John 6:27 · Bible study
John 6:27 Commentary: The Food That Lasts Forever
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus commands work for eternal food, then equates it with belief. This study explores faith, effort, and the sealed Son of Man.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus redirects the crowd from chasing physical bread to receiving the eternal life he alone can give, authenticated by the Father’s seal.
- Key words: ergazesthe (work, continuous action), apollumenēn (perishing, present middle/passive), menousan (abiding, present active), esphragisen (has sealed, aorist indicative, completed act of authentication).
- Main debate: Does ‘work for the food’ imply human effort alongside faith, or is the ‘work’ entirely redefined as belief? (Clarke and Wesley emphasize active striving; Barnes and Calvin stress sovereign gift.)
- Theological theme: Christ as the true bread from heaven; salvation as gift that must be received; the Son’s divine commission.
- Best use: A sermon or study on prioritising spiritual over material, the nature of faith as active trust, and Jesus’ unique authority.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”
KJV King James Version 1769
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
work not for the food that is perishing, but for the food that is remaining to life age-during, which the Son of Man will give to you, for him did the Father seal-- even God.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Work not [for] the food which perishes, but [for] the food which abides unto life eternal, which the Son of man shall give to you; for him has the Father sealed, [even]God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you. For him hath God, the Father, sealed.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Trabajad no por la comida que perece, mas por la comida que á vida eterna permanece, la cual el Hijo del hombre os dará: porque á éste señaló el Padre, que es Dios.
Trabalhai não pela comida que perece, mas sim pela comida que permanece para vida eterna, a qual o Filho do homem vos dará; porque Deus Pai a este selou.
Travaillez, non pour la nourriture qui périt, mais pour celle qui subsiste pour la vie éternelle, et que le Fils de l’ homme vous donnera; car c’ est lui que le Père, que Dieu a marqué de son sceau.
Wirket Speise, nicht, die vergänglich ist, sondern die da bleibt in das ewige Leben, welche euch des Menschen Sohn geben wird; denn den hat Gott der Vater versiegelt.
Werkt niet om de spijs, die vergaat, maar om de spijs, die blijft tot in het eeuwige leven, welke de Zoon des mensen ulieden geven zal; want Dezen heeft God de Vader verzegeld.
Adopratevi non per il cibo che perisce, ma per il cibo che dura in vita eterna, il quale il Figliuol dell’uomo vi darà; poiché su lui il Padre, cioè Dio, ha apposto il proprio suggello.
Sprawujcież nie pokarm, który ginie, ale pokarm, który trwa ku żywotowi wiecznemu, który wam da Syn człowieczy; albowiem tego zapieczętował Bóg Ojciec.
Старайтесь не о пище тленной, но о пище, пребывающей в жизнь вечную, которую даст вам Сын Человеческий, ибо на Нем положил печать Свою Отец, Бог.
不 要為那 必壞的 食物 勞力， 要為那 存 到 永 生 的食物勞力，就是 人 子 要賜給 你們的，因為 人子 是父 神 所印證的。」
Let your work not be for the food which comes to an end, but for the food which goes on for eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you, for on him has God the Father put his mark.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 6:27
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Jesus is redirecting the crowd’s attention from physical bread to something far more lasting. The verb ergazesthe (‘do work’) is not a command to earn salvation by human effort. Rather, as Adam Clarke notes, ‘our labour cannot purchase it, either in whole or in part, yet it is the way in which God chooses to give salvation.’ John Calvin adds that Jesus ‘shows that the heavenly life ought to be preferred to this earthly life.’ The ‘food which endures’ is ultimately Christ himself, his teaching, his sacrifice, and the life he imparts. The closing phrase, ‘God the Father has sealed him,’ is taken by Barnes, Gill, and Vincent as divine authentication: the miracles and the Father’s testimony confirm that Jesus is the one commissioned to give this eternal food. The crowd’s obsession with material bread is thus corrected, and they are called to seek the true bread that only the Son of Man can provide.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Faith-as-work view (Reformed/Evangelical): Jesus redefines 'work' in v.29 as belief; Barnes, Calvin, and Gill see the command as redirecting effort toward receiving the gift, not earning it.
- Sacramental view (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican): Cambridge Bible and the primitive church interpreted 'food that endures' as the Eucharist, especially given v.51-58; Jesus' flesh is the bread given for the life of the world.
- Synergistic view (Wesleyan, Arminian): Clarke and Wesley hold that human effort is required — not to merit salvation, but as the God-ordained path by which believers receive grace and grow in holiness.
