I AM the Bread of Life
John 6:25-71
Key Verse 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.
Presented here is the first of the seven ‘I AM’ statements in this Gospel.
Jesus teaches that:
(1) He is the only source of spiritual life.
(2) He is the only one who can satisfy our inmost being.
Jesus also teaches how people can eat of him as the bread of life.
The passage encourages us to come to the cross of Jesus with a believing heart and eat of his life-giving sacrifice and be completely satisfied and then go and serve the words of our Lord Jesus with great confidence in their power and in the almighty power of the Spirit to transfer the life Christ gave on the cross to those dead in sin.
I. Jesus, the bread of life (25-59)
1. Read verse 25-33.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:25-33 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 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. 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." 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 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. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
What effort did the crowd make to find Jesus? (22-25)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:22-25 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. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 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. 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
They looked for clues, studied the data, and drew the conclusion that Jesus had gone to Capernaum.
They commandeered some boats that had providentially landed nearby and rowed across the lake.
There might have been a fierce struggle to get into the boats. Only “some” boats were there (23); All 5,000 people could not have fit into them.
They found Jesus at the synagogue in Capernaum (59). They approached him with a smile and sweetly said to him, “Rabbi,” pretending they were sincere students who desired his instruction.
They showed determination, persistence, hard work, smarts, and craftiness.
Why?
ANSWER:
Jn 6:25-27 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 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. 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."
Because they wanted more free bread from Jesus (26) and because they wanted to make him their bread king (15).
These were poor, hungry people but they were not sensitive to their primary, urgent problem.
Application: Are you looking for Jesus himself or for a benefit from him?
They asked Jesus when he came. Rather than answering their question, he told them why they came. He was truthful with them and got straight to the point and rebuked their wrong motives for coming to him.
What did Jesus want the crowd to work for? (26-27a)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:26-27 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. 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."
To work for food that endures to eternal life, Jesus himself (27,35; Isa 55:2)
God the Father has “placed his seal of approval” on Jesus (27). He has guaranteed that Jesus is the bread that gives eternal life and truly satisfies.
Only the Son of Man can “give” you this food because he has been approved by God as the dispenser (27).
To not work for “food that spoils” (27).
We should not live a cursed life for physical food (Gen 3:17). Rather, we should work as of first priority for the spiritual bread Jesus provides, trusting God to provide the physical food (Mat 6:33).
Food that spoils represents, not just physical food, but anything the world promises to satisfy us: Fame, wealth, pleasure, comfortable life, health in this world.
Application: What do you hunger for? What do you work for? Do you believe God the Father that Jesus is the best dish? Do you esteem Jesus and exalt him as the most delicious meal your Father in his love could ever provide you with to solve every deep need of your soul? Do you work to daily secure by faith this food for your soul?
What did Jesus teach about the work of God? (28-29)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:28-29 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
The work of God is “to believe in the one he has sent”.
Jesus has finished the work of salvation. All we need to do is believe in him and he will give us the bread of life.
The Jews thought they could be saved by their work of obedience to Moses’ law.
What miraculous sign did the crowd demand Jesus to do? (30-31)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:30-31 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
They responded: ‘Give us free bread just like Moses. Then, we will believe in you.’
The Jews dreamed of a Messiah who would provide an earthly paradise and feed them with manna.
They ‘forgot’ that Jesus had fed 5,000 yesterday!
How did Jesus correct their misunderstanding about manna? (32-33)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:32-33 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. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
Manna was given, not by Moses, but by God.
Jesus is the true bread from heaven who gives eternal life.
He presents himself to the Jews as one greater than Moses (1:17).
2. Read verses 34-40.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:34-40 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." 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. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 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. 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."
What did they want Jesus to do for them? (34)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."
They were saying, ‘Oh, that’s terrific, give us this (physical) bread’.
When Jesus talked about bread, they did not understand that he was referring to spiritual realities.
