John 6:27

Work not for (mh ergazesqe). Prohibition with mh and present middle imperative of ergazomai, old verb from ergon, work. The meat (thn brwsin). The act of eating ( Romans 14:17 ), corrosion ( Matthew 6:19 ), the thing eaten as here ( 2 Corinthians 9:10 ). See on "Joh 4:32". Which perisheth (thn apollumenhn). Present middle participle of apollumi. They were already hungry again. Unto eternal life (ei zwhn aiwnion). Mystical metaphor quite beyond this crowd hungry only for more loaves and fishes. Bernard thinks that John has here put together various sayings of Christ to make one discourse, a gratuitous interpretation. Will give (dwsei). Future active indicative of didwmi. The outcome is still future and will be decided by their attitude towards the Son of man (verse 2 Corinthians 51 ). For him the Father, even God, hath sealed (touton gar o pathr espragisen o qeo). Literally, "For this one the Father sealed, God." First aorist active indicative of spragizw, to seal. See elsewhere in John 3:33 (attestation by man). Sealing by God is rare in N.T. ( 2 Corinthians 1:22 ; Ephesians 1:13 ; Ephesians 4:30 ). It is not clear to what item, if any single one, John refers when the Father set his seal of approval on the Son. It was done at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him and the Father spoke to him. Cf. Ephesians 5:37 .