John 14:12 - Greater Works Shall He Do
“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.”
Introduction
John 14:12 contains one of the remarkable promises Jesus gave to His disciples shortly before His crucifixion. Jesus was preparing them for His departure, yet He did not tell them that His work on earth would simply come to an end when He returned to the Father.
Instead, Christ declared that those who believe on Him would continue His works, and He said, “greater works than these shall he do.”
This does not mean that believers become greater than Jesus. Jesus Himself gives the reason these works would continue:
“Because I go unto my Father.”
His departure to the Father would lead to the sending of the Holy Ghost. The earthly ministry of Jesus would no longer be confined to His physical presence in one geographical location. Through the Holy Ghost, the gospel would be carried by His disciples from Jerusalem into the nations.
The book of Acts demonstrates this expansion.
Jesus ascended, the Holy Ghost was poured out, the disciples received power, the gospel was preached, sinners repented, the sick were healed, demons were cast out, churches were established, and the message of Jesus Christ spread beyond Israel into the Gentile world.
The works continued because Christ continued His work through His people by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Historical and Biblical Background
John chapters 13–17 contain Jesus' final extended teaching to His disciples before His arrest.
Jesus had already told them that He was going away.
John 13:33 (KJV)
“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me…”
The disciples were troubled by this announcement.
Therefore John 14 begins:
John 14:1 (KJV)
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
Jesus was preparing His disciples for a major transition.
They had walked with Him physically. They had watched Him heal the sick, cleanse lepers, cast out devils, raise the dead, teach the Word of God, forgive sins, and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
Now He was telling them that He was leaving.
Naturally, they could have wondered:
What will happen to the work when Jesus leaves?
John 14:12 answers that question.
The work would continue.
But Jesus would soon explain how.
The Promise of the Holy Ghost
Only a few verses after John 14:12, Jesus said:
John 14:16–17 (KJV)
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth…”
Jesus' departure was directly connected with the coming ministry of the Holy Ghost.
Later Jesus said:
John 16:7 (KJV)
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”
Therefore the promise of John 14:12 should not be separated from the promise of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus went to the Father.
The Holy Ghost was poured out.
The disciples received power.
The gospel began spreading throughout the world.
“He That Believeth on Me”
Notice that Jesus begins with faith:
“He that believeth on me…”
The works Jesus describes are connected to relationship with Him.
Christian ministry is not merely religious activity. The believer's work flows from faith in Christ, dependence upon Christ, and obedience to Christ.
Jesus would later say:
John 15:5 (KJV)
“I am the vine, ye are the branches… for without me ye can do nothing.”
Therefore John 14:12 must never be interpreted as though believers operate independently from Christ.
We do not replace Christ.
We represent Christ.
We do not possess power independently from Him.
We depend upon Him.
“The Works That I Do Shall He Do Also”
What works did Jesus perform?
Jesus preached the Kingdom.
He taught God's Word.
He healed the sick.
He delivered those oppressed by devils.
He showed compassion.
He called sinners to repentance.
He revealed the Father.
He brought hope to the broken.
He proclaimed liberty.
When Jesus sent His disciples into ministry, He authorized them to participate in Kingdom work.
Luke 9:1–2 (KJV)
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”
The disciples were not merely spectators of Jesus' ministry.
They were being trained to continue proclaiming the Kingdom after His departure.
“Greater Works Than These Shall He Do”
The phrase “greater works” should be understood carefully.
Jesus was not declaring that His disciples would become greater than their Lord. Nor does Scripture suggest that believers would accomplish a work greater than Christ's death, resurrection, and redemptive mission.
The context emphasizes what would happen after Jesus returned to the Father.
Consider Pentecost.
Acts 2:41 (KJV)
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Through Peter's preaching, approximately three thousand people responded in one day.
Then the gospel continued spreading.
Jerusalem.
Judaea.
Samaria.
The Gentile world.
Jesus had already told them:
Acts 1:8 (KJV)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The greater works therefore include the extraordinary expansion of Christ's Kingdom work through Spirit-empowered believers after His glorification.
One Jesus walked the roads of Galilee and Judaea during His earthly ministry.
After Pentecost, His witnesses carried His gospel into nation after nation.
“Because I Go Unto My Father”
This statement is the key to understanding the entire verse.
Jesus did not say:
“Greater works will happen because believers become powerful in themselves.”
He said:
“Because I go unto my Father.”
His return to the Father would precede the sending of the Holy Ghost.
Peter explained this on the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:33 (KJV)
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
Pentecost was evidence that the exalted Christ was continuing His work from heaven through His Spirit-filled people.
Observations
Jesus expected His work to continue after His ascension. His physical departure did not mean the termination of His ministry on earth.
The promise is connected to believing in Christ. Ministry begins with relationship and faith, not merely activity.
Believers remain dependent upon Jesus. John 15:5 prevents us from interpreting John 14:12 as independent human power.
The Holy Ghost empowers the Church. John 14:16–17, John 16:7, and Acts 1:8 provide essential context for understanding the promise.
The book of Acts demonstrates the continuation of Christ's work. Preaching, healing, deliverance, conversion, discipleship, and supernatural manifestations continued after Jesus ascended.
The gospel expanded geographically. What began in Jerusalem spread throughout the Roman world and ultimately into nations far beyond the world of the apostles.
The glory belongs to Christ. The believer is the vessel; Christ remains the source.
Personal Application
John 14:12 challenges me not to become a spectator in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus did not save me merely so that I could observe what other believers are doing. I have been called to believe Him, obey Him, bear witness to Him, pray, serve, minister to others, and allow the Holy Ghost to work through my life according to God's will.
I must also guard myself against attempting spiritual work through human strength.
Jesus said:
“Without me ye can do nothing.”
Therefore my question should not simply be:
“What great thing can I do for God?”
A better question is:
“Lord, what do You desire to accomplish through my life?”
My responsibility is to remain connected to Christ, filled with His Word, yielded to the
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