Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does John Chapter 6 mean?

John chapter 6 packs several crucial moments into one narrative. The passage states that the events occur “after” the narrative of chapter 5, which turns out to be several months later. This chapter describes the high point of Jesus’ worldly popularity. He disrupts this almost immediately by telling the crowd something they do not want to hear. This passage also includes the fourth and fifth of John’s seven miraculous signs, the third of John’s seven witnesses to Jesus’ divinity, and the first of John’s seven “I AM” statements ascribed to Jesus.

The gospel of John also skips over a great deal of material which is covered in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Based on the events described, somewhere between 5 and 6 months have passed since the events described in chapter 5. John sticks to his primary purpose, which is explaining how Jesus Christ is, in fact, God incarnate. For this reason, and because he assumes the reader is already familiar with the other Gospels, John skips over both the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ many parables about the Kingdom. Instead, the opening phrase “after this” brings us to a moment about one year prior to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.

The primary event of this chapter is Jesus’ feeding thousands of people with the contents of a boy’s small lunch (John 6:9–13). This was the most public of all the miracles Jesus performed, and the one which garnered Him the most immediate worldly acclaim. Each gospel records several miracles performed by Jesus, but this is the only miracle included in all four accounts. The crowd’s need for food provokes different reactions from the disciples. Some just want the problem to go away. Some are concerned with money. Some simply bring whatever they can find to Jesus, trusting Him to do the rest.

This practical, generous expression of power is first met with amazement and praise. However, Jesus recognizes that there is a flaw in the crowd’s reaction. Rather than seeing the miracle as a sign, the people are merely pleased with the idea of getting a divine handout. This incident not only allows Jesus to teach important truths about Himself, it also demonstrates some of the spiritual barriers which keep us from properly seeking God. In response to His miracle, the people regress from seeking, to complaining, to bickering, and finally to abandonment.

After sending the disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:16), Jesus will immediately wipe away the applause of the crowd. Over the course of a long dialogue, moving from the seashore into the synagogue, Jesus attempts to clarify the spiritual meaning behind His recent miracles. This passage is one of the better examples of the concept of ipsissima vox, which simply means that some dialogues in the Bible are recorded as summaries, not word-for-word transcripts. Since this discussion changes locations between verses 25 and 59, it almost certainly involved a longer, more extensive conversation.

The day after feeding thousands and hearing their praises, Jesus tells people that He, Himself, is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:51). By explaining that His ministry is essentially spiritual, not material, Jesus alienates most of those who had been eager to follow Him. This, of course, only goes to prove Jesus’ accusation: that the people were not there to learn or to receive truth, but rather to once again be given free food (John 6:26).

In between these two moments of public preaching, John chapter 6 includes the fifth of his seven miraculous signs, as well as a “bonus” miracle. Jesus is seen walking on the water after the disciples’ boat encounters a storm (John 6:19). The hidden miracle is the one mentioned in an almost off-handed way: when He is taken into the boat, it is “immediately” at its destination (John 6:21).

The end of chapter 6 features the third of seven instances where someone in the gospel of John professes belief in Jesus’ divinity. Here, Peter will refer to Jesus as the “Holy One of God” (John 6:68–69).

Chapter Context
John chapter 6 occurs some months after the events of chapter 5, bringing the narrative to about one year prior to Jesus’ crucifixion. As with the rest of the Gospel of John, the purpose is not to repeat information from the other three Gospels, but to focus on Jesus’ status as God incarnate. This chapter continues to expand the list of Jesus’ miraculous signs and the witnesses to His divine nature. Here, Jesus also gives the first of seven ”I AM” statements found in this Gospel. Chapter 7 will once again skip ahead to a major public step in Jesus’ path to the cross.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

Scripture was originally written without chapter and verse divisions as used in modern translations. Even so, there is a definite break between the end of chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6. Based on events listed here and in the other Gospels, at least five or six months have passed since Jesus’ healing at the Pool of Bethesda. So, the phrase “after this” is something of an understatement.

The gospel of John is framed around proof that Jesus is the Son of God. To do this, John focuses on seven particular miracles, which he refers to as “signs.” These are events meant to send a particular message, or to elicit a certain response. According to the next few verses, Jesus’ ministry is gaining significant public notice. The miracles Jesus has been doing, according to verse 2, are the primary reason He is now drawing a crowd.

Unfortunately, as the events of this chapter will explain, the crowd’s interest in Jesus’ miracles is misplaced. Rather than seeking truth, these people are only seeking excitement and handouts. When Christ explains the meaning of His miracles, and the importance of His ministry, most of these same people will turn and walk away (John 6:66).

Context Summary
John 6:1–15 describes Jesus’ feeding thousands of people—the fourth of the gospel of John’s seven ”signs” of Christ’s divinity. This is the only miracle recorded in all four of the gospel accounts. When the crowd complains of hunger, the disciples who are mentioned each react in unique ways. Starting with only a tiny lunch of bread and fish, Jesus miraculously divides the food, filling everyone, and leaving more left over than they had to begin with. The people are astounded by this, and immediately react by proclaiming Jesus as ”the Prophet” who has been promised. Jesus, however, is not yet ready to be publicly announced. He also knows the true motivations of this crowd and will attempt to explain the real importance of the miracle to them the following day.

Verse 2. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

At the end of chapter 5, Jesus was seen in conflict with local religious authorities. This was inspired by His healing of a man near the Pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath day (John 5:1–18). Now, several months later, Jesus’ other miraculous healings have attracted a “large crowd.” This part of the gospel of John describes the high point of Jesus’ public popularity. The miracles Jesus performed were partly intended for just this reason; one of the purposes of these spectacles was attracting attention to His ministry.

At the same time, John describes Jesus’ miracles as “signs.” This word, semion in Greek, was chosen for a reason. “Signs” relate a particular message; they are meant to lead people to certain conclusions. The next miracle Jesus performs will be His most public and most well-received: feeding thousands with a tiny lunch of bread and fish. But the people who see this miracle, for the most part, will miss the message behind the sign. As Jesus will explain later, the purpose of His ministry is not bread, or spectacle.

As a result of this challenging truth, the large crowd of people listening to Jesus’ teachings will dissolve (John 6:66).

Verse 3. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.

In this part of the gospel of John, Jesus’ miracles have attracted a great deal of attention. This has caused a large crowd to follow Him, specifically because of His supernatural healings. What happens next will whip these admirers into a frenzy, but not for long. The vast majority will misunderstand the purpose behind Jesus’ miraculous feeding of thousands of people (John 6:9–14; 6:26). As soon as Christ attempts to explain the spiritual truth behind His ministry, the “large crowd” will all but disappear.

The region described here is near the shores of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. This can lead to some confusion regarding the English word “mountain.” The Greek term oros can mean a rise, a hill, a mountain, or a mount. Culture and geography greatly influence what any particular person defines as a “mountain.” Those living on the western shores of South America or in Nepal, might not consider the landscape of Galilee to contain any mountains. A native of the North American plains, on the other hand, certainly would.

The “mountain” Jesus stops at here is not a rocky, sheer cliff, but rather a steep hill. This would have been a natural place to address a crowd, much as with the Sermon on the Mount.

Verse 4. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

This verse provides a clue regarding the timeline of chapters 5, 6, and 7. Passover is a celebration held close to April, while chapter seven’s Feast of Tabernacles is held closer to October. This places events of chapter 6 about six months prior to those of chapter 7. Also based on New Testament context, this particular Passover would have been the year prior to Jesus’ crucifixion.

One reason for Jesus’ time here in Galilee is the very fact of His growing popularity. The end of chapter 5 saw Jesus disputing with religious leaders in Jerusalem over His Sabbath-day healing at the Pool of Bethesda. Other verses mention the tension between Christ and the Jewish priests, meaning at this stage of Jesus’ ministry, it is safer and wiser to mostly stay away from Jerusalem.

Jesus is about to perform a major miracle, which makes the reference to Passover especially important. The point of the Passover celebration, for the Jewish people, is remembrance of their rescue from slavery in Egypt. There is a heavy focus on food, especially unleavened bread, in these Passover rites. Over the course of this chapter, Jesus will miraculously provide a meal of bread for the people who would have been especially sensitive to themes of divine intervention and rescue from oppression.

At the same time, Jesus’ later explanation of His role as the Bread of Life would have run directly counter to Jewish interpretations of Passover. This would have contributed to their offense at His teaching, causing most to abandon Him (John 6:66).

Verse 5. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

Jesus’ response to the crowd’s hunger begins by using it as a test of the disciples. This is a strong contrast to the temptations of the Devil, who probes our faith looking for weaknesses in order to lead us towards sin. God’s tests, on the other hand, are meant to refine our faith. The following reactions give us some insight into the unique way we, as Christians, might respond to opportunities for service which God places in our paths.

The varied reactions of the disciples are especially instructive, particularly as recorded in Mark 6:36. There, we see that their initial response to the problem is an attempt to just “send them away.” Jesus, of course, rejects this option and presses the men on what to do. Philip’s answer, possibly sarcastic, is to throw money at the problem. Andrew suggests working to solve it. Jesus’ answer to the dilemma is to start with an appeal to God, rather than an appeal to human ability.

Jesus’ question to Philip is purposefully leading Him in a certain direction. According to the next few verses, the crowd was large enough that providing them with a snack would have cost a laborer several months’ wages.

Verse 6. He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

Jesus asks the disciples how they will solve the problem of a hungry crowd in order to test their faith. Unlike the Devil, who uses challenges and tests in an effort to entangle us in sin, God’s tests are meant to refine our faith. Jesus already knows exactly how He is going to address this problem. What He wants to see and hear from the disciples is where they will turn for answers to their hardships. According to this, and the other four Gospels, the disciples will present a range of different solutions. The three major answers they suggest are to ignore the problem by sending the people away (Mark 6:36), to throw money at the problem, as Philip will sarcastically suggest (John 6:7), or by working to solve it, as Andrew attempts later (John 6:8).

Christ’s own answer is not completely contradictory to these, but it grounded in a fundamentally different assumption. Each of the disciples starts by focusing attention on human efforts, whereas Jesus’ resolution will begin with a humble appeal to God. This reliance on God, first and foremost, is a lesson John highlights in this miraculous event (John 6:11; John 6:23).

