John 6:40

40. And this is the will of him that sent me] The true reading is; For this is the will of My Father. The opening words of Joh_6:39-40, being very similar, have become confused in inferior MSS. The best MSS. have ‘Father’ in this verse, where ‘the Son’ is mentioned, not in Joh_6:39, where He is not. Moreover this verse is explanatory of Joh_6:40, and opens with ‘for;’ it shews who are meant by ‘all which He hath given me,’ viz. every one that contemplateth the Son and believeth on Him. ‘Seeth’ is not strong enough for the Greek word here used: the Jews had seen Jesus; they had not contemplated Him so as to believe. ‘Contemplate’ is frequent in S. John and the Acts, elsewhere not. Comp. Joh_12:45, Joh_14:19, Joh_16:10; Joh_16:16; Joh_16:19. ‘That’ again = in order that.

I will raise him up] The Greek construction is ambiguous; possibly ‘raise’ depends upon ‘that’ as in Joh_6:39 : and that I should raise him up. ‘I’ is here very emphatic; ‘by My power as Messiah.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 6:40. Τοῦτο γάρ—Πατρός, for this—of the Father) See notes on Joh 6:37; Joh 6:39.—ὁ θεωρῶν καὶ πιστεύων, who seeth and believeth) The Jews were then seeing, but not believing, Joh 6:36, “Ye also have seen Me, and believe not.” Those who beheld Christ had a great opportunity for believing; and those of them who believed had a pre-eminent degree of blessedness. Mat 13:16, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see.”—ζωὴν αἰώνιον, everlasting life) even before the last day, of which the mention here follows immediately subsequent: as also at Joh 6:54, “hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Human reason transposes the order of these two.—ἀναστήσω, I will raise up again) The Future, as at Joh 6:44, and ch. Joh 15:8, “bear much fruit: so shall ye be My disciples.”—ἐγώ, I) This pronoun, which was not employed at Joh 6:39, is now employed: there the preceding verb is also in the first person [that of all—I should lose nothing]; but here, in the third person [that every one which—believeth—may have everlasting life], as Joh 6:44; Joh 6:54.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_6:40. Explanation, and consequently an assigning of the reason for the statement of Gods will, Joh_6:39; the words τοῦτο, etc., being an impressive anaphora, and τοῦ πατρός μου being spoken instead of τοῦ πέμψ. με, because at the close Jesus means to describe Himself, with still more specific definiteness, as the Son.

ὁ θεωρ. τὸν υἱὸν κ. πιστ. εἰς αὐτ.] characterizes those meant by the ὃ δέδωκέ μοι. There is implied in θεωρ. the attenta contemplatio (τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς, Euthymius Zigabenus), the result of which is faith. Observe the carefully chosen word (Tittmann, Synon. p. 121; Grotius, in loc.). The Jews have seen Him, and have not believed, Joh_6:36. One must contemplate Him, and believe.

ἔχῃ and ἀναστήσω are both dependent upon ἵνα. There is nothing decisive against the rendering of καὶ ἀναστ. independently (Vulgate, Luther, Luthardt, Hengstenberg), but the analogy of Joh_6:39 does not favour it. Observe the change of tenses. The believer is said to have eternal Messianic life already in its development in time (see on Joh_3:15), but its perfect completion[234] at the last day by means of the resurrection; therefore ἈΝΑΣΤΉΣΩ after the ἔχειν of the ΖΩῊ ΑἸΏΝ.

ἘΓΏ] from the consciousness of Messianic power. Comp. Joh_6:44; Joh_6:54.

