The Bragging of Joseph Smith: Another Look

The Bragging of Joseph Smith: Another Look & Biblical Refutation

By Kerry A. Shirts

Critics of the church sometimes quote Joseph Smith in a negative fashion to try and demonstrate he was not a humble man, and hence could not be a true prophet of God. Here is how they put it:

Joseph Smith actually said he did MORE then Jesus.

"A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet . . . " (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 408-409).

I think it is interesting that this is quoted as a put down on Joseph Smith yet Jesus Christ taught something remarkably similar.

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also(poiew kakeinoj); and greater works (meizona toutwn) than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

How can this possibly be as we understand Jesus caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dead to raise? Is Jesus kidding? This is an impressive thing to say, as much as it is startling. How can mere humans do greater works than God? Lets analyze the grammar here to see if something isn’t amiss.

Jesus said the works he did others shall do also. The Greek is poiw kaeinoj poieo kakeinos, "poieo" being the verb in the indicative present, while kakeinos is the demonstrative adjective. "Poieo" includes an awful lot of ground on being able to do something. Some of what this word means is:

to make 1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc. 1b) to be the authors of, the cause 1c) to make ready, to prepare 1d) to produce, bear, shoot forth 1e) to acquire, to provide a thing for one's self 1f) to make a thing out of something 1g) to (make i.e.) render one anything 1g1) to (make i.e.) constitute or appoint one anything, to appoint or ordain one that 1g2) to (make i.e.) declare one anything 1h) to put one forth, to lead him out 1i) to make one do something 1i1) cause one to 1j) to be the authors of a thing (to cause, bring about) 2) to do 2a) to act rightly, do well 2a1) to carry out, to execute 2b) to do a thing unto one 2b1) to do to one 2c) with designation of time: to pass, spend 2d) to celebrate, keep 2d1) to make ready, and so at the same time to institute, the celebration of the passover 2e) to perform: to a promise.

So Jesus is saying what he said and meaning it. His followers will do the works he did, according to the meaning of the Greek. So lets look at the second part of the verse.

Jesus said his followers would do "greater works." The Greek word here is meizona "Meizona" which is the comparative. Greater works than these (meizona toutôn). This is the comparative adjective neuter plural from "megas" with the ablative case "toutôn". Not necessarily greater miracles and not greater spiritual works in quality, but greater in quantity. Whether in quality or quantity, it is an astonishing claim of Jesus to note that more and greater will occur after he leaves. Joseph Smith is a perfect fulfillment of Christ's saying here. And as noted further, Greater works than these - (meizona toutôn erga). Toutôn is ablative case after the comparative meizona (from megas, great). John often uses erga (erga – which is an undertaking, a deed, a work or action) for the miracles of Christ (John 5:36; 7:3,21; 10:25,32,38, etc.). It is the Father who does these works (14:10).

The ablative in the Greek, of the English words "greater works than these"

if you weren't aware, according to Gerald L. Stevens, "New Testament Greek" is a function of comparison or source. It is actually a separation as well. Thus a substantive in the genitive provides the standard of the comparison (ablative function). The word "than" necessarily must be supplied in the translation. Thus we have John 5:20 in the ablative:

John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Notice further Christ's words in the same chapter in later verses.

John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

Again this is in the ablative, but notice that his greater works shows the Father is the witness that he has been sent. Now Christ's words become triply powerful when he tells the disciples:

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 my Father.

So here, by understanding the ablative case in Greek, we see the poignant declaration of Christ in greater glory than we used to you see. He was not amiss, and this has not been corrupted or added into the text either. Philip W. Comfort, David P. Barrett, The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts, Baker Books, 1999: 435 show the text of John 14:12 as:

amhn amhn legw umein o episteuwn eij eme ta erga a egw poiw kakeinoj poihsi kakai mizona poihsei oti ego

Which is what our New Testament Greek texts today shows as well.

That is why I think when critics use the quote of Joseph Smith as a tool against him as if he is merely bragging, they miss the point of these words, teachings, and incredible doctrines from Christ. They are fulfilled by those who do not only the works of Christ, but go on to do greater things! It is actually quite astonishing when we realize it.

(Gerald Stevens "New Testament Greek" United Press of America, 1994, incidentally on pp. 100-101 discussing the ablative, and pp. 108-112 showing a very good chart on how prepositions with the ablative case and function and how they thus translate. It is quite frequent in the New Testament, and well worth realizing.)

We see that Jesus’ words mean what he said. His followers are to do greater works than he. This is an astonishing doctrine when we realize that this means man will do greater works than God on earth did! Yet that is what Christ taught. Joseph Smith may not be so much bragging, as merely pointing out some facts which Christ himself said would be. It is a beautiful fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy seen in this light. And in fact, by implication, if Jesus’ works shows the Father witnesses of him, how much more so does the Father witness of those whose works are not only those of Jesus, but in fact, greater than his, as he taught?