What does this passage mean?

Question

What are the greater things? Why will the faithful do them because god is going to himself? Why does god not do whatever is asked in his name?

[John 14:12-14:14]
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

It really doesn't matter, I'm just curious about how the Christians will rationalize this one.

Answer 1

Keep in mind I am no expert, but that this is what I get out of the passage. The greater things in this passage really aren't necessarily specific achievements. What I believe is being said here is that Jesus performed many miracles and selfless caring acts, but that he was crucified (returned to the father). Jesus did not live a long life as many of us have the opportunity of doing. Therefore we could have much more time and opportunity to do more than even he did while on the earth.

The focus of Jesus coming to earth was to die for our sins and give us the opportunity for redemption. Since our lives aren't focused around such an accomplishment, we should have plenty of time to focus on many other deeds that are selfless and that help others.

The passage indicates God will do anything you ask for in his name. This does not mean God will answer any prayer you ask, though it does mean that anything prayed about that will glorify God will be done. Many times non Christians do not understand how God "allows" suffering or our prayers to go unanswered. When many times what we need in our lives is not what we pray for but rather what we want. Suffering and bad things our brought on by our own actions or inactions.

Answer 2

This passage is when Jesus was talking to His disciples especially Phillip. What Jesus did was raise people from the dead, open the eyes of the b lind, let the lame walk, cast out demons from the mentally insane and feed 5000 with 2 bread loaves and a few fish. Jesus was telling His disciples that they would do greater things than He did because He was ascending into heaven to be with His Father Almighty God.

Now, the greatest miracle is to win a soul to Christ - salvation.
Christians have direct contact with God. When you see a great number come to Christ and receive Jesus as their Savior, then this is a greater miracle than Christ performed with His healing the sick and afflicted and raising the dead to life.

I just asked God to give your salvation as a gift and in Jesus' name I ask for your salvation. If you are a new believer then I ask that you be given thorough Biblical understanding. To give you meat instead of milk; to make you a mature Christian instead of a baby Christian. I asked God to make Himself known to the person who asked this question. Listen - because you will hear from God shortly.

Answer 3

In John 14:12, Jesus obviously had not been crucified yet, so He is talking about His ministry.
He says if you believe in Him, you will do the works that He does.
He is speaking of His ministry, not His miracles.
The miracles were to convict people of His ministry.

Jesus knew His time was coming to an end, and His work would stop.
He said those who believe in Him will do greater works than He.
His ministry was about to stop, and His preaching about His Father was about to stop.

There have been many like Billy Graham who have continued the ministry of Jesus for more years than Jesus was alive.
He has accomplished greater works than Jesus as regards ministry.
There have been many, Moody, Spurgeon, and on and on who ministered more years to more people than Jesus did.

None of these were capable of dying for anothers sins, but I don't think that is what Jesus was talking about.

As to prayer, I think Christians, more than others, are careful of what they ask in prayer.
We ask for wisdom, strength, understanding of His will, the power to reach others for him.
We don't often ask for a million dollars, or other physical needs.
We ask for healing, and often get it.

Although Jesus said whatever you ask in my name, you will receive, we don't want to become a pain to the Lord.
We do not want to test Him.
He has promised to provide for us, and He has done that.
We have no reason to ask for more.

We also have the promise that the Holy Spirit will intercede with God for those things that we do not know what or how to ask.

grace2u

Answer 4

Sigh - You have to read the whole passage. Its about the holy spirit coming. The holy spirit is where we get our gifts.. Prophecy, Teaching, Tongues, Music etc.


9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

Answer 5

It means that whatever we ask in Christ's name that is for our good and for God's glory, will be granted (in God's appointed time). We ask in Christ's name to plead his merit and intercession.

Greater things are the works that we do in Christ (this does not get us into Heaven, it is a sign of our salvation).

The faithful will do them as a sign of our salvation. It's like doing something nice for someone you love

God doesn't do all that is asked in His name, only what is for our good and for His glory (and in His time).

Answer 6

The greater works are spiritual not physical. Christ dealt with the physical healing and natural miracles, but what He was saying that because of what He was going to accomplish on the cross at Calvary they would be able to heal people spiritually and lead them to eternal life, not just physical life. Peter said it this way in 1 Peter 2:24 "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." Here Peter quotes Isaiah and points out that the healing in this day is not physical but spiritual and we are healed from sin and given righteousness. That is a far greater work than a physical healing.

Answer 7

We will reach many more people than Christ did. We have The Baptism in The Holy Spirit, and all The Gifts of The Spirit manifesting in our Lives.

Answer 8

Preaching about the Son of God, praying, laying hands on the sick, feeding the hungry, etc.

Answer 9

The deciples did do great things. They healed the sick and performed maricles. They also raised up churches and saved millions of souls.

Answer 10

the bible is fiction so what does it matter?