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THOSE GREATER WORKS

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 8, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 6.

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THOSE GREATER WORKS.

By G.

NOTWITHSTANDING the great works that Jesus did in the world, He designed that greater works should be done after His departure from earth. The question is often asked, Where have the greater works been done than He did? The question implies a measure of skepticism, which grows out of the idea that physical miracles constitute the climax of great work. It is this mistaken notion that leads to the ambition to do "wonderful works" (Matt. 7:21-23), or something that will appear as such to the world.
No one has done greater miracles than Jesus did; but this was not all that He did that was great, nor were His miracles His greatest work. But in the eyes of the world, and even in the minds of the disciples at that time, the miracles that Jesus did gave Him His greatest prominence.
While the people "wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth," the masses were inclined to run after Him because of the miracles. "A great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased." John 6:2. "And many of the people believed on Him, and said, When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this man hath done?" John 7:31.
It was for the reason that the people were captivated by His miracles rather than by the more important truth which He preached, that when He told them of spiritual things even "His disciples murmured," and many of them "went back, and walked no more with Him." See John 6:53-65.
On the night of His betrayal, after the institution of the new ordinances, Jesus told His disciples that He would go away. They were sorely troubled about it, and He proceeded to show them that it would be much better in every way for Him to go. Amongst other assurances was the one that the great works would not cease. This was apparently a matter of their deepest concern. Altho they had been enabled to work miracles in His name, even to casting out devils, they had been confronted with at least one case in which they were defeated. They had no idea that they could do anything with Jesus away, where they could not have tangible access to Him in case of emergency.
So He gave them this assurance: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father." Now, what did His going to the Father have to do with it?"I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth." They had not imbibed the truth from Christ as they should have done, neither had the masses received the truth, which would have enabled Jesus to have done a far greater work than any that He had done. Because His words, which were spirit and life to all who would receive them, were ignored, His manifest work was mostly confined to the miracles which He did. Those were practically all that were recognized as great, and all that were appreciated. Therefore this Spirit of truth, which was to abide forever with the church, would enable Christ's followers, from that time forward, to do greater works—more extensive works—in the salvation of souls than ever had been done.
For this reason Jesus said it was expedient that He should go away, giving this very good reason: "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." Then He tells what the Comforter—the Spirit of truth—will do: "He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment," and "He will guide you [believers] into all truth."
So it was by this means that greater works were to be done by the disciples after Christ went to the Father than had been done by Him personally when on earth. In other words, it is Christ that does all the work under any circumstances (John 15:5), and He could do more through His Spirit working in His disciples throughout the world than He could as an individual in one locality at one time, with the people interested only in outward manifestations of power.
Therefore, the work of the Spirit on the hearts of the people, being of vastly greater importance than physical miracles, it is evident that it was the works of the Spirit, through His disciples, to which Christ alluded when He said, "Greater works than these [miracles] shall he [the believer] do; because I go unto My Father." This is further evident from the fact that when He ascended He gave spiritual gifts to His disciples. Eph. 4:7, 8, 11-13; 1 Cor. 12:4-11. It is true that the working of miracles was among them, but not by any means the most important.
That the greater works, to be accomplished by the power of the Spirit, consist in the conversion of sinners, is shown by the first-fruits of the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The result on that occasion was not a multitude of bodily healings, etc., but the conversion of three thousand souls. Here was a greater result than anything the Lord had done during His personal ministry. And it is this greatest of all earthly works that He wants His disciples to engage in, by the help of the Holy Spirit, to the end of human probation.