Context No. 3891 of 4322 · John

John 6:28-33: in context

28They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see and believe you? What work do you do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”

The crowd asks Jesus a very natural question: what must we do to be doing the works of God? They assume that pleasing God is a matter of doing the right things, performing the right works. But Jesus turns their whole approach around: this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

The one work God asks, before all others, is faith in the One he sent. This is a striking answer to the instinct, deep in all of us, that we must earn God's favor by our doing. Jesus does not give them a list of tasks; he points them to faith in himself. And then he speaks of himself as the true bread from heaven, greater than the manna their fathers ate, the bread of God that comes down and gives life to the world. The manna sustained physical life for a day; Christ, the true bread, gives life to the world. There is freedom here. The fundamental thing God asks is not a heap of religious works but faith in his Son, the bread of life who alone can truly nourish the soul.

Am I trying to earn God's favor by my works, or have I done the one work God asks, believing in the One he sent, feeding on Christ the true bread who alone gives life?

Sources

John 6:29: "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
John 6:32: "It wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven."
John 6:33: "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world."