John 6
CHAPTER SUMMARY
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Feeding the 5,000, vv1-14.
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Jesus’ withdrawal from the crowd, vv15-24.
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Teaching in Capernaum, vv25-66.
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Jesus’ question to the 12 disciples, and Peter’s reply, vv67-71.
John 6:1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias),
‘Since John’s Gospel is selective (John 20:30-31), he does not record events in the life of Jesus that do not help him fulfill his purpose. Between the healing of the paralytic (John 5) and the feeding of the 5,000, you have many events taking place, some of which are mentioned in Luke 6:1-9:10 and Mark 3:1-6:30. During this period our Lord preached “the Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5-7) and gave the parables of the kingdom (Matt. 13).’ (Wiersbe)
This miracle is, uniquely, recorded by all four Evangelists. See Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:32-44 Lk 9:10-17.
There were a number of reasons why Jesus sought to withdraw from the crowds: (a) to find rest from the strain of public ministry; (b) to pray; (c) to teach the disciples privately; (d) to avoid a premature clash with the hostile authorities. Note that in the present case, the news of John the Baptist’s cruel execution had recently broken.
‘The Fourth Gospel agrees with the Synoptics that Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry, but it narrates only seven-far fewer than in the Synoptics. The feeding of the five thousand (Jn 6:1-15), Jesus walking on the sea (Jn 6:16-21) and probably the healing of the nobleman’s son (Jn 4:46-54) have Synoptic parallels, but the other four, including the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11:1-44), are unique.’ (DJG)
Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee – The distance from Capernaum was about 4 miles.
The Sea of Tiberias – In about AD 20 Herod Antipas founded a city on the west shore of the lake and called it Tiberias, after the Roman emperor. Gradually, the lake itself became known by that name; hence John’s explanation.
Joh 6:2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.
There is a run of imperfect tenses in this verse. Read, therefore, something like, ‘A great crowd of people kept following him because they had seen the miraculous signs he had been performing on the sick.’
The saw the miraculous signs – John concurs with the Synoptists that Jesus performed many miracles; yet he chose to relate only seven.
‘For certainly the government of the whole world is a greater miracle than the satisfying of five thousand men with five loaves; and yet no man wonders at the former; but the latter men wonder at, not because it is greater, but because it is rare. For who even now feeds the whole world, but he who creates the cornfield from a few grains?’ (Augustine)
John was particularly fond of using “sign” to denote miraculous activity. {see Joh 2:11,18,23 3:2 4:54 6:2,14,26 7:31 9:16 10:41 11:47 12:18,37 20:30 Re 12:1,3 13:13,14 15:1 16:14 19:20}
Joh 6:3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples.
A mountainside – This would have been what is now called the Golan Heights.
Joh 6:4 The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
This is the second of three Passovers mentioned by John (see also Joh 2:13,23 11:55 ff). At the time of the first, Jesus described himself as the temple that would be destroyed and rebuilt (pointing to his death and resurrection). The third Passover was the time of his death. At about the time of this second Passover, Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand, which preciptated his teaching about the bread of life.
‘The movement from the miracle to the discourse, from Jesus to Moses, and above all from bread to flesh is almost unintelligible unless the reference to the Passover picks up Joh 1:29,35, anticipates Joh 19:36, and governs the whole narrative.’ (Hoskyns)
‘This is one of the circumstances of explanation thrown in by John which show that he wrote for those who were unacquainted with Jewish customs.’ (Barnes)
‘The nearness of the Passover is probably added to explain Joh 6:15. Passover was a reminder of the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. Hence, it was especially on this day that the thoughts of the Jews revolved about this question, “When shall we be delivered from the bondage of Rome?’ (Hendriksen)
‘John notes that the Passover was near because he linked the following discussion about the heavenly bread with this feast (cf. v 51, which becomes more intelligible against a Passover background).’ (NBC)
‘John’s mention of the Passover is evidently meant to awaken associations of the wilderness as well as to locate the event in time. Later in the chapter the references to “living bread,” v51, “the true bread out of heaven,” v32, “the bread of God,” v33, etc. are clearly to bring the same things before us. What the manna in the wilderness foreshadowed is perfectly given to men in Jesus. He is the Messiah who gives men the richest banquets to enjoy.” (Morris)
‘Paul tells us that in the wilderness the Israelites “did all eat the same spiritual food; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was Christ,” 1Co 10:3-4. It is likely that John has a similar thought in mind. Christ always has been the perfect provider of his people’s need. It was he who was their “bread of God” in the wilderness, and it is he who is the bread of God now.’ (Morris)
Joh 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”
The Synoptists supply further information: that Jesus and the disciples had retired to a deserted place to be alone; that the crowd had followed them there; that he had spend the day teaching and healing; that is was now evening. Mr 6:33-35 explains that Jesus had taught the crowd at some length – hence his concern about feeding them.