Who did Jesus declare he is? (35a)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:35a Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life."
(See the verse above).
This is the first of the seven “I AM” titles in this gospel in which Jesus: (A) defines who he is; and (B) calls our attention to what we need to do with him. The words “I AM” echo the name God used for himself in Exo 3:14. So, Jesus is referring to himself as God.
Meaning of ‘I AM the bread of life’:
Jesus is the only source of spiritual life.
As food gives us physical energy, strength and power,
so Jesus gives us spiritual life.
As the body perishes without food,
so our spirit perishes without Jesus.
Jesus is the only one who satisfies our spirit.
As food satisfies our physical body,
so Jesus satisfies our spirit.
What happens to the one who comes to Jesus and believes in him? (35b)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:35b He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
He will never go hungry or be thirsty.
Hunger and thirst are co-essential physical needs.
Likewise, Jesus satisfies our vital spiritual needs.
Without him, we cannot be spiritually satisfied nor have spiritual life.
Jesus wants to feed us with true bread. So, to be fed by him we must first: (1) come to him; and (2) believe in him.
We come out from dark ways of life and of serving our flesh desires and come to the table of our Lord Jesus, the cross where he was slain, that he might serve us with his life-giving bread. (The word “come” means repent.)
We must believe in him and in the efficacy of his sacrifice on the cross:
(a) To put sin to death within us and bring us forgiveness and cleansing and deliverance from sin’s effects, the deadly guilt and shameful desires; and...
(b) To make our heart alive with holy desires – alive with desire to love and adore him, to know him and be loved by him and delight in him and worship and faithfully serve him.
These two things, coming and believing, must be combined into one action: We must come to Jesus as sinners, admitting our sins as sin, and believing his mercy and power. We must ask him for that which he wants to give, believing that he can indeed satisfy the deepest need of our soul.
Why wouldn’t they come and believe in him? (36-40)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:36-40 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 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. 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."
Because they were not given by the Father to Jesus to be saved (37). All that the Father gives to Jesus will believe in him and come to him so that Jesus can give them his life and save them (37; Jn 10:28-29; 17:2, 6).
These people came to Jesus but they came for the wrong reasons (for the free food). And Jesus repeats in verse 36 that they still did not believe in him despite the incontrovertible proof set before them of who he is (via the miracle of feeding 5,000) and his efforts to persuade them thus far. And why couldn’t they receive his words with a believing heart like the Samaritans did or as the Samaritan woman did? Jesus plainly states that it was because they were not given to him by his Father (37). All that the Father gives to Jesus will savingly respond to his words with faith and repentance. They will hunger and thirst for Jesus and they “will come” and eat and drink. But all who are not given to Jesus by the Father do not respond to his words with faith and repentance (as we see in Acts 2:37, 16:14b, 13:48b). They remain spiritually dead, unable to see or hear or understand and, thus, they see no need of coming to Christ, nor anything in him worth coming for (Jn 1:5, 8:43; 1Co 2:14; Deu 29:4); They cannot correctly understand his words about the love of God who sent him to die for them to save them from sin. Rather, they resist his words and Spirit because they are dead spiritually as enemies of God who love darkness and hate the light of truth (Jn 3:19-20; 5:40; Acts 7:51, 24:25; Ro 8:7).
There is no classification of sinner whom the Father is incapable of giving to Jesus to be saved: “All” that the Father gives to Jesus “will come” to Jesus and will be saved (37). Thus, Jesus affirms the love and power of the Father to save anyone he chooses. There is no reason to be fatalistic: Despite the flesh-orientedness and corruption of this generation, we are encouraged here to do the Father’s harvesting work, believing his power to give even the worst sinner to Jesus to be saved.
What is the will of God which Jesus would do?
ANSWER:
Jn 6:37-40 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 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. 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."
The will of God who sent Jesus (Jesus’ to-do list) is the following:
Give “eternal life” to all that the Father gives him (40).