Verse 7. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Jesus asks the disciples how they plan to handle the hungry crowd, numbering some 5,000 men, presumably with many more women and children in attendance as well. This is meant as a test of their faith (John 6:6). Other Gospels indicate that the initial reaction of the disciples is to attempt to ignore the problem entirely (Mark 6:36). Jesus’ response, seen later (John 6:11), confronts their common error of starting from human effort, rather than appealing to God to handle the results.

Philip, it seems, was focused on a financial solution to the problem. In that era, a worker would earn about one denarius for a day’s labor. Two hundred denarii, then is a common man’s pay for 200 days. The crowd, numbering five thousand men—not counting whatever women and children were there—would have required the wages from eight month’s labor just to give each one a taste. Sarcastic or not, Philip’s stance is that attempting to feed so many people is effectively impossible since it would be incredibly expensive.

Verse 8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter ‘s brother, said to him,

Jesus has posed a challenge to His disciples: how to feed five thousand men, along with women and children. Jesus knows how He will respond, but tests His followers in order to illustrate a valuable lesson (John 6:6). After trying to ignore the problem (Mark 6:36), they offer several solutions. Philip, probably with heavy cynicism, notes that even buying a small snack for everyone would cost the equivalent of eight month’s wages for a common laborer (John 6:7).

Andrew, on the other hand, approaches the situation with optimism, at the very least. Andrew is frequently seen bringing people to meet Jesus, as he did in bringing his brother Simon (Peter) to Jesus in chapter 1. Here, he approaches Christ with a young boy, who seems to have offered his lunch. It’s possible Andrew had begun to ask for food donations from the crowd. In any event, the focus of Andrew’s solution is human effort, and the fact that the available resources seem pitifully small for the task at hand.

As Jesus will show, however, the proper approach to solving our problems begins with trust in God, and a complete submission to His will (John 6:10–11).

Verse 9. “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Jesus is testing His disciples, in order to deepen their faith (John 6:6). This came in the form of a hungry crowd, numbering 5,000 men plus some number of women and children. So far, the disciples have alternately suggested ignoring the problem (Mark 6:36), solving it with money (John 6:7), and now Andrew brings a donation of food from a small boy.

Rather than start with an appeal to money, or charity, Jesus will teach the disciples to begin by simply bringing all we have to God (John 6:11).

The contents of the boy’s lunch are significant, since it’s mostly barley loaves. The crowd who was following Jesus at this time was almost exclusively Jewish, and they would have been aware that one of Elisha’s miracles was multiplying twenty small barley loaves to feed a crowd of 100 men, with food left over (2 Kings 4:42–44). Jesus will perform a miracle even more dramatic than that by feeding thousands with even less. This will mark Jesus as one greater than the prophet Elisha, and inspire the crowd to proclaim Him the long-awaited Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15).

Verse 10. Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

Seeking to feed thousands of people, the disciples have suggested doing nothing (Mark 6:36), outrageous spending (John 6:7), and simple labor (John 6:9). Jesus’ response will not completely contradict these, but it will correct the disciples’ backwards approach. As shown in the next verse, Christ will still use human effort to accomplish a miracle (John 6:11–13), but only after appealing to God. Our work is not irrelevant to God’s work, but it has to come second to our submission to His power and to His will.

This verse is very specific that “the men” numbered 5,000. Jesus instructs “the people” to sit down, using the Greek word anthrōpous, which literally refers to human beings—male or female. The phrase numbering the crowd, however, uses the Greek andres, which literally means “males.” This all but guarantees there were some number of women and children in the crowd, as well. While Jesus’ feeding of 5,000 people would have been miraculous enough, it’s possible that the number gathered around Him at this point could have been as many as 15,000 to 20,000.

Verse 11. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

Jesus tested His disciples by asking them how to feed a massive, hungry crowd. Their responses all shared a common error: dependence on human effort first. Jesus, on the other hand, will demonstrate that human effort is valuable only after it is brought under the blessing and power of God. It is no accident that Jesus begins first by giving thanks to God—this fact is specifically repeated later in verse 23.

This is the fourth of John’s seven miraculous “signs” which prove Jesus’ divinity.

In 2 Kings 4:42–44, the prophet Elisha miraculously divides twenty small barley loaves to feed 100 men, with food left over afterwards. Here, Jesus performs a miracle even greater than that of Elisha. At this point, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd at least fifty times the size of the group Elisha fed. “The men”—from a Greek term referring to males only—were said to number 5,000 (John 6:10). Jesus takes five barley loaves and two fish, and in return, distributes enough food to completely satisfy everyone. Plus there are twelve baskets of leftovers (John 6:12–13). This, in part, inspires the throng to proclaim Jesus as the Prophet foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).

Verse 12. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”

The initial problem faced by the disciples seemed insurmountable: a crowd of thousands, looking for food. The throng wasn’t going to leave (Mark 6:36), there was not enough money to feed everyone (John 6:7), and all they could scrounge up was barely enough to feed one boy (John 6:9). In response, Jesus miraculously provides not just a solution, but an abundance, more than was needed to solve the problem (John 6:13). Everyone eats “their fill,” from the Greek eneplēsthēsan, which refers to being satisfied, full, or satiated. Every person in that massive audience was able to eat until their hunger was gone.

This is meant to teach two primary lessons. First, the disciples were overly concerned with their own efforts. Ignoring the problem, worrying about money, and despairing over limited resources were all signs that their first thoughts were earthly, not heavenly. Instead of lamenting how massive the need is, our approach should be to simply bring God all we have, and let Him handle the results. When God gives us a challenge, He expects us to apply effort and resources to it (Colossians 3:23–25), but at the same time He wants us to proceed in faith, not in despair (Luke 10:2). That begins by putting the matter in God’s hands, first, which is exactly what Jesus did.

The second lesson is that of perspective. The disciples’ money seemed impossibly limited; the boy’s lunch seemed impossibly small. And yet, in the hands of Christ, what seemed small and insignificant became so abundant that people had to be careful not to waste the leftovers! In the same way, while our personal skills or our resources might seem pathetic, Christ can leverage those tiny assets into powerful results. The power is His, and the results are His. We are only called to faithfully give Him all we have, even if it seems like it’s not enough.

Verse 13. So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

Jesus does more than just miraculously feed upwards of 5,000 people (John 6:10) with the contents of a boy’s small lunch (John 6:9). He turns that small offering into so much food that the disciples use twelve baskets collecting the leftovers. This was after the disciples all but gave up on feeding such a large throng of people (Mark 6:36; John 6:7–9). The task seemed too large and the resources available seemed too small.

The disciples’ problem, essentially, wasn’t that there was something wrong with thinking of money, or food, but that they were approaching the situation backwards. Rather than trying to scrape up something worthy of God, then offering it, Jesus taught them to simply bring whatever they had to God—first and foremost—and let Him work from there. When there is a need, our first response needs to be trusting God to provide for it. Our efforts are still meaningful, but God’s will controls the outcome, and we’re meant to rely on His power. Likewise, what we think of as “too little”—whether it’s our skills, our talents, or our resources—can become “more than enough” when we give it entirely to Jesus.

Jesus’ miracles are what drew the crowd to Him in the first place (John 6:2). This particular miracle would have reminded the crowd of the Old Testament prophet Elisha, who also miraculously multiplied loaves of barley bread (2 Kings 4:42–44). Jesus’ miracle feeds some fifty times as many people, with even less to start with. This, combined with other Old Testament prophecies (Deuteronomy 18:15), is likely what led the audience to declare that Jesus was this long-awaited prophet (John 6:14).

Verse 14. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

Even in Jesus’ day, Deuteronomy 18:15 was interpreted as a prediction that a great leader, like Moses, would come to the people of Israel (John 1:19–21). Jesus has attracted a large crowd due to His miraculous healings (John 6:2). In another Old Testament passage, the prophet Elisha miraculously feeds 100 men with 20 small barley loaves, with food to spare. The miracle just performed by Jesus far surpasses that (John 6:9–13). As a result, many in the crowd feel Jesus is this prophetic figure they have been waiting for: the prophet-leader promised by Moses.

On one hand, the people’s reaction to Jesus miracle is appropriate. This verse refers to the event as a “sign,” from the Greek term sēmion, referring to an event bearing some specific meaning or message. The gospel of John features seven of these miraculous signs, intended to prove that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be: God incarnate.

Unfortunately, the people’s response to Christ’s latest miracle is not entirely correct. The following day, Jesus will attempt to explain the purpose of His ministry to these same people. When told that bread and miracles are not the point of His mission, most of the crowd will abandon Jesus. This proves that, for most, their attraction to Jesus is based on spectacle and selfishness, not a genuine interest in spiritual truth.’

This is the pinnacle of Jesus’ worldly popularity. As the following verse indicates, Jesus has to reject the crowd’s knee-jerk desire to proclaim Him as the King of Israel. Jesus is firmly committed to God’s divine timetable (John 2:4; John 7:6; John 16:25; Matthew 26:18), and the moment to openly declare Himself King has not yet arrived (John 12:12–15). The overnight miracle on the Sea of Galilee means these people will need to find Him in Capernaum the following day. There, this spike of public enthusiasm will shrink as Jesus clarifies His message.

Verse 15. Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

In a practical sense, the massive crowd following Jesus (John 6:2) has the correct response to His latest, most public miracle. They want to make Him King, in part because they recognize His prophetic fulfillment (John 6:14). However, their approach is in error on several accounts.

First and foremost, the vast majority of these people are not heralding Jesus as King because they recognize their need for God or because they believe in His message. They are responding to the spectacle of a miracle, the handout of free food (John 6:26), and the prospect of shrugging off Roman occupation (John 11:48; 18:31). When Jesus puts his miracles—which the gospel of John calls signs—into proper perspective, most of those adoring Him now will simply turn and walk away (John 6:66).

Secondly, this is not the moment Jesus is meant to be publicly, openly declared as King. That moment is about a year away (John 6:4), at the triumphal entry just prior to His crucifixion (John 12:12–15). Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus shows an iron-clad devotion to God’s divine schedule (John 7:6; John 16:25).

Verse 16. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

Jesus sends His disciples away from the crowd for several reasons. The crowd is apparently willing to use violence to accomplish their goals (John 6:15). Involving the disciples in political unrest would put them in the crosshairs of the Roman Empire (John 11:48). More than anything else, however, Jesus probably doesn’t want them to let the crowd’s adoration feed their egos (Matthew 20:20–28; Luke 22:24). All of Christ’s miracles are attached to a spiritual lesson, and this one will be no different. Removing His disciples from the situation solves all three of these problems at the same time (Matthew 14:22).