He said to Philip – Philip came from the nearby town of Bethsaida, Joh 1:44, and so was the obvious person to ask.
‘He directed himself to Philip, who had been his disciple from the first, and had seen all his miracles, and particularly that of his turning water into wine, and therefore it might be expected that he should have said, “Lord, if thou wilt, it is easy to thee to feed them all.” Those that, like Israel, have been witnesses of Christ’s works, and have shared in the benefit of them, are inexcusable if they say, Can he furnish a table in the wilderness? Philip was of Bethsaida, in the neighbourhood of which town Christ now was, and therefore he was most likely to help them to provision at the best hand; and probably much of the company was known to him, and he was concerned for them.’ (MHC)
Joh 6:6 he asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip’s reply is not the suggestion of a solution, but the assertion of an impossibility. ‘When Christ is pleased to puzzle his people, it is only with a design to prove them. The question put Philip to a nonplus, yet Christ proposed it, to try whether he would say, “Lord, if thou wilt exert thy power for them, we need not buy bread.”‘ (MHC)
He already had in mind what he was going to do – ‘This comment is capable of the widest application. Our Lord still surveys the needy world with compassion, just as he surveys the micro-world of our personal affairs. He is not without plans. He “already has in mind what he will do” in our time and generation, and just as surely with the tangled threads of our personal present and future.’ (Milne)
Joh 6:7 Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
‘Philip’s response to Jesus’ request shows a natural but purely human sense of the occasion. He was intensely practical in his calculations (7). Andrew was little better in informing Jesus of the hopelessly inadequate supplies available. He also took a literalistic approach. But none of the disciples was to know what was in the mind of Jesus.’ (NBC)
‘Sadly, our response to the Lord’s testing is too often the same as Philip’s. We measure the need, quantify our inadequate resources, and resign in hopelessness. It is all beyond us; the need cannot be met. Even when, like Andrew, we identify some limited resource, the possibilities are not significantly improved…But this assembling of our resources is a key to the divine provision, for Jesus is not discouraged, as we are, by what we have to offer. Indeed, if we will put it into his hands he will still “give thanks” for it, a wonder in itself. Our instinct is to put ourselves down and demean what we have to give, particularly when measuring it against raw human need. But Christ is thankful for us! And if we will believe sufficiently in his gifting to trust him with our whole selves, he will take us, break us as need be, Mr 6:41, and offer us to the Father as in his hands the miracle is repeated, the resource multiplied, and a multitude fed.’ (Milne)
Joh 6:8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother – Here, as in Joh 1:40,42, Andrew is bringing someone to Jesus.
Joh 6:9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
“Five small barley loaves” – Only John specifies that these were barley loaves, the bread of the poorer classes.
“Two small fish” – Probably pickled.
‘The “barley” loaves are reminiscent of 2Ki 4:42-44, where Elisha multiplies such loaves. Philip’s and Andrew’s skepticism also mirrors that of Elisha’s prophet disciples. {2Ki 4:43} (Some scholars also point to the presence of Elisha’s assistant in 2Ki 4:38,41; the LXX there uses the same word for “lad” as Andrew does here.) Fish and bread were basic staples; few people could afford meat.’ (NT Background Cmt’y)
Joh 6:10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
“Sit down” – lit. recline – the usual posture for eating.
‘”Make the men sit down, though you have nothing to set before them, and trust me for that.” This was like sending providence to market, and going to buy without money: Christ would thus try their obedience.’ (MHC)
‘One can readily visualise this multitude dressed in bright Oriental garments, reclining under the blue vault of heaven, upon the green grass, with the Sea of Galilee not very far away, “a sapphire in a setting of emerald”.’ (Hendriksen)
About five thousand – This is gender-specific, the men being numbered partly from convention, and partly to emphasise the potential number of recruits for the potential king, v15. The total crowd, with women and children, may have numbered 20,000.
