John Chapter 6
John 6:1 “After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.”
John is the only gospel writer to call this sea “Tiberias.” Following the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Sea of Galilee was renamed Tiberias, after Tiberias Caesar who ruled in 14-37 A.D.
This happens after Jesus’ encounter with the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. John leaves out things like how they came from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, because to him that is not important.
John 6:2 “And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.”
This period of time, Jesus is very popular with the masses of people because of the miracles they had seen and heard of Him doing. Great numbers followed Him in hopes of having a miracle done for them. Excitement over miracles always draws a crowd.
The crowds followed not out of belief but out of curiosity concerning the miracles that He performed (in verse 26). However, in spite of the crowd’s crass motivations, Jesus, having compassion on them, healed their sick and fed them.
John 6:3 “And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.”
Jesus’ favorite place to go to get away from the throngs of people was a mountain. There is a hill on the side of the Sea of Galilee and that is where Jesus went with His disciples.
Jesus is not going to be able to run this group off. They want to be near Jesus and will go to a lot of trouble just to be near Him. From His vantage point, He could look down and see this enormous group of followers.
John 6:4 “And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.”
This feast and the grass growing (verse 10), lets us know that this happens in early spring. This mountain by the Sea, here at Passover time, could certainly be symbolic of the Exodus out of Egypt where they crossed the Red Sea and ate manna. Perhaps, that is why Passover is mentioned here.
This is the third Passover during Jesus’ ministry.
John 6:5 “When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
This question is for Philip’s benefit. Jesus knows where the bread will come from as we see (in verse 6).
John 6:6 “And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.”
Let us look at the spiritual meanings for a moment in all of this. When Jesus looks up and sees these large numbers coming, I believe it is symbolic of those who are looking to Jesus to help them from all ages. We must see in this far more than the physical feeding of the multitude and see Jesus feeding all the peoples throughout the ages with His Word.
As we go on with this, notice how Jesus has them to make small groups (like a church). Jesus will then bless the food, and hand it to a disciple (preacher), who then passes this food (Word of God), to the people.
John 6:7 “Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.”
Since one denarius was a day’s pay for a common laborer, 200 denarii would be approximately 8 months wages or 200 days of work. The crowd however, was so large that such a significant amount was still inadequate to feed them.
John 6:8-9 “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,” “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”
Little is much, when God is in it. We need to look at the number five which means grace and the number two which means agreement. Jesus is the bread of life. This bread was furnished by the grace of God.
Matthew 18:19 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
John 6:10 “And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.”
The mention of much grass here probably indicates that it was early spring. Grass on the desert would have to be near water. This happens near the Sea of Galilee.
The number of men was 5,000, not including women and children, who probably brought the total up to 15,000 to 20,000.
John 6:11 “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”
We see in this the order that the message in the church should come. The message must come from our Lord, to the minister, and then the minister must deliver this bread (Word of God), to the people. The preacher should give this Word (bread) until the whole congregation is full.
John 6:12-13 “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” “Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”
These fragments are showing us that there is always enough of the Word of God left over to feed the hungry of all ages. The twelve disciples are a representative number of all Christendom. The disciples are the ministers. It is so strange, when you believe you have preached every word God would have you to, there is still plenty of the Word that has not been consumed.
Notice there was much more left after they ate than when they started. Jesus is the Bread of life; we must feed on Him daily. This Bread like the manna which fell from heaven never runs out.
John 6:14 “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.”
This miracle Jesus had performed was of such magnitude that the people witnessing it believed Jesus to be the great Prophet which had been promised in the Old Testament.
The enemies of these Israelites were the Romans. They wanted Jesus to lead them in the overthrow of the Romans.
The crowd referred to “the Prophet” of (Deut. 18:15). Sadly, these comments coming right after Jesus healed and fed them, indicate that the people desired a Messiah who met their physical rather than spiritual needs. Apparently, no recognition existed for the need of spiritual repentance and preparation for the kingdom.
