Questions From Readers

◼ What did Jesus do “to prepare a place” in heaven for his followers?

Shortly before instituting the Lord’s Evening Meal, Jesus told his faithful apostles that he had to go away. He meant, of course, that after he died later that day, he had to go his way to heaven. Peter reacted by asking to be allowed to follow him. Thereupon Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Exercise faith in God, exercise faith also in me. In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.”​—John 14:1-3.

What “abodes” needed to be prepared for the apostles? Some Bible translators have rendered John 14:2 in a way that suggests that Jesus was talking about the apostles’ needing “resting-places” on their way to heaven or their finding various rooms in heaven. Yet, W. E. Vine says about the Greek word involved: “There is nothing in the word to indicate separate compartments in Heaven; neither does it suggest temporary resting-places on the road.” The word means simply a place to abide. So Jesus was promising abiding places in the spiritual heavens where he was going to be with his Father.​—Ephesians 1:20; 1 Peter 1:4; 3:21, 22.

But in what way would Jesus prepare such abodes for his loyal followers? Having died a sacrificial death, Jesus went to heaven to present before God the value of his lifeblood. This would first benefit those who would be called to be joint heirs of heavenly life. The apostle Paul wrote: “Christ entered, not into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.” (Hebrews 9:12, 24-28; Romans 6:5; 8:17) So when Jesus told the apostles that he was going to “prepare a place for” them, he certainly would have in mind his ‘appearing before the person of God for’ them. Only after he did that could they or other humans follow him to heaven.​—Philippians 3:20, 21.

Did Jesus have to do other things to prepare a place for them? In time, he would assume kingly power and would war against Satan, casting him and his demons out of heaven. (Revelation 12:7-9) This would occur prior to the start of the heavenly resurrection of the apostles and other anointed ones sleeping in death. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) Whether Jesus’ comment about ‘preparing a place for’ his followers included his casting Satan out of heaven, we cannot say.

Moreover, we do not know if Jesus had other assignments that had to do with preparing a place in heaven for anointed Christians. Yet, at least we can be sure that Jesus did prepare the way for his anointed followers by presenting to God the value of his “precious blood.” (1 Peter 1:19) On the basis of that blood, the new covenant was established between Jehovah God and spirit-anointed Christians.