I read somewhere the following: ‘Jesus said, “Let’s eat” and got 5,000. He said, “Let’s witness” and got 70. He said, “Let’s go to the cross” and got one.’ {See Mt 14:21 20:22 Mr 6:44 Lu 9:14 Lu 10:1,17 Joh 6:10}
Joh 6:11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
Gave thanks – Eucharistein. ‘The verb John uses here is the same as the synoptics use in the narrative of the Lord’s Supper. This is noteworthy in view of the fact that John does not include the Last Supper in his gospel.’ (NBC) However, Carson warns against reading too much eucharistic symbolism in the narrative here, for John does not mention any breaking of the bread, or the distribution of the pieces. Instead, John stresses the lavishness of the meal.
The traditional thanksgiving was, “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who bringest forth bread from the earth.” (Carson, who notes that Jesus gave thanks; he did not ‘bless’ the food.)
As much as they wanted – confirming that this was no token meal.
Although what is recorded here is first and foremost a miracle, it is not without spiritual meaning (cf. John’s characteristic use of the term ‘sign’). Food is such an important, regular, and enjoyable item that Jesus’ generous supply of it shows him to be a supplier of human need in a more general sense.
Joh 6:12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
‘John stresses that the people were all satisfied (12), which means it was a full meal and not a merely symbolic act.’ (NBC)
‘Greco-Roman moralists and Jewish teachers abhorred waste; although the extra bread has been provided miraculously, its provision is not to be taken for granted and squandered.’ (NT Background Cmt’y)
‘This command is omitted by the other evangelists. It shows the care of Jesus that there should be no waste. Though he had power to provide any quantity of God, yet he has here taught us that the bounties of Providence are not to be squandered. In all things the Saviour set us an example of frugality, though he had an infinite supply at his disposal; he was himself economical, though he was Lord of all. If he was thus saving, it becomes us dependent creatures not to waste the bounties of a beneficent Providence. And it especially becomes the rich not to squander the bounties of Providence. They often feel that they are rich. They have enough. They have no fear of want, and they do not feel the necessity of studying economy. Yet let them remember that what they have is the gift of God-just as certainly as the loaves and fishes created by the Saviour were his gift. It is not given them to waste, nor to spend in riot, nor to be the means of injuring their health or of shortening life. It is given to sustain life, to excite gratitude, to fit for the active service of God. Everything should be applied to its appropriate end, and nothing should be squandered or lost.’ (Barnes)
Joh 6:13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
They gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves – Thus indicating both the truth and the abundance of the miracle.
‘Though Christ could command supplies whenever he pleased, yet he would have the fragments gathered up.’ (MHC)
‘The leftovers are considerably more than they started with. It was a Roman custom always to have some food left over after a meal to indicate more than adequate provision. Jesus reveals himself as the ultimate host.’ (NT Background Cmt’y)
‘It is doubtful whether the twelve baskets of fragments were intended in a symbolic way to refer to God’s provision for the tribes of Israel. It is more in harmony with the context to see it as a proof of God’s unstinting bounty.’ (NBC)
Joh 6:14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
The miraculous sign – ‘”Signs” are precisely what the Johannine miracles are, for in very concrete, physical ways they point to the deep and crucial truth about Jesus (and God), namely, that he is the absolutely unique Son of God who descended from heaven to reveal the Father and through whose “lifting up” on the cross, resurrection and return to the Father believers receive the Holy Spirit and thus eternal life. The signs, in other words, point to the present glory of the exclusive mediator of eschatological salvation and also portend the salvation to be enjoyed by the beneficiaries of the completion of his messianic work.’ {cf. Joh 7:37-39} (DJG)
“Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world” – The seven ‘signs’ were recorded by John with the express intention of evoking faith in Jesus Christ, 20:30-31.
‘”The Prophet” implies the prophet like Moses of De 18:15-18. In Moses’ day, God had miraculously provided bread from heaven, manna. At Passover season {Joh 6:4} hopes for deliverance ran high, because the Jewish people rehearsed how God had delivered them from their oppressors by the hand of Moses.’ (NT Background Cmt’y)
‘The Passover had been instituted during Israel’s wilderness wandering, when God had fed his people supernaturally with manna from heaven. The setting was again a “wilderness” area, where Moses had spoken of the “prophet” who would come. Surely this was he, a “second Moses,” their long-awaited deliverer.’ (Milne)
Joh 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
They intended to come and make him king by force – The Passover was a time of great nationalistic fervour, rather like the fourth of July to Americans.
This verse explains Mr 6:45.
