Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 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 the Father." — John 14:12 (ASV)

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.

When Christ had gone back to the Father, He opened all heaven's treasures for His people. He bestowed the Spirit of all grace, and so His servants were enabled to do even greater works than He Himself did while He was on the earth.

We cannot add anything to His atonement; that work must forever stand as complete and unique. But there are other forms of service in which He engaged during His earthly ministry, where His servants have gone far beyond Him.

The Lord Jesus Christ never preached a sermon after which three thousand were converted and baptized in one day; to a large extent, He kept His personal ministry within the bounds of Palestine. But, after His resurrection, when the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, then, in the power of the Spirit, greater works than His were accomplished the wide world over.

And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

"My very absence will let loose a greater power than you could have experienced while I was here. You will need more power when I am gone from you, and you will have more. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled. Besides, you will still be able to pray, and prayer will bring you greater blessings than any that I ever gave you."

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. (John 14:12)

While the Master was here in his humiliation, he healed a few poor Jews and raised here and there a dead one, but he purposely veiled the splendor of his godhead.

But now that he has gone up on high, he does greater wonders by his servants than he himself personally did. For he said to a few poor fishermen, "Go and break up the Roman Empire," and they did it.

They preached the gospel, and the gods of the heathen that sat upon their thrones for ages were cast to the moles and the bats.

And there are greater victories yet before the Church of God. You ought not to measure our progress by the past, but believe that greater works than these shall you do, because I go to my Father. (John 14:12)