John 6:28 - They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?”
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What does "John 6:28" mean?
This verse from John 6:28, "They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?”" reveals a misunderstanding of the nature of God's work and how humans relate to it. Let's break it down:
"They said therefore to him...": This refers to the crowd who had been miraculously fed by Jesus in the previous verses. They were impressed by the miracle and were seeking him out.
"...“What must we do...": This is the crucial part. The crowd is asking what actions they need to perform. They're thinking in terms of earning or achieving God's favor through their own efforts. They believe there's a list of tasks or deeds they can complete to please God.
"...that we may work the works of God?”: They see "the works of God" as something that humans do. They think of it as a job or a set of tasks. They likely assumed it was some form of religious observance, adherence to the law, or charitable actions.
In essence, the crowd is asking Jesus: "What commandments or rituals must we follow to be pleasing to God and to accomplish the things He wants?"
The underlying misconception here is that:
They believe they can earn God's favor through works. This is a common human tendency – to think that obedience to rules or performance of good deeds can obligate God to bless them.
They see God's work as something they actively achieve. Instead of recognizing God as the primary actor, they see themselves as collaborators who can initiate and complete God's projects.
Why this verse is significant:
This question sets the stage for Jesus's response (John 6:29), which is the key to understanding the verse: "Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”"
Jesus flips their understanding on its head. He corrects their idea that "working the works of God" means performing certain actions. Instead, He declares that the work God desires is simply belief in Jesus himself.
In summary, John 6:28 captures a common human struggle to understand God's grace and the nature of faith. It highlights the tendency to believe we can earn salvation through our own actions, and Jesus's response in the following verse emphasizes that the foundation of our relationship with God is faith in Jesus Christ.
John 6:28 - They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?”
What does "John 6:28" mean?
This verse from John 6:28, "They said therefore to him, “What must we do, that we may work the works of God?”" reveals a misunderstanding of the nature of God's work and how humans relate to it. Let's break it down:
"They said therefore to him...": This refers to the crowd who had been miraculously fed by Jesus in the previous verses. They were impressed by the miracle and were seeking him out.
"...“What must we do...": This is the crucial part. The crowd is asking what actions they need to perform. They're thinking in terms of earning or achieving God's favor through their own efforts. They believe there's a list of tasks or deeds they can complete to please God.
"...that we may work the works of God?”: They see "the works of God" as something that humans do. They think of it as a job or a set of tasks. They likely assumed it was some form of religious observance, adherence to the law, or charitable actions.
In essence, the crowd is asking Jesus: "What commandments or rituals must we follow to be pleasing to God and to accomplish the things He wants?"
The underlying misconception here is that:
They believe they can earn God's favor through works. This is a common human tendency – to think that obedience to rules or performance of good deeds can obligate God to bless them.
They see God's work as something they actively achieve. Instead of recognizing God as the primary actor, they see themselves as collaborators who can initiate and complete God's projects.
Why this verse is significant:
This question sets the stage for Jesus's response (John 6:29), which is the key to understanding the verse: "Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”"
Jesus flips their understanding on its head. He corrects their idea that "working the works of God" means performing certain actions. Instead, He declares that the work God desires is simply belief in Jesus himself.
In summary, John 6:28 captures a common human struggle to understand God's grace and the nature of faith. It highlights the tendency to believe we can earn salvation through our own actions, and Jesus's response in the following verse emphasizes that the foundation of our relationship with God is faith in Jesus Christ.