Jesus’ feeding of more than five thousand people (John 6:9-14) is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. That provides additional context for the incident described here in the gospel of John. The disciples are sailing to the other side of the Sea of Galilee specifically according to the instructions of Jesus (Mark 6:45). They are not disobeying Him, nor are they making an unwise assumption about His will. Jesus told them to get into a boat and head across the water. This is an important lesson about the nature of trials and hardships: not all suffering is the result of disobedience. In fact, sometimes obedience leads us directly into a storm.

Likewise, according to the gospel of Mark, Christ is watching them during their struggle (Mark 6:45–48). John writes his entire gospel under the assumption that the reader is familiar with the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is why the next verse (John 6:17) will simply state that Jesus “had not yet come” out on the water. Even while the men were afraid, and agonizing over their situation, they were under His watchful eyes.

Context Summary
John 6:16–21 contains the fifth of John’s seven miraculous ”signs” proving that Jesus Christ is God: Christ walking on the water. This passage also describes a ”hidden” miracle, not part of the main seven, involving the disciples and their boat. This incident is important for what it teaches about difficulty and suffering. The disciples found themselves in rough seas, after Jesus told them specifically to sail across the Sea of Galilee. Their hard time was not the result of disobedience; rather, their hard time came because they obeyed. Not all struggles are punishments, and not all storms come due to rebellion. At times, obedience to God means heading into a storm.

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

The crowd’s reaction to Jesus most public miracle is inherently dangerous, especially for the disciples. Not only is the crowd acting aggressively (John 6:15), but the Roman authorities won’t look kindly on anyone involved in political unrest. Worse, the massive popularity of Jesus risks inflating the disciples’ sense of self-importance. As with all of His miracles, there is a lesson to be learned, and so Jesus separates these men from the situation (Mark 6:45). Interestingly, the gospel of Mark makes a point of mentioning that, at the time the disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, they did not yet understand Jesus’ miraculous feeding (Mark 6:52).

This command also serves to set up an additional miracle and an additional lesson. According to this verse, “Jesus had not yet come to them.” This phrasing seems strange, unless one remembers that John wrote long after the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were in circulation. His assumption is that those stories are known to the reader. Mark chapter 6 provides more details on Jesus’ instructions and His observation of the men during their struggle.

As the next verse will indicate, obeying Jesus’ commands led the disciples directly into a tough spot. This is an often-missed truth of the Christian life: obedience does not always produce comfort. In fact, there are times when following God’s will means experiencing backlash from the world (Acts 5:27–33). There is a purpose to those trials, however, and we can rest assured knowing that God watches over us all the time (Psalm 146:9).

Verse 18. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.

Mark chapter 6 and Matthew chapter 14 provide many useful details about this particular incident. John intends His gospel to supplement those accounts, not to replace them. Among the details not listed here are that Jesus has been watching the men from the surrounding hillside and will eventually walk out on the water towards them (Mark 6:48), and that this is the incident where Peter briefly walks on water, as well (Matthew 14:28–32).

The terrain around the Sea of Galilee is shaped in a way which contributes to sudden storms. At the moment this incident occurs, the disciples’ boat is right in the middle of the lake (John 6:19), which is only about 7 miles (11 km) long. According to Mark, the disciples are “rowing” against the wind. This means the storm they were experiencing was more or less exactly as described here in the gospel of John: a “strong wind.” This was not a typhoon, or a hurricane-level squall. All the same, a small boat and wind-driven waves combine for an uncomfortable experience. It is worth noting, however, that the fear these men felt was because they initially thought Jesus was a ghost, not because they were afraid of sinking (John 6:19; Mark 6:49).

Verse 19. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.

The Sea of Galilee is relatively small, only about 7 miles (11 km) long. Its position at the bottom of a series of high hills makes it prone to sudden storms and bursts of wind (John 6:18). At the time described here, the disciples are in the middle of a mess: a rough, stormy sea long before sunrise (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48). And yet, they are facing this challenge because of their obedience to Christ, who had commanded them into the boat in the first place (Mark 6:45). The object lesson there is relatively simple: hard times don’t necessarily mean we’re doing something wrong. On the contrary, obedience to God can involve inconvenience or even suffering (Acts 5:27–33).

The gospel of John skips over many of the details contained in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, assuming that the reader has access to those. However, a key point often missed in this story is given very clearly here by John, as well as Mark (Mark 6:49–50), as well as Matthew (Matthew 14:26). Namely, that the disciples don’t fear the storm: they’re afraid of Jesus! Their first assumption, on seeing a human figure walking over the waves, is that this is a ghost. While not the specific point of this story, it’s worth keeping in mind that God’s intervention in our lives can sometimes happen in ways we find unexpected, even frightening at first.

This is the fifth of John’s seven signs: miracles used in this gospel to prove that Jesus Christ is God.

Verse 20. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions to cross the Sea of Galilee. This obedience landed them right in the middle of the lake during a rough burst of wind. As should we all, the disciples are learning that following the will of God does not make us immune from hard times. Sometimes, in fact, it leads us right into stormy seas. In this case, Jesus has sent the men away from the crowds to avoid entangling them in political unrest (John 6:15), and so they don’t confuse the spiritual meaning of His miracle with the crowd’s reaction. At this point, the men don’t yet grasp the importance of what Jesus did in feeding the crowd (Mark 6:52).

This is not a hurricane, nor a typhoon, but the storm certainly makes getting across the water much harder and more dangerous. But Jesus has been watching, and decides to come out to assist them (Mark 6:48). In the midst of that, the disciples see something which actually did frighten them: a human figure walking on top of the waves. As it turns out, this is Jesus—who needs to call out to the men to reassure them not to be afraid.

This is the fifth of seven miracles used in John’s gospel to support the claim that Jesus is, in fact, God.

Matthew and Mark provide more details about this incident in their respective Gospels (Mark 6:45–52; Matthew 14:22–30). Among these elements is the fact that Peter attempted to walk out on the water towards Jesus, and briefly succeeded.

Verse 21. Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

The gospel of John records seven specific miracles, which are described as signs—meaning events carrying some specific meaning, purpose, or message. In John’s case, these are collected as evidence that Jesus Christ really is God incarnate. Two are recorded in this chapter alone: Christ feeding thousands (John 6:1–15) and Christ walking on the water (John 6:16–21). Here, however, there is another miracle which is described in an almost off-handed way.

Mark chapter 6 and Matthew chapter 14 give the details which John leaves out of this account. The men crossed the Sea of Galilee at Jesus’ directive (Mark 6:45), encountering high winds and rough seas. Jesus, however, is watching from the shore, and walks out to them sometime just before sunrise (Mark 6:48). Even though the men are terrified at what appears to be a ghost, Peter works up the courage to walk on water, at least for a few steps, before being rescued by Jesus. The disciples then bring Peter and Jesus on board (Matthew 14:27–33).

This verse describes the “bonus” miracle of John chapter 6: when the disciples take Jesus into the boat, they are “immediately” at their destination!

Verse 22. On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.

Crowds have been gathering around Jesus due to His healing miracles (John 6:2). On the previous day, Jesus performed His most public miracle, and the only one recorded in all four of the Gospels: feeding more than five thousand people with a tiny quantity of food (John 6:9–14). In the morning, the same group of people realize that Jesus was no longer on that side of the Sea of Galilee, even though He did not leave in the boat with the disciples.

What the crowd does not know is that Jesus walked across the water overnight. In the prior passage, Jesus approaches the boat struggling against high winds. The men were terrified at first, thinking Jesus was a ghost (John 6:19; Matthew 14:26). Peter, however, works up the courage to walk out on the water, and briefly succeeds (Matthew 14:28–31). Once Jesus is taken into the boat, it is “immediately” at the opposite shore, a miracle described almost as an afterthought.

This passage shows the dramatic plunge in Jesus’ worldly popularity. According to the next verse, additional people are seeking Him as a result of His miraculous signs. Unfortunately, as soon as Jesus explains that His ministry is inherently spiritual, not material, most of these people will choose to abandon Him (John 6:66).

Context Summary
John 6:22–40 describes the initial aftermath of Jesus’ feeding of thousands the previous day. The crowd’s actual desire is for another supernatural spectacle and more free food. In this passage, Christ begins to explain the true meaning behind His miracle and His ministry. This includes the first of seven ”I AM” statements in the gospel of John—moments where Jesus declares His own divinity. Jesus clarifies that physical things such as bread are meant to be symbols of a spiritual truth. In the following segment, the crowd will stop seeking and start complaining.

Verse 23. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

Crowds were already following Jesus as a result of His healing miracles (John 6:2). Now, thanks to His public feeding of thousands (John 6:9–14), even more have come to seek Him out. To some extent, this was the purpose behind the supernatural works Jesus performed. These are signs, according to John, which are meant to explain some particular message or meaning. The people are right to respond, but the upcoming verses will show that their motivations are wrong. Their real interest is in free food, and entertainment, not spiritual truth (John 6:26).

This verse is also interesting for making a specific reference to Jesus giving thanks to God prior to His miracle (John 6:11). At least for John, the meaning of that miracle is not lost: it is God’s power, not ours, which actually gets results. Jesus’ feeding of more than five thousand people was accomplished by appealing to God’s will, and God’s provision, before using human efforts to solve the problem. Those earthly efforts are still necessary, but they’re also secondary. For John, the writer of this gospel, the fact that Jesus appealed to heaven prior to the miracle is a central fact.

Verse 24. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

The ever-growing crowd is looking for Jesus as a result of His various miracles (John 6:2). In particular, He has just fed more than five thousand people with a tiny portion of bread and fish (John 6:9–14). The crowd is certainly enthusiastic. They are willing to row across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, hoping to find Him there. Prior verses indicated that the crowd had seen Jesus send the disciples across the water (Matthew 14:22). What they did not see was Jesus walking on the waves overnight, as the disciples were struggling against high winds and waves (John 6:16–21).

This, as far as it goes, is exactly the reaction Jesus’ miracles are meant to inspire. John refers to these supernatural events as signs, since they are meant to point people in a particular direction. Unfortunately, as later verses will show, the vast majority of this crowd is not seeking spiritual truth. They want entertainment and free food, so when Jesus clarifies His ministry, most of them will walk away in disgust.

