Joh 6:26 | KingComments | STEP | Instead of answering their curious questions, the Lord exposes their hearts. He confronts them with their selfishness. He knows what is in man ( ). With yet another double “truly” followed by an emphatic “I say to you”, He establishes the important truth that they have learned nothing from the signs, but that they are only interested in satisfying their temporal needs. They have seen the signs, but missed their meaning. It does not occur to them to believe in Him as the Son of God and thereby receive eternal life. They do not see that the sign reveals His glory. They explain the sign according to their own liking because they only seek the temporary satisfaction of earthly prosperity. They pay no attention to putting their relationship with God in order. And yet, in all things, the Lord shows His connection with God and His mission through the Father as the source of His actions. However, they can only think of a life here and now and how to enjoy it as optimally as possible in a selfish way. The Lord points out to them that they should not be concerned primarily with earthly and therefore by definition perishable food, but with food which has an eternal and solid value. As the Son of Man He is able to provide that. With this He indicates that it is no longer about what the Messiah can give to His earthly people. He points to Himself as the Son of Man and as the One on Whom the Father, God, has set His seal. The fact that He is sealed by the Father means that the Father has designated Him as the One with Whom eternal life can be obtained. What He on behalf of the Father, Who is God, offers as food, is eternal life, real and unadulterated. It cannot be obtained from anyone but the Son of Man. The Father has sealed Him with the Holy Spirit at His baptism ( ; cf. ). Only from the Son they can receive the food that endures to eternal life. The crowd answers with a question. They want to know what they have to do in order to work the works of God. They can only think in terms of doing something themselves, while ignoring the great problem of their sins. They don’t realize that they are sinners, and therefore deny their sins. They also deny His glory and majesty. It is reminiscent of the way of Cain who also thought he was pleasing to God by offering a sacrifice that was the result of his own hard work, but which God did not regard ( ). The same can be seen in professing Christianity which has opened itself so much to influences from Judaism and heathenism. Because the thinking of the crowd is only about their own well-being, they misunderstand the words of the Lord. By works for the food that endures to eternal life, the Lord does not mean delivering a performance, but opening oneself up to a work of God in them. The Son is the object of faith. The Father has sealed Him and only the Father can accept Him as the foundation on which the sinner can approach God. And if it is based on faith, it is open to both Jew and Gentile. Faith is the work of God and excludes the work of man.

‏ John 6:26

Working for the Food That Endures

Instead of answering their curious questions, the Lord exposes their hearts. He confronts them with their selfishness. He knows what is in man (Jn 2:23-25). With yet another double “truly” followed by an emphatic “I say to you”, He establishes the important truth that they have learned nothing from the signs, but that they are only interested in satisfying their temporal needs.

They have seen the signs, but missed their meaning. It does not occur to them to believe in Him as the Son of God and thereby receive eternal life. They do not see that the sign reveals His glory. They explain the sign according to their own liking because they only seek the temporary satisfaction of earthly prosperity. They pay no attention to putting their relationship with God in order. And yet, in all things, the Lord shows His connection with God and His mission through the Father as the source of His actions. However, they can only think of a life here and now and how to enjoy it as optimally as possible in a selfish way.

The Lord points out to them that they should not be concerned primarily with earthly and therefore by definition perishable food, but with food which has an eternal and solid value. As the Son of Man He is able to provide that. With this He indicates that it is no longer about what the Messiah can give to His earthly people. He points to Himself as the Son of Man and as the One on Whom the Father, God, has set His seal.

The fact that He is sealed by the Father means that the Father has designated Him as the One with Whom eternal life can be obtained. What He on behalf of the Father, Who is God, offers as food, is eternal life, real and unadulterated. It cannot be obtained from anyone but the Son of Man. The Father has sealed Him with the Holy Spirit at His baptism (Mt 3:16; cf. Eph 1:13). Only from the Son they can receive the food that endures to eternal life.

The crowd answers with a question. They want to know what they have to do in order to work the works of God. They can only think in terms of doing something themselves, while ignoring the great problem of their sins. They don’t realize that they are sinners, and therefore deny their sins. They also deny His glory and majesty. It is reminiscent of the way of Cain who also thought he was pleasing to God by offering a sacrifice that was the result of his own hard work, but which God did not regard (Gen 4:3 ; 5). The same can be seen in professing Christianity which has opened itself so much to influences from Judaism and heathenism.

Because the thinking of the crowd is only about their own well-being, they misunderstand the words of the Lord. By works for the food that endures to eternal life, the Lord does not mean delivering a performance, but opening oneself up to a work of God in them. The Son is the object of faith. The Father has sealed Him and only the Father can accept Him as the foundation on which the sinner can approach God. And if it is based on faith, it is open to both Jew and Gentile. Faith is the work of God and excludes the work of man.