John 6:40

King James Version (KJV)

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.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

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.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

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.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come, and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were given to the Son, should be rejected or lost by him. No one will come, till Divine grace has subdued, and in part changed his heart; therefore no one who comes will ever be cast out. The gospel finds none willing to be saved in the humbling, holy manner, made known therein; but God draws with his word and the Holy Ghost; and man's duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered, and consent to the promise. None had seen the Father but his beloved Son; and the Jews must expect to be taught by his inward power upon their minds, and by his word, and the ministers whom he sent among them.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

40. Sent me. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 146) the reading, “This is the will of my Father,” rather than “This is the will of him that sent me.” Here Jesus reasserted the statement He had made in v. 37, that it is the Father’s will to save. Now He made it clear that not only does the Father desire sinners to come to Christ, but that His purpose also extends to the consummation of the plan of salvation at the time of the resurrection.

Every one. Gr. pas, a masculine adjective indicating a person, as contrasted with pan, “all [things],” in vs. 37, 39. As v. 37 first lays down a general truth, and then makes a specific application of that truth to the case of the man who comes to Christ, so also v. 39 lays down the same general truth in an even broader way, and v. 40 applies that truth to the specific case of everyone who sees Jesus and believes on Him. The Father’s assurance that His Son will finally receive all things that are due Him provides assurance that each individual man who believes on the Son will be raised by Him when He finally claims His own.

Seeth the Son. This does not mean, of course, that only those who saw Jesus in the flesh will have part in the resurrection. The word “seeth” implies here spiritual insight, beholding with the eye of faith, as is indicated by the accompanying word “believeth.” See ch. 12:45.

Believeth. As in v. 35, Jesus here again asserted the pre-eminent function of belief in Himself. This emphasis on faith clearly shows that intellectual assent is not enough; those who will have part in the resurrection of the righteous are those who believe, who have faith acting beyond the limits of their natural senses.

Everlasting life. See on John 8:51; 10:10; 1 John 5:12; cf. DA 388.

I will raise him up. As contrasted with the similar passage in v. 39, this statement is notable in that the object, “him” (Gr. auton), is masculine, indicating a person, rather than neuter as in v. 39 (see comments there). Here Christ speaks specifically of the righteous who will be raised from their graves, in view of the fact that all things that are Christ’s will finally be claimed by Him.

This passage is significant also for the emphatic position of the pronoun “I.” The sense of Jesus’ declaration is, “I, even I, will raise him up.” As it is Christ who mediates between God and man and who saves man from sin, so also it is He who raises man up in the last day. See ch. 5:25-27.

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Ellen G. White
Christ's Object Lessons, 140

Christ's disciples were much impressed by His prayers and by His habit of communion with God. One day after a short absence from their Lord, they found Him absorbed in supplication. Seeming unconscious of their presence, He continued praying aloud. The hearts of the disciples were deeply moved. As He ceased praying, they exclaimed, “Lord, teach us to pray.” COL 140.1

In answer, Christ repeated the Lord's prayer, as He had given it in the sermon on the mount. Then in a parable He illustrated the lesson He desired to teach them. COL 140.2

“Which of you,” He said, “shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed: I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.” COL 140.3

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 383-93

This chapter is based on John 6:22-71.

When Christ forbade the people to declare Him king, He knew that a turning point in His history was reached. Multitudes who desired to exalt Him to the throne today would turn from Him tomorrow. The disappointment of their selfish ambition would turn their love to hatred, and their praise to curses. Yet knowing this, He took no measures to avert the crisis. From the first He had held out to His followers no hope of earthly rewards. To one who came desiring to become His disciple He had said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Matthew 8:20. If men could have had the world with Christ, multitudes would have proffered Him their allegiance; but such service He could not accept. Of those now connected with Him there were many who had been attracted by the hope of a worldly kingdom. These must be undeceived. The deep spiritual teaching in the miracle of the loaves had not been comprehended. This was to be made plain. And this new revelation would bring with it a closer test. DA 383.1

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Ellen G. White
Selected Messages Book 3, 202.2

The Work of a Lifetime—Our sanctification is God's object in all His dealing with us. He has chosen us from eternity that we may be holy. Christ gave Himself for our redemption, that through our faith in His power to save from sin, we might be made complete in Him. In giving us His Word, He has given us bread from heaven. He declares that if we eat His flesh and drink His blood, we shall receive eternal life. 3SM 202.2

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Ellen G. White
Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 92.1

Nothing to Be Studied That Clouds God's Word—Jesus Christ is our spiritual touchstone. He reveals the Father. Nothing should be given as food to the brain that will bring before the mind any mist or cloud in regard to the Word of God. No careless inattention should be shown in regard to the cultivation of the soil of the heart. The mind must be prepared to appreciate the work and words of Christ, for He came from heaven to waken a desire and to give the bread of life to all who hunger for spiritual knowledge.—Manuscript 15, 1898. 1MCP 92.1

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