Verse 25. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

After Jesus fed more than five thousand people with a miracle (John 6:9–14), He sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee, away from the crowd (Matthew 14:22). This, and His retreat into the hills, was meant to cool off the sudden surge of enthusiasm from the crowd. The throngs of people saw Jesus command the disciples and they saw Him enter the hills. However, they didn’t see Jesus walking on water overnight, or His miraculous transport of the boat to Capernaum (John 6:16–21).

In a literal sense, the crowd is asking Jesus “when” He arrived in Capernaum. However, the real intent behind their question is “why” Jesus left. As later verses will show, this mob is focused on spectacle, free food, and political concerns. From that perspective, there is no good reason for Jesus to avoid publicity. He would, they assume, want to be adored and lavished by His followers. Jesus’ response, starting in the next verse, will prove just how wrong their attitudes are. The people are seeking, but not after truth. They are only looking for selfish reasons.

Verse 26. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

Prior to this statement, Jesus’ worldly popularity has been growing. His healing miracles attracted a crowd (John 6:2). His feeding of thousands (John 6:9–14) inspired an entire mob to come looking for Him in Capernaum (John 6:22–24). With this first line of dialogue, however, Jesus will bring that surge of enthusiasm to a sudden halt. This verse summarizes the entire discussion comprising the rest of chapter 6. The people are seeking free food, not spiritual truth. As soon as Jesus begins to explain that His miracles are only meant to teach, they lose interest. Christ will describe how material things fade away, but His real purpose is to give people eternal life. This message not only stalls the crowd, it makes them angry, and as a result almost all of them will turn their backs on Jesus.

John uses the term signs in reference to Jesus’ miracles. A sign is something which delivers a message. It points people in a certain direction. The people’s reaction to Jesus’ miracles, however, is completely wrong. Rather than grasping the spiritual importance, and trusting in Jesus’ authority, the people are attracted to the material aspects. They are seeing the miracle, but missing the meaning. This is like running towards a colorful metal shape along the side of the road, because it is pretty, not bothering to read it, and missing the danger it is meant to warn us of. Ironically, the same people who seek Jesus due to His miraculous signs will demand even more proof once His claims interfere with their preferences (John 6:30).

Christ’s actions here also send an important message to modern churches: we should not attempt to “keep” attendees with entertainment and hand-outs. Rather, we should use such things as a way to introduce people to the gospel, and then let them decide how they want to respond to Christ.

Verse 27. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

The crowds who saw Jesus miraculously provide food the day before have followed Him to Capernaum. In some ways, this is good, since Jesus’ miraculous signs are meant to encourage seekers. This throng of people, however, is not really seeking God. Instead, they are looking for entertainment and free food (John 6:26). But mere popularity is not what Christ is seeking. Instead of softening His message to make people happy, Jesus will thoroughly explain the truth, even though it costs Him the good will of the crowd.

Here, Jesus continues to clarify that the point of His ministry is spiritual, not material. Scripture is consistent in reminding us that we need more than just physical food in order to thrive—we need to be nourished spiritually, as well (Isaiah 55:2; Matthew 4:4). This does not mean work has no value or that Jesus is endorsing laziness. Rather, His point is simply that all material things will eventually pass away. Instead of being consumed with things like food and spectacle, we ought to be concerned with eternal rewards.

The Jewish audience hearing these words would have recognized the phrase “Son of Man” as a reference to Daniel’s prophecy of the Messiah (Daniel 7:13–14).

Verse 28. Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

The crowd which followed Jesus into Capernaum was seeking a repeat of the prior day’s miracle. There, Jesus fed more than five thousand people with a tiny amount of food. Jesus knows, however, that their interest is inherently shallow, and selfish (John 6:26). The people are hung up on material things, such as entertainment and handouts. Christ’s discourse in this passage clarifies that His mission is not about bread or recreation. All of these material things pass away eventually, so there is no lasting value in pursuing them. Rather, our focus ought to be on heavenly things, which last forever (John 6:27; Matthew 6:19–20).

In the prior verse, Jesus uses language here which is very specific and would have been familiar to a Jewish audience. The term “Son of Man” comes from a prophecy given by Daniel (Daniel 7:13–14), and points to the long-promised Messiah. Jesus’ use of this term, in reference to Himself, is both deliberate and controversial.

After being told to work for this kind of imperishable food, the people ask a question which echoes their preoccupation with ritual, works, and tradition (Romans 10:2–4). Jesus’ response, in the next verse, will contradict this sense of works-based salvation. This leads to an indignant reply from the crowd.

Verse 29. Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Jesus has been contrasting the idea of material works for the sake of material things, with the idea of heavenly, eternal things. Mankind needs more than just physical sustenance—we also need spiritual food (Isaiah 55:2; Matthew 4:4). After miraculously providing bread, He is explaining to the people that this is merely a symbol of His true purpose. “The food that endures to eternal life” comes only from Christ Himself (John 6:27). In making this claim, Jesus also uses the phrase “Son of Man,” which the Jewish audience would have recognized as the term used by Daniel in His prophecy of the Messiah (Daniel 7:13–14).

In particular, the people have just asked Jesus what specific works they needed to do in order to obtain this eternal bread. This reflects their reliance on rituals, sacraments, and other good works in an effort to “earn” their own salvation (Romans 10:2–4). Jesus’ response, given here, is that salvation is not earned by any particular good deed. “The work of God,” in this context, is merely a response to the same phrasing just used by the crowd. Instead of works, Jesus says, salvation is based on belief, in the One whom God has sent.

The reaction of the audience, given in the next verse, is not only annoyed, but amazingly short-sighted. Faced with a scandalous claim by Jesus, the crowd will demand a miraculous proof—even though it was Jesus’ miracles which led them to follow Him in the first place!

Verse 30. So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?

Jesus is explaining the context of His miracles to the crowd. They are hung up on material things, including rituals and sacraments. Not only are they missing the concept of working for heavenly rewards, not earthly rewards, they are trusting in their own good deeds for salvation (Romans 10:2–4). Jesus replies that He, the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13–14), is the real source of eternal life, and that obtaining this life is based only on belief, not on good works. This contradiction to their traditions is offensive to the crowd, so they demand Jesus perform a miracle—a sign, as used elsewhere in the gospel of John—in order to back up His teaching.

This verse demonstrates the length to which mankind will go to resist conclusions we don’t like. The crowd listening to Jesus in this passage has followed Him into Capernaum. They began to trail Jesus on account of His many healing miracles (John 6:2). The prior evening, Jesus had fed thousands of people with a miraculous use of bread and fish (John 6:9–14). In other words, it was miracles, particularly one very recent miracle, which brought these people here. And yet, faced with a doctrine they don’t like, the people stubbornly refuse to accept it without extravagant, excessive proof.

This same mindset applies even today. The person who says, “I will believe if God shows me this or that miracle” is, actually, fooling themselves (Matthew 16:4). Those who do not wish to believe, prior to a miracle, will not believe, even after a miracle. Saving faith is based on acceptance of God’s truth, not on spectacle or emotion. Those who demand a miracle, when they’ve already been shown ample truth, prove only that they’re not really interested in truth, at all (John 6:36).

Verse 31. Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

This verse continues the crowd’s angry reaction to Jesus’ claims. After seeking Him out in Capernaum, the crowd who witnessed Jesus’ miraculous feeding the day before has been spiritually challenged. Jesus pointed out that their real interest was in more free food, not truth. Jesus also clarified that His mission was meant to offer a heavenly gift, not an earthly one, and that the people needed to believe on The Son of Man, not perform good works, in order to be saved. In response, the people demand Jesus perform a miracle—despite having just witnessed one—in order to prove His legitimacy.

Here, the people also point out that, in their opinion, God has already provided bread for them: through Moses, in the wilderness. Jesus’ miraculous provision the prior day reminded many of Moses’ promise of another great prophetic leader (Exodus 16). Rabbinic tradition of the time said the Messiah would duplicate this miracle. However, when Jesus’ teaching contradicts their traditions, the people expect Jesus to do something bigger, grander, and more spectacular than that. Their quotation here is from Psalm 78:24. Jesus will once again respond by pointing out that it is God, not men, who provide spiritual blessings, and that it is the “bread of God” which people need to seek, rather than earthly foods.

Verse 32. Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

As Jesus attempts to explain the real message behind His miracles, the people are still hung up on materialism. They are seeking free food (John 6:26) and the spectacle of a miracle, rather than actual truth. When Jesus clarifies that salvation is based on belief, not on good works or rituals (John 6:29), the people immediately demand another miracle! Further, they invoke the provision of bread, in the form of manna, when Israel was in the wilderness under Moses. Their challenge, it seems, is that Jesus ought to do something more spectacular than that if He is to claim to have more authority than Moses.

In response, Jesus continues to draw a distinction between material bread and spiritual bread (Isaiah 55:2; Matthew 4:4). The first correction He makes is that God was the one who provided the manna—these people need to focus on God, and His requirement of faithful belief, rather than ritual obedience to the laws of Moses (Romans 10:1–4). Just as Jesus pointed out that material food is temporary, but spiritual food is eternal (John 6:27; Matthew 6:19–20), He now suggests that the manna was merely a physical item, while “the true bread from heaven” is something else.

In the following verse, Jesus will explicitly state that He is this “bread of God” which gives eternal life to the world. Even so, the people’s fixation on material things will cause them to misunderstand. They will once again ask for something physical, rather than spiritual.

Verse 33. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

After Jesus claims that eternal life is found in belief, not in good works (John 6:27–29), the people demand a miraculous sign. This crowd was attracted to Jesus through His healing miracles and His spectacular feeding of more than five thousand the day before (John 6:2; John 6:9–14). Even so, they resist when Christ points to faith, not actions, as the source of salvation. Invoking Moses and the provision of manna (Exodus 16), they challenge Jesus to prove Himself.

Instead, Jesus reminds the people that miracles come from God, not men. In the same way, eternal life comes from God and not from men, even great men like Moses. And it certainly cannot come from men performing good works. The “true bread from heaven” is Christ Himself. Jesus is stating, in unambiguous terms, that God requires man to believe in Him in order to see eternal life.

Later, declarations that He has come “from heaven” will be used as evidence against Jesus, by those who claim He is a blasphemer (Matthew 26:65). More immediately, Jesus’ claim to be the bread of heaven will be the source of complaining. For now, though, the people are still thinking from a material, earthly perspective. And so, once again, they will ask Jesus to provide them with the bread He is speaking of.