They wanted an earthly, political Messiah to meet all their needs and to deliver them from Roman oppression. Their reaction typifies many who want a “Christ” that makes no demands of them, but of whom they can make their selfish personal requests.
John 6:15 “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”
John supplemented the information (in Matthew and Mark), by indicating that the reason Jesus dismissed the disciples and withdrew from the crowd into a mountain alone was because of His supernatural knowledge of their intention to make Him king in light of His healing and feeding of them.
The crown incited by mob enthusiasm, was ready to proceed with crassly political intentions that would have jeopardized God’s will.
Not only was Jesus sought by the rulers of the temple, but now was sought by the people to force Him into rulership before He was ready. He felt His only safety at this point was isolation, so He went to the mountain.
Hunger was common and a Messiah who could multiply food was the one most people were ready to follow.
Verses 16-21: The story of Jesus’ walking on the water constituted the fifth sign in John’s gospel designed to demonstrate the writer’s purpose that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God. The miracle demonstrates Jesus’ deity by His sovereignty over the laws of nature.
John 6:16-17 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,” “And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.”
Both Matthew and Mark indicate that as soon as Jesus had fed the multitudes, He immediately dismissed His disciples to travel West toward Capernaum.
The disciples were taking a ship across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum where Peter’s home was and where they worked out of. The Sea of Galilee is known for its rough water, and especially at night.
John 6:18-19 “And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.”
The Sea of Galilee is almost 700 feet below sea level. Cooler air from the northern mountains and southeastern tablelands rushes down into the lake and displaces the warm moist air, causing a violent churning of the water.
John 6:19 “So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.”
This was a stormy night, and they had not progressed very far because of the wind. They look up and see Jesus walking on the Sea. In the Matthew account of this miracle, it goes into a little more detail. They thought Him to be a ghost or a spirit.
The Son of God, who made the world, was in control of its forces and, in this case, He suspended the law of gravity. The act was not frivolous in Jesus’ part, for it constituted a dramatic object lesson to the disciples of Jesus’ true identity as the sovereign Lord of all creation.
It also tells in Matthew of Peter walking on the sea to meet Jesus. Peter doubts and begins to sink, and Jesus reaches out and saves Peter. In this account, here in John, it just mentions their fear.
John 6:20 “But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.”
Jesus encourages them not to fear. Having Jesus with you should calm every fear, then or now.
If Jesus be for you, who can be against you?
John 6:21 “Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”
This wording indicates that another miracle occurred besides walking on the water, i.e., the boat miraculously and instantly arrived at its precise destination as soon as Jesus stepped into the boat.
In (Matthew 14:22-27 and Mark 6:45-52), we do not see the last miracle that John shows here that the ship was automatically at their destination. In (Matthew and Mark), it speaks of Gennesaret on the way to Capernaum. There is no discrepancy. They are very near each other.
Verses 22-58 contain Jesus’ famous discourse on the bread of life. The key theme is (verse 35), “I am the bread of life,” which is the first of 7 emphatic “I AM” statements of Jesus in this gospel. This analogy of Jesus as “the bread” of life reinforces John’s theme of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. Although John records Jesus’ miracles to establish His deity, he moves quickly to Jesus’ discourse on the spiritual realities of His person in order to define correctly who Jesus Christ was. I.e. not merely a wonder-worker, but the Son of God who came to save mankind from sin. This discourse took place in the synagogue at Capernaum (verse 59).
John 6:22-23 “The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one wherinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;” “(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)”
These verses indicate that the crowds who witnessed Jesus’ healings and His feeding of the multitudes were still at the original site of these miracles (East of the Lake). And, out of heightened curiosity, desired to find Jesus once again. Other boats loaded with people from Tiberias (on the northwest shore of the lake), also heard of the miracles and sought Him out.
John 6:24 “When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.”
