Occasionally people write me asking for guidance for a personal problem or theological issue. Below is an email I received asking about the spiritual gift of healing:
EMAILED QUESTION: Mr. Russell, If you don’t mind I have a quick question (or puzzle): In my journey that I have told you about, it all started with a teaching on this verse: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father…” (John 14:12 ESV).
I have tried bending my mind around this verse, forgetting about this verse or twisting it to mean what I want it to, but it honestly just throws post-charismatic church me for a whirlwind. I was taught that this Scripture means that we will do the same miraculous things (healings, raising people from the dead, etc.) that Christ did except in our time, only greater because we will likely have more time on this earth to do them than he did. And that seems to be in the simplest way what it is saying.
So I don’t know how to interpret or digest this in light of the things I have walked through. I can’t settle this one and it bugs me all of the time! Am I just completely missing something simple? Any input would be so greatly appreciated!
ANSWER: I think the verse you referenced has a spiritual application and not a physical one. When we lead people to Christ, they receive the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. From God’s perspective that is a greater work than the miracles Jesus performed, in that it’s more permanent.
The people Jesus healed later got sick and died. Even Lazarus was raised from the dead only to die again. When we share the gospel and a person receives it, their healing is eternal.
Jesus hinted at that, “greater miracle” just before he raised Lazarus from the dead. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;…” (John 11:25) That promise couldn’t be fulfilled until Jesus died an atoning death for our sins and arose bodily from the grave. Less than two months later Simon Peter preached the first gospel sermon and 3000 were saved for eternity in one day!
To me, that is the logical (and Biblical) explanation. Think of the spectacular physical miracles Jesus performed. He calmed a storm. He cleansed lepers. He made the blind see. He fed 5000 with a boy’s lunch. He raised a man from the dead who had been in the tomb for four days. He walked on water!
There is no record of the twelve Apostles performing any physical miracle greater than those of Jesus – and they definitely had the spiritual gift of performing miracles. The apostles did some impressive works but none greater than those of Jesus.
None of the claims of modern day “faith healers” even comes close to the miracles Jesus performed. How can they? He is God and He did what only God can do. Jesus challenged the first century skeptics who didn’t believe his claim to be God, “…at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves”. (John 14:11)
So, to understand what Jesus meant in John 14:12, we need to see the universe from God’s perspective and evaluate the eternal results of people responding to the healing message of the cross. – “By His wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5) – for eternity!
Stay faithful!
– Bob