[234] Nothing is further from John than the Gnostic opinion, 2Ti_2:18, upon which, according to Baur, he is said very closely to border.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 6:40 . In Joh 6:40 Jesus describes the recipients of salvation from the human side, πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτόν , the latter, “believing,” being necessary, as already shown, to complete the former. The neuter πᾶν necessarily gives place to the masculine. καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγὼ τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ . This promise recurs like a refrain, Joh 6:39-40 ; Joh 6:44 ; Joh 6:54 ; each time the ἐγώ is expressed and emphatic, “I, this same person who here stands before you, I and no other”. Christ gives His hearers the assurance that in this respect He is superior to Moses, that the life He gives is not confined to this present time. In itself it is a stupendous declaration.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

40. γάρ for δέ. πατρός μου for πέμψαντός με (from Joh 6:39) with אBCDLTU against A.

40. τοῦτο γὰρ … πατρός μου. This is the true reading; but the opening words of Joh 6:39-40, being very similar, have become confused in inferior MSS. The best have πατρός in Joh 6:40, where the Son is mentioned, not in Joh 6:39, where He is not. Moreover Joh 6:40 is explanatory of Joh 6:39, and opens with γάρ; it shews who are meant by πᾶν ὃ δέδ. μοι, viz. every one that contemplateth the Son and believeth on Him. Not ὁρῶν but θεωρῶν: the Jews had seen Jesus; they had not contemplated Him so as to believe. Θεωρεῖν is frequent in S. John and the Acts, elsewhere not; Joh 7:3, Joh 12:45, Joh 14:19, Joh 16:10; Joh 16:16; Joh 16:19, Joh 17:24, Joh 20:6; Joh 20:12; Joh 20:14.

ἀναστήσω. Here, still more easily than in Joh 6:39, ἀναστήσω may be future. Ἐγὼ is very emphatic; ‘by My power as Messiah.’

Some think that a break in the discourse must be made here; Joh 6:25-40 being spoken on the shore of the lake, Joh 6:41-58 in the synagogue at Capernaum to a somewhat different audience.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 40. “For this is the will of my Father, that whosoever beholds the Son and believes on him has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This verse reproduces, either by confirming it (for, according to the Alexandrian authorities and the ancient versions), or by completing it (now, according to the Byzantine authorities), the thought of Joh 6:39. The principal difference is that in Joh 6:40 Jesus sets forth by the side of the gift which the Father makes in the person of the Son, the subjective act of the man who beholds and believes. In this expression is the decisive point. The two present participles, θεωρῶν καὶ πιστεύων, who beholds and believes, indicate the rapid succession of the two acts: “He who gives himself up to the contemplation and in whom it is immediately changed into faith.” This is the intentional antithesis of Joh 6:36 : “You have seen me, and you do not believe.”

The commission which the Father has given to Jesus is not to save all men indiscriminately. His work is to offer Himself to the sight of all, and, where the sight becomes contemplation and contemplation becomes faith, there to save. The Alexandrian reading: of my Father, is more in harmony with the term Son. On the other hand, the received reading:of him that sent me, accords better with the words: he that beholds : “He has sent me that I might offer myself for contemplation:” The term θεωρεῖν, to behold, indicates a more reflective act than the simple ὁρᾶν, to see, of Joh 6:36. He only beholds who has been sufficiently struck by the mere sight to pause before the object with emotion. Jesus substitutes here the masculine πᾶς for the neuter πᾶν (Joh 6:39), of which He had made use, because faith is an individual act. The history of Jesus’ ministry in the Synoptics is the commentary on this verse. Is it not by this sign, faith, that He recognizes those whom He can receive and save?

Luk 5:20 : “Seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” He does not Himself know either the individuals or the number of persons of whom the whole gift (τὸ πᾶν) which the Father bestows upon Him will be composed; God, in sending Him, has given to Him only this watchword: Whosoever believeth. The two ἀναστήσω, in Joh 6:39-40, may be made subjunctive aorists depending on ἵνα : “and that I may raise it up.” It is certainly so, in my view, with that of Joh 6:39; but perhaps we must detach that of Joh 6:40 from the preceding and see in it a future indicative. “And this done, I charge myself with raising him at the last day, without any possibility that anything should be able to prevent the accomplishment of this last work.” The pronoun με, me, especially placed as it is, seems to me to be better explained in this way.