Verse 34. They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman (John 4:1–26), she misunderstood His spiritual teaching in a material way. When Jesus mentioned living water to her, she asked Him to give her that water to drink (John 4:15). Whether sarcastic or serious, her response showed that her focus was on actions, works, and material things. The rest of Jesus’ conversation with the woman was meant to explain the spiritual nature of His claims.

This verse is another example of Jesus needing to correct confusion between physical and spiritual matters. Jesus has been speaking to the crowds about being the “true bread from heaven.” Rather than looking to perishable food, the people ought to pursue eternal food (John 6:27; Isaiah 55:2). That food comes only in the form of belief, specifically the Son of Man (John 6:27–29). Jesus has just made a clear statement that the “bread of God” is a person come from heaven who gives life to the world. Just as the Samaritan woman did, these people completely miss the point, and once again ask for something material.

Verse 35. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

This verse represents the first “I AM” statement of John’s gospel. In each of these instances, Jesus uses the phrase “I AM” in reference to Himself, providing perspective on His mission and His ministry. This is the same reference used by God Himself when speaking to Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3:13–14. It is the phrasing Jesus will use, to the same disciple writing this gospel, in Revelation 1:8.

The people have come to Jesus looking for another miracle, and for more free food (John 6:26). Instead, Jesus says they need to be seeking the “true bread from heaven” in order to obtain eternal life. Jesus has already clarified that this does not mean good works, but refers to belief in the One sent by God.

Here, Jesus explicitly declares that He, Himself, is the One sent by God. Eternal life is found only through belief in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; John 3:36; Acts 4:12). Jesus continues the analogy of food here, combining the ideas of spiritual hunger (Matthew 4:4) and spiritual thirst (John 4:13–14). Here, saving faith is seen as an analogy to food and drink: a person must take it inside of themselves—acceptance is a requirement for these blessings to have any effect!

Verse 36. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

Jesus is clarifying the purpose of His ministry. Spectacular miracles and free food are not the point of His mission on earth. Nor are they meant to be the focus of our lives. Instead, we ought to be focused on eternal things. Most importantly, this means coming to saving belief in Christ (John 6:27–29). Jesus has contradicted the idea of salvation based on good works, teaching that salvation is found only by those who believe in the One sent from God.

In John chapter 3, Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he ought to recognize the means of salvation, since he was an expert in the Law (John 3:9–10). In John chapter 4, Christ refuses to let the Samaritan woman sidestep His message with appeals to controversies (John 4:19–21). In John chapter 5, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for having access to God’s written Words, yet failing to recognize Him as Messiah (John 5:46–47). Here, Jesus points out that the crowd has seen more than enough—in the form of miracles—to realize the truth He is explaining. And yet, the people stubbornly refuse to believe. Instead, they ask for even more miracles, as if that would finally convince them (John 6:30).

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

Verse 37. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

The crowds who followed Jesus as a result of His healing miracles (John 6:2) saw Him perform a supernatural act the prior day (John 6:9–14). In this passage, Jesus has been trying to explain that His ministry is inherently spiritual, not material. The people are fixated on the idea of material things and with the concept of working for their own salvation. Instead, Jesus points to the one and only means of salvation: belief in the One whom God has sent into the world. Jesus has already pointed to Himself, specifically as this “Bread of Life” (John 6:35), which the people won’t recognize even though they’ve seen more than enough evidence.

This verse continues to explain the idea of eternal life and touches on at least two doctrines which are controversial within Christianity. The first is that of predestination, implied by Jesus’ use of the phrase “all that the Father gives me will come to me.” This suggests that those who accept Jesus’ teaching, that He is the Bread of Life, meaning those who obtain eternal life, are identical to those who are “given” to Him by God the Father. Logically, this implies that those who do not come to Christ have not been “given” to Him.

Various theories exist on what, exactly, this means. Some interpret this as a hardline determination by God. Others see this as a reference to God’s sovereign choice in the issue of salvation; this might imply that God works to bring people to saving faith, but not necessarily that He withholds it from those who are not saved. No matter what view one takes, this verse creates a border for interpretation. God’s sovereign involvement in souls coming to Christ for salvation is beyond debate. Those who are saved are those whom the Father “has given” to Christ, whatever that is interpreted to mean.

The second doctrine involved in this verse is that of eternal security. This is the idea that those who are truly saved in Christ can never lose that salvation. Compared to the nuances of predestination, the Bible is significantly more specific on this point. This particular verse, technically speaking, speaks only to Christ’s unconditional acceptance of anyone who “comes to [Him].” In other words, in and of themselves, these words only indicate that those who place their faith in Christ (John 6:35) will unquestionably be saved.

However, later in this same discourse, Jesus will speak of these same people as those who will, unfailingly, be raised “on the last day” (John 6:40; 44; 54). This makes John 6:37 a useful support for the doctrine of eternal security, but only in the context of the verses which follow.

Verse 38. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

The people are struggling to understand Jesus’ teachings. He has recently attempted to explain that His miracles are meant to point towards a greater truth. Rather than focus on material things, the people ought to be emphasizing eternal, heavenly things. In the same way, the bread provided by Jesus, like the manna provided by Moses, is only meant to be a sign. That sign should point people towards the “Bread of Life,” which is a person sent by God (John 6:27–33), so that all who believe in Him will have eternal life (John 6:40).

Once again, Jesus claims that He has “come down from heaven” (John 6:33). From the perspective of Jesus’ critics, this is blasphemy, and will be part of their criticisms of Him during His arrest. Not only is this audacious, it would be absolutely immoral for a normal man to claim. This, however, is the primary theme of the gospel of John: that Jesus Christ is, in fact, God incarnate (John 20:31).

In this verse, Jesus also makes an additional reference to His obedience to God the Father. As part of the Trinity, Jesus Christ is God the Son. So, His will and the will of the Father are always in alignment. And yet, as a fully human man, Christ also experienced the temptations and emotions of a physical person (Hebrews 4:15). Part of His sinless example to us is His willingness to obey God, no matter the consequences (Mark 14:36), and no matter the personal cost (Philippians 2:8). In the context of this discussion, Jesus is also pointing out that the ministry He has been given comes from God, and ought to be recognized as such.

Verse 39. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

The crowds who followed Jesus were attracted to His miracles, but misunderstood them. They are still fixated on free food, entertainment, and the idea that their salvation depends on good works. Jesus has been explaining the truth behind all of these “signs” that He, the Bread of Life, has been sent into the world so that all who believe in Him can have eternal life.

In the prior verses, Jesus has explained that His words and deeds are ordained by God the Father. In particular, Jesus has referred to the idea that God the Father “gives” people to Christ for salvation, and that all such people will be accepted by Jesus (John 6:37). Here, Jesus uses that same concept to claim that those whom God has given to Him will—undoubtedly—see eternal life. This is a crucial statement on the question of eternal security: according to Jesus, those who have come to Him in belief, as given by God the Father, are absolutely guaranteed not to be “lost,” and are assured of being [raised] up on the last day.”

Put another way, those who come to Christ will be accepted (John 3:16–17), and will see eternal life. They will not be rejected by Christ (Matthew 7:7–8), and they will not fail to maintain that salvation until the end.

Verse 40. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

In ancient writing styles, repetition was used to emphasize the truth of a statement. Jesus’ comments in this verse are extremely similar to those made in verse 39. In prior verses, Jesus made it very clear that eternal life is given to those who believe in the One sent by God. This is the “true bread from heaven” (John 6:32), and the real point behind miracles such as manna in the Old Testament (Exodus 16) and Jesus’ own feeding of thousands from the previous day (John 6:9–14). Jesus has also stated, in explicit terms, that eternal life is not the result of a “work,” meaning some ritual or action, but only the result of belief in Him. According to Jesus, He is the One sent by God, who will infallibly accept all whom God the Father gives Him (John 6:37), and who will infallibly keep them to see eternal life (John 6:39).

Here, Jesus specifies the necessity of belief for those who seek eternal life. In addition, Christ makes another clear statement on the doctrine of eternal security. Those whom God has given to Jesus, He absolutely will save. Those He saves absolutely will remain saved, to be “[raised] up on the last day.” Once a person is truly saved by Christ, their salvation can never be lost.

Verse 41. So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

According to the early verses of this chapter, the crowd seeking Jesus found Him in Capernaum (John 6:24). Most likely, this means out in the streets near the harbor. In the latter verses of this passage, Jesus is explicitly said to be speaking in a synagogue (John 6:59). At some point, then, the conversation seems to have moved from an open, public forum to a more personal debate. This verse suggests one reason the conversation might have shifted to a smaller more private environment.

Jesus’ claims are all controversial–that good works cannot save, that only belief in the Son of Man results in eternal life, and that He has come down from heaven. The Greek term describing the people’s reaction is egongyzon, which means “to mutter, to complain, or to grumble.” This is not a new activity for the people of Israel, who have a long history of “grumbling” when God does not follow their preferred plan (Exodus 15:24; Numbers 14:2).

After driving His political popularity to enormous levels, Jesus’ recent teaching is beginning to grate on the people. This, of course, only goes to prove the point Christ made when the crowds first arrived in Capernaum: their interest is not in truth, but in entertainment and handouts (John 6:26).

Context Summary
John 6:41–51 uncovers the true motivation of the crowd following Jesus: selfishness. This passage is part of a long dialogue where Christ clarifies the meaning of His miracles. Jesus has just explained that He, Himself, is the ”Bread of Life” which people are meant to seek. In response, the people complain amongst themselves. Jesus will give further explanation of what He means by claiming to be the ”Bread of Life.” This, as is turns out, will make the crowd even more agitated, as the people move from seeking, to complaining, to outright argument.

Verse 42. They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Jesus’ boyhood home of Nazareth was probably just to the southwest of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum was a fishing town situated along the northwest edge of Galilee. At that time, these were relatively small towns, and all Jewish men were obligated to attend certain festivals in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). This meant Jesus was completely unknown to the people of the region prior to the start of His ministry. This familiarity, as it turns out, was yet another roadblock to the people’s faith.

When Jesus began to contradict the people’s traditional attitudes, they demanded a miracle from Jesus to prove Himself (John 6:30). This, of course, was mere hours after Jesus had just performed a very public miracle, so such a request was fundamentally dishonest. The people had already seen more than enough (Matthew 12:39). Here, as Jesus continues to offend with His teaching, people begin to dismiss Him as just another common man.

