You Will Do Greater Works Than Jesus – John 14:12 Explained
What Did Jesus Mean When He Said We Will Do Greater Works Than He Did?
In John 14:12 Jesus makes a profound statement. He said “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”.
Jesus walked on water. He fed thousands with a single loaf of bread. He healed the sick and raised the dead. His miracles were nothing short of astounding. But when Jesus said we would do greater works than He did, He wasn’t talking about signs and wonders—or even about human accomplishments.
He was talking about love.
To Jesus, love is the greatest work of all.
Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13—a powerful chapter that puts everything into perspective:
“If I speak in tongues, prophesy, understand all mysteries, have mountain-moving faith, or give everything I own to the poor—but have not love—I gain nothing.” (paraphrased from verses 1–3)
Paul then describes love in its truest form:
Love is patient, love is kind… it always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
And then he concludes:
“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (verse 13)
Sure, love can inspire great works. But don’t let anyone convince you that Jesus meant miracles when He spoke of “greater works.” Miracles may grab attention—but love transforms hearts.
As Acts 17:25 reminds us:
“God is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything.”
Sometimes, the most powerful act of love is as simple as showing patience to someone who doesn’t deserve it. And in God’s eyes, that quiet act of love is greater than any miracle.
Let’s circle back to John 14, where Jesus promises that those who believe in Him “will do even greater works” than He did (v. 12). Just three verses later, He adds a crucial statement: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (v. 15).
Some teachers claim these “commandments” are the entire Mosaic Law, implying that true love for Jesus means flawless performance and sinless living. But John’s Gospel never mentions the Law here, and Jesus is not telling us to prove our love by perfect rule-keeping or sheer willpower. He says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”—not by trying harder, but because His life in us naturally produces love.
What are these commandments? Jesus spells them out explicitly: He says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Notice He doesn’t list adultery, lying, or coveting. He centers everything on love. We demonstrate our love for Christ not by meticulous Law-keeping, but by allowing His love to flow through us—expressed in kindness, patience, and joy as much as in outward actions.
Love is the greater work. It isn’t measured by effort; it’s measured by the heart surrendered to the One who is love.
A few more verses:
John 13:34–35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
1 John 4:7
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
In conclusion, if you are a Christian, you are already doing greater things than the miracles Jesus performed. That doesn’t mean we all make perfect choices—some of us still make poor decisions. But Jesus isn’t measuring our love by our mistakes. He’s looking at our hearts.
And here’s the truth: if you belong to Christ, you’ve been given a new heart. Jesus has made His home in you. You have a new Spirit—the old is gone, the new has come. Deep down, you can’t help but love your brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s not about trying harder. It’s about who now lives in you.
And if that love isn’t there—if you find yourself persistently unwilling to love others—you might need to ask yourself an honest question: Does Christ truly live in me? Because when He does, love becomes your nature.
I’ll leave you with these words from Jesus:
John 13:35 – “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
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Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