In the presence of Jewish unbelief, Jesus has strengthened Himself anew by the assurance of the success of His work. He has explained the severity of His conduct towards the Jews: God has said: “He who sees and believes; and as for them, they have seen and have not believed.” There was here a serious charge against his hearers. Far from accepting it, they endeavor to throw it back upon Him.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Seeing and believing are joined together: for there is another kind of seeing, which is general, which the devils have, for they see: but here he speaketh of that kind of seeing, which is proper to the elect.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

And this--in the second place.

is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him--seeing the Son believeth on Him.

may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day--This is the human side of the same thing as in the foregoing verse, and answering to "Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out"; that is, I have it expressly in charge that everyone that so "beholdeth" (so vieweth) the Son as to believe on Him shall have everlasting life; and, that none of Him be lost, "I will raise him up at the last day." (See on Joh 6:54).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 40. This is the will of him that sent me] Lest they should take a wrong meaning out of his words, as many have done since, he tells them that, far from any person being excluded from his mercy, it was the will of God that every one who saw him might believe and be saved. The power, without which they could not believe, he freely gave them; but the use of that power was their own. God gives the grace of repentance and faith to every man; but he neither repents nor believes for any man. Each must repent for his own sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus, through the grace given, or perish.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

40. And this is the will of him who sent me. He had said that the Father had committed to him the protection of our salvation; and now he likewise describes the manner in which it is accomplished. The way to obtain salvation, therefore, is to obey the Gospel of Christ. This point he had, indeed, glanced at a little before but now he expresses more fully what he had spoken somewhat obscurely. And if it is the will of God that those whom he has elected shall be saved, and if in this manner he ratifies and executes his eternal decree, whoever he be that is not satisfied with Christ, but indulges in curious inquiries about eternal predestination, such a person, as far as lies in his power, desires to be saved contrary to the purpose of God. The election of God is in itself hidden and secret; the Lord manifests it by calling, that is, when he bestows on us this blessing of calling us

They are madmen, therefore, who seek their own salvation or that of others in the whirlpool of predestination, not keeping the way of salvation which is exhibited to them. Nay more, by this foolish speculation, they endeavor to overturn the force and effect of predestination; for if God has elected us to this end, that we may believe, take away faith, and election will be imperfect. But we have no right to break through the order and succession of the beginning and the end, since God, by his purpose, hath decreed and determined that it shall proceed unbroken. Besides, as the election of God, by an indissoluble bond, draws his calling along with it, so when God has effectually called us to faith in Christ, let this have as much weight with us as if he had engraven his seal to ratify his decree concerning our salvation. For the testimony of the Holy Spirit is nothing else than the sealing of our adoption, (Romans 8:15.) To every man, therefore, his faith is a sufficient attestation of the eternal predestination of God, so that it would be a shocking sacrilege to carry the inquiry farther; for that man offers an aggravated insult to the Holy Spirit, who refuses to assent to his simple testimony.

Whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him. He uses the words, see and believe, in contrast with what he had formerly said; for he had reproached the Jews with not believing, even though they saw, (verse 36.) But now, speaking of the sons of God, with the feeling which they have of the power of God in Christ, he joins the obedience of faith. Moreover, these words show that faith proceeds from the knowledge of Christ; not that it desires anything beyond the simple word of God, but because, if we trust in Christ, we must perceive what he is, and what he brings to us.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(40) And this is the will of him that sent me.—Read, For this is the will of My Father. (See Joh_6:39.) The common text has inserted the opening words of these verses. There can be no doubt that the change indicated gives the original reading, and it will be seen that the relation of “Father” and “Son” is thus preserved.

Every one which seeth the Son.—We pass here to the individuals who compose the great mass of humanity. It is the divine will that no one should be excluded, but that he may have eternal life (comp. Joh_3:15; Joh_5:24): this is the Father’s gift in the person of the Son. The exercise of the mental power to see Him, the reception of Him and trust upon Him: this is man’s acceptance of God’s gift. The word rendered “seeth” means to look upon, to contemplate, and is the first step towards a true faith.

