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Joh_14:12-13. Truly, on the compliance with this πιστεύετέ μοι there awaits an activity like my own, yea, and still greater. What encouragement to fidelity in the faith! Schott, Opusc. p. 177, imports the meaning: “neque ad ea tantum provoco, quae me ipsum hucusque vidistis perficientem, imo,” etc. Comp. also Luthardt, according to whom Jesus proceeds to a still further demonstration of His fellowship with God.
ὁ πιστ . εἰς ἐμέ ] intended not to have a general application, but to refer (comp. Joh_14:11; Joh_14:13) to the disciples. On εἰς ἐμέ , Bengel aptly remarks: “qui Christo de se loquenti (see πιστ . μοι , Joh_14:11), in Christum credit.”
κἀκεῖνος ] he also, in comparison, emphatically repeating the subject. Xen. Mem. i. 2. 24.
καί ] heightening the effect: and besides, indeed. See Hartung, Partikell. I. p. 145 f.
μείζονα τούτων ] greater than these, ἂ ἐγὼ ποιῶ , comp. Joh_5:20, and on the thought, Mat_21:21-22. It is not, however, to be referred to single separate miracles, which are reported by the apostles; Ruperti names the healing power of Peter’s shadow, Acts 5, and the speaking in foreign tongues, which latter Grotius also has in view; Bengel appeals to Act_5:15; Act_19:12; Mar_16:17 ff. A measuring of miracles of this kind by their magnitude is throughout foreign to the N. T. Rather in μείζονα τούτων is the notion of ἔργα expanded, so that its predominant signification is not that of miraculous deeds in the narrower sense (as in ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ), but in a broader sense, the world-subduing apostolic activity. generally, produced by the Holy Spirit (Joh_16:18 ff.) in the diffusion of the gospel, with its light and life, amongst all peoples, in the conquest of Judaism and paganism by the word of the cross, etc. The history of the apostles, and especially the work of Paul, is the commentary thereon. These were ἔργα of a greater kind than the miracles proper which Jesus wrought,[146] and which also, categorically, those of the apostles resembled.
ὅτι , κ . τ . λ .] assigns the reasons of the preceding assurance, τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ … μείζ . τούτ . ποιήσει (not merely the μείζονα , for which limitation no reason presents itself), and this statement of reason continues to the end of Joh_14:13, so that καὶ ὅ , τι ἂν still depends on ὅτι . Since He is going to the Father, and is thereby elevated to the position of heavenly rule, He will do all that they shall ask in His name, there can be no doubt that the assurance of those ἔργα will be justified. So, substantially, Grotius, Lücke, Olshausen, De Wette, Ewald, Godet, comp. already Cyril. Considering the internal coherence, and the immediately continuative καί , Joh_14:13, it is incompetent to separate Joh_14:13, as if it were independent, from Joh_14:12, whereby ὅτι ἐγὼ πρὸς τ . π . πορ . is taken either merely in the sense: ὑμῶν λοιπόν ἐστι τὸ θαυματουργεῖν , ἐγὼ γὰρ ἀπέρχομαι (Chrysostom, so Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Erasmus, Wolf, Kuinoel, Ebrard, and several others); or more correctly, because really assigning a reason, with Luther: “for through the power that I shall have at the right hand of the Father, … I will work in you,” etc. Comp. Calvin and several others, including B. Crusius, Luthardt, Hengstenberg.
ἐγώ ] In opposition to the πιστεύοντες , who continue their activity on earth.
ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου ] Comp. Joh_15:16, Joh_16:23. The prayerful request to God (for it is to God that the absolute αἰτήσητε refers, comp. Joh_15:16) is made in the name of Jesus, if this name, Jesus Christ, as the full substance of the saving faith and confession of him who prays, is in his consciousness the element in which the prayerful activity lives and moves, so that thus that Name, embracing the whole revelation of redemption, is that which specifically measures and defines the disposition, feeling, object, and contents of prayer. The express use of the name of Jesus therein is no specific token; the question is of the spirit and mind of him who prays. The apostolic mode of expression is analogous: to be, have, say, do, anything, etc., ἐν Χριστῷ , ἐν κυρίῳ . Comp. on Col_3:17, and see also Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 2, p. 357, and generally Gess, d. Gebet im Nam. Jesu, 1861. The renderings: invocato meo nomine (in connection with which reference is irrelevantly made to Act_3:6, Chrysostom, Nonnus, Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Maldonatus, and several others); me agnoscentes mediatorem (Melanchthon); ut mea causa faciat (Grotius); per meritum meum (Calovius and several others); in my mind, in my affairs (De Wette), and the like, are partly opposed to the words, partly too narrow, and comprised in the foregoing explanation. But if we proposed to interpret, with Godet: in my stead, that is, in such a way as though I myself were the subject that prays through you,[147] the first person ποιήσω would be inappropriate to a self-hearing; and essential prayers like those for the forgiveness of sin would be excluded.
τοῦτο ποιήσω ] nothing else. This definite and unlimited promise rests upon the fact that the petition of him who prays in the name of Jesus is in harmony with the will of Christ and of God, but in every case subordinates itself in the consciousness of him who prays to the restriction: not my, but Thy will! hence also the denial of a particular petition is the fulfilment of prayer, only in another way. Comp. 2Co_12:8-9.
That Christ asserts the ποιεῖν of Himself (Joh_15:16, and Joh_16:23 of the Father), lies in the consciousness of His unity with God, according to which He, even in His exalted condition, is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. Hence, if, through the fulfilment of these petitions, the Son must be glorified, the Father is glorified in the Son; wherefore Jesus adds, as the final aim of the τοῦτο ποιήσω : ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ πατ . ἐν τῷ υἱῷ . Comp. Joh_13:31. The honour of the Father is ever the last object of all that is attained in the affairs of the Son, Joh_12:28; Joh_11:4; Php_2:11; Rom_16:25 ff.; Gal_1:5; Eph_3:21. Note the emphatic collocation ὁ πατὴρ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ , where, however, the main stress lies upon ὁ πατήρ .
[146] “For He assumed only a small corner for Himself, a little time for His preaching and working of miracles; but the apostles and their successors went through the whole world,” etc.—Luther.
[147] So also Weiss, Lehrbegr. p. 272, who regards the works only as the object of prayer. But for this the expression is too general; just as general, Joh_16:23 ff. The works are subsumed under the general statement.