John 14:12, commentary and pictures

Believers in Christ will continue his work and carry it further than his earthly ministry reached. Greater does not mean more exalted or miraculous by human power, but wider in reach, spreading from Judea to all nations through teaching, preaching, convicting of sin and compassionate ministry. This is possible because his departure to the Father opens the way for his intercession in heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit to work through his followers. The promise belongs to living faith that trusts his word, asks in his name, loves him by keeping his commandments, and surrenders self to be filled with the Spirit. It was fulfilled at Pentecost when the empowered disciples won thousands, and it stands for the church to the end of time calling for wholehearted service in partnership with divine power.

Setting and Occasion

The promise was given to the eleven alone in the upper chamber after Judas had left, on the eve of the crucifixion, to comfort disciples whose hearts were troubled because He had told them He would leave them and be crucified. It was precious light spoken near the close of His earthly ministry with a cruel death before Him, bringing comfort, courage and hope. He was about to close His work on earth and return to His Father, and He understood their feelings at losing their beloved Master. He knew the bitterest cup His humanity must drink was about to be held to His lips, and He knew the result to them as well as to Himself.

His three years of labor had been to prepare them for the trials soon to open before them, and forgetting Himself and His suffering He sought to comfort His sorrowing disciples and strengthen them. He knew the trials that would come to His church through unconverted believers, and that their faith and courage would be severely tried. His words belong to the encouragement and hope of John 14-16, imparting courage to stand fast in the most trying hour, and as long as time lasts they bring strength and assurance to the true believer who studies them, that they might endure without failing. Though He knew the terrible ordeal awaiting Him, His thoughts were not of Himself but were comfort and consolation. This solemn instruction before the crucifixion was for all who live in the last days, making them aware of His purposes and plans to strengthen them for future trials and temptations and for conflict and affliction from the world, mingling warning of hatred and trial with the bright hope of the Comforter and their cooperation with the Holy Spirit as His faithful witnesses.

The words are so simple that all, even children, may understand them, yet they plainly outline God's will for those who minister in word and doctrine concerning the genuine missionary work to be done by those acquainted with present truth. God means just what He says, and it is the privilege of ministers to believe this and every verse in John 13-17 and to live them out before their fellow ministers, for those chapters need careful study and earnest practice as specified duties to be lived out as a witness to the world of God's love and salvation. John 14 deepens His lessons for all generations, and its words bring hope, encouragement, peace and a fuller view of God's love and a fuller view of His love when the Holy Spirit writes them on the heart and applies them, rather than their being read as mere words. Receiving the Word requires the human will, divine power cooperates with it, and as its light is shared understanding grows. Those words are not heeded when people engage in unkind talk and pass judgment.

The wider chapter expresses the will of God in regard to His people and contains the divine antidote for sin and for the sin of the whole world. It shows Him carrying on the great process by which believers are made one with Him in this present life to be one with Him throughout all eternity. It teaches that He was going away to prepare mansions and would come again to receive believers unto Himself where He is, revealing the love of God which passes knowledge and calling believers to expect His soon coming. Its instruction is meant to cure dissension and is presented as the remedy for dissension. When lived out in practical daily life it produces unity with one another and with Christ, giving strength to withstand Satan's attacks and to stand the test instead of weakness.

The speaker is the only-begotten Son who came to suffer and die for the human family because the law could not be abolished. Before telling of the approaching separation He pointed them to the great object of His mission, which He kept ever before Him. His joy was that all His humiliation and suffering would glorify the Father's name, and to this He first directed their thoughts.

Meaning of Greater Works

The promise is to be taken exactly as it reads, without doubt or unbelief. Everyone who believes and trusts in Christ will have with them the same Spirit that was with Christ, enabling them to do the works Christ did and even greater works, because Christ has gone to His Father. Belief in Jesus rests on His promises and is the condition for receiving eternal life. The promise belongs to believers now and is claimed in faith as a source of confidence that God will act as He has said, producing trust in God and the truth so that He can reveal His power through them. Believers are therefore not left without power, and faith is shown by good works, with power and grace received from Christ enabling them to work the works of God, taking no credit to themselves for there is nothing good in human beings and all glory belongs to God.

Greater does not mean more exalted in character, power, or miraculous exertion by human ability, but greater in scope, reach, extent, magnitude and result. His personal ministry was largely confined to Judea, while the believers' work, empowered by the Holy Spirit, would spread the message among people of all nations. His departure to the Father makes possible works greater in extent than those He did during His earthly ministry, and calls believers to active service with God-given responsibilities to bring others to Christ. Jesus revealed no qualities and exercised no powers that His followers cannot receive through faith if they submit to God as He did, for His divinity united with humanity showed God's glory and restoring power.