Lose nobody whom God has given him (37b,39).
Raise them up at the last day (39-40).
Jesus does the will of his Father.
Jesus is not doing in his own agenda, but God’s agenda.
Applications:
If you come to Jesus, God the Father gave you to Jesus.
If you come to Jesus, Jesus will never drive you away, never lose you.
If you come to Jesus, Jesus will give you eternal life.
Read verses 41-46.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:41-46 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 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'?" 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 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. 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.
Why did they grumble?
ANSWER:
Jn 6:41-42 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 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'?"
Because Jesus said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven’ (41).
The Jews were saying, ‘You are not from heaven. You are from Joseph and Mary.
We know your parents. You are from them. You are from the earth.
How can you say that you are from heaven?’
Their words echo that of the Israelites in the desert, who grumbled against Moses and against God because they wanted pots of meat to eat in the desert (Exo 16:3,8). The lusting of their hearts was for fleshly satisfaction. And they seem to be growing impatient as they listen to Jesus’ sermon about spiritual things.
What did Jesus say when they grumbled? (43-46)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:43-46 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 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. 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.
He said, “Stop grumbling among yourselves” (44). Then he proceeded to tell them why they were not responding as they ought to his words of life. He spells out the reason again quite plainly.
He said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (44a). This simply means that “no one” is able to come to Jesus and be saved unless the Father “draws” him. And it means nobody is able to savingly believe in Jesus unless he is drawn. When the Father “gives” a particular person to Jesus (as stated in verse 37a), he “draws” that person to believe and come. He gives that person the willingness and desire to do this and he does it. The Father opens his eyes to see the merit of Christ and to feel the need to eat and drink of Christ’s life-saving sacrifice so that, consequently, the person decides to go to Jesus with faith and be saved (Luk 15:17-24; Jn 3:21, 8, 5:21, 1:13; Eph 2:8).
The words, “unless the Father draws him,” refer to God’s sovereignty in salvation.
The word “draw” here means to pull or drag using force. God draws people to Jesus with an irresistible force, giving them willingness and desire to believe and come and be saved. There are none given to Jesus who will by some means refuse to accept his salvation or who will refuse to come. All will come and all will not be lost and all will be raised at the last day (Jn 6:37a, 44).
God initiates the work of salvation (44a, 70, 15:16; 1Jo 4:19; 2Th 2:13-14; 1Th 1:4; Act 13:48; Php 1:29; 2Pe 1:1; Eph 1:11; Mat 25:34).
God continues to work on the salvation (44b; Php 2:13; 1Th 5:23-24; 1Co 3:6; 1Jn 5:18).
God will finish the work of salvation (44b, 10:28-29; 17:12; Php 1:6; Jude 1:24; 2Ti 4:18; Ro 8:35-39).
To God alone belongs the glory for choosing us by the riches of his mercy to be drawn to Jesus and be saved (Eph 1:5-6; Ro 9:23-24; 1Cor 4:7; 1Co 1:28-29; Isa 43:6-7).
Again, saving faith and repentance do not come from man; a person cannot choose to believe in Jesus and come to him unless the Father “gives” him to Jesus and “draws” him (37, 44, 65; 1:13; Mat 19:26; Heb 12:2a).
Man is incapable of believing in Jesus and of coming to him on his own, apart from God's drawing. Even though salvation is held out to men, they will not come unless “drawn” – unless they are “given” (44a,37a).
Objection:
Why can’t people come to Jesus by themselves?
What about their free will?
Man’s nature is fallen and so his will is restricted to what his corrupt nature desires (Ro 5:12; Gen 6:5, 8:21; Psa 58:3; Ro 8:5a; Ro 5:19a). His will is “free” but only free to do what his corrupt nature desires and is set on doing.
Men are sinful, born as enemies of God and as prisoners and slaves to sin (Jn 8:34; Col 1:21; Ro 8:7; Ro 7:14, 23; Ecc 9:3).
By nature, men do not choose God or seek him (Ro 3:11).
Rather, they love darkness and hate God’s truth (Jn 3:19-20; Eph 4:18-19).
By nature, men are children of wrath (Jn 3:18, 36; Eph 2:3).
Therefore, sinful man has no power to choose Jesus Christ (without God’s drawing). The only thing he can do is to reject Jesus.
Who then can come to Jesus based on this scripture?
1. Those who God draws (44).
2. Those who are taught by God (45a).
3. Those who listen to the Father and learn from him (45b).
All three above are referring to the same people. All who are taught by the Father and savingly listen are those who are drawn (Jn 5:24). Only these people are awakened to an acute need for Jesus – to their lost condition and their danger of perishing eternally without him. Only these people will come and believe and be saved.
3. Read verses 47-59.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:47-59 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 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." 52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 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. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 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. 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." 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
What is the relationship between Jesus and manna? (47-51)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:47-51 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 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."
Jesus is the one to whom the miracle of the manna pointed.
Jesus says repeatedly that:
Manna is not the true bread (49, 58).
He is the bread of life from heaven (33, 35, 48, 51, 58).
Whoever comes to him and believes will have eternal life (47, 50, 51, 52, 58).
Why?
Because it is an important truth.
Repeating it emphasizes the importance of this truth.
Because people do not understand it.
Repeating it can help people to understand.
Because Jesus wanted them to come to him.
Repeating it shows the love of Jesus for them.
Why did the Jews argue sharply among themselves? (52)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Because of their spiritual ignorance and unbelief.
When Jesus said, “This bread is my flesh,” they thought he was literally talking about eating human flesh (cannibalism).
They thought he was crazy.
The Jews took offense at Jesus’ words. The Jews were taught by Moses that eating the flesh of dead persons was a curse for those who broke God’s covenant (Lev 26:29, Deu 28:53-57). It was implicitly forbidden because Jews became ceremonially unclean even by touching a dead person (Num 5:2, 9:6, 19:11). The Law of Moses taught that eating blood was forbidden (Lev 17:10; Acts 15:20-21). The Jews, therefore, considered eating blood to be detestable.
The Gnostics would also take offense at Jesus’ words here. The Docetists taught that Jesus was spirit and did not take on a physical body which they considered to be evil. This idea excluded them from receiving the benefits of the sacrifice of Jesus’ body on the cross for their sins.
Jesus was not talking about literally eating his flesh and drinking his blood but was speaking metaphorically about what we ought to do spiritually with his sacrifice on the cross.
The Roman Catholic Church really teaches that the blood and body of Jesus are literally present in the elements of the mass, the bread and wine.
They teach that people actually eat the flesh of Jesus and drink his blood literally.
What does it mean ‘to eat my flesh and drink my blood’? (54-58)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:54-58 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 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. 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."
The meaning of spiritual eating and drinking of Jesus:
Eating Jesus means to have faith in Jesus, believe in Jesus, receive Jesus, accept Jesus.
But most importantly, it means taking of what Jesus did and applying it to yourself, especially your sins:
It means examining yourself before his word, confessing your sin to him, asking for forgiveness. It means meditating on what Jesus did for your sin, satisfying the wrath and justice of God for your sin on the cross, and receiving in his body the due penalty for your sin. And it means believing and accepting God’s promise that your sins have been forgiven and your guilt and shame taken away by his sacrifice. It means accepting that you are greatly loved by him.
It means asking for the power of his life-giving Spirit that your heart might be cleansed of sin’s deadly sting – of the enslavement to evil desire which comes from having tasted of it. It means asking God to consume you with holy zeal by which you can hate sin and drive it from your heart and life (Jn 2:15-17; Mat 3:11).
It means seeking to know him. It means holding on to Jesus’ words and obeying them with perseverance, asking God in the name of his Son whom he gave you and on the grounds of his sacrifice for you, to show you of the glory and majesty of the Risen King that your heart might be set free and be his captive – that your soul might receive the knowledge of the splendor of Christ that you might find him as your one and only true desire and adoration and be his true worshipper and servant forever and glory in him in his presence and have heaven in your heart and fullness of life (Jn 14:21; 8:31-32; 1:51; 17:24; Php 3:3; Isa 52:13, 55:5; Exo 34:6-7).
Analogy of physical eating/drinking.
Spiritual eating is necessary in order to receive life, strength and satisfaction from his sacrifice. We cannot derive any benefit from merely looking at this food or teaching about how to cook it. This will not satisfy our hunger. Analyzing the ingredients or researching about the food will not satisfy our hunger.
Rather this food is supposed to be eaten by us. Jesus is supposed to be eaten by us, not analyzed or researched by us. Liberal people analyze, study, or test Jesus, but do not receive him and believe in him.
Spiritual eating makes us united with Christ, just as the food we eat becomes a part of our body (56).
The character of Jesus becomes part of our inner being and expressed through us.
How important it is to eat food on a regular basis.
Great men of God eat more of Jesus on a regular basis. (Daily, 3-5 times a day)
No worry about being obese.
Jesus is not a junk food, the most healthy, nutritious food, made in heaven.
Spiritual hunger important. With a good spiritual appetite, we can eat plenty of what Jesus gave and be satisfied. But eating spiritual junk food (worldly philosophy, wisdom, knowledge) and satisfying our desire for earthly things decreases our hunger for Jesus so that we don’t want to seek his food.
How blessed are the poor in spirit (Mat 5:3)
How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! (Mat 5:6)
Spiritual eating is personal.
When we are hungry, or starving, no one can have breakfast or dinner for us.
We have to eat food personally – chew it and swallow it.
No one can believe in Jesus or receive him for us.
II. Many disciples desert Jesus (60-71)
4. Read verses 60-66.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:60-66 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 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. 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." 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Why did many of Jesus’ disciples desert him?
ANSWER:
Because they did not believe who he was or have desire to know who he was. They had enthusiastically confessed yesterday, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (14) They had wanted to make him their king. But now they were angry with him and deserted him. They were false disciples who did not want to learn of him but get some free food and get entertained by miracles.
They loved darkness. Consequently, they were offended by Jesus’ truthful words (61; 3:20).
Jesus proceeded to tell them for the third time why they were not believing him as they ought in response to his words of life:
The reason for their unbelief was that they were not “enabled” to believe. He said, “Yet there are some of you who do not believe... This is why I told you [back in verse 44] that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” (64a,65). Their unbelief was the result of not having been “enabled” by the Father. It is unmistakable that Jesus wants us to believe here that no person savingly believes and comes to Jesus unless the Father “enables” him and “gives” him to Jesus and “draws” him (37a, 44a, 65).
Their problem was not caused by a lack of evidence but by a lack of willingness to believe. They did not say, ‘we don’t understand’ but rather, ‘this is a hard teaching, we do not want this stuff; we do not want to believe this stuff; give us the physical stuff we desire’. This lack of willingness was because of their love of darkness.
He told them that no amount of evidence could savingly persuade them to believe and receive him as the bread that came down from heaven. (Already they had seen a big miracle, the feeding of the 5,000, and yet they did not believe). He said, “What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before!” (62) He was surely going to rise from the dead and ascend to heaven. But even if they should see this greatest proof before their eyes it would not be sufficient to induce them to savingly believe and receive him as the bread that came down from heaven.
Jesus was not surprised by their decision to leave him. He knew from the beginning that they would refuse to come and believe in him and would desert him (64).
He knew that, unless he gave them physical bread, they would leave him with hostility. Yet he did not solve their bread problem; he did not encourage these people to follow him and stay with him for fleshly motives.