‘The real nature of Jesus’ kingship becomes a major issue in the passion narrative, Joh 18:33 ff. The truth of the matter is that Jesus’ kingship was like no other, Joh 18:36. Jesus himself knew that the way his kingdom would triumph would not be by beatnig the enemy in siege warfare, but by dying and rising from the dead; “he would go to Jerusalem not to wield the spear and bring the judgement, but to receive the spear thrust and bear the judgement” (Clowney). Perhaps he recognised in the mob’s enthusiastic but unwelcome attention the same temptation that he had confronted in the wilderness, Mt 4:8-10 Lu 4:5-8. And so he fled, abandoning the crowd and (according to Mark) sending even his own disciples away, back across the lake, perhaps in fear that they too might become contaminated by the crowd’s irrepressible but misguided enthusiasm.’ (Carson)
‘It is only in this gospel that the plan to make Jesus king is mentioned. This would explain why in Matthew and Mark Jesus urged his disciples to get into the boat. It is likely that the crowd’s main purpose was to secure through Jesus a constant supply of free food, rather than any careful summing up of his Messianic potential.’ (NBC)
‘Jesus saw the effect on the crowds, and perceived that they would try and make a king of him. There were fierce nationalistic longings among the Jews of that period. Doubtless many of the people who saw the miracle felt that here was a divinely accredited leader, who was just the person to lead them against the Romans. So they set themselves to make him king. Like many others since, they wanted to use him to further their own ends. But to Jesus the prospect of an earthly kingdom was nothing less than a temptation of the devil, and he decisively rejected it, Lu 4:5 ff’ (Leon Morris).
Jesus…withdrew again to a mountain by himself – Jesus often prayed at times of special significance.
John 6:16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake,
John 6:17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.
John 6:18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.
Joh 6:19 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.
They saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water, and they were terrified – ‘The suggestion see below that the disciples actually saw Jesus walking on the shore and thought he was on the water must be rejected, because it would give no reason for them to be terrified.’ (NBC)
Characteristically, William Barclay eliminates the miraculous element from this story, and turns it into a ‘lesson’ for us all:-
‘Let us reconstruct the story. After the feeding of the five thousand and the attempt to make him king, Jesus slipped away to the hills alone. The day wore on. It came to the time which the Jews described as “the second evening,” the time between the twilight and the dark. Jesus had still not arrived. We must not think that the disciples were forgetful or discourteous in leaving Jesus behind, for, as Mark tells the story, Jesus sent them on ahead, {Mr 6:45} while he persuaded the crowds to go home. Doubtless it was his intention to walk round the head of the lake while they rowed across and to rejoin them in Capernaum.
The disciples set sail. The wind got up, as it can in the narrow, land-locked lake; and the waters were whipped to foam. It was Passover time, and that was the time of the full moon. {Joh 6:4} Up on the hillside Jesus had prayed and communed with God; as he set out the silver moon made the scene almost like daylight; and down on the lake below he could see the boat and the rowers toiling at the oars, making heavy weather of it. So he came down.
We must remember two facts. At the north end the lake was no more than four miles across; and John tells us that the disciples had rowed between three and four miles; that is to say, they were very nearly at their journey’s end. It is natural to suppose that in the wind they hugged the shore of the lake, seeking what shelter they might find. That is the first fact and now we come to the second. They saw Jesus, as the King James Version and Revised Standard Version have it, walking on the sea. The Greek is epi tes thalasses which is precisely the phrase used in Joh 21:1, where it means-it has never been questioned-that Jesus was walking on the seashore. That is what the phrase means in our passage, too.
Jesus was walking epi tes thalasses, by the seashore. The toiling disciples looked up, and suddenly saw him. It was all so unexpected, they had been bent so long over their oars, that they were alarmed because they thought it was a spirit they were seeing. Then across the waters came that well-loved voice-”It is I; don’t be afraid.” They wanted him to come on board; the Greek most naturally means that their wish was not fulfilled. Why? Remember the breadth of the lake was four miles and they hid rowed about that distance. The simple reason was that, before they could take Jesus on board, the boat grounded on the shingle, and they were there.’
John 6:20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”
John 6:21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
John 6:22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.
John 6:23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
John 6:24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
John 6:25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
John 6:26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
‘He recognises the real motives of these fellow-travellers and speaks sharply. Had they come even on the basis of the “signs” they had seen it would have betokened some faith, however small. Faith which rests on the miracles is not the highest kind of faith, but it is better than no faith at all. But these people were crass materialists. They had not reflected on the spiritual significance of the sign they had seen…They were moved not by full hearts, but by full bellies.’ (Morris)
‘Few follow him for love, but for loaves; few follow him for his inward excellencies, but many follow him for their outward advantages; few follow him that they may be made good by him, but many follow him that they may be made great by him.’ (Thomas Brooks)
The basic error of these people was that they were materialists. (Milne) They were interested in food that would fill their bellies, and which they didn’t have to work to obtain.
John 6:27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
“Do not work…” – ‘This does not mean that we are to make no effort for the supply of our wants (comp. 1 Tim 5:1 2 Th 3:10), but that we are not to manifest anxiety, we are not to make this the main or supreme object of our desire.’ (Barnes) See Isa 55:2.
‘”Men,” as Chrysostom said, “are nailed to the things of this life.” Here were people whose eyes never lifted beyond the ramparts of the world to the eternities beyond. Once Napoleon and an acquaintance were talking of life. It was dark; they walked to the window and looked out. There in the sky were distant stars, little more than pin-points of light. Napoleon, who had sharp eyes while his friend was dim-sighted, pointed to the sky: “Do you see these stars?” he asked. “No,” his friend answered. “I can’t see them.” “That,” said Napoleon, “is the difference between you and me.” The man who is earthbound is living half a life. It is the man with vision, who looks at the horizon and sees the stars, who is truly alive.’ (DSB)
‘In the years just after A.D. 60 the luxury of Roman society was unparalleled. It was at this time that they served feasts of peacocks’ brains and nightingales’ tongues; that they cultivated the odd habit of taking emetics between courses so that the next might taste better; that meals costing thousands of pounds were commonplace. It was at this time that Pliny tells of a Roman lady who was married in a robe so richly jewelled and gilded that it cost the equivalent of 432,000 British pounds. There was a reason for all this, and the reason was a deep dissatisfaction with life, a hunger that nothing could satisfy. They would try anything for a new thrill, because they were both appallingly rich and appallingly hungry.’ (DSB)
It is possible to be rich and yet poor, fully clothed, and yet naked, full and yet hungry, educated and yet ignorant.
His seal of approval – lit., ‘For him God the Father has sealed.’ The affixing of a seal was the mark of ownership; in an age of widespread illiteracy the seal took the place of a written label. But the seal is also a mark of authority, of the approval of a document’s contents by the owner of the seal. That is the meaning here (so NIV). Specifically, Jesus received his Father’s approval at his baptism, in his miracles. More generally, Jesus always lived within the divine favour. See Eph 1:13.
‘My soul, hast thou ever remarked the peculiar glory of those scriptures, which comprise within a small compass all the persons of the Godhead, as concurring and co-operating in the grand business of salvation? No doubt, all scripture is blessed, being given by inspiration of God; but there is a peculiar blessedness in these sweet portions, which at one view, represent the Holy Three in One, unitedly engaged in the sinner’s redemption. My soul, ponder over this divine passage, in thy Saviour’s discourse, as thus: who is the Him here spoken of, but the Lord Jesus? And whom but God the Father could seal Christ? And with whom was Christ sealed and anointed, but by God the Holy Ghost? Would any one have thought, at first view, that in seven words, such a blessed testimony should be given to the glorious foundation-truth of the whole bible? “For him hath God the Father sealed. “Precious Jesus! enable me to behold thy divine authority as the warrant of faith in this gracious act of thy Father. And while! view thee as infinitely suited for my poor soul, in every state and under every circumstance, let my soul find confidence in the conviction that the validity of all thy gracious acts of salvation is founded in the seal of the Spirit. Yes, thou dear Lord, it was indeed the Spirit of Jehovah that was upon thee, when thou wast anointed to “preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to give deliverance to the captive, and the restoring of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. “And art thou, dearest Lord, thus held forth, and thus recommended by the grand seal of heaven, to every poor sinner who feels a conscious want of salvation? Oh then help, Lord, by thy blessed Spirit, all and every one of this description, so to receive a sealed Saviour, as to rest in nothing short of being sealed by him; and while every act of love, and every tendency of grace proclaims thee, blessed Jesus, as “Him whom God the Father hath sealed,” so let every act of faith, and every tendency of the soul, in the goings forth after thee, be expressive of the same earnest longings as the church, of being sealed and owned by thee, when she cried out,” Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”‘ (Robert Hawker)
John 6:28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
“What must we do…” – they have not grasped the point about life being a gift. They have mistakenly picked up on Jesus’ statement that they must ‘not work for food that spoils’, and assumed that there was some other kind of work that God required. They may have taken heavenly food to symbolise the Law (so some Rabbinic passages), and so were enquiring about which law(s) in particular they should be observing.
