John 6:29

My Notes

What Does John 6:29 Mean?

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." The crowd asks 'what shall we DO that we might work the WORKS of God?' (verse 28) — plural, actions, multiple tasks. Jesus answers with ONE WORK: BELIEVE. The many works the crowd expects are reduced to a single work: belief in the one God sent. The work of God is FAITH, not a list of tasks. The singular replaces the plural. The believing replaces the doing.

The phrase "this is the work of God" (touto estin to ergon tou theou — this is the work of God) REDEFINES work: the crowd assumed 'works of God' meant TASKS — actions to perform, deeds to accomplish, rituals to complete. Jesus says: the WORK (singular) of God is ONE THING. The plurality of human works is replaced by the singularity of divine work. The many becomes one. The doing becomes believing.

The "that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (hina pisteuēte eis hon apesteilen ekeinos — that you believe into the one that one [God] sent) makes the work CHRISTOLOGICAL: the believing isn't generic faith. It's belief IN a specific PERSON — the one GOD SENT. The work of God is faith in Christ. The labor God requires is trust in His Son. The task list is reduced to a single trust-relationship.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What plural 'works' are you performing that Jesus has reduced to the singular 'believe'?
• 2.What does the work of God being FAITH (not tasks) change about your religious effort?
• 3.How does the believing being in a specific PERSON (not a system) define the kind of faith God requires?
• 4.What would it look like to stop working the works and start doing the one work — believing?

Devotional

What should we DO? What WORKS does God want? Jesus' answer: ONE work. BELIEVE. Believe in the one God sent. The plural works the crowd expected are replaced by a singular faith. The many tasks are reduced to one trust. The doing is redefined as believing.

The 'this is THE WORK' — singular — demolishes the list: the crowd asked about WORKS (plural) — multiple tasks, multiple performances, a checklist of divine requirements. Jesus answers with THE WORK (singular) — one thing. The reduction from plural to singular is the gospel's first move. The laundry list of requirements is replaced by a single relationship. The task-based religion is replaced by person-based faith.

The 'that ye believe' makes FAITH the work: the crowd expected the answer to be ACTIONS — pray this way, fast this often, give this much, follow these rules. Jesus says: BELIEVE. The work God requires isn't physical labor or religious performance. It's TRUST — the kind of believing that commits the whole person to the one God sent. The 'work' that God accepts is faith. The labor that satisfies the divine requirement is belief.

The 'on him whom he hath sent' makes the faith PERSONAL and SPECIFIC: the believing isn't in a concept or a system or a set of principles. It's in a PERSON — 'him whom He hath sent.' The faith has a TARGET: Jesus. The work of God isn't generic spirituality. It's specific trust in the specific person God specifically sent. The work is as focused as the person is identified.

What 'works' are you trying to perform that Jesus has already reduced to one? And is that one — believing in Him — the one you're doing?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture