John 14: 1-7, I Go to Prepare a Place

Jesus has been speaking to his disciples, telling them how they should live in his absence. Judas has left the room to betray him.

John 14: 1-4, In my Father's house
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

NIV footnotes: in verse 1, "You believe in God" could be a command, "Believe in God."

Jesus prepares to leave but reassures his followers that he has a longterm plan that includes preparing a home for them.  There is a "mansion" in the house of God with lots of rooms....  Jesus explains that he will come back to lead them there, but that they already know the way. This must partially be metaphor; if Jesus plans to die (and rise again) and the disciples will eventually all die, then this House of God is a futuristic place, possibly after the Resurrection of all?

John 14: 5-7, The Way, Truth, Life
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Thomas asks a good question.  "Where are you going?"  The disciples thinks Jesus is going into exile. But Jesus is speaking metaphorically, about an eternal kingdom, of which the path is simply through him.

NIV footnotes: in verse 7 some manuscripts have "If you really knew me, you would know" instead of "will know".