‘This was the earnest inquiry of men who were seeking to be saved. They had crossed the Sea of Tiberias to seek him; they supposed him to be the Messiah, and they sincerely desired to be taught the way of life; yet it is observable that they expected to find that way as other sinners commonly do-by their works. The idea of doing something. to merit salvation is one of the last that the sinner ever surrenders.’ (Barnes)
John 6:29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
“The work of God is this…” – Jesus replaces their ‘works of God’ with the singular, ‘work of God’. This means the work which God requires of men; the work he approves. One thing is needful – faith in the one God has sent.
‘The desire to satisfy God’s requirements ought to be our highest goal. Many sincere seekers for God are puzzled about what he wants them to do. The religions of the world are mankind’s attempts to answer this question. But Jesus’ reply is brief and simple: we must believe on him whom God has sent. Satisfying God does not come from the work we do, but from whom we believe. The first step is accepting that Jesus is who he claims to be. All spiritual development is built on this affirmation. Declare in prayer to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (see Matthew 16:16), and embark on a life of belief that is satisfying to your Creator.’ (Life Application)
The world today (and even the church today) has plenty of pragmatists and materialists. ‘They are down-to-earth folks who “don’t go in for this Bible study and prayer stuff,” or who don’t believe in “taking religion too far”. They are “practical Christians” who “live in the real world,” and whose motto text is “God helps those who help themselves”. The present verse is Jesus’ answer to all such people.
“The work…is to believe…” – But in what sense belief a ‘work’? Hendriksen suggests an illustration: the roots of a tall oak tree peform an incredible amount of work in drawing water from the soil to nourish the tree. Nevertheless the roots do not themselves produce the water but receive it as a gift. ‘Similarly, the work of faith is the work of receiving the gift of God.’
“The one he has sent” – Another reference to Jesus as ‘the sent One’; cf. 3:34.
John 6:30 So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?
This passage (30-59) is said to be in the form of a midrash, or homily, Exodus 16:15 and Psalm 78:24. The latter passage is quoted in John 6:31. ‘Jesus paraphrases, explains and expounds in a manner characteristic of ancient Jewish teachers, yet his hearers fail to understand him. Ancient teachers sometimes made their lectures hard to understand to sort out genuine followers from the masses.’ (NT Background Commentary).
“What miraculous sign…?” Cf. 1 Cor 1:22. And yet they have just seen signs, v26, but are not satisfied. They must prescribe what sign they must have before they will believe. They demand that Jesus demonstrate his credentials. They want Jesus to act as the new Moses – working on an earthly, political level.
What do we want: Christ himself, or just what he can do for us?
John 6:31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
‘Like other ancient writers, John was free to paraphrase his material in his own words; here the crowd cites Scripture as if they are rabbis in a debate (Ex 16:4, 15; cf. Ps. 78:24.’ (NT Background Commentary)
“Our fathers ate the manna…” – The Jews expected that, when the Messiah came, he would renew the miracle of the manna. Jesus has just has just performed such a miracle, but now they want a permanent supply of bread.
‘The rabbis taught that, when Messiah came, He would duplicate the miracle of the manna (see Ex. 16). If Jesus was truly sent by God (see John 6:29, 38, 57), then let Him prove it by causing manna to fall from heaven. They wanted to “see and believe.” But faith that is based on signs alone, and not on the truth of the Word, can lead a person astray; for even Satan is able to perform “lying wonders” (2 Thes. 2:8-10).’ (Wiersbe)
Manna was the small round grains or flakes, which appeared around the Israelites’ camp each morning. They were were ground and baked into cakes or boiled (Ex. 16:13-36). Their name is thought to have come from the question the Israelites asked when they first saw them: “What is it (mah nah)?”
Apparently, the Jews expected that the Messiah would provide his followers with abundant food; and as Moses had provided for the Jews in the wilderness, so they supposed that Christ would make provision for the temporal wants of his people. This was the sign, probably, which they now desired to see.
“‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat’” – They seem to be reasoning as follows: ‘If you are greater than Moses, then give us a sign that is greater than the one which Moses performed when he gave them bread from heaven. Yesterday, you multiplied the loaves: but you had some loaves to begin with; Moses gave us bread from nothing, out of heaven.’