The analogy of the previous verse makes it probable that we should render the last clause of this verse, and that I should raise him up at the last day. The difference of tenses is important. The believer has now the principle of eternal life, but this is to be his in its fulness when he shall be raised up at the last day. This thought of the final victory is the joyous refrain of these verses (Joh_6:39-40; Joh_6:44; Joh_6:54). The spirit brought into communion with the original source of life becomes life in itself. This life is greater than death, and cannot be holden by it (comp. Joh_6:53).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Jews then murmured at him,.... When they found that he spoke of himself as the true bread, the bread of God, and bread of life, and as descending from heaven: and which was to be fed upon in a spiritual manner by faith, which they were ignorant of, and had no desire unto: and thus being disappointed of the delicious corporeal food they expected, they grew uneasy, and displeased,

because he said I am the bread which came down from heaven; for though, as yet, he had not said this in so many words, and in this direct form, as afterwards, in Joh 6:51; yet he had said what amounted to it, and which might be easily gathered from Joh 6:35 The Vulgate Latin reads, "I am the living bread"; and the Persic version, "I am the bread of life". And this last renders the first clause "mocked at him".

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Ver. 40. Which seeth the Son and believeth] This these Jews did not, Joh 6:36. Some slight knowledge of Christ they had; but it amounted not to a saving faith. {See Trapp on "Joh 6:36"} Meteors hang awhile in the air, but are not of strength enough to ascend to the upper region hence they soon vanish.

And I will raise him up] This is four different times repeated, that we may rest secure of it, and be comforted. Fiducia Christianorum resurrectio mortuorum, the faith of the Christians is by the ressurection of the dead, saith Tertullian.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him - It was not sufficient to see him and hear him, but it was necessary, also, to believe on him. Many of the Jews had seen him, but few believed on him. Jesus had said in the previous verse that all that the Father had given him should be saved. But he never left a doctrine so that men must misunderstand it. Lest it should be supposed that if a man was given to him this was all that was needful, and lest anyone should say, “If I am to be saved I shall be, and my efforts will be useless,” he states here that it is necessary that a man should believe on him. This would be the evidence that he was given to God, and this would be evidence conclusive that he would be saved. If this explanation of the Saviour had always been attended to, the doctrine of election would not have been abused as it has been. Sinners would not sit down in unconcern, saying that if they are given to Christ all will be well. They would have arisen like the prodigal, and would have gone to God; and, having believed on the Saviour, they would then have had evidence that they were given to him - the evidence resulting from an humble, penitent, believing heart - and then they might rejoice in the assurance that Jesus would lose none that were given to him, but would raise it up at the last day. All the doctrines of Jesus, as he preached them, are safe, and pure, and consistent; as men preach them, they are, unhappily, often inconsistent and open to objection, and are either fitted to produce despair on the one hand, or presumptuous self-confidence on the ether. Jesus teaches men to strive to enter heaven, as if they could do the work themselves; and yet to depend on the help of God, and give the glory to him, as if he had done it all.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Our Lord having asserted the will of God, as to the final issue and happiness of believers, goes on to assert the means by which, in this life using, they must obtain this life: those are, seeing the Son, and believing in him; seeing him, not with the eyes of their bodies, or seeing his miraculous operations, both which these Capernaites did, and yet did not believe, (as he told them, Joh 6:36), but a seeing them with the eye of their minds, discerning him as the Messiah, and Saviour of the world; so seeing him, as to believe on him. As to these, he confirmeth it again to be the will of his Father, that they should live eternally, and that they should be raised again at the last day; and that by him, whom God had enabled to be the Judge both of the quick and the dead, Act 10:42, which agreeth with what he had before said, Joh 5:28.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