Jesus knew that they were offended by his teaching: “Does this offend you?” (61).
Jesus did not change his preaching to please them.
Jesus did not take back his message in order to please them.
Jesus challenged and confronted them even more.
Jesus continued proclaiming the words of life to them (63).
Should we tell people about worldly success in Jesus or about fixing their outward life problems in Jesus? Many Churches encourage people to stay in the church with fleshly motives. They say, ‘Be successful; fulfill your dream, be positive, have high self-esteem in Jesus.’ Surely he wants us to be happy and successful, but he never, ever encouraged people to follow him for impure motives.
Jesus did not solve the practical problems of these false disciples.
Jesus did not come to earth to die in order to solve our practical problems such as our job, marriage, health, wealth.
Rather, Jesus came to earth to solve our spiritual problems:
Sin, death, eternal condemnation.
Jesus came to earth to open the way to God in heaven.
What is the difference between the Spirit and the flesh?
ANSWER:
Jn 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
The flesh cannot give birth to spirit (63b, 3:6a). The flesh counts for nothing with regard to having power to respond savingly to the words of truth. Rather, the flesh is corrupt and the will of the flesh is only for that which gratifies its corrupt desire. Men who are dead in their sin are just “flesh”. Men who are flesh perceive no value in God’s word or in Jesus as their spiritual bread or in being in the light of Jesus’ kingdom. They cannot come to Jesus to be saved in response to God’s word.
Only the Spirit gives life to man; the Holy Spirit gives birth to our spirit (63a, 3:6b, 3:8; 1:13). When the Father “gives” a person to Jesus, the words of Jesus come with life-giving power so that he hears it and lives (63b, 5:25, 24, 11:43-44). He listens to the Father and is drawn to come to Jesus and believe (44-45).
How can we believe in Jesus? (63)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Through the word of God. God has established his word as the medium through which he gives us saving faith (63, 5:25; Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23; 1Th 1:4-5; Ro 10:17). His word is the point of contact between us him. When the Father “gives” a person to Jesus, Jesus uses his word as the vehicle through which he gives of the Spirit and of his life to that person. Thus, all three persons of the Trinity work together on a person to save him. They work through the word. Thus, having Jesus’ word in us will give us eternal life.
Jesus may have seemed like a failure as an evangelist in chapter 6. At the start of the chapter, he had 5,000+ followers but then at the end of the chapter, only 12 remained. Moreover, the five thousand left angrily thinking of Jesus as a crazy cult leader for urging them to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Yet Jesus emphatically declares that his word is almighty to give life and that appearances are totally deceiving in this case.
The Father, the Lord of harvest (Mat 9:38), did not draw these people to salvation and did not commission the other two members of the Trinity to save anyone. That is why the people resisted Jesus’ words of life and resisted the Spirit. But when the Father commissions Jesus and the Spirit to save, Jesus speaks his word with the Spirit’s irresistible, almighty life-giving power to those the Father gives him (Jn 5:25; Col 2:13; Eze 36:26-27; Eph 1:18-20; 1Th 1:4-5; 1Sa 10:6; 19:19-21).
As Bible teachers and fishers of men, we should not be deceived by people’s negative response to the Gospel, nor be fatalistic or discouraged but take heart and believe what Jesus says here concerning the power of his word to save any class of men.
5. Read verses 67-71.
ANSWER:
Jn 6:67-71 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
What did Jesus ask his disciples? (67) Why?
ANSWER:
Jn 6:67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
(See the underlined text above).
Not because Jesus did not know what his twelve disciples would do,
but because they needed to know the power by which they were saved. They needed to know that this power was not from themselves. And they needed to understand why so many people deserted him that they might not feel discouraged.
How did Peter answer Jesus? (68-69)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:68-69 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
He said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (68a)
Peter thought about the possibility of leaving Jesus but concluded that there was no one else to go. There is no other person to go and no other way to heaven.