What is clear: Jesus contrasts perishable earthly food with the eternal nourishment he provides, and the Father has confirmed his identity and mission by sealing him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of 'work' in verse 27 | All traditions agree Jesus is not forbidding honest labour for daily bread, but calling for a higher priority on eternal things. | Protestants (e.g., Barnes, Calvin) emphasise that the 'work' is ultimately faith itself, a gift; Wesleyans and some Catholics see real human striving and cooperation with grace as part of the commanded 'work.' |
| Meaning of 'sealed' | The seal refers to divine authentication of Jesus as the Son of Man and Messiah. | Some focus on the miracles as the seal (Barnes); others highlight the Father's direct testimony at Jesus' baptism and transfiguration; others relate it to the eternal decree (Calvin) or to the commission for sacrifice (Clarke). |
| Reference to the Eucharist | This verse introduces the 'food' metaphor that continues throughout John 6. | The Cambridge Bible and Catholic tradition see a direct Eucharistic reference, especially in light of v.51, 58; many Protestant commentators (e.g., Gill, Calvin) interpret the food as the doctrine of Christ or spiritual union with him, not the sacrament itself. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse stands at a turning point in John 6. The day before, Jesus fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish. The crowd, thrilled by the free food, wanted to make him king by force (John 6:15). When they track him down in Capernaum, Jesus sees right through them: ‘You seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled’ (v.26). Their interest is in the next meal, not the Messiah.
The word ‘seal’ (sphragizō) carried deep meaning in the ancient world. A king’s seal on a document proved its authenticity. A seal on a person marked them as belonging to someone or authorized to act on their behalf. Here, ‘God the Father has sealed’ the Son, a past action (aorist tense) pointing to a completed commissioning. As the Cambridge Bible notes, the seal is ‘the evidence of his miracles’ that ratify his mission. The title ‘Son of Man,’ drawn from Daniel 7:13, 14, identifies Jesus as the heavenly figure who receives eternal dominion. So Jesus claims nothing less than divine authorization to give life that never ends.
The crowd asked, ‘What must we do, to work the works of God?’ (v.28). They were still thinking in terms of religious performance. Jesus answers in v.29, but v.27 already prepares the ground: the ‘work’ is not multiple acts but one, receiving the bread he gives. The context of the feeding miracle makes the metaphor inescapable: just as physical bread sustained their bodies for a day, Jesus himself is the bread that sustains the soul for eternity.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for John 6:27. The earliest Greek manuscripts (P66, P75, Vaticanus, Sinaiticus) agree closely on the wording. The variant in the Darby and Douay translations regarding the placement of ‘even God’ reflects a natural reading of the Greek word order, but does not change the meaning.
Reception History
From the early church onward, this verse has been read as a call to spiritual priorities. Origen and Augustine used it to contrast earthly desires with heavenly nourishment. During the Reformation, both Luther and Calvin stressed that the ‘work’ is faith alone, while Catholic interpreters maintained the necessity of cooperating with grace. John Wesley, in the eighteenth century, urged believers to ‘labour, work for this; for everlasting life’ while affirming that the power comes from God. The verse has also been central to debates about the Eucharist: the ‘bread which endures’ has been identified by many with the sacrament, especially in Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican traditions, while others restrict it to the teaching or person of Christ received by faith. Across all traditions, the verse remains a vivid summons to look beyond the material to the eternal.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Two kinds of food. ‘Food which perishes’ includes every earthly thing, money, comfort, reputation. It does not last. ‘Food which remains to eternal life’ is Christ himself, received by faith. (Calvin, Clarke)
- One kind of work. Jesus will redefine ‘work’ in v.29 as believing in the one God sent. So the command to ‘work’ is not about earning but about directing our whole lives toward receiving the gift.
- The sealed Son. The Father has set his seal on Jesus, authenticated him through miracles, Scripture, and the Spirit’s witness. This seal guarantees that the food he gives is genuine and sufficient.
Five-point outline
- Stop chasing what fades, Jesus opens with a clear ‘don’t work for…’ He does not forbid honest labour, but he warns against making it life’s centre (Barnes, Matthew Henry).
- Set your desire on what lasts, ‘the food which remains to eternal life’ is not a thing but a person: the Son of Man who gives himself.
- Recognise where true bread comes from, Jesus says ‘the Son of Man will give to you.’ It is a gift, not an achievement.
- Trust the Father’s seal, The miracles and the whole ministry of Jesus carry God’s authenticating signature. We can trust the giver.
- Let faith be your daily work, The ‘work’ God wants is not a list of duties but a living, trusting relationship with the Son. (Wesley: ‘Labour, work for this; for everlasting life… from a principle of faith and love.’)