John 6:32 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
Jesus corrects them: ‘the true bread from heaven’ is not that which Moses gave (although it was not given by Moses but by God); on the contrary, it is that which God even now continues to give. ‘My Father’ suggests the unique relationship of Jesus to God.
The ‘true bread’ is ‘the true or real support which is needed to keep the soul from death. It is not false, deceitful, or perishing. Christ is called bread, because, as bread supports life, so his doctrine supports, preserves, and saves the soul from death. He is the true support, not only in opposition to the mere supply of temporal wants such as Moses furnished, but also in opposition to all false religion which deceives and destroys the soul.’ (Barnes)
‘Then Jesus clearly identified what the bread is: He is the true Living Bread that came down from heaven. But He came, not only for Israel but for the whole world. And He came, not just to sustain life, but to give life! Seven times in this sermon, our Lord referred to His “coming down from heaven” (John 6:33, 38, 41-42, 50-51, 58), a statement that declared Him to be God. The Old Testament manna was but a type of the “true bread,” the Lord Jesus Christ. This dialogue began with the crowd seeking Christ and then seeking a sign, but listeners soon began to seek the “true bread” that Jesus talked about. However, like the woman of Samaria, they were not ready for salvation (see John 4:15). She wanted the living water so she would not have to keep going to the well. The crowd wanted the bread so they would not have to toil to maintain life. People today still want Jesus Christ only for the benefits He is able to give. In His reply to their impetuous request, Jesus used two key words that often appear in this sermon: come and believe. To come to Jesus means to believe on Him, and to believe on Him means to come to Him. Believing is not merely an intellectual thing, giving mental assent to some doctrine. It means to come to Christ and yield yourself to Him. At the close of His sermon, Jesus illustrated coming and believing by speaking about eating and drinking. To come to Christ and believe on Him means to receive Him within, just as you receive food and drink.’ (Wiersbe)
John 6:33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
The bread is identified as ‘he who’ (or ‘that which’) not merely is sent, but ‘comes down from heaven’. It has life, and it gives life ‘to the world’.
The contrast is as follows:-
Moses did not himself provide the bread. The Father in heaven is the true Giver The manna was not the ‘the true bread’, The Father is giving ‘the true bread’ What was provided was physical nourishment What is provided is eternal life
John 6:34 “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”
Like the woman who wanted the living water, 4:15, these people want the bread of God. She wanted relief from having to draw at the well; they had been fed by the loaves, and wanted permanent relief from hunger (“from now on…”). But they were hearnig Jesus at their own level, rather than his. But their request is ironical: they do not believe he can provide this bread.
Joh 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
“I am the bread of life” – the first of seven ‘I am’ statements in this Gospel. Verses 36-51 will provide a commentary on it. It probably has overtones of divinity. Jesus doesn’t bring bread which they can pick up and eat; he is the bread. Note, our old life is one of beggarly famine and dissatisfaction. Jesus bids us leave this old life, and says, “Come to me.” This verse is not just an abstract statement; it is an earnest appeal.
‘The saying enshrines the essence of Jesus’ message – he is the answer to the needs of the human heart. The bread of life implies the fundamental, elemental role Jesus claims to fulfil in relation to the yearning of the human spirit. For Jesus’ audience bread was “the staff of life,” the primary source of nourishment, as it continues to be for millions in Third World countries. But since bread is a basic food universally, there is also the implicit claim that he fulfils this role for everyone. Caviar, like cake and confectionery, is for the few, but bread is for all. He is “the Saviour of the world” (4:42).’ (Milne)
‘The bread of life also points to the satisfying nature of Jesus. This is drawn out in the corollary, never go hungry and never be thirsty. All other breads, like the manna in the wilderness, leave a sense of dissatisfaction. As Jesus had said to the woman in 4:14, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst,” so now he says to the Galileans, he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Jesus alone can satisfy the heart. In a society which has experimented to the point of satiation with every form of material, physical and spiritual palliative to fill the inner emptiness of its heart, Jesus’ invitation comes with wonderful relevance – he who comes to me will never go hungry…will never be thirsty.’ (Milne)
‘Christ’s presence satisfies our deepest desires. People eat bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life. We can satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life only by a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the bread of life. But bread must be eaten to sustain life, and Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain spiritual life.’ (HBA)
Joh 6:36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.
