John 6

1 After this, Jesus went across Lake Galilee (or, Lake Tiberias).

2 Many people followed him because they saw the miracles he did to heal the sick.

3 Jesus went up on a hill and sat down there with his followers.

4 It was almost the time for the Jewish Passover Feast.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough bread for all these people to eat?"

6 (Jesus asked Philip this question to test him, because Jesus already knew what he planned to do.)

7 Philip answered, "We would all have to work a month to buy enough bread for each person to have only a little piece."

8 Another one of his followers, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said,

9 "Here is a boy with five loaves of barley bread and two little fish, but that is not enough for so many people."

10 Jesus said, "Tell the people to sit down." This was a very grassy place, and about five thousand men sat down there.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves of bread, thanked God for them, and gave them to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, giving as much as the people wanted.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, Jesus said to his followers, "Gather the leftover pieces of fish and bread so that nothing is wasted."

13 So they gathered up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left from the five barley loaves.

14 When the people saw this miracle that Jesus did, they said, "He must truly be the Prophetn who is coming into the world."

15 Jesus knew that the people planned to come and take him by force and make him their king, so he left and went into the hills alone.

16 That evening Jesus' followers went down to Lake Galilee.

17 It was dark now, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The followers got into a boat and started across the lake to Capernaum.

18 By now a strong wind was blowing, and the waves on the lake were getting bigger.

19 When they had rowed the boat about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the water, coming toward the boat. The followers were afraid,

20 but Jesus said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."

21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat. At once the boat came to land at the place where they wanted to go.

22 The next day the people who had stayed on the other side of the lake knew that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his followers but that they had left without him. And they knew that only one boat had been there.

23 But then some boats came from Tiberias and landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

24 When the people saw that Jesus and his followers were not there now, they got into boats and went to Capernaum to find Jesus. Jesus, the Bread of Life

25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Teacher, when did you come here?"

26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you aren't looking for me because you saw me do miracles. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied.

27 Don't work for the food that spoils. Work for the food that stays good always and gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because on him God the Father has put his power."

28 The people asked Jesus, "What are the things God wants us to do?"

29 Jesus answered, "The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent."

30 So the people asked, "What miracle will you do? If we see a miracle, we will believe you. What will you do?

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert. This is written in the Scriptures: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

32 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven.

33 God's bread is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 The people said, "Sir, give us this bread always."

35 Then Jesus said, "I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

36 But as I told you before, you have seen me and still don't believe.

37 The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them.

38 I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do, not what I want to do.

39 Here is what the One who sent me wants me to do: I must not lose even one whom God gave me, but I must raise them all on the last day.

40 Those who see the Son and believe in him have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. This is what my Father wants."

41 The Jews began to complain about Jesus because he said, "I am the bread that comes down from heaven."

42 They said, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43 But Jesus answered, "Stop complaining to each other.

44 The Father is the One who sent me. No one can come to me unless the Father draws him to me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.

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.

46 No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

47 I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread that gives life.

49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but still they died.

50 Here is the bread that comes down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will never die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give up so that the world may have life."

52 Then the Jews began to argue among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. Otherwise, you won't have real life in you.

54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.

55 My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them.

57 The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. So whoever eats me will live because of me.

58 I am not like the bread your ancestors ate. They ate that bread and still died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats this bread will live forever."

59 Jesus said all these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 When the followers of Jesus heard this, many of them said, "This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?"

61 Knowing that his followers were complaining about this, Jesus said, "Does this teaching bother you?

62 Then will it also bother you to see the Son of Man going back to the place where he came from?

63 It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh doesn't give life. The words I told you are spirit, and they give life.

64 But some of you don't believe." (Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would turn against him.)

65 Jesus said, "That is the reason I said, 'If the Father does not bring a person to me, that one cannot come.'"

66 After Jesus said this, many of his followers left him and stopped following him.

67 Jesus asked the twelve followers, "Do you want to leave, too?"

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, where would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One from God."

70 Then Jesus answered, "I chose all twelve of you, but one of you is a devil."

71 Jesus was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve, but later he was going to turn against Jesus.

John 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

Five thousand miraculously fed. (1-14) Jesus walks on the sea. (15-21) He directs to spiritual food. (22-27) His discourse with the multitude. (28-65) Many of disciples go back. (66-71)

Verses 1-14 John relates the miracle of feeding the multitude, for its reference to the following discourse. Observe the effect this miracle had upon the people. Even the common Jews expected the Messiah to come into the world, and to be a great Prophet. The Pharisees despised them as not knowing the law; but they knew most of Him who is the end of the law. Yet men may acknowledge Christ as that Prophet, and still turn a deaf ear to him.