When daylight came, these people started searching for Jesus. They knew the disciples went across the sea by ship, but they also knew that Jesus had not left with them. They searched the mountain and He was not there either.
Some of these people knew that Jesus stayed in Capernaum when He wasn’t out ministering, so many of them took a boat across the sea, but probably some of them walked to Capernaum to seek Him.
We saw in the last lesson how Jesus fed the multitude. Now the people have followed Jesus to Capernaum.
John 6:25 “And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?”
They had not seen Jesus leave, so this question was understandable. This name Rabbi, was a way of showing respect to Jesus as their teacher and their spiritual leader.
John 6:26 “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”
This phrase emphasizes Jesus’ point that the crowds which followed Him were motivated by superficial desire for food rather than any understanding of the true spiritual significance of Jesus’ person and mission.
Jesus scolds them for being so shallow in their view. A great miracle has been done by Him and instead of them realizing that He is Messiah, they have followed so they can be fed again or receive more signs, wonders, and healings from Him.
They are looking on the gifts and not looking at the Giver. Jesus is disappointed in them because they do not understand who He is.
John 6:27 “Labor 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.”
Jesus rebuked the crowd for purely materialistic notions of the messianic kingdom. Although Messiah’s kingdom would be literal and physical someday, the people failed to see the overriding spiritual character and blessing of “eternal life” given immediately to those who believed the witness of God to His Son.
Jesus in the verse above, is instructing these people to worry more about their spirit and less about their flesh. The spirit of man shall live on, but the flesh will return to dust. Jesus is telling them that the gift of eternal life which He shall give them is much more important than food for their flesh.
Jesus has been set aside from the beginning for this purpose by the Father.
“The food which endureth unto everlasting life” is a continuing discourse indicates that this was a reference to Jesus Himself.
John 6:28 “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”
This is the same as saying “How can I know the will of God in my life? What must I do?”
They thought Jesus was saying that God required them to do some works to earn everlasting life, which they thought they would be able to do.
John 6:29 “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
The crowd misunderstood Jesus’ prohibition (in verse 27), do not work, which prompted Jesus to remind them that an exclusive focus on material blessings is wrong. The only work God desired was faith or trust in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. The “work” that God requires is to believe in His Son.
Just as Abraham’s faith was counted unto him for righteousness, those whom Jesus saves must believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. God sent Jesus to save whosoever will believe.
John 6:30 “They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?”
The question demonstrated the obtuseness, the spiritual blindness of the crowd, and their shallow, selfish curiosity. The feeding of the 5000 (15,000 to 20,000 as we saw in verse10), was enough sign to demonstrate Christ’s deity.
Now they want another sign. They are so blinded; they would not believe with dozens of signs.
John 6:31 “Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
The crowd’s logic appeared to be that Jesus’ miraculous feeding was a small miracle compared to what Moses did. In order for them to believe in Him, they would need to see Him feed the nation of Israel on the same scale that God did when He sent manna and fed the entire nation of Israel during their wilderness wanderings for 40 years.
They were demanding that Jesus outdo Moses if they were to believe in Him. They quoted from (Psalm 78:24).
What they do not realize, is that they are speaking to the Bread of life. It appears here, that they want Jesus to feed them on a regular basis, as their fathers were fed manna in the desert.
John 6:32 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.”
The manna God gave was temporary and perished and was only a meager shadow of what God offered them in the true bread, Jesus Christ, who gives spiritual and eternal life to mankind or the world. Jesus explains to these people who are caught up in the law of Moses, that Moses did not feed the children of Israel, God did. Jesus here is speaking of Himself as being the true Bread of life.
John 6:33 “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”
This phrase is synonymous with the phrase “bread from heaven” (verse 32).
Jesus again here, is speaking of Himself being the Bread which brings eternal life. Jesus came from heaven and took on the flesh of man.
John 6:34 “Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.”
Here again, we see John mentioning something that is not mentioned in the other gospels. This shows Jesus as the Bread of life. These people are looking for physical bread and they want Jesus to furnish it for them with no effort on their part. They have misunderstood what Jesus was telling them.