Illustration hooks
- Empty calories. A person who eats nothing but junk food may feel full for an hour but soon crashes. The crowd had eaten bread that filled their stomachs, but their souls were starving. Jesus offers real nourishment.
- Sealed contract. When a king stamps a document with his seal, everyone knows it is official. Jesus carries the Father’s seal, everything he says and does is backed by heaven’s authority.
- Wrong fuel. Putting regular petrol in a diesel engine ruins it. The crowd wanted to run their lives on physical bread when they were made for something more. Jesus calls them to the fuel that matches their design: himself.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I can’t earn salvation, what does it mean to ‘work for’ eternal food?
- How do I know that Jesus is really the one sent by God? What counts as the Father’s ‘seal’ today?
- I’m so busy with work and family, how do I practically seek the food that endures without neglecting my daily responsibilities?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges how we spend our energy. The crowd had seen a miracle but wanted more physical bread. Jesus turns their eyes, and ours, toward a different kind of hunger. As you discuss, keep the main question in view: what does it mean to ‘work’ for the food that lasts, and how does that relate to faith?
Discussion questions
- Read John 6:26, 27. Why does Jesus say the crowd is seeking him? What motives does he identify, and how might we share those motives without realizing it?
- The word ‘work’ appears twice in verses 27, 29. How does the meaning shift? Was Jesus contradicting himself when he told them to work but then said the work is to believe?
- What does the word ‘sealed’ suggest about Jesus’ identity and mission? (Refer to the use of seals in contracts, official documents, or royal decrees.)
- In what ways does the world around us encourage us to ‘work for the food which perishes’? Give concrete examples from daily life.
- How do you personally distinguish between healthy labour for daily needs and an anxious preoccupation with earthly things? Where is the line?
- The food Jesus gives ‘remains to eternal life.’ What does that mean for the way we approach church, Bible reading, prayer, and community?
- How would your priorities shift this week if you truly believed Jesus is the one the Father has sealed, completely trustworthy and able to satisfy your deepest needs?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 2:7 | I will tell of the decree: Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father. |
| Psalms 40:7 | Then I said, “Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll. |
| Proverbs 2:2 | so as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; |
| Proverbs 2:6 | For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. |
| Ecclesiastes 5:11 | When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes? |
| Ecclesiastes 5:16 | This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind? |
| Ecclesiastes 6:7 | All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. |
| Isaiah 11:1 | A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists that labor is necessary for salvation, not to earn it, but because this is God’s chosen path to give it. He explains that “Him hath God the Father sealed” refers to Christ’s commission as prophet and priest, bearing God’s seal in his holy nature, pure doctrine, and miracles, especially his sacrificial body.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "labour not" does not forbid working for food but forbids making it the anxious, supreme aim of life. He contrasts physical food, which perishes, with spiritual food that nourishes the soul forever. The seal of God the Father means the miracles ratified Jesus as sent from God.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that Jesus first loosens the crowd from their obsession with earthly food before commanding them to seek eternal food. He does not forbid daily labor but insists that heavenly life must take priority. The metaphor of food is deliberately chosen because the people were focused only on their bellies.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary argues that the discourse cannot refer solely or primarily to the Eucharist, yet any reading that excludes the Eucharist entirely is equally improbable. Rather, the passage encompasses all the channels of grace by which Christ imparts Himself to the believing soul, with the Eucharist as a specific and concrete means. The key is Augustine's phrase "believe and you have eaten."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note distinguishes between laboring for food that spoils and laboring for the eternal food that Christ alone gives. The key point is the Father's seal, which marks Christ as the authorized giver. Believing in him is the true work that secures lasting life.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads Christ's warning against laboring for perishable food as covering not only physical bread but also sinful pleasures and self-righteous religious works. The enduring food Christ gives is His own flesh, which believers feed on by faith. God the Father sealed the Son, designating, authorizing, and confirming Him as the giver of this eternal nourishment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB ties the title Son of Man directly to Jesus's incarnate life, the human form He took. The sealing by God the Father marks and authenticates Jesus for the solemn task of giving the world the bread of everlasting life in that very human role.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights the people's relentless but misguided zeal: they hunted Jesus down not because his miracles revealed who he was, but because their stomachs had been filled. Their eager search was for another free meal, not for spiritual truth.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights that the word translated "meat" refers to something that decays or corrodes, the same term used for "rust" in Matthew. He also stresses the Greek word order of the sealing clause, which places "God" last for emphasis: the Father, even God, has set His seal on Christ.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley stresses that Jesus' command not to labor for perishable food means not to seek it primarily; believers are instead to actively work for eternal life, which springs from faith and love as the source. He ties the Father's sealing of the Son to Christ's miracle and whole testimony as authentication.