Claiming to have “come down from heaven” confused those who misunderstood His meaning. Some Rabbinic traditions held that the Messiah would virtually appear out of nowhere (John 7:27–28), so the idea that a thirty-year-old peasant from a small village could be the Promised One seemed absurd.

Verse 43. Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.

In the Old Testament, Israel demonstrates a bad habit of “grumbling” against God (Exodus 15:24; 17:4; Numbers 14:2). This usually occurs when God’s plan, or the way He accomplishes it, differ from Israel’s preferred methods. Here, the issue is fundamentally the same. Jesus has drawn crowds due to His miracles (John 6:2; John 6:9–14), but those people are missing the real message behind them (John 6:26). As Jesus explains that eternal life comes through belief in the Messiah (John 6:27–29), and not through good works, the people resort to the time-honored tradition of complaining.

There are places in the Gospels where Christ’s “do” or “do not” statements are instructive. They have the gentle character of a teacher, or a guide. This is not one of those places. Jesus has performed miracles and clearly explained eternal life to the people, who have responded with outrageous requests (John 6:30), lame excuses (John 6:42), and now they are mumbling under their breath. Christ’s comment here does not sound like coaching so much as scolding: “knock it off!”

This will be followed by Jesus repeating the idea that He, Himself, is the Bread of Life, and the source of eternal salvation. The ultimate cure for spiritual ignorance is to confront such persons with the truth; they can either accept it or reject it, but they cannot later claim they did not know right from wrong.

Verse 44. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

This statement is nearly identical to Jesus’ words in verse 37. This near-repetition supports the idea that the conversation begun in John 6:25 has moved from the streets of Capernaum into the synagogue. Jesus might simply be restating this for emphasis, or rephrasing it as part of a back-and-forth debate.

This verse marks a third time where Jesus repeats the idea that those whom God sends to Him will, undoubtedly, see eternal life (John 6:37; 39-40). This strongly supports the doctrine of eternal security, meaning that those who are truly saved cannot ever lose their salvation, under any circumstances. Once a person has come to faith in Christ, Christ will raise that person up to eternal life.

Like verse 37, this text also touches on the question of predestination—the idea that God is the one who ultimately decides which persons are saved and which are not. Here, the language seems fairly specific: only those drawn by God can come to Christ. In verse 37, it was stated that those who were “given” to Christ by the father would be saved. Of course, in the wide debates over predestination, there are alternative theories of how, who, and when exactly God “draws” people.

Verse 45. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me —

The general theme of this passage is the same as His message in John 5:37–40. Jesus’ quotation here is from Isaiah 54:13. The Word of God provides certain truths, and those who read them have an obligation to follow truth wherever they lead. Those who reject God will reject the truth, even though they’ve read it in His Word. Jesus here makes the claim that those who truly follow the Word of God will recognize that His claims are true. The crowd demanded that they see something—an additional miracle—before they would accept the truth (John 6:30). Jesus, instead, routinely points out that one must be willing to learn the truth before they can see it (John 7:17).

Jesus’ specific reference to the written Word of God is another clue that the conversation has already moved from the streets of Capernaum (John 6:24) into the synagogue (John 6:59). Jesus’ comments here are very similar to those He gave the Pharisees after healing the lame man at the Pool of Bethsaida (John 5).

Verse 46. not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

The purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry was to become the link between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5). The written Word of God provides a certain level of knowledge about Him (John 5:39), but the ultimate experience of God only comes through Christ Himself (John 5:40; John 6:29). The general theme of this passage has been drawing lines between earthly, material things and heavenly, eternal things. Jesus’ miraculous feeding of thousands (John 6:9–14), like Moses’ provision of manna (Exodus 16), was only a sign meant to point towards a greater truth. In this case, it is that God sends the Bread of Life, in the form of a person. Those who accept this Messiah, by believing in Him, are guaranteed eternal life.

Here Jesus also repeats an important aspect of His ministry. Jesus has already claimed to have come from heaven (John 6:38). He will often claim the title of Son of Man, echoing Daniel’s Old Testament prophecy (Daniel 7:13–14). As such, Jesus has knowledge which only He can possess—there are things He alone can speak of, since only He has seen them. No other human being has experienced those heavenly things. This, among other reasons, is why Jesus alone is the sole legitimate authority for spiritual truth.

Verse 47. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

Repetition, especially in ancient literature, was meant to signal certainty or importance. Jesus uses the Greek word amēn here. Amen was originally an Aramaic word kept intact in Greek, Latin, and many other languages. It literally means, “faithful,” or “believe,” and is most simply translated as “truly.” This is why the term is often used at the end of a prayer or other statement. Putting it at the end of a phrase suggests—or hopes—that what was said is true or sure. Putting the word amen at the beginning of a statement is a way of claiming that this is the speaker’s own personal declaration. Jesus is claiming that His statement is absolutely true and that He has absolute, direct, personal knowledge of its truth.

Jesus has been explaining the true source of eternal life, which is belief in the One sent by God. Specifically, this is Jesus Christ Himself, who is the “Bread of Life.” In the prior verse, Jesus explained that He alone has come from heaven, and so His assurance that eternal life is for those who believe can be underscored with “truly, truly.”

Verse 48. I am the bread of life.

This conversation began with Jesus correcting the false motives of the crowd. After seeing His miraculous feeding the day before, the people sought Jesus out in Capernaum. Christ immediately pointed out that their interest was not spiritual truth, but simply more free food (John 6:26). Rather, Jesus says, they ought to be pursuing “the food that endures to eternal life.” When the people ask for this “Bread of Life,” Jesus responds that this bread actually comes in the form of a person, sent by God (John 6:27–33). Those who believe in this person are guaranteed everlasting life (John 6:40). Jesus specifically points to Himself as that “Bread of Life,” the first of seven uses of the divine “I AM” phrasing used in the gospel of John.

Here, Jesus again repeats this claim. In the verses just before this, He has pointed out that since He is the only one who came from heaven, He is the only one who can speak with firsthand knowledge about it. This is why Jesus uses the “truly, truly” phrasing in John 6:47, to emphasize the original, personal, absolute nature of His claims.

In the next verses, Jesus will give a deeper explanation for how the manna provided for Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16) was only meant to be a foreshadowing of His own ministry.

Verse 49. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

When Jesus initially claimed that He is the Bread of Life, and that eternal life was offered only to those who believe in Him, the people were indignant. They demanded that Jesus perform a miracle to prove Himself, despite having just witnessed His miracles of healing and provision (John 6:2; John 6:9–14; John 6:30–31). They also invoked the miracle of manna which was given to Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16), almost daring Jesus to do something more spectacular than that. In this verse, Jesus prepares to show that this very challenge has already been fulfilled. The manna which Israel received in the wilderness was merely a material thing. It fed their bodies, but those bodies still died. Jesus’ overall point to the people has been not to confuse God’s earthly wonders with their spiritual meanings. The people need to seek eternal, heavenly things instead of earthly, perishable things. Here, and especially in the next two verses, Jesus will explicitly state that His ministry, and His role as “the living bread that came down from heaven” is, in fact, superior to the manna which the people saw in the Old Testament.

The manna found in the Old Testament was meant to be a prophecy of Jesus Christ. Its properties indicated the nature of Jesus: small (indicating humility), white (indicating purity), round (symbolic of eternity), and arriving at night (spiritual darkness). Manna, like salvation in Christ, could only be received—it could not be earned or made. Manna also provided the people with only two options: accept it and live, or disrespect it by walking right over it. The same choice—and only those two options—face all people when it comes to Christ (John 3:16–18).

Verse 50. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

Jesus has been explaining how “bread that comes down from heaven” is not literal bread. Rather, it is a person (John 6:33), whose message is meant to bring people into eternal life (John 6:27–29), so long as they believe in the One sent by God. The miraculous manna which Israel received in the wilderness (Exodus 16) and the bread which Jesus created on the prior day (John 6:11–15) were only meant to be signs, or symbols, pointing towards a greater, eternal truth.

The manna which Israel ate in the wilderness was symbolic of Jesus. Manna was small, white, round, and arrived at night. These are symbols of humility, purity, eternity, and times of spiritual darkness, respectively. It could not be made or transferred; it had to be individually accepted. Manna was also found on the ground, leaving only two options: receive it as a gift or walk right over it (John 3:16–18).

Jesus’ statement that “this is the bread that comes down from heaven” has two purposes. First, it emphasizes that Jesus is explaining the true meaning and the true purpose behind the symbol of bread. Secondly, Jesus is explicitly referring to Himself (John 6:51) as the fulfillment of this idea. In the wilderness, God sent a source of physical life from heaven in the form of bread. Now, God has sent the source of eternal life from heaven in the form of Jesus Christ.

To this point, Jesus has pointed out the need for belief in the One sent by God. This is controversial enough and has caused the people to grumble under their breath (John 6:41). In the next verse, however, Jesus will expand the symbolic meaning of “bread.” He does this by equating the “bread of life” to His own flesh—symbolic of His upcoming death on the cross. This analogy will be immediately misinterpreted and the crowd will become even angrier.

Verse 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

As the people begin to complain about Jesus’ claims to have come from heaven (John 6:38), He gives a deeper explanation of His meaning. In the wilderness, God sent physical bread from heaven to meet a physical need. That manna symbolically represented Jesus. In particular, the manna had to be accepted as a gift or simply walked on. Now, according to Jesus, God has sent the “true bread from heaven” (John 6:32), in the form of a person (John 6:33). This is Christ Himself (John 6:48). Eternal life is only for those who believe in Christ (John 6:40). This explanation came after the people repeatedly misunderstood the symbolic nature of the “Bread of Life” (John 6:26; John 6:34).

This verse contains the statement which truly derails Jesus’ worldly popularity. Prior to this conversation, the people were ready to make Jesus king—by force, it necessary (John 6:15). Showing that His ministry is spiritual, not physical, has taken some of that enthusiasm away (John 6:41). Now Jesus refers to the real role of the Messiah: to suffer and die for the people. The offering which will grant eternal life to those who believe is Jesus’ body: His flesh.

This comment not only contradicts the prevailing Jewish view of Messiah as a warrior-king, it also suggests cannibalism to those who are still fixated on material things. As the next passage shows, when Jesus makes this claim, it pushes the crowd from complaining to outright fighting.