This statement once again demonstrated the blindness of the crowd, for they were thinking of some physical bread and failed to understand the spiritual implication that Jesus was the “bread”.
John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
“I am the bread of life” means the bread that gives life. The life of which He speaks is spiritual and eternal.
The obtuseness (in verse 35), prompted Jesus to speak very plainly that He was referring to Himself.
Just as the bread on the table in the tabernacle symbolized Jesus, He is showing here that through belief in Him they would have their needs taken care of. Jesus literally came down from heaven (like the manna), giving Himself to us so that we might have life eternal.
In heaven, there is a river of life and a tree which furnishes twelve manner of fruits for each month (Revelation 22:1-2). Jesus is the water and the tree of life.
John 6:36 “But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.”
Jesus tells them, you have seen me and my miracles and still you do not believe me.
John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
The Father has given to Jesus as His followers whosoever will. Those who come to Jesus and accept Him as Savior and Lord shall not be turned away. Salvation is a free gift from God, but we must reach out and receive it unto ourselves before we have it. Jesus will not deny His own.
This verse emphasizes the sovereign will of God in the selection of those who come to Him for salvation. The Father has predestined those who would be saved. The absolute sovereignty of God is the basis of Jesus’ confidence in the success of His mission.
The security of salvation rests in the sovereignty of God, for God is the guarantee that “all” He has chosen will come to Him for salvation. As God is Omniscient, He knows who will and who won’t heed the calling of the Holy Spirit and come to Jesus.
The idea of “gives Me” is that every person chosen by God and drawn by God (verse 44), must be seen as a gift of the Father’s love to the Son. The Son receives each “love gift” (verse 37), holds on to each (verse 39), and will raise each to eternal glory (verses 39-40). No one chosen will be lost.
This saving purpose is the Father’s will which the Son will not fail to do perfectly.
John 6:38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
“For I came down from heaven” is another indication of Jesus’ deity.
When Jesus agonizes in the garden before His crucifixion, His last words are “Nevertheless not my will, but thine”. Jesus was on a mission. He submitted His will to the will of God the Father.
John 6:39 “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), tells of the time when Jesus shall raise the dead in Christ to eternal life with Him. The Father’s will is to glorify Jesus by His followers.
In (Hebrews chapter 2), we see that everything is in Jesus’ hands. He is over all creation.
Hebrews 2:8 “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.”
The Creator is in total control of His creation.
John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
“That every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him”; this verse emphasizes human responsibility in salvation. Although God is sovereign, He works through faith, so that a person must believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God who alone offers the only way of salvation. However, even faith is a gift of God, intellectually harmonizing the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man is humanly impossible. But perfectly resolved in the infinite mind of God.
John 3:16, explains this completely “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
The parable of the harvest of wheat is symbolic of this last day when the wheat will be carried into the barn (heaven), and the chaff (unbeliever), will be burned. (Matthew 3:12 and Luke 3:17), both tell of the wheat and chaff.
In (verses 41-50), we see this section constitutes the beginning of the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life and may be divided into 3 sections.
(1) The murmuring reaction of the crowd (verses 41-42);
(2) Jesus’ rebuke of the crowd for their reaction (verses 43-46);
(3) Jesus’ reiteration of His message to the crowd (verses 47-51).
John 6:41 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.”
In this gospel the term “Jews” is often associated with hostility toward Christ. It is used ironically to indicate the incongruity of their rising hostility toward their Messiah. Since they hardened their hearts, God judicially hardened their hearts also. In the tribulation, Israel will turn to Jesus as their true Messiah and be saved.
The reaction of the synagogue crowds to Jesus’ statements was the same as the Jews in the wilderness who grumbled against God both before and after the manna was given to them.
Because Jesus said that “I am the bread which came down from heaven”, the Jews anger centered in two things:
(1) That Jesus said He was the bread, and
(2) That He came down from heaven.