The works include all that the Holy Spirit accomplishes through believers, not miracle-working only. They encompass teaching and witness, preaching fulfilled prophecies and God's love by which multitudes believe, convicting of sin, righteousness and judgment, awakening conscience, leading to regret for guilt and seeking salvation, and compassionate answers to prayer in which the natural works together with the supernatural. After the Spirit came the disciples bore witness to Christ in the Spirit's power and thousands were converted. This compelling work is not force but the effect of Christ's grace working through believers whose faith bears love, kindness, tenderness and sympathy, communicating divine energy through those controlled by the Spirit and showing the boundless reach of God's resources made possible by Christ's going to the Father and sending the Comforter.

The work is done in His name and through His power, continuing the same line He carried forward when with them. Their teaching, special doctrines and words of trust assure all that they do their works not by their own power, and their humility does not lessen their influence but increases it by carrying the minds of hearers from the men to the unseen Majesty of heaven still working and performing miracles upon the suffering and diseased. In this humility they direct hearers away from themselves and toward Christ, who continued to work unseen, showing by teaching and deeds that their power and influence came from Him. So humbling themselves they declare that the Man the Jews crucified is the Prince of Life, the Son of the living God.

By this believers become laborers together with God and channels through whom heaven's treasures reach the world. While Christ carries on His work of intercession and atonement in heaven, His church on earth carries forward the work He began and exemplifies His life and character in word, spirit and action. These works include proclaiming the truths of God's kingdom and winning people to Christ, and their Christlike character and the souls they lead to Him bring praise and thanksgiving to God. Christ going to the Father means His interceding work where the threshold of heaven is flushed with the glory of God to shine on every soul opening heavenward, where as prayers of sincere and contrite ones ascend He takes their sins, asks the Father to let them stand innocent, and fills hearts with glorious light, truth and love.

Going to the Father

Because he goes to the Father, his departure and ascension are not cause for mourning or disappointment but enable the work and bring its promised help. Those who accept and practice his teachings by faith will do the works he did and greater works because he goes to the Father. His going is linked to the disciples' joy and to the coming of the Comforter, who reproves the world of sin, righteousness and judgment and remains with believers.

Going to the Father means his interceding work in heaven as Advocate, Mediator and Intercessor, where he answers petitions made in his name so that wonderful results follow through the gifts he promised. He stands before the Father pleading on behalf of believers, having ascended with his humanity still joined to his divinity and standing at the head of humanity to work with every soul that will be worked. As the prayers of sincere and contrite ones ascend he takes their sins, asks the Father to let them stand innocent, places his virtues to their account, and fills their hearts with glorious light, truth and love. By this work the threshold of heaven is flushed with the glory of God to shine on every soul that opens the windows of the soul heavenward, and he puts his Spirit into every heart that will accept it, which makes it possible for believers to do his works and greater works. This is hope and cause for rejoicing, calling believers to trust him as little children trust parents.

He goes to the Father to intercede and to send his own representative, the Holy Spirit, to attend believers in their work. The Spirit does not appear in human form but is seen and recognized by faith by all who believe. By faith they know his presence and represent him after his personal presence is removed. The Spirit enables disciples to understand and remember his words, giving them assurance to speak of him, bear witness before the world, live in obedience and living testimony, reveal the truth to others, and carry the work forward to completion.

From the Father's throne he ministers help and gives strength to those who seek him sincerely, enabling them to overcome and do his will. The Father dwelling in him does the works, and those works give reason to believe in him. The Father and the Son cooperate for greater things, and the surrounding promise connects these works with asking in his name so that the Father is glorified in the Son. His path of suffering and temptation led to the Father and made it possible for humanity to be accepted with God and for the world to be saved.

Believers are therefore not left without power or as orphans, for through his heavenly advocacy and intercession and through the Spirit he dwells in each believer and his followers represent him in word and action. Heaven is closely connected with earth, with God manifesting himself to those who believe in the power of truth as he does not to the world. Jesus is with them even when no minister is present, and with Christ dwelling in them and his power joined to their efforts they labor to save sinners. When people draw near to God he draws near to them, and when anyone takes a step toward Jesus he advances toward them. For this reason believers are not to depend on human beings for spiritual help or think they are stranded when ministers leave, but to hang their helpless souls on Christ, look to God as children look to an earthly father, believe he loves them and will help them as promised, follow ministers into the field with prayers, and find confidence, trust and reliance with Christ as the foundation of faith.

