John 6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. It is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

2 A large crowd of people followed him. They had seen the miraculous signs he had done on those who were sick.

3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside. There he sat down with his disciples.

4 The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

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

6 He asked this only to put Philip to the test. He already knew what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, "Eight months' pay would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

8 Another of his disciples spoke up. It was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

9 He said, "Here is a boy with five small loaves of barley bread. He also has two small fish. But how far will that go in such a large crowd?"

10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down. The number of men among them was about 5,000.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks. He handed out the bread to those who were seated. He gave them as much as they wanted. And he did the same with the fish.

12 When all of them had enough to eat, Jesus spoke to his disciples. "Gather the leftover pieces," he said. "Don't waste anything."

13 So they gathered what was left over from the five barley loaves. They filled 12 baskets with the pieces left by those who had eaten.

14 The people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did. Then they began to say, "This must be the Prophet who is supposed to come into the world."

15 But Jesus knew that they planned to come and force him to be their king. So he went away again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Water

16 When evening came, Jesus' disciples went down to the Sea of Galilee.

17 There they got into a boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. By now it was dark. Jesus had not yet joined them.

18 A strong wind was blowing, and the water became rough.

19 They rowed three or three and a half miles. Then they saw Jesus coming toward the boat. He was walking on the water. They were terrified.

20 But he said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid."

21 Then they agreed to take him into the boat. Right away the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the lake realized something. They saw that only one boat had been there. They knew that Jesus had not gotten into it with his disciples. And they knew that the disciples had gone away alone.

23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed. It was near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks.

24 The crowd realized that Jesus and his disciples were not there. So they got into boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus.

Jesus Is the Bread of Life

25 They found him on the other side of the lake. They asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"

26 Jesus answered, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You are not looking for me because you saw miraculous signs. You are looking for me because you ate the loaves until you were full.

27 Do not work for food that spoils. Work for food that lasts forever. That is the food the Son of Man will give you. God the Father has put his seal of approval on him."

28 Then they asked him, "What does God want from us? What works does he want us to do?"

29 Jesus answered, "God's work is to believe in the One he has sent."

30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign will you give us? What will you do so we can see it and believe you?

31 Long ago our people ate the manna in the desert. It is written in Scripture, 'The Lord gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "(Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25)

32 Jesus said to them, "What I'm about to tell you is true. It is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven. It is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.

33 The bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven. He gives life to the world."

34 "Sir," they said, "give us this bread from now on."

35 Then Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever go hungry. And no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty.

36 "But it is just as I told you. You have seen me, and you still do not believe.

37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me. I will never send away anyone who comes to me.

38 "I have not come down from heaven to do what I want to do. I have come to do what the One who sent me wants me to do.

39 The One who sent me doesn't want me to lose anyone he has given me. He wants me to raise them up on the last day.

40 My Father wants all who look to the Son and believe in him to have eternal life. I will raise them up on the last day."

41 Then the Jews began to complain about Jesus. That was because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

42 They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? Don't we know his father and mother? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43 "Stop complaining among yourselves," Jesus answered.

44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me brings him. Then I will raise him up on the last day.

45 "It is written in the Prophets, 'God will teach all of them.'(Isaiah 54:13) Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

46 "No one has seen the Father except the One who has come from God. Only he has seen the Father.

47 What I'm about to tell you is true. Everyone who believes has life forever.

48 "I am the bread of life.

49 Long ago your people ate the manna in the desert, and they still died.

50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven. A person can eat it and not die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Everyone who eats some of this bread will live forever. The bread is my body. I will give it for the life of the world."

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves. They said, "How can this man give us his body to eat?"

53 Jesus said to them, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You must eat the Son of Man's body and drink his blood. If you don't, you have no life in you.

54 Anyone who eats my body and drinks my blood has eternal life. I will raise him up on the last day.

55 "My body is real food. My blood is real drink.

56 Anyone who eats my body and drinks my blood remains in me. And I remain in him.

57 "The living Father sent me, and I live because of him. In the same way, those who feed on me will live because of me.

58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Long ago your people ate manna and died. But those who feed on this bread will live forever."

59 He said this while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Leave Jesus

60 Jesus' disciples heard this. Many of them said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining about his teaching. So he said to them, "Does this upset you?

62 What if you see the Son of Man go up to where he was before?

63 The Holy Spirit gives life. The body means nothing at all. The words I have spoken to you are from the Spirit. They give life.

64 But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe. And he had known who was going to hand him over to his enemies.

65 So he continued speaking. He said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father helps him."

66 From this time on, many of his disciples turned back. They no longer followed him.

67 "You don't want to leave also, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, who can we go to? You have the words of eternal life.

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

70 Then Jesus replied, "Didn't I choose you, the 12 disciples? But one of you is a devil!"

71 He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the Twelve. But later he was going to hand Jesus over to his enemies.

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.