I still can’t wrap my head around how Jesus used a play on words in that passage. I think that’s an interpretation. If I asked Jesus what to do and He said, verbatim, what John 6:29 says I would think He’s telling me I need to do something.
Without debunking the people who asked Him what to do, they likely would have interpreted it the same way. Thus His “play on words” may have been lost in translation, to no benefit of the people He answered. That’s why I’m inclined to think He was being literal.
I do agree Jesus can use plays on words, sarcasm, and humor, but I see Jesus as an exceptionally genuine and sincere person and that’s how God is in general in my experience.
Without debunking the people who asked Him what to do, they likely would have interpreted it the same way. Thus His “play on words” may have been lost in translation, to no benefit of the people He answered. That’s why I’m inclined to think He was being literal.
I do agree Jesus can use plays on words, sarcasm, and humor, but I see Jesus as an exceptionally genuine and sincere person and that’s how God is in general in my experience.
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
The ones speaking to Christ are the ones that had seen the miracle and had their bellies filled with the bread. Jesus does not answer them directly but answers with the truth of their seeking him out and defines what is really important. John 6:26 & 27 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which is perishing, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
They had paid little heed to a miracle being performed and this was not what they wanted to hear. They wanted to know how they could provide for themselves and do the things that they saw Jesus Christ do. So they asked, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? They assumed there was some kind of work they could do, that would merit favor with God and make it possible to do what they had experienced. This is reminiscent of Acts 8:18, where Simon tried to purchase the gift of God.
Christ answered in John 6:29. We need to break down this verse. "This is the work of God..." The word "work" does not modify "believe". It instead points to the antecedent previously spoken of. Primarily, the miracle of being fed, which had gotten so much attention and was heavily on their minds. This work of God, through Jesus Christ, gave visible and physical evidence that the Son was indeed the Lord and promised Messiah. The purpose of this work, was: "..that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." This part of the answer needs to be broken down as well.
The Greek word translated: "believe", is: πιστεύσητε. It is a Present tense, Active voice, Subjunctive mood, Verb. When you have the present tense, in the English language, you would state it as: "believing". The "ing" ending a word shows present tense. The subjunctive mood is the mood of possibility - not the mood of reality. If it were the mood of reality, it would be in the Indicative mood. This is expressed in the English language with: "may" or "might" in front of the word. Because of these things in the Greek, the translation does not give us the proper understanding. It should have been translated: "..so that you may be believing on Him whom He sent.." Giving clear evidence, through various miracles, proved that Jesus Christ was no mere man nor a Prophet or a Rabbi.
Note their reply to this. They still wanted more:
John 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign then will you do, that we may see, and believe thee? what works do you? This is a fools question. No one ever believes because of signs, are archeological relics or because of some other physical evidence.
Verse 34, proves that they were still thinking with their bellies and could not spiritually discern what Christ was saying. This finally led to Jesus Christ proclaiming the following:
John 6:35 Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that is believing on me shall never thirst.
John 6:36 But I said unto you, that you have seen me, and yet believe not.
John 6:37 All that which the Father gives me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
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