Conditions for the Promise

The believing that receives the promise is living faith in Christ as the only-begotten Son and personal Saviour, trusting His pledged word and acting on it through His grace and power. It is faith that believes God's promises are yes and amen in Christ, cultivates faith under every circumstance, brings it into practical life, and holds that without such faith it is impossible to please God. This faith works through love and purifies the soul, is shown in works Christ approves, and gives reason to come to Him as we are for pardon and grace, to put Him on, and to rejoice in Him as pure, holy and obedient.

Whatever is asked in His name He will do, so that the Father is glorified in the Son, and the promise of doing His works and greater works is joined to that assurance of answered prayer. Those who ask in faith receive grace and power for the work, and with the key of faith may unlock God's storehouse and receive more than they ask or think. The promise belongs to believing Christians rather than doubters, enabling them to show Christ's compassion in much larger measure instead of doubting like Thomas and Philip, who did not manifest faith in the Word nor discern His divine character. By this faith believers gain victories through prayer and have confidence in the great advantage of the Comforter He promises.

The promise is conditioned on love proved by keeping His commandments, for without keeping them one is not God's child, and merely professing to keep them is no evidence of keeping them. Those who love Him keep His sayings, receive the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, to abide forever and be in them, know that Christ is in the Father and they in Him and He in them, and are loved by the Father with Christ manifested to them. Obedience is the Bible test for those who have received light, including the Sabbath Christ Himself kept, and His works do not excuse disobedience to God's law. Those who are doers of the Word, loving God with all strength, cherishing love and loving one another as Christ loved, give evidence they are believers and in confidence lay hold on the promises, remaining in vital union to bear fruit, continuing in His love, valuing truth and bearing living testimony to carry His work to completion.

Ministers in word and doctrine need conversion, for God means just what He says and it is their privilege to believe every verse in John 13-17 and live them out before fellow ministers in genuine missionary work. Ministers and members need God's converting power before they can strengthen others or work effectively at home, in neighborhoods and in the church, and even those who have sinned are enabled to serve if they repent and ask in faith. The disciples fulfilled the pattern at Pentecost when they waited in Jerusalem, prayed, put away bitterness, estrangement and differences, and when emptied of self were filled with the Holy Spirit and given power. Believing means full surrender and consecration in His service with living faith and right relation to God, while unconsecrated lives, unbelief, want of consecration and Satan's control of mind and body leave little done, prevent Christ from working, cause spiritual loss, and leave the church scarcely testing the strength of His promises.

Everyone who believes and lays hold of His imputed righteousness until it becomes part of the being will work the works of God, and that indwelling righteousness by faith is holiness, uprightness and purity consisting of love, forbearance, meekness and all Christian virtues. Believers are imparted the divine nature, receive moral power to overcome corruption and the adversary, escape worldly corruption, and are given power to keep the commandments from love and to enter the city of God. Following Him means more than copying outward actions; it means living in purity, self-denial, meekness and love, with the Holy Spirit resting on the believer and Jesus in the heart, which is the way to labor successfully wherever one is. Through His life of prayer, self-denial and battle with temptation He is equipped to help the tempted, and through His sacrifice as substitute and surety and His resurrection believers are justified, sanctified, made pure, given godliness and eternal life, enabled to live in fellowship with God and rejoice in the Lord while drawing others to salvation.

Fulfillment in Early Church

After he returned to the Father the promise was fulfilled when the disciples waited in Jerusalem in prayer, putting away bitterness, estrangement and differences until they were emptied of self, and the Holy Spirit then filled them and gave them power with greater efficiency than before. Under that influence hearts were melted by their words and prayers, blinded eyes were opened, and thousands were converted, repented, were baptized and joined the church. What they did was greater in scope than before his death, for having seen fulfilled all that was foretold of him — his trial in the judgment hall, his rejection and his death on Calvary — they spoke in the Spirit's power out of love for him and for those for whom he died.

Empowered in this way they bore firm, bold testimony that could not be controverted that he who had lived among them is the Son of the infinite God and the divine Messiah. They declared him glorified by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob after being delivered up, denied before Pilate, denied as the Holy One and the Just, and killed as the Prince of life, then raised from the dead and made the head of the corner, with salvation in no other name under heaven and eternal life offered through his death and resurrection. They proclaimed in his name and through his power, not their own, that the crucified man is the Prince of life and the Son of the living God, and their humility carried the minds of hearers from the men to the unseen Majesty still working through them. That witness was given with great power and boldness under the Holy Spirit, in oneness of heart and soul with all things in common, keeping the new commandment to love one another as he had loved them, and relying on the Spirit to dispel darkness and lead many to testify to the mercy, goodness and love of the crucified and risen Saviour.

