Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of
God,
&c.] The main and principal one, and which is well pleasing
in his sight; and without which it is impossible to please him;
and without which no work whatever is a good work; and this is of
the operation of God, which he himself works in men; it is not of
themselves, it is the pure gift of God:
that ye believe on him whom he hath sent;
there are other works which are well pleasing to God, when
rightly performed, but faith is the chief work, and others are
only acceptable when done in the faith of Christ. This, as a
principle, is purely God's work; as it is an act, or as it is
exercised under the influence of divine grace, it is man's act:
"that ye believe"; the object of it is Christ, as sent by the
Father, as the Mediator between God and men, as appointed by him
to be the Saviour and Redeemer; and believing in Christ, is
believing in God that sent him. The Jews reduce all the six
hundred and thirteen precepts of the law, for so many they say
there are, to this one, "the just shall live by his faith", (
Habakkuk
2:4 ) . F5