What does John 14:11 mean?

Philip asked to see God (John 14:8), to which Jesus responded with a claim to be God (John 14:9). Jesus then backs up this claim with three specific points—this is like His interaction with critics earlier in this gospel (John 5:30–40). Jesus specifically points to His character, His words, and His miracles (John 14:10). In the prior verse, the reference to belief was singular, aimed only at Thomas. Here, the verbs for "believe" are plural, expanding the instruction to everyone.

In this verse, Jesus repeats His reference to the character of God. Hebrews 1:3 refers to Christ as "the exact imprint of [God's] nature." That verse uses the Greek term charaktēr, which originally referred to a stamp or engraved mark. When Jesus says that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, He's implying that same relationship: they are identical (John 10:30).

Jesus also makes another reference to "works." Depending on the context, Jesus' use of this idea most often means miracles (Matthew 13:58; John 7:21). However, it can also refer to behaviors and actions in general (Matthew 5:16; 23:3). John's gospel often calls supernatural acts "signs," since they are meant to point towards belief in God (John 2:11; 6:2; 7:31). Acts of divine power are the most obvious proofs that Jesus is operating with divine approval. However, miracles are not the only acts Jesus performed by the will of God. In the next verse, He will point out that those who follow Him have the opportunity for "works" even Jesus did not perform.