His few years of labor among the Jews laid the foundation for that wider work by setting forth the object of his mission to set souls free from sin and by instructing his disciples to go to those outside with the message of a Saviour's love. Though his personal ministry was largely confined to Judea, people from all nations had listened to his preaching, and the scenes of his suffering and death witnessed by large numbers at the Passover, together with his resurrection and ascension, would be spread by witnesses from Jerusalem to all parts of the world. The disciples then reaped his seed-sowing with added power and effectiveness, remembering his lessons and expressing God's thought in language as infallible as the Ten Commandments as they proclaimed him the crucified and risen Saviour and Advocate at God's throne. In this the Father and Son cooperated to do greater things for his people than had been seen while he was among them, revealing the mystery hidden through the ages and carrying the work forward from generation to generation in lessons of practical service.

The promise first spoken to the disciples belongs to the church to the end of time and is meant to produce great results, not insignificant ones, for all who go to work trusting not in what they can do themselves but in what God can do for and through them. Obedient believers who meet its conditions receive divine help and gain victories through prayer in his name, while as their Advocate before the Father he answers petitions made in his name so that the Father is glorified in the Son. These greater works than yet witnessed are carried forward through persevering, tender, compassionate, prayerful, loving labor for the salvation of others, with the Holy Spirit working through human agents. Those who follow him in companionship are therefore not to stop as though there is no more knowledge to gain, for they have seen only glimmerings of divine glories; like workers on the surface of a mine with rich golden ore beneath, they must keep digging deeper and still deeper, and toilsome effort will be rewarded with glorious treasure.

Living the Promise Today

The promise calls believers to active service with all their abilities, listening to Christ, doing His works and laboring for souls in simplicity of life and speech without seeking eloquence or honor. Because He goes to the Father, those who trust Him will do His works and greater works in extent, pressing forward in obedience and winning souls for Him. This means entering neglected fields with the saving gospel, which requires talent, the influence Christ gives, and means, joined to asking in His name so the Father is glorified in the Son. It is a life of daily self-denial, prayer and doing good as the Light of the world, taking up God-given responsibilities to warn the world and bring others to Christ.

Those filled with the Spirit become true representatives of Christ in word, in spirit and in action, proved most clearly when severely tested and tried. Viewing the Saviour and becoming acquainted with Him, the believer is assimilated to His image and does the works He did, receiving His words, practicing His principles, and seeking to act and speak as He would in every circumstance. The indwelling Spirit transforms natural and inherited traits so that grace is active and Christ's likeness is revealed, overcoming a hasty spirit to become tenderhearted, with the heart purified and made alive to do His works. Success in this work is proportional to the purity of piety, calling every true believer to strive with all God-given powers to reach the full stature of men and women in Christ, seeking His fullness and attaining perfection of character as witnesses for truth and righteousness until complete in Him by creation and redemption.

These works include proclaiming the truths of God's kingdom and winning people to Christ, becoming channels through whom heaven's treasures reach the world so that Christlike character and souls won bring praise to God. Empowered by His return to the Father, followers reveal to the world God's love in giving His Son that believers may have everlasting life, bringing Christ's teachings with sympathy, tenderness and love to resist evil and show a life unlike the world's selfishness. Through grace revealed in the Word they carry a message that transforms sinners, seeking out the unconverted, speaking to them about Christ, keeping Him in view, and warning against departing from the plain commands of the word of life which they search, share and teach. They share in carrying forward the present-truth work and give the third angel's message in deeds of ministry, not uniting with the world but holding to Bible principles and standing for Him in every circumstance, serving despised people including through practical education in reading, farming and trades.

Ministry succeeds only through partnership of divine power and human effort, with God working in and empowering the worker while the worker bears responsibility to act and to seek the power provided. As Christ looked to the Father, His ministers depend wholly on God as instruments through whom every good is accomplished by His power, with living faith shown in works He approves. After His ascension He continues the work through believers, doing the work in them as they walk in the light and trust His word with simple, active faith that claims what God has said. Through the Holy Spirit He makes them blessings to the church greater than stars are to the world, giving them light to reflect and enabling His light to shine through them to the world.

The chapter brings comfort, courage, hope and confidence that God will act as He said, joining the promise to asking in His name which He will answer so the Father is glorified in the Son. Its instruction before His humiliation and suffering is to be received by living faith, shaking off indifference, working for one's own soul and for others, and using the truth to enlighten those who do not understand its value, responding with cheerfulness, gratitude, wholehearted service and obedience that shares His joy. Unbelief prevents His working, and claims that spiritualist manifestations exceed His works do not prove them divine but are used to draw attention from Christ and diminish His life. Physicians and missionaries who work with God in faith may rely on Him who conquered death while bearing humanity as Chief Physician and source of life, relieving suffering, serving others and even prolonging life to glorify His name.