Both the Jews in Jerusalem and the Galileans reacted negatively when Jesus placed Himself equal with God.
John 6:42 “And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”
These Jews could not see through spiritual eyes. They thought of Jesus as Joseph’s son. Jesus was in fact, the Son of God. They didn’t believe Him because they had seen Him grow up and they did not believe He was their Messiah.
On a human level, they knew Jesus as a fellow Galilean. These words are reminiscent of Jesus’ words (in 4:44), “a prophet has no honor in his own country.” Their hostility sprang from the root of unbelief. Jesus’ death was impending because hostility had resulted everywhere He went.
John 6:43 “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.”
Murmuring has always displeased God. Just as God punished those who murmured on the way to the Promised Land, God dislikes this murmuring here.
John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
It is the Father’s will that all should be saved. He sent Jesus into the world to save the world. Whosoever believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord shall be saved.
The Holy Spirit tugs at our heart and draws us to Jesus.
God will not always strive with us. If we refuse over and over, the Holy Spirit will stop drawing.
First let me mention again verses 43 and 44 from the previous lesson.
John 6:43-44 “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.” “No man can come to me, except the father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:45 “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”
Jesus paraphrased (Isaiah 54:13), to support the point that if someone comes to faith and repentance to God, it is because they have been taught, and hence drawn by God. The “drawing” and “learning” are just different aspects of God’s sovereign direction in the person’s life. Those taught by God to grasp the truth are also drawn by God the Father to embrace the Son.
It is written in (Isaiah 54):
Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Taught meaning disciples).
Jesus is saying in all of this “If you really know the Scriptures as you say you do, then you will accept me. The prophets of the Old Testament have predicted my coming.”
Notice that those who hear and those who learn from that hearing are separated here. Many hear, but few understand and learn. If they had heard the words of the Old Testament and understood what they heard, they would receive Jesus with open arms.
John 6:46 “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.”
Jesus is speaking of Himself here. Jesus has seen the Father. Even Moses saw His presence in the bush that was burning and did not burn up. He also met with God on the mount where he received the Ten Commandments, but he did not see God’s face.
John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
In Romans chapter ten we see this also:
Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Jesus is saying if you really believe on Him, you will be saved. All of the other things are like icing on the cake. Our belief is what saves us.
John 6:48 “I am that bread of life.”
Luke 4:4 “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
The Word of God is really a Christian’s bread. The Passover bread is symbolic of Jesus’ body and the fruit of the vine is symbolic of His blood. In (verse 48 above), Jesus is saying that He alone can bring you eternal life.
In (verses 49 & 50), Jesus contrasted the earthly and heavenly bread. The manna that was given in the wilderness, although sent from heaven to help sustain the Israelites for their physical needs, could not impart eternal life nor meet their spiritual needs as could the “bread of life”, (verse 48), that came down from heaven in the person of Jesus the Messiah. The proof of this contrast centers in the irrefutable fact that all the fathers died who ate the wilderness manna.
John 6:49 “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.”
This manna in the wilderness sustained these Israelites’ needs for food for one day at a time and on Sabbath for two days. It did not bring eternal life to those who ate it. Jesus is Life, when you partake of Him, ye shall never die.
John 6:50 “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.”
This manna, spoken of (in verse 49), was a symbol of the true Bread (Jesus Christ), which would come down from heaven and save the world.
In the same sense, the male lamb which was sacrificed each year at Passover was symbolic of the true Lamb which would be crucified for the sins of the world for all time.
Manna …… temporary food,
Jesus Christ …… eternal Bread,
Passover lamb ……… one year,
Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) …. eternal life.
John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
This pronouncement exactly reiterates (verses 33, 35, 47, and 48). “Bread … Is my flesh”: Jesus refers here prophetically to His impending sacrifice upon the cross where Jesus voluntarily laid down His life for evil, sinful mankind.
