alexanderjames
Puritan Board Sophomore
In responding to someone regarding the interpretation of Jesus’ words “this is the work of God” in John 6:29, I noticed that Matthew Henry and John Calvin differed in their commentaries.
Following the miracle of feeding the five thousand, a multitude of people are seeking to find Jesus. Jesus’ words to them in verses 26-27 are,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.”
The people then ask “what must we do, to be doing the works of God”?
Jesus’ response is “this is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent”.
I had understood Jesus’ response to be saying in effect - ‘do not think that works will justify you before God. There is only one “work” that God requires of you.. simply believe in Me.’
Someone had used this verse in an attempt to prove that faith is a work of God.
It appears that Matthew Henry held to this view. Per his commentary,
“This is the work of God that ye believe. Note, (1.) The work of faith is the work of God. They enquire after the works of God (in the plural number), being careful about many things; but Christ directs them to one work, which includes all, the one thing needful: that you believe, which supersedes all the works of the ceremonial law; the work which is necessary to the acceptance of all the other works, and which produces them, for without faith you cannot please God. It is God's work, for it is of his working in us, it subjects the soul to his working on us, and quickens the soul in working for him, (2.) That faith is the work of God which closes with Christ, and relies upon him. It is to believe on him as one whom God hath sent, as God's commissioner in the great affair of peace between God and man, and as such to rest upon him, and resign ourselves to him. See ch. 14:1.”
But John Calvin disagrees on this point of interpretation (see especially the last sentence here),
“29. The work of God is this. They had spoken of works Christ reminds them of one work, that is, faith; by which he means that all that men undertake without faith is vain and useless, but that faith alone is sufficient, because this alone does God require from us, that we believe For there is here an implied contrast between faith and the works and efforts of men; as if he had said, Men toil to no purpose, when they endeavor to please God without faith, because, by running, as it were, out of the course, they do not advance towards the goal. This is a remarkable passage, showing that, though men torment themselves wretchedly throughout their whole life, still they lose their pains, if they have not faith in Christ as the rule of their life. Those who infer from this passage that faith is the gift of God are mistaken; for Christ does not now show what God produces in us, but what he wishes and requires from us…”
(Please note that both commentaries have more to say than the excerpts here).
What say ye regarding this matter? I am on the side of Calvin myself.
Following the miracle of feeding the five thousand, a multitude of people are seeking to find Jesus. Jesus’ words to them in verses 26-27 are,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.”
The people then ask “what must we do, to be doing the works of God”?
Jesus’ response is “this is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent”.
I had understood Jesus’ response to be saying in effect - ‘do not think that works will justify you before God. There is only one “work” that God requires of you.. simply believe in Me.’
Someone had used this verse in an attempt to prove that faith is a work of God.
It appears that Matthew Henry held to this view. Per his commentary,
“This is the work of God that ye believe. Note, (1.) The work of faith is the work of God. They enquire after the works of God (in the plural number), being careful about many things; but Christ directs them to one work, which includes all, the one thing needful: that you believe, which supersedes all the works of the ceremonial law; the work which is necessary to the acceptance of all the other works, and which produces them, for without faith you cannot please God. It is God's work, for it is of his working in us, it subjects the soul to his working on us, and quickens the soul in working for him, (2.) That faith is the work of God which closes with Christ, and relies upon him. It is to believe on him as one whom God hath sent, as God's commissioner in the great affair of peace between God and man, and as such to rest upon him, and resign ourselves to him. See ch. 14:1.”
But John Calvin disagrees on this point of interpretation (see especially the last sentence here),
“29. The work of God is this. They had spoken of works Christ reminds them of one work, that is, faith; by which he means that all that men undertake without faith is vain and useless, but that faith alone is sufficient, because this alone does God require from us, that we believe For there is here an implied contrast between faith and the works and efforts of men; as if he had said, Men toil to no purpose, when they endeavor to please God without faith, because, by running, as it were, out of the course, they do not advance towards the goal. This is a remarkable passage, showing that, though men torment themselves wretchedly throughout their whole life, still they lose their pains, if they have not faith in Christ as the rule of their life. Those who infer from this passage that faith is the gift of God are mistaken; for Christ does not now show what God produces in us, but what he wishes and requires from us…”
(Please note that both commentaries have more to say than the excerpts here).
What say ye regarding this matter? I am on the side of Calvin myself.
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