John 14:2

[Chaldean_Rite]

Using the four senses of scripture is clearly the best way to read and interpret scripture. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, all spiritual interpretations ( moral, allegorical, and anagogical) must be built on the literal sense.

With this in mind, let us begin:
John 14:2
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
I would say that in the literal sense, this is Heaven, the dwelling place of the Holy Trinity. Anyone disagree?

Now, in the anagogical sense, the sense that applies to the Church, the “house of God” is the Church militant. Now since God has only ONE CHURCH, the dwelling places is the item I wish to give meaning too.

I would continue to argue that the many dwelling places could be interpreted as the various Traditions and Rites within Church. Any thoughts?

And, as a side note, this is further evidence that the Orthodox Church is not the Church Christ established since Orthodoxy is basically one tradition: Constantinopolitan. Contrasted with the 23 sui juris Churches in Catholicism.

 

[tobinatorstark]

Here is from the Haydock Bible Commentary

Ver. 2. In my Father’s house. He does not say of your Father: for though God be the Father of all by creation, and of the just, by the grace of adoption; yet Christ in several places, calls him his Father, in a quite different sense, that is, as he was his eternal Father, as the ancient interpreters observe. (Witham) — These many mansions signify different degrees of glory in heaven. (St. Jerome, lib. ii. adv. Jovin.)

I think this maybe what you are figureing it to be

 

[Sir_Anthony]

certainly you can look at that passage like that chaldeanrite, if you so choose, though reading and re-reading the passage (mind you in english, not the original greek), I would probably say that it is purely speaking of the Kingdom of God in Heaven, not on Earth. Jesus speaks in the coming verses of preparing the rooms for them and coming back for the apostles, which foreshadows the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus but also the martyrdom of all of the apostles except ironically the one writing the gospel, John.

 

[mardukm]

Dear brother Chaldean Rite,

Using the four senses of scripture is clearly the best way to read and interpret scripture. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, all spiritual interpretations ( moral, allegorical, and anagogical) must be built on the literal sense.

With this in mind, let us begin:
John 14:2
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
I would say that in the literal sense, this is Heaven, the dwelling place of the Holy Trinity. Anyone disagree?

Now, in the anagogical sense, the sense that applies to the Church, the “house of God” is the Church militant. Now since God has only ONE CHURCH, the dwelling places is the item I wish to give meaning too.

I would continue to argue that the many dwelling places could be interpreted as the various Traditions and Rites within Church. Any thoughts?

And, as a side note, this is further evidence that the Orthodox Church is not the Church Christ established since Orthodoxy is basically one tradition: Constantinopolitan. Contrasted with the 23 sui juris Churches in Catholicism.

I think there are only 7 - 9 verses in all of Scripture that the Catholic Church has infallibly defined to hold a certain interpretation. The verse you are studying isn’t one of them (IIRC). I like your intrepretation. Your allegorical interpretation is certainly worthy of the spirit of the School of Alexandria. But as you are Chaldean, it would probably be worthwhile for you to give heed to the method of your own Traditional School of Antioch, which would give Scripture a more grammatical and literal interpretation.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[ryanoneil]

Jesus used a similar expression (my Father’s house) for the Jerusalem Temple.

and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” (John 2:16)

So, this is definately a hint that the Father’s house is a heavenly sanctuary similar to the Temple, which has several courts and chambers.

 

[ronyodish]

Chaldean Rite,

Here is a brief commentary on John 14:2 given by Mar Isho’dad of Merv, a Father of our Church of the East:

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In my Father’s house are many mansions; He calls mansions the abundance and the constant rests; because all rests and enjoyments are ours in dwellings (The Commentaries of Isho’dad of Merv, Vol. I, Ed./Trans. by Gibson).​

I think Isho’dad would agree that the Father’s house is a reference to heaven or paradise. He sees the mansions or rooms or places as rests and enjoyments that the saints experience in their dwelling with God. He doesn’t go any further in his commentary of this verse.

By the way, though my preference is to stick with Isho’dad’s interpretation of this verse, I do also like the interpretation of the Father’s house as a reference to the universal Church, and that the places can refer to the various cultures and traditions in the Church.

God bless,

Rony