Bill's Starting Point

Even more astonishing than the miracles is the way Jesus interprets their meaning.

1. Work
2. Believe
3. Jesus

Quotes & Notes

• Faith in [Jesus] is fulfillment in doing the will and the work of God.  Note that in this gospel faith, truth, etc. are not abstract;  they are positive commitment, action, obedience.
  - Massey H. Shepherd, Jr.., Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary, p. 717
• The evangelist... polemicizes against a faith that does not penetrate beyond the sign to the thing signified... This bread has to be received in faith;  that is the only way to labor for it.
  - Reginald H. Fuller, Preaching the Lectionary, p. 333.
• They appreciate the fact that such a gift can verify itself only by the accomaniment of works.  They inquire what they are to do.  Jesus replies that the work required of them is faith in Him whom God has sent.
  - A.J. Macleod, New Bible Commentary, p. 878
• The questioners conceive of work in terms of earning merit, 
  but Jesus at once draws attention to the need for faith.  
  - Donald Guthrie, New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 943
• Pray and work.
  - St. Benedict, Regula, 20, 48
• Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on you.
  - St. Ignatius Loyola, The Jesuits:  Their Spiritual Doctrine and Practice, p. 148
• While he had spent much time ministering to men's bodily needs, the real purpose of his coming into the world was to save men's souls.
  - Henry H. Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook, p. 539
• Faith in Christ is the great saving work.  Faith is work.  Faith and work are one.  Faith is the work in which all works is embodied.  Be there a true perfect faith, and all works of righteousness will come into it and be one with it.  Upon such a faith God forgives;  by such a faith a man is graciously held just;  consequent upon such a faith is present and eternal salvation.  
  - D.D. Whedon, Commentary on the Gospels, Luke-John, p. 285
• We have mourned over men as fallen creatures because they have risen against the systmes in which they were reared.  But possibly we are wrong.  It may be Christ himself who is at work.  He is the great Revolutionist.  This may be Christ's own way of clearing off the rubbish which has been piled upon his holy name.
  - Joseph Parker,  The People's Bible, vol. 22, p. 125
• We may think it strange that God approves of nothing but faith alone; for the love of our neighbor ought not to be despised, and the other exercises of religion do not lose their place and honor. So then, though faith may hold the highest rank, still other works are not superfluous. The reply is easy; for faith does not exclude either the love of our neighbor or any other good work, because it contains them all within itself. Faith is called the only work of God, because by means of it we possess Christ, and thus become the sons of God, so that he governs us by his Spirit. So then, because Christ does not separate faith from its fruits, we need not wonder if he make it to be the first and the last.
  - John Calvin, Commentary, on vs. 29
• The true work, which God owns, is to believe in Him whom He has sent.
  - John Darby, Synopsis of  the New Testament
• Men torment themselves in vain when they try to please God without faith.
  - Geneva Study Bible
• This, as a principle, is purely God's work; as it is an act, or as it is exercised under the influence of divine grace, it is man's act: "that ye believe."
  - John Gill,  Exposition of the Bible
• 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.
  - Matthew Henry, Commentary
• That lies at the threshold of all acceptable obedience, being not only the prerequisite to it, but the proper spring of it--in that sense, the work of works, emphatically "the work of God."
  - Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
• They are startled by hearing that to please God the first requirement is faith in Christ. This is "the work of God" that pleases him. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." It is not works, but one work, that is required, a faith that would enable them to lay hold upon him who is the Bread of Life. From such faith would spring a Christlike life. 
  - Johnson, B.W., People's New Testament
• The work most pleasing to God, and the foundation of all others: that ye believe - He expresses it first properly, afterward figuratively. 
  - John Wesley, Notes Upon the New Testament
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Word Study

• Gospel Harmony:  This discourse is recorded only in this passage.
• Work:  deed, business  ergon
  - Robert L. Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, p. 1072
• ERGON:  denotes work, employment, task
  - W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 1243
• Believe:  to adhere to, trust, rely on   pisteuo
  - Robert L. Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, p. 86
• PISTEUO:  to believe, also to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence.  It is most frequent in the writings of the Apostle John, especially the Gospel.  He does not use the noun [PISTIS, Its chief significance is a conviction respecting God and His Word and the believer's relationship to Him.  See Assurance, Faith, Fidelity] See Commit, Intrust, Trust.
  - W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, p. 109
• The work of God that ye believe (to ergon tou qeou ina pisteuhte). In 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Paul speaks of "your work of faith" (umwn tou ergou  thß pistewß). So here Jesus terms belief in him as the work of God. These Jews were thinking of various deeds of the Pharisaic type and rules. Jesus  turns their minds to the central fact. "This simple formula contains the complete solution of the relation of faith and works" (Westcott). Note the  present active subjunctive pisteuhte, "that ye may keep on believing." On  him whom he hath sent (eiß on apesteilen ekeinoß). The pronominal antecedent (eiß touton on) is omitted and the preposition eiß is retained with the relative on really the direct object of apesteilen (sent). Note ekeinoß for God (emphatic he). 
  - Robertson, A.T., Robertson's Word Pictures, on vs. 29
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Doctrinal Statements

• Even when we have done our work, the food we receive is still a gift from our Father.
  - Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 943
• There is only one condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies:  "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins."  But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits.
  - The General Rules of the Methodist Church, 1808, Rule 2,  The United Methodist Book of Discipline, 1996, para. 62

Commentary Texts

Gospel Reading
1. Calvin, John
2. Darby, John N.
3. Geneva Study Bible, 1599
4. Gill, John
5. Henry, Matthew 
6. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown 
7. Johnson, B.W.
8. Robertson, A.T.
9. Wesley, John