In 1 Timothy 3:16 we read “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
This just says that Jesus gave His flesh on the cross that we might live forever. The Spirit of God hovered over Mary and she conceived by the Spirit of God.
Jesus means Jehovah Savior. Jesus gave Himself that we might have life by just partaking of Him. When we receive Jesus into our lives, it is symbolic of partaking of His flesh.
John 6:52 “The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Once again the perplexity of the Jews indicates that they failed to understand the spiritual truth behind Jesus’ illustration. Every time Jesus had given them a veiled saying or physical illustration, the Jews failed to see its spiritual significance. The Mosaic Law prohibited the drinking of blood or the eating of meat with blood still in it. The Jews, unable to go beyond the mere physical perspective, were perplexed and angered.
These Jews are not looking with spiritual eyes. First of all, they saw Jesus as a man, not as their Messiah.
Some of these Jews believed one thing and some others believed another. They are not ready to accept Him as the Lamb of God. They hear His words, but they do not understand.
In verses 53-58 we see “eat … drink”. Jesus’ point was an analogy that has spiritual rather than literal significance: just as eating and drinking are necessary for physical life, so also is belief in His sacrificial death on the cross necessary for eternal life.
The eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood metaphorically symbolize the need for accepting Jesus’ cross work. For the Jews however, a crucified Messiah was unthinkable. Once again, the Jews in their willful and judicial blindness, could not see the real spiritual significance and truth behind Jesus’ statements.
Moreover, Jesus’ reference here to eating and drinking was not referring to the ordinance of communion for two significant reasons:
(1) Communion had not been instituted yet, and
(2) If Jesus was referring to communion, then the passage would teach that anyone partaking of communion would receive eternal life.
John 6:53 “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”
This is the very thing we are doing when we take communion. We eat the unleavened bread in memory of Jesus sacrificing His body on the cross for us; taking our sins upon His body, nailing the sins of the world to the cross.
Some people say Jesus spilled His blood for us, but that isn’t true. It was no accident that Jesus’ blood was shed for us. His blood washes us white as snow. When we take the fruit of the vine, we are remembering that He freely shed His blood to do away with our sins.
The only way we can inherit life eternal is to believe that the sacrifice of His body and His shed blood was for us. In believing this and acting upon it, we receive eternal life.
“Blood”: The Jews were forbidden to drink blood. This was a “hard saying”, (verse 60), because they missed His point. Jesus came to bring and sustain spiritual life, yet they were still thinking of physical life.
John 6:54-55 “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” “For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”
We see from this again, that the only way to receive life everlasting is to partake of Jesus. If we receive His blood to cleanse our heart and accept His flesh as the perfect Lamb sacrifice, then and only then, will we be saved.
In Revelation, we read of those who have fully partaken of Jesus.
Rev. 7:9 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”
Read (verses 10,11,12, and 13), then see the answer to who they are (in verse 14).
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Read (verses 15, 16 and 17), to see the wonderful things they have in store for them.
John 6:56 “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”
When we receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, He takes up His abode with us. He lives in us. It explains it beautifully in Galatians.
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
In other words, if I belong to Jesus, my life is conducted in such a manner that others can see Jesus in me.
John 6:57 “As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”
Jesus Christ is the living Bread. Jesus Christ in His divine humanity gave His body so that we might receive the fullness of God. His power is the power of the Father; our power is in the name of Jesus the Christ.
The life within us was breathed in by God. Our new life is breathed of God, as well. We are nothing without Him. Our total being is because of Him.
John 6:58 “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”
The manna which came down from heaven was a type and shadow of the true Bread (Jesus Christ our Lord). The shadow could not bring eternal life, only a temporary taking care of needs.
The shadow was done away, and the real Bread came down who was the Word of God (Jesus Christ), which gave eternal life to whosoever will.
John 6:59 “These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.”
We know that it was much harder for them to believe at Capernaum. He was too close to home.