Verses 15-21 Here were Christ's disciples in the way of duty, and Christ was praying for them; yet they were in distress. There may be perils and afflictions of this present time, where there is an interest in Christ. Clouds and darkness often surround the children of the light and of the day. They see Jesus walking on the sea. Even the approaches of comfort and deliverance often are so mistaken, as to become the occasions of fear. Nothing is more powerful to convince sinners than that word, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest;" nothing more powerful to comfort saints than this, "I am Jesus whom thou lovest." If we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, though the night be dark, and the wind high, yet we may comfort ourselves, we shall be at the shore before long.

Verses 22-27 Instead of answering the inquiry how he came there, Jesus blamed their asking. The utmost earnestness should be employed in seeking salvation, in the use of appointed means; yet it is to be sought only as the gift of the Son of man. Him the Father has sealed, proved to be God. He declared the Son of man to be the Son of God with power.

Verses 28-35 Constant exercise of faith in Christ, is the most important and difficult part of the obedience required from us, as sinners seeking salvation. When by his grace we are enabled to live a life of faith in the Son of God, holy tempers follow, and acceptable services may be done. God, even his Father, who gave their fathers that food from heaven to support their natural lives, now gave them the true Bread for the salvation of their souls. Coming to Jesus, and believing on him, signify the same. Christ shows that he is the true Bread; he is to the soul what bread is to the body, nourishes and supports the spiritual life. He is the Bread of God. Bread which the Father gives, which he has made to be the food of our souls. Bread nourishes only by the powers of a living body; but Christ is himself living Bread, and nourishes by his own power. The doctrine of Christ crucified is now as strengthening and comforting to a believer as ever it was. He is the Bread which came down from heaven. It denotes the Divinity of Christ's person and his authority; also, the Divine origin of all the good which flows to us through him. May we with understanding and earnestness say, Lord, evermore give us this Bread.

Verses 36-46 The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come, and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were given to the Son, should be rejected or lost by him. No one will come, till Divine grace has subdued, and in part changed his heart; therefore no one who comes will ever be cast out. The gospel finds none willing to be saved in the humbling, holy manner, made known therein; but God draws with his word and the Holy Ghost; and man's duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered, and consent to the promise. None had seen the Father but his beloved Son; and the Jews must expect to be taught by his inward power upon their minds, and by his word, and the ministers whom he sent among them.

Verses 47-51 The advantage of the manna was small, it only referred to this life; but the living Bread is so excellent, that the man who feedeth on it shall never die. This bread is Christ's human nature, which he took to present to the Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world; to purchase all things pertaining to life and godliness, for sinners of every nation, who repent and believe in him.

Verses 52-59 The flesh and blood of the Son of man, denote the Redeemer in the nature of man; Christ and him crucified, and the redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of redemption; pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the way to the throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and blood of Christ, because they are purchased by the breaking his body, and the shedding of his blood. Also, because they are meat and drink to our souls. Eating this flesh and drinking this blood mean believing in Christ. We partake of Christ and his benefits by faith. The soul that rightly knows its state and wants, finds whatever can calm the conscience, and promote true holiness, in the redeemer, God manifest in the flesh. Meditating upon the cross of Christ gives life to our repentance, love, and gratitude. We live by him, as our bodies live by our food. We live by him, as the members by the head, the branches by the root: because he lives we shall live also.

Verses 60-65 The human nature of Christ had not before been in heaven, but being God and man, that wondrous Person was truly said to have come down from heaven. The Messiah's kingdom was not of this world; and they were to understand by faith, what he had said of a spiritual living upon him, and his fulness. As without the soul of man the flesh is of no value, so without the quickening Spirit of God all forms of religion are dead and worthless. He who made this provision for our souls, alone can teach us these things, and draw us unto Christ, that we may live by faith in him. Let us apply to Christ, thankful that it is declared that every one who is willing to come unto him shall be made welcome.

Verses 66-71 When we admit into our minds hard thoughts of the words and works of Jesus, we enter into temptation, which, if the Lord in mercy prevent not, will end in drawing back. The corrupt and wicked heart of man often makes that an occasion for offence, which is matter of the greatest comfort. Our Lord had, in the foregoing discourse, promised eternal life to his followers; the disciples fastened on that plain saying, and resolved to cleave to him, when others fastened on hard sayings, and forsook him. Christ's doctrine is the word of eternal life, therefore we must live and die by it. If we forsake Christ, we forsake our own mercies. They believed that this Jesus was the Messiah promised to their fathers, the Son of the living God. When we are tempted to backslide or turn away, it is good to remember first principles, and to keep to them. And let us ever remember our Lord's searching question; Shall we go away and forsake our Redeemer? To whom can we go? He alone can give salvation by the forgiveness of sins. And this alone brings confidence, comfort, and joy, and bids fear and despondency flee away. It gains the only solid happiness in this world, and opens a way to the happiness of the next.