Verse 52. The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Earlier in this story, the same crowd speaking to Jesus seemed willing to use force to make Him king (John 6:15). They demanded yet another miracle when Jesus began to correct their traditional views (John 6:30). They complained when Jesus claimed to be the “Bread of Life” sent by God (John 6:41). Now, Jesus has specifically said that the “Bread of Life,” which brings salvation to those who believe, is His own flesh (John 6:51). While this is symbolic of His impending crucifixion, the people react with even more aggression. Their conduct is described with the Greek word emachonto, which can include anything from vigorous debate all the way to brawling.

The primary problem, as always, is that the crowd is interpreting a spiritual idea with a physical bias. Their first thought, then, is that Jesus is somehow suggesting cannibalism. For Jesus to suggest that belief, not good works, are required for salvation is scandalous enough. To invoke something as bizarre as eating His flesh is outrageous (Genesis 9:3–4; Leviticus 17:10–16).

In the next verses, Jesus will continue to expand on this metaphor, but most of the people will not accept it. Even for those who assume Jesus is speaking in metaphor, the idea that the Messiah is not a conquering king, but a sacrifice, is extremely hard to accept (John 6:60).

Context Summary
John 6:52–59 describes Jesus’ closing remarks during this public discussion of His ministry and mission. In prior passages, He has declared Himself to be the ”Bread of Life,” resulting in no small controversy. The people have gone from seeking, to complaining, to fighting. During this discourse, Christ clarified the symbolic ”Bread of Life” by pointing to Himself, foreshadowing His own crucifixion. Since the people are resistant to the idea of Jesus as a spiritual Messiah, they are hung up on the physical idea of Jesus’ ”flesh.” As Jesus continues to explain His role in salvation, most of those following Him will choose to walk away, as shown in the last verses of chapter 6.

Verse 53. So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

Again, Jesus repeats the word amēn as He insists on the truth of His recent statements. Amen was an Aramaic word kept intact in Greek, Latin, and other languages. It is most simply translated as “truly.” Putting it at the end of a phrase suggests that what was said is certain. For Jesus to use the word amēn at the beginning of a statement implies that His statement is absolutely true and that He has absolute, direct, personal knowledge of its truth.

Jesus has been explaining the meaning of the “Bread of Life.” This included showing how the manna Israel received in the wilderness was only a symbol of the “true bread from heaven.” This is Jesus Himself (John 6:48), who offers eternal life to anyone who believes in Him. The people are offended by this suggestion, not the least because it suggests that rituals and good works are not sufficient for a person to be “raised up” to life (John 6:27–29). Jesus continues by indicating that the “Bread of Life” which makes this eternal life possible is, in fact, His own flesh—symbolic of His upcoming death on the cross.

This sends the already-complaining crowd into a frenzy (John 6:52). The words Jesus uses here only make it worse. In addition to speaking of eating His flesh, Jesus speaks of drinking His blood. And, He does this by repeating the claim that He—and He alone—is the source of eternal life. Those who reject His message cannot see life.

This teaching will split the crowd into two basic groups. The first are so fixated on physical things that they will reject Jesus’ comments out of hand. The idea of eating flesh and drinking blood, or Jesus being the “Bread of Life,” is simply more than they are willing to accept. The second group will sense that, at least in some way, Jesus speaks in some kind of parable, metaphor, or symbol. That is still difficult to accept, however (John 6:60). At the very least, it means that Jesus’ role as Messiah is not to be a conquering king, but a suffering servant. Some of these will also stop following Jesus, though the twelve disciples remain by His side (John 6:68–69).

Verse 54. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

In this passage, Jesus repeatedly compares the means of salvation to eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The context for this analogy is Jesus’ claim to be the “true bread from heaven,” which is the sole source of salvation for the world. Several times in this section, Jesus will make this comparison, which has already deeply offended the crowd (John 6:43). Some cannot get beyond a shallow specter of cannibalism. Others will reject the idea of a Messiah who is not a conqueror (John 6:51). In the end, all but a small group will choose not to follow Jesus anymore (John 6:66).

The fact that Jesus is speaking in poetic terms here is explicitly proven later in His discourse. Therefore, this passage cannot be taken as proof of the doctrine of transubstantiation, the idea that the modern communion literally becomes the flesh and blood of Jesus. Christ, in His own words, says this is not the case (John 6:63).

Jesus also ties the importance of this claim to the same statement He made earlier: that those who believe will see eternal life (John 6:40). That was in the context of belief in the One sent by God (John 6:27–29). The people should have seen the parallels here, but they are too busy complaining (John 6:41) and fighting (John 6:52) to sense the deeper meaning.

Verse 55. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

Earlier in this discussion, Jesus urged the people not to pursue temporary, worldly things. Instead, He urged them to focus on eternal things (John 6:27; Matthew 6:19–20). He further explained that God’s purpose in using bread during certain miracles was to provide a particular message. Manna in the wilderness, given to Israel, was meant to prophesy the Messiah (Exodus 16). Now, Jesus has come as the fulfillment of that promise. Those who accept the “true bread from heaven,” by believing in Him, are guaranteed to have eternal life (John 6:27–29, 37, 40).

Here, Jesus invokes the same idea of a “true bread.” Jesus deepens the analogy by indicating that His flesh is the Bread of Life. This foreshadows His eventual death on the cross—a sacrifice for human sin. That analogy, however, deeply offends the crowd. On one hand, a shallow understanding would suggest cannibalism (Genesis 9:3–4; Leviticus 17:10–16). On the other hand, for Jesus to claim to be the Promised One, and yet suggest sacrifice, runs counter to the traditional views of Messiah as a warrior-king.

Jesus will later clarify that this is a symbolic expression, not a literal one (John 6:63).

Verse 56. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

Jesus has greatly offended the people who came to find Him in Capernaum (John 6:52). Christ explained that He was the “true bread from Heaven” (John 6:32–33). This meant that only those who believed in Him, as the One sent from God, could see eternal life (John 6:40). This was part of Jesus’ teaching to focus less on material things and more on heavenly things. The people were unhappy with the idea that belief, and not good works, were the real key to salvation (John 6:27–29). When Jesus expands the analogy to say that His flesh is this Bread of Life, they are outraged (John 6:52).

Jesus uses the term “abide” here, from the Greek root word meno, meaning “to continue, to dwell, or to endure.” This sense of “abiding” is used in reference to the relationship between God the Father and God the Son (John 14:10), God the Son and God the Spirit (John 1:32), as well as to the relationship between Jesus and those who are saved (John 15:4).

Most of the people present in Capernaum mistake Jesus’ claim in a crass, physical way: they think this is a reference to cannibalism (Genesis 9:3–4; Leviticus 17:10–16). Others grasp that He is speaking in some form of parable or metaphor, but still find it hard to accept (John 6:50). Many of those who were following Jesus to this point will react by abandoning Him (John 6:66). However, Jesus is tying this idea together with the comments He has already made about eternal life. He pointed out that it was belief in Him which granted a person life. Later, Jesus will explicitly say that His use of these words is symbolic, and not a reference to eating His literal, physical flesh and blood (John 6:63).

Verse 57. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.

During this discourse, Jesus has explained how He is the “true bread from heaven.” Earlier miracles from God, such as manna (Exodus 16) were meant to symbolize this very meaning. According to Jesus, only those who believe in the One sent by God can have eternal life. The miraculous bread of manna, like the miraculous bread Jesus had just created the day before (John 6:9–14), were not the ultimate point of God’s message. Rather, they were meant to point to something eternal.

This eternal meaning points to an intimate relationship. Food for the body must be taken inside—by eating it—in order for it to do the body any good. Belief in Christ is something which a person must take “inside” themselves; this is symbolized by the role of Jesus as the Bread of Life. The prior verse used the Greek root word meno, which carries a sense of enduring, dwelling, or persisting. This same word is used to describe the relationship of the divine Father and Son, as well as Christ with those who believe in Him (John 1:32; 6:56; 15:4).

Here, Jesus connects the idea of this “abiding” relationship to the source of eternal life—which He earlier described as coming through belief. Jesus previously emphasized that “the bread that comes down from heaven” is embodied in this physical person, whom God expects people to accept in order to be “raised up.” The concept of “feeding” on Jesus, then, is meant to continue this symbolism: taking Christ into one’s life in the most complete, deep, and full sense.

Verse 58. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Once again, Jesus uses the phrase “this is the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:50). The emphasis on the use of “this” is crucial, since it shows that Christ’s intention is to explain a symbol, not to introduce some new idea. The Bread of Life is Jesus Christ (John 6:48), and “eating” that bread means accepting Him as the One sent from God the Father (John 6:27–29).

Jesus has already made a contrast between the manna Israel was given in the wilderness (Exodus 16) and the “true bread from heaven” which God now provides (John 6:51). This, in part, was a response to a challenge from the crowd. Despite the fact that they’d already seen many miracles from Jesus (John 6:2; John 6:9–14), the crowd demanded that Jesus out-do the miraculous provision of manna as proof of His legitimacy (John 6:30–31). Jesus, in turn, has taught that this is what His role as Messiah has already done: given something more than physical food. The Bread of Life provided in Christ leads to eternal life, while the manna in the wilderness only led to temporary, physical life.

Verse 59. Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

The previous day, Jesus performed His most public miracle, the only one recorded in all four Gospels: the feeding of thousands. In the morning, the crowds travelled across the narrow Sea of Galilee and found Jesus in Capernaum. The earlier portion of this dialogue probably occurred in the streets of Capernaum near the harbor (John 6:24). During this conversation, however, Jesus has repeated several points (John 6:35; 6:48; 6:51). The crowd has also gone from seeking Jesus (John 6:24), to complaining about His teachings (John 6:41), to outright fighting (John 6:52).

This verse specifically refers to the synagogue in Capernaum. At some point during the conversation, Jesus presumably moved from the open streets to the synagogue, which would have allowed for easier back-and-forth between various people. Details such as this suggest that many conversations recorded in Scripture are essential summaries, not necessarily word-for-word transcripts. The idea that the Bible often records the “true voice,” rather than each and every literal word, is known as ipsissima vox.

Verse 60. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

The term disciples is sometimes used in a general sense, and other times in reference to a particular group of men. The Greek term is mathētōn, which simply means a student. Any person who had been following Jesus and learning from Him, would at this point be considered a disciple. This is not exactly the same as the twelve disciples, meaning the core group of men Jesus would be with at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17–20). The crowd of people who came to see Jesus’ miracles (John 6:2) is already deeply offended at His recent teachings (John 6:52). Most of them seem to assume a shallow, crass meaning behind Jesus description of Himself as the “Bread of Life.” Others, including those who have been listening to Jesus’ other teachings, recognize that He is speaking in a symbolic way. And yet, as this verse shows, this is still a difficult message to accept.

