John 6:40

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.