From (verses 60-71), these verses constitute the reaction of Jesus’ disciples to the sermon on the “bread of life.” As with the crowd’s response in Jerusalem (in chapter 5), and in Galilee (in chapter 6), the response of many of His disciples was unbelief and rejection of Him. John lists two groups and their reactions:
(1) the false disciples’ reaction of unbelief in verses (60-66);
(2) The true disciples’ reaction of belief in (verses 67-71).
After this sermon, only a small nucleus of disciples remained (verse 67).
John 6:60. “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”
In the last lesson, we were studying about Jesus’ body being the Bread of life and His blood cleansing from all unrighteousness. He had said we must eat of His body and drink of His blood to receive eternal life.
These disciples were looking at this in the natural and did not fully understand what He was saying. The disciples which left were not numbered among the twelve.
John 6:61 “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?”
Many of Jesus’ disciples had the same reaction as the Jews (in verse 41), and of the first generation of Israelites to manna, i.e., they grumbled (Exodus. 16:20).
Jesus realizes what they are thinking and scolds them for murmuring. He asks them if this offends them, all the time He knows it does. They were with Him, but did not understand what He was teaching them.
John 6:62 “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?”
Jesus calls Himself Son of man because they are looking at Jesus as just a man. He says “If you believe I am Joseph’s son, then you won’t believe that I came from heaven, or that I will go back to heaven.”
Jesus is saying “Would you believe, if I ascended into heaven in front of you?”
John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
God is a Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.
In 1 Corinthians 15:44 “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”
The body that goes to heaven is spiritual. The main purpose in these Bible Studies is to get the Word into each of us, so that we can have a better life here and eternal life in heaven.
John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”
Betray refers primarily to Judas, who has not yet been named in this gospel, but will be in verses 70-71.
Jesus, even at this time, knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him. Of course, it was not just Judas that would deny Him. In the fear of cruel death, even His beloved Peter would deny Him.
When the authorities came and took Jesus, the disciples fled for fear of like punishment. Speaking of the ones who believed not, the scribes, Pharisees, and rulers of the synagogues did not believe Jesus.
Reminiscent of Jesus’ words (in 2:23-25), Jesus knew the hearts of men, including those disciples who followed Him. He supernaturally knew that many did not believe in Him as Messiah and Son of God so He did not entrust Himself to them.
These false disciples were simply attracted to the physical phenomena, meaning miracles and food, and failed to understand the true significance of Jesus’ teaching (verse 61).
Very few were truly loyal to the Lord Jesus. Jesus had just told them a few verses back that they only followed Him because of the miracles and to be fed.
John 6:65 “And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”
Although men and women are commanded to believe and will be held accountable for unbelief, genuine faith is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Once again, in the face of unbelief, Jesus reiterated God’s sovereignty involved in selection for salvation.
The offer of salvation is to whosoever will. The Holy Spirit draws us. Many will be called, but few accept. God already knows your heart, and He knows whether you will accept the call. God doesn’t predestine, but has foreknowledge of what you will do.
God reveals Himself to those who will accept Him. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” (James 4:8).
The opportunity to be saved is a free gift from God. When offered, we must accept it. The Father puts the hunger in our hearts. Jesus Christ our Lord provides the Bread (Himself). God will not always strive with man. He offers salvation, we must accept it.
John 6:66 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
From what time is being discussed here? From the time He said they must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.
In the natural, this does seem to be like being a cannibal, but Jesus had already told them that they must worship in spirit. This great number of followers of Jesus who had just wanted to make Him king and ruler of all Israel, now suddenly leave Him.
The language indicates that the abandonment was decisive and final.
They really did not have the love of God in their hearts. They wanted a great warrior to lead them against Rome. They followed Him in His power. They wanted no part in His weakness.
They were like people in our churches today, who just look at the words and not at the meaning of the Word. It is impossible to follow Jesus in the flesh. We must follow Jesus Christ by our spirit.
