Was Joseph Smith an Arrogant Braggart Claiming he Did More Than Jesus?

Was Joseph Smith Arrogantly Bragging in Saying He has Done More than Jesus?

By Kerry A. Shirts

Can a man boast and yet be a true prophet of God? 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 usually put it:

Joseph Smith actually bragged that he did more than Jesus.

Well that calls for taking a look at what Joseph Smith actually said.

"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).

It is important to keep in mind the biblical passage that Joseph Smith was commenting on. The passage is Paul’s own boasting in 2 Corinthians 11. And my, what an arrogant cuss Paul appears to be in that chapter! Yet, Paul’s demeanor was

not to be a boaster and braggart anymore than Joseph Smith’s was. Putting our own judgmental attitudes onto the ancient or other writers is just simply worthless for understanding what is going on.

I think critics who use this quote of the Prophet to make him appear arrogant and boastful fail to understand not only that Paul would be condemned by their logic, but more to the point, Jesus Christ taught something remarkably similar.

John 14:12 – “Verily, verily, (ἀμὴν ἀμὴν – amēn amēn) I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also (κἀκεῖνος ὁδοποιέω – kakeinos hodopoieō); and greater works (μείζων  ἔργον – meizōn ergon) than these shall he do (ποιήσει – poiēsei); because I go unto my Father.”

The double ἀμὴν ἀμὴν – “amen, amen,” at the beginning of Jesus’ proclamation usually translated as “verily, verily,” when used in formulas means certainty and solemnness, i.e., “it is the truth.” It is used for emphasis. This is straight forward powerful verification of what Jesus is about to say. There is no hyperbole, exaggeration, or falseness in what comes next, and it is absolutely startling!

The verb ποιήσει, to do,  as in “ these shall he do,” is in the future active indicative. The indicative mood in Greek  is the mood of assertion, where the writer portrays something as actual (as opposed to possible or contingent on intention). Depending on context, the writer may or may not believe the action is real, but is presenting it as real. The adjective μείζονα – “greater” is in the accusative plural, involving all who believe in Jesus as he proclaimed, to be performed greater works than he has done! How can this possibly be? Jesus caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dead to raise. How can mere humans do greater works than God?

Jesus said his followers would do "greater works." The Greek adjective μείζονα – “greater” is the comparative adjective neuter plural from "megas". This is 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. 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,” according to Gerald L. Stevens, ("New Testament Greek" United Press of America, 1994, pp. 100-101), 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.

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. Frederick Field, (“Notes on the Translation of the New Testament,” Hendrickson, reprint, 1994: 101) reminded us that this verse is not talking about doing more wonderful miracles than Jesus did, it is more in line with a comparison of the results of the two ministries. This is precisely how Joseph Smith taught, which critics misunderstand as him being arrogant and bragging. He describes results of the ministries. This is actually how Newman and Nida understood the meaning of “greater works than these.” They noted that the impact of geographical and temporal limitations upon Jesus during his ministry would be the limiting factor. His followers would not have these limitations, and hence the number of converts would be far “greater” in magnitude than the work Jesus performed in his ministry. (“A Translator’s Handbook on the Gospel of John,” UBS, 1980: 462).  Marcus Dods noted that “These ‘greater’ works were the spiritual effects accomplished by the disciples, especially the great novel fact of conversion.” (In W. Robertson Nicoll, editor of “The Expositor’s Greek Testament,” Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1976, 5 vols., quote in vol. 1:824, note ver. 12).  

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?

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