• Home
  • Studies
  • Gospels in Harmony – “Greater Works Than These Shall He/Us Do”

Gospels in Harmony – “Greater Works Than These Shall He/Us Do”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Gospels In Harmony – “Greater Works Than These Shall He/We Do” – John 14:1-31

[Study Aired November 30, 2021]

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 
Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 
Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 
Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 
Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 
Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. 
Joh 14:12  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. 
Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 
Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 
Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 
Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 
Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 
Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. 
Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 
Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 
Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 
Joh 14:28  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 
Joh 14:29  And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 
Joh 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 
Joh 14:31  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. 

Our last study ended with Christ telling the disciples they would deny him. The disciples all said they would never deny Christ. He then had them prepare themselves for upcoming events.

Mat 26:31  Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 
Mat 26:32  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 
Mat 26:33  Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 
Mat 26:34  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
Mat 26:35  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 

Luk 22:35  And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. 
Luk 22:36  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 
Luk 22:37  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 
Luk 22:38  And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

In this study Christ comforts the disciples, describing what must be done to prepare for the next stage in their journey into the kingdom of God.

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

This is a great comfort if we understand what Christ is saying. Here is the explanation.

1Jn 5:9-13 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Christ is telling us that the life of the Father is in Him, and He is preparing us to have this same life within us.

Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Christ tells the disciples he must go away in order to prepare a place in the Father’s house. What does this mean to “prepare a place (mansion) for you”?

G3438 “Mansion” appears only twice in the New Testament.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: (G3438) if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode (G3438) with him.

The preparation of the “mansion” is the preparation of God’s dwelling place and a way of life given to us to act out. At this stage in our walk, we cannot understand this saying as Thomas and Phillip demonstrate.

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Thomas is thinking carnally and cannot know where Christ is going. We all think Christ and the Father are dwelling “out there” somewhere in the heavens. We all desire to see Christ and the Father with our physical eyes, but that is not what he is explaining to the disciples.

Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 
Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 
Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. 

Once again, here is the definition of mansion.

Christ says he is going away to prepare a “place” and now he adds to that “work” being done in him.

Joh 14:12  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. 
Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

“Greater works than these shall he (we) do.” The believer will do greater works than Christ? How is this possible? Are we able to turn water into wine? Are we able to heal the sick, blind, dumb and lame? Can we bring people back from the dead? If we are not able to do these things, then how can Christ say we will do greater works than him?

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The “Spirit of truth” will come to us and cause us to do these things that are greater. There is a qualifier mentioned before this can take place and it is repeated in the following verses.

Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 
Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

For us to see Christ and the Father we must keep his commandments and love him. This is the “act” of G3438.

This act is not our act, of course. It is the Father working in us through Christ.

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 

The disciples continue to ask how these things are going to happen.

Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode (G3438) with him. 
Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

Once again Christ explains it is the Father doing the work through him to make known the “the way, the truth and the life” where we will make an abode with them.

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 
Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 
Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 
Joh 14:28  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 
Joh 14:29  And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. 
Joh 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 
Joh 14:31  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. 

“The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The Comforter, which is the spirit of the Father that has made an “abode” (mansion) in Christ, is now being promised to “abide” in us. For this to happen in us, we must “keep his commandments”, “love him and the Father”, and “keep his sayings”. So here are the questions asked earlier in our study.

The believer will do greater works than Christ? How is this possible? Are we able to turn water into wine? Are we able to heal the sick, blind, dumb and lame? Can we bring people back from the dead? If we are not able to do these things, then how can Christ say we will do greater works than him?

The “greater works” Christ tells us we will do are not the physical miracles he did during his ministry. The “greater works” are spiritual, and they are greater than any physical work that can be done. In order to do these works, we must love and do the sayings that the Father has given to Christ to give to us. The Lord’s supper which the disciples just experienced, the eating of Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood, give us the ability to do these “greater works”. John chapter 6 explains why.

Joh 6:48-65 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

We are given the ability to heal the sick, cause the blind to see, give hearing to the deaf, have the lame walk, and give life to the dead because we are given the spirit of the Father by Christ. He is preparing our mansions and causing us to abide with them.

Ecc 4:1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

Lam 1:8-17 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward. Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day. The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Other related posts