John 6:67 “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?”
Here is the first mention of the twelve in John’s gospel. Only five of them have been named thus far: John, Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathanael. Perhaps this is John’s account of the confession of Simon Peter at Caesarea Philippi.
When things get really hard to do, many will give up and go home. This is just what these disciples did who were not of the twelve.
In the seventh chapter of Judges, we read of a man about to do battle with the enemy of God. Thirty-two thousand men came to take up arms, but God told Gideon to send all of the fearful and all who were not prepared for battle home. Only 300 out of the 32,000 men stayed to do God’s battle.
That is what happened above. The mass of disciples left and the twelve remained. God does not get the glory when it is possible for us to win a battle on our own. God gets the glory when an impossible (in the flesh), job is to be done and God brings the impossibility into being.
These twelve had seen the multitude fed, seen blind eyes opened, seen the lame to walk. Is all of this not proof enough that He is Messiah? Are they like the others, so void of understanding the spiritual meaning of what He had said?
He had taught these twelve to look beyond the physical, or literal, and see the hidden message. He had taught them how to interpret parables, and those lessons were a look into the spiritual.
Jesus says to them “Can you not trust me?” This one percent of true followers, seen in the Gideon lesson, is about the way in most Christians today. Only about one in one hundred are willing to face ridicule from their friends and family to live the kind of separated life Jesus our Lord requires of us, if we are to truly be His.
John 6:68 “Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou has the words of eternal life.”
Simon and the other eleven had opportunity to follow whoever they desired. When Jesus called, they came. They know from all the miracles who Jesus is. They also know that if they are to have life eternal, it is through Jesus and none other. They have heard the words of His preaching and have been totally sure that His Words are true.
There is no one like Him. Peter says really “We have made our decision to follow you. We will not turn back now. Thy Word gives us the promise of eternal life.”
John 6:69 “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Peter’s words were somewhat pretentious in that he implied that the true disciples somehow had superior insight and as a result, came to belief through that insight.
Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, is Jesus’ full name for His stay on the earth. Christ means Messiah or the Anointed One, Jesus means Jehovah saves or Savior. Son of the living God tells us without a doubt that Jesus’ Father is God.
God is not dead, He is the great I AM. I AM has absolute existence for all of eternity.
John 6:70 “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
In response to Peter’s words that the disciples had come to believe in Jesus, He reminds them that He sovereignly chose them. Jesus would not allow even a whisper of human pretension in God’s sovereign selection.
In Matthew 22:14 we read “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Out of the great number called as Jesus’ followers, Jesus had chosen twelve.
In Luke 6:12-13 we read “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”
You see, Jesus Christ had many followers He called disciples (disciplined ones who follow Him), but there were twelve (a representative number) He set aside to be apostles.
Judas Iscariot (the betrayer), was among the twelve. This really is no different than it is today. Many proclaim to be Christians, but few really know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Even of those the world thinks to be close followers of the Lord, there is always a Judas.
“Devil” means adversary, slanderer or false accuser. The idea perhaps is better rendered “one of you is the devil”. This meaning is clear from (13:2 and 27). The supreme adversary of God so operates behind failing human beings, that his malice becomes theirs.
Jesus supernaturally knew the source and identified it precisely. This clearly fixes the character of Judas, not as a well-intentioned but misguided man trying to force Jesus to exert His power and set up His kingdom, as some suggest. But as a tool of Satan doing unmitigated wickedness.
John 6:71 “He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.”
This is the first occasion in John where Peter and Judas appear in contrast (see also chapters 13 and 18).
Many people believe that Judas did not have a choice, because of this Scripture. As we have said so many times before, Judas had a choice, but Jesus could look ahead in time and know what Judas would do.
“Iscariot”: The word most likely is from a Hebrew word meaning “man of Kerioth,” the name of a village in Judah. As with the other three gospels, as soon as he was named, he became identified as the betrayer.