Jesus is the only one through whom we can be saved.
He confessed, “You have the words of eternal life.” (69b)
Peter could taste and see that Jesus’ teachings give eternal life (63).
While the crowd was hating the words of life Jesus proclaimed, the Twelve were quietly listening and delighting in his words and were deeply moved. Jesus’ words were beautiful to some but unbearable to others..
He confessed, “We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (69)
The Spirit revealed Jesus to Peter through the words Jesus proclaimed while he listened. Peter was thereby elevated from merely “believing” in Jesus to really “knowing” him. He was certain that Jesus was the Holy Lamb of God (Messiah, Psa 16:10b, Jn 1:29) whom God provided for him. Peter could taste in his inner being of Jesus as the bread of life.
What did Jesus know about Judas? (70-71)
ANSWER:
Jn 6:70-71 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
Jesus knew from the beginning about Judas and his destiny (6:64b; 13:18; 17:12; Mat 26:24-25). He knew that Judas would betray him, yet he could not dissuade Judas from doing this because, like the crowds who had departed, Judas was “a devil” and not one of those whom the Father had given him and appointed to be saved.
Judas was called “the son of Simon Iscariot”. The word “Iscariot” means, “man of Kerioth,” which was a village in southern Judah (Jos 15:25). Thus, Judas was the only one of the Twelve who was not a Galilean. Judas managed the treasury of the group (Jn 13:29), from which he was known to embezzle money (Jn 12:4).
The Twelve remained while the rest deserted Jesus. God always preserves his remnant; God always has his faithful ones. These Twelve were the proof of the power of God’s word. These Twelve whom he established as his remnant were to be the instruments through which he would carry on his work after his departure, distributing his sacrifice on the cross to the world – the instruments through which he would reap a great harvest (Acts 2:37-41).
Jesus revealed why the Twelve remained. After Simon Peter’s confession of faith, Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve?” This meant that their unwavering faith in him was the outcome of Jesus’ choice. The Twelve had genuine faith, in contrast with those who had just departed, not because of their superior smarts or noble character, but because they were chosen to be given that faith in him so that they would be his remnant (Jn 15:16; 17:6; Jas 1:18; Mat 16:17; 1Jo 4:19; 2Th 2:13-14; 1Th 1:4; Act 13:48; Php 1:29; 2Pe 1:1; Eph 1:11; Mat 25:34). It was not something in Peter that made him different from those who angrily left (1Co 4:7; 1Co 1:26-29). Rather, it was Jesus who gave him saving faith and was doing his Father’s will to preserve him to the end so as to raise him up at the last day (37, 44b; 10:28-29; 17:12; Heb 2:13; Php 1:6; Jud 1:24).
In conclusion, Jesus said, “I AM the bread of life”.
We are encouraged to come to the cross of Jesus with a believing heart and eat of his life-giving sacrifice and be completely satisfied.
We are encouraged to go and serve the words of our Lord Jesus with confidence in their almighty power to transfer the life he gave on the cross to those dead in sin.
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“Many affirm that the hope of Israel is, that Messiah shall come and raise the dead; and they shall be gathered together in the garden of Eden, and shall eat and drink, and satiate themselves all the days of the world....and that there are houses built of precious stones, beds of silk, and rivers flowing with wine and spicy oil.” (John Lightfoot, Commentary of the NT from the Talmud and Hebraica, on John 6:31). “According to Midrash Rabbab Ecclesiastes 1:9, “As the former redeemer caused manna to descend... so will the latter Redeemer [the Messiah] cause manna to descend.” If this expectation was present at the time of Jesus, the messianic views of the crowd would be all the clearer.” (Rodney A. Whitacre, John, Pg 156) “So Midras Coheleth; "The former redeemer caused manna to descend for them; in like manner shall our latter Redeemer cause manna to come down; as it is written, 'There shall be a handful of corn in the earth,' Psa 72:16."” (John Lightfoot, Commentary of the NT from the Talmud and Hebraica, on John 6:31).