The bread which gives life is available only to those who believe in Christ. Jesus’ hearers had not met this condition.
Joh 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Since Jesus’ hearers had not met the condition of faith (v36), does this mean that his mission was a failure? This verse gives the answer: the final outcome is in the sovereign Father’s hands.
“All that the Father gives me…” – This verse strongly emphasises the sovereignty of God. Becoming a Christian is not merely a matter of personal choice, but of being ‘given’ by the Father to the Son.
“Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” – This is in the form of a figure of speech known as a ‘litotes’. Accordingly, ‘will never drive away’ = ‘will certainly keep’. This retains the emphasis of the first part of the verse on the sovereignty of God.
‘Will never drive away’ is emphatic = ‘I will never, no never, reject’ (Amplified). ‘He who forgave the sinner that perfumed his feet; he who called Saul the persecutor to be an Apostle of the faith; he who from the cross bore the companion of his last agonies to Paradise; – he hath said, “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.”‘ (Horsley) Search both the pages of Scripture and the annals of history, and the conclusion will still be – Christ has never turned away a single person who came to him.
Joh 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Although Jesus may not have the crowd’s approval, his will is entirely one with the Father’s.
John 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
John 6:39: ‘The salvation he brings is no ephemeral thing. It is ultimate and final. This thought is of the greatest comfort to believers. Their assurance is based not on their feeble hold on Christ, but on his sure grip of them.’ (Morris)
John 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
Joh 6:42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
‘This expression ‘shows what was the impression that the Jews commonly had about our Lord’s birth. They believed him to be the naturally begotten son of Joseph the husband of Mary. The annunciation by the angel Gabriel, the miraculous conception, the miraculous birth of our Lord, are matters of which the Jews apparently had not any knowledge. Throughout the whole of our Lord’s ministry we never find them mentioned. For some wise reason a total silence was observed about them until after our Lord’s death, resurrection, and ascension. It was not probably till after the death of the Virgin Mary and all her family, that this great and deep subject was allowed to be much brought forward in the Church.’ (J.C. Ryle)
John 6:43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered.
Joh 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
‘The nature of man since the fall is so corrupt and depraved, that even when Christ is made known and preached to him, he will not come to him and believe in him, without the special grace of God inclining his will and giving him a disposition to come.’ (J.C. Ryle)
John 6:45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
John 6:46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.
John 6:47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
John 6:48 I am the bread of life.
John 6:49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.
John 6:50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die.
Joh 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven” – ‘Manna was a dead thing; if kept but one night, it putrefied and bred worms; but Christ is ever living, everlasting bread, that never moulds, nor waxes old. The doctrine of Christ crucified is now as strengthening and comforting to a believer as ever it was, and his mediation still of as much value and efficacy as ever.’ (MHC)
John 6:52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
John 6:53: ‘The latent idea…is that first passover in the land of Egypt, which was kept on the night when the first-born were slain. The flesh and blood of the lamb slain that night were the means of life, safety and deliverance to the Israelites. In like manner…our Lord meant the Jews to understand that his flesh and blood were to be the means of life and deliverance from the wrath to come to sinners. To a Jewish ear therefore there would be nothing so entirely new and strange in the sentence as at first sigh may appear to us. The thing that would startle them no doubt would be our Lord’s assertion that eating HIS flesh and drinking HIS blood could be the means of life to their souls.’ (J.C. Ryle)
John 6:54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
John 6:56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
John 6:57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
John 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”
John 6:59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
John 6:60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
John 6:61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?
Joh 6:62
The ascension would complete the U-shaped life of the incarnate Christ. He who would ascend would be he who had come down. See Eph 4:10.
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
John 6:64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.
John 6:65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
John 6:66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
‘To forsake Christ for the world, is to leave a treasure for a trifle. . . . eternity for a moment, reality for a shadow.’ (William Jenkyn)
1. WHO THEY WERE
(a) Disciples. (b) They had seen Jesus works (vv1-14) and heard his teaching (vv25-65).
2. WHY THEY TURNED BACK
(a) They had misunderstood his mission, Jn 6:14; 18:36. (b) They had not counted the cost, Lk 14:28. (c) They followed the crowd, Mt 7:13.
Nb. They had squandered a golden opportunity; would they ever have the same chance again? Cf Lu 13:24.
John 6:67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
“To whom shall we go?” – To other religions? To pleasure? Cf 2 Tim 3:4. To despair? Cf Eccl 1:2.
John 6:69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”
John 6:71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