40. Believeth on him—So long as he performs the condition, so long is he heir of the salvation. When he ceases to be a believer he loses all claim to the divine promise, and all interest in eternal life. That he has once believed no longer secures him heaven, any more than the fact that he has once disbelieved secures eternal death.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Forthis is the will of my Father (or, of him that sent me), that every one (pav , instead of the pan of vers. 37, 39), treated separately and individually, who beholdeth i.e. steadily and continuously contemplatesthe Son (here he identifies himself with the revelation of the sonship in his own Person) and believeth on himi.e. entrusts himself in a full moral surrender to the Son (the eiv auton must be here especially noticed) as thus revealedshould have eternal life. This is the sublime law of Divine arrangement, and the fullest expression of the will of the Father. (comp. 1Jn_5:12, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life Behold and trust." These are the conditions. The steady gaze, the full perception of the Divine Son-ship that is adequately expressed in the Son of man, issues by a Divine arrangement in life eternal. The blessedness of the life of faith, its elevation above the conditions of corruption and decay, are not all which he promises, for he added, And (perhaps the ina is carried on to the anasthsw , and so the word is in subj. aor. rather than fut. indic., and, if so, the sentence may express the fact), that I should raise him (not "it;" cf. ver. 39) at the last day.

It is not improbable, as we have seen, that our Lord uttered these verses (37-40) to the innermost circle of his followers. The first discourse closes with ver. 36. The disciples looked with eager and inquisitive glances at each other and at their Lord, and received these teachings of the Lord concerning the relation he was sustaining to the Father, and the claim he made to be the Almoner of the mercy and minister of the judgment of him that sent him. This great utterance corresponds with the celebrated synoptic recital. (Mat_11:26, Mat_11:27)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here is the sum of the three foregoing verses. This is the will of him that sent me - This is the whole of what I have said: this is the eternal, unchangeable will of God. Everyone who truly believeth, shall have everlasting life. Everyone that seeth and believeth - The Jews saw, and yet believed not. And I will raise him up - As this is the will of him that sent me, I will perform it effectually.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

40. AΓΔ have τοῦ πέμψαντός με (from v. 39) for τοῦ πατρός μου, which is read by אBCDLTNWΘ. There is, again, as in vv. 39, 54, a variant for ἐν τῇ ἐσχ. ἡμ., ἐν being om. by BCTΓΔΘW, although found in אADLN.

τοῦτο γάρ κτλ., “This, too, is my Father’s will”: v. 40 amplifies and repeats with emphasis what has been already said in v. 39. The rec. has τοῦτο δέ.

For “my Father,” cf. v. 32, and see on 2:16.

πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱόν, “who beholdeth the Son,” sc. not with the bodily eyes, but with the eye of faith perceives Him for what He is. Cf. 12:45 ὁ θεωρῶν ἐμὲ θεωρεῖ τὸν πέμψαντά με. See on 2:23 for Jn.’s use of θεωρῶ, and on 3:17 for ὁ υἱός used absolutely. It is the Father’s will that “he who beholdeth the Son and believeth on Him should have eternal life”; cf. 3:15, 36 and the notes thereon. This ζωὴ αἰώνιος

begins in the present world, but its possession continues after death.

ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγώ κτλ., “I, even I (ἐγώ is emphatic) will raise Him up at the Last Day.” This is repeated in another form at v. 54. Cf. Introd., p. clxvii.

The Second Part of the Discourse (Vv. 41-51a)

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And this [δε] . The best texts read gar, for. There is a logical connection between the last sentence and the following. The Father 's will in preserving and raising up that which he has given to the Son, includes in its fulfillment the believing contemplation of the Son and its issue in eternal life.

Of Him that sent me. The best texts substitute patrov, you, of my Father.

Seeth [θεωρων] . The word is designedly used. The saving vision of Christ is not here seeing, but earnest contemplation. Rev., beholdeth. See on 1 18. Compare ye have seen me, and believe not (ver. 36).

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.