The Samaritan woman and Nicodemus responded similarly (Jn 3:4, 4:15; 1Co 2:14).
Verse 37b says, “...and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” He is not talking about welcoming “whoever” comes to him but about his power to not lose any of those who have already been given to him. The word “drive away” comes from the Greek verb εκβαλω ekballo (ek-bal'-lo) (G1544) which means “to eject”* (as we see in Jn 2:15, 9:35; 12:31). Thus, Jesus is referring in 37b to those who have already been given to him and are “in” him and is promising that they will never be “cast out” (KJV); he will never lose them but will preserve them by his power and love and care so that they remain in him and grow mature in that eternal life he has given them that they might be raised by him at the last day.
*(Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries)
The Greek word used here is ἑλκύω helkuo (hel-koo'-o) (G1670) which means “to drag” (Jonathan Kristen Mickelson, Mickelson's Enhanced Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries). The NET Bible text note on this word reads, “Or “attracts him,” or “pulls him.” The word is used of pulling or dragging, often by force. It is even used once of magnetic attraction (A. Oepke, TDNT 2:503).” (Biblical Studies Press, New English Translation, 2006) Surely the gospel call must come with divine power because people, like fish, don’t want to be caught in God’s net.
Tons of objections can be raised to what Jesus seems to be plainly teaching here. (And many pages of explanation would be required to answer them all.) Surely it can be tempting to use deductive methods to try to understand what he says here, interpreting it the wrong way according to something he says elsewhere in the bible that makes more sense to us. Yet, if we set aside our own understanding and humbly believe and esteem his words written here and ask for heavenly wisdom and understanding and seek it with patience and perseverance, he will surely give it (Jas 1:5; Pro 2:1-6).
The flesh “counts for nothing” could have had another intended meaning: The Jews misunderstood Jesus’ words about eating his flesh. So, he might have meant that the spiritual reality pointed to by the figure of eating flesh is what has the great value. The physical, visible symbol in itself of eating flesh “counts for nothing” with regard to having eternal life.
To be more specific, the words of Jesus come with the life-giving power of the Spirit to those whom God draws in the following ways: His words convict us of sin and make us sensitive to sin and so that we feel guilt and shame because of it and feel of our need of Jesus. The words of God persuade us of the efficacy of Jesus. His words author our faith in Jesus – they give us understanding of how good and splendorous he is and persuade us of his power. The words direct us, encourage us and lead us to come out of sins to and come to Jesus' glorious presence for us to be fed. The words of God come with the Spirit and power to efficaciously bring the knowledge of Jesus' sacrifice to our soul that we may marvel at the bloodied form of Jesus and the justice of God for our sin being satisfied on the cross and our sin being punished there that our heart might be cleansed of evil desire and liberated from enslavement to sin. They come with efficacious power to bring to our soul the knowledge of his mercy and assurance of his forgiveness. They bring down the fire of zeal by which we can hate sin and drive it from our heart and life. They pass before us the majesty of Jesus that our hearts would be his captive. They bring to our soul the knowledge of the beauty of Christ that we might find him as our one and only true desire and adoration that we might be his true worshippers and servants forever and glory in him in his presence and have heaven in our hearts and fullness of life. His words and Spirit bring the powerful supernatural knowledge by which we are established in an intimate, love covenant relationship and bond with him that we may be his possession forever to serve him and his purpose all our days.
Peter’s confession here happened when “The Jewish Passover Feast was near” (4). This corresponds to Mat 14:15ff, the miracle of feeding of the 5,000 as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel. So, Peter’s confession here in John’s Gospel precedes his confession in Mat 16:16 by a considerable time, perhaps even three months.
It could also have referred to Kerioth of Moab, east of the Jordan (Jeremiah 48:24; Amos 2:2),
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