Part of the difficulty in Jesus’ recent teaching is in the symbolism of flesh and blood and of bread from heaven. The other difficulty is in the idea of Messiah being anything other than a conquering, military-political king. Speaking of His role as the “Bread of Life” in terms of being consumed suggests sacrifice, not conquest. Even the most fervent Jewish follower of Jesus would have been bothered by the idea that the Promised One was not meant to be another Joshua or David.

The phrase “hard saying” here comes across in English with much less force than it does in Greek. The teachings of Jesus are being described here as sklēros, which means “offensive or intolerable.” To these people, Jesus’ words are not merely “difficult,” they are “unacceptable.”

Context Summary
John 6:60–71 shows the drastic impact of Jesus’ teaching on the crowd: most walk away. When confronted with spiritual needs and a spiritual message, most people will turn it down. What society wants is spectacle, material things, and a political savior. The more Jesus insists on being the means to eternal life, the angrier the crowd becomes, until the vast majority simply abandon Him. The twelve disciples, on the other hand, seem willing to follow Jesus, though they are also struggling to accept His recent claims. Peter’s declaration will be the third of John’s seven witnesses to Jesus’ divinity.

Verse 61. But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?

Jesus’ use of symbolism has caused enormous controversy in the synagogue. He has claimed to be the “true bread from heaven,” above and beyond the manna provided to Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16). Jesus has taught that belief in the One sent by God, not adherence to good works, is what gives a person eternal life (John 6:27–29). He has also overtly claimed to be the Bread of Life, and used the analogy of consuming His flesh and blood in order to explain salvation (John 6:47–58).

Those who have been learning from Jesus might not have been as upset as the rest of the crowd in Capernaum (John 6:24). But they are certainly unhappy and have begun to mumble under their breath about it. The term disciples comes from the Greek mathētōn, meaning “students.” As used here, this can refer to any or all of the people who were following Jesus, and learning from Him. Jesus will not specifically address the core twelve members of His group until later (John 6:67). This group is still bothered by what they have heard. For some, this might have been simple confusion. For others, it might have been unease at the idea that the Messiah was not a conquering warrior-king.

Jesus asks if these men are offended, using the Greek root word skandalizo. This has come through more or less intact, in English, in words such as “scandalize.” As used in this context, the word means something which completely disrupts a person’s thoughts and intentions. The concept of a “stumbling block” relates to this word as well. In short, Jesus asks His followers if this newly-explained teaching is “tripping them up.”

The continuation of Jesus’ words in the next verse shows that He assumes this is the case. In other words, Jesus is saying, “well, if this offends you, then…”

Verse 62. Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

Scholars see two possible meanings behind this statement. Jesus led into this verse by pointing out the reaction some of His students had to His recent teachings.

Some of Jesus’ followers are taken aback at His claims about the Bread of Life and what it means (John 6:41, 52). Even though they have been following and learning from Jesus, the teachings He has just explained are challenging (John 6:60). They contradict many traditional Jewish interpretations and many worldly perspectives. In the prior verse, Jesus has asked these men, directly, if the teaching they have heard offends them. The Greek term describing this is skandalizo, which means something that causes a stumble or deep offense.

Here Jesus makes a reference to the ascension of Christ back into heaven (Luke 24:50–53). Whether literally or just in general, Jesus is comparing the reaction His followers have to His words with their possible response to seeing future events. This is what leads scholars into two possible interpretations for Jesus’ question here.

The first possibility is that Jesus is asking whether or not these people will also be offended when they see Christ taken back into glory. In other words, “if this teaching offends you, are you still going to be offended when you see me return to heaven?” The question is whether or not seeing future events will change their minds, or just deepen their resentment. The other possible meaning is a suggestion that if this offends them, the ascension will offend them even more. Under this interpretation, Jesus seems to be saying, “if you don’t like this, just wait until you see what’s coming next.”

Verse 63. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Much of the angst over Jesus’ teaching has come from the physical symbolism He used. After referring to Himself as the Bread of Life, Jesus insists that only those who eat His flesh and drink His blood can find eternal life. Of course, earlier in the conversation, Jesus pointed out that the “bread from heaven” was a person in whom God expected people to believe (John 6:27–29). The idea of His flesh being the bread of life was meant to extend the analogy of bread, in order to include His upcoming sacrificial death on the cross. Here, Jesus makes a direct statement that His prior words are not meant to be taken literally.

In other words, Christ is not actually saying that people need to consume His material flesh or drink His liquid blood. Rather, the point Jesus is making is spiritual. True belief in Christ requires a person to take the truth of who Christ is deep inside them—they must “receive it” fully and absolutely. This is where the analogy of food comes in, which has to be taken inside a person in order to have any effect. Simply seeing, holding, or touching food is not enough. It must be consumed. In the same way, faith in Christ is not the same as intellectual knowledge. Saving faith means receiving Christ in the deepest parts of ourselves.

Verse 64. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

Sadly, not all people who “follow” Jesus actually “believe in” Jesus. The story told in chapter 6 is a vivid illustration of this unfortunate truth. Crowds gathered around Him due to His miracles (John 6:2). They were so impressed by His feeding of thousands that they were ready to make Him a king (John 6:15). And yet, when Jesus explains that entertainment and free food are not His real ministry, they are unimpressed (John 6:41). The more He insists on a spiritual, personal meaning behind His miracles, the angrier they become (John 6:52). Eventually, as the next verses will show, many of these shallow “followers” will leave, proving they are not “believers.”

There is a profound difference between being attracted to some aspects of Christianity, versus actually being a born-again Christian. Typically, the difference is shown when a Christian message conflicts with a person’s preferences. In this case, most of the people hearing Jesus’ message don’t like it, and that causes them to abandon Him. As Jesus said in the prior verse, “the flesh is no help at all.” Actions which are not grounded in legitimate spirituality are pointless.

Peter, on the other hand, expresses the attitude of an actual “believer” in Christ. Namely, that whether He likes what He hears or not, He knows that Jesus is the Truth (John 6:68–69). Instead of rejecting Jesus because Jesus challenges his thinking, Peter submits to a higher truth than his own.

Here, Jesus is speaking to His “disciples” in a very broad sense. In context, this term refers to all of the people who have been tagging along and listening to His teaching. The core group of twelve men, on the other hand, will be specifically addressed after many of these other “disciples” turn and walk away.

Verse 65. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

In verse 63, Jesus comments that “the flesh is no help at all.” This is meant to directly indicate that His teaching on “eating” His flesh and blood were symbolic, not literal. At the same time, that remark also illustrates the difference between legitimate belief and mere “interest.” Many of the people who were following Jesus at that time had a shallow, selfish interest in His ministry. Over this passage, Jesus has challenged their motivations (John 6:26), their understanding of Scripture (John 6:27–29), and what it really means to have faith in the One God has sent (John 6:37–40). Many will respond to this by proving that their behaviors—their “flesh,” so to speak—both discourages and disproves their faith.

This also speaks to the earlier point made by Jesus that only those God has “given” to Him can be saved (John 6:37). This is related to the controversial doctrine of predestination. Other passages of the Bible speak of concepts such as “choice” and “calling,” and so forth. The ideas of predestination and election are not meant to be understood by examining only one or two verses. Here, however, the emphasis is clearly on the fact that only God can call a sinner to repentance. The reaction of the crowd in this story proves this idea in direct terms. Interest and action are not what save us: it is submissive faith in Christ, which is fundamentally something we can only credit to God.

Verse 66. After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

The Greek word translated “disciples” in this verse is mathētōn, meaning “students.” This is not a reference to the inner circle of twelve men; those men will be addressed in the next verse. Rather, this particular statement describes the general group of people who have been following Jesus and listening to His teachings. Some of these were probably with Him prior to His string of miraculous healings (John 6:2), others might have joined as a result of those. Some, certainly, were interested in Jesus because of His feeding of thousands the previous day (John 6:9–14).

However, Jesus has just finished explaining that these miracles are all meant to point to a spiritual truth. Jesus is the “true bread from heaven,” and only those who believe in Him can see eternal life. This requires a complete commitment, not a shallow interest. This teaching generated controversy (John 6:41), and even outright arguments (John 6:52). Jesus’ teaching challenged their beliefs (John 6:60), and for some, this is simply too much to bear. Rather than change their minds, they walk away. This is the fundamental reason people reject Jesus Christ: He doesn’t coordinate with their own selfish interests.

The Greek used here to describe the reaction of these people is apēlthon eis to opisō, kai ouketi met’ autou periepatoun. This sentence is alternatively translated as “withdrew,” “turned back,” or “turned away,” such that the people “deserted,” “no longer walked,” or “no longer followed” Jesus. The words used here are fairly specific and dramatic. An alternative paraphrasing might say, “His students went back to not adhering to His teachings anymore.” They dropped their interest in Jesus and returned to their previous spiritual attitudes.

This verse says much more than “the people no longer went where Jesus went.” It specifically says that a large number—probably most of those who had been learning from Him—rejected His teachings, and no longer lived, thought, or acted according to them. When confronted with a challenging truth (John 6:60), these people decided to completely reject it, rather than change their minds.

Verse 67. So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

In the prior verse, most of the people who had been learning from Jesus walk away. They completely abandon His teachings and His ministry. Since they do not like what He has taught (John 6:60), their response is to choose their own preferences over the truth. This illustrates the enormous difference between those who show interest in Christianity, versus those who are actually believers in Jesus Christ. Hanging out with the crowd, and applauding at miracles is not the same as accepting Christ as one’s Savior. As soon as the “followers” were put under pressure, they proved that they were not “believers” by walking away.

That context makes this verse all the more interesting. Jesus now asks the twelve members of His inner circle whether they plan to leave also. What’s curious about this is that one of them, Judas, is not a believer either (John 6:71). Challenge and trial don’t always separate out every possible non-believer.

This fact also makes Peter’s statement about the faith of these twelve men a bit presumptuous. Peter will claim that “we,” meaning these twelve men, actually have faith in Christ. But one of them does not—Peter does not know as much as he thinks he does.

Verse 68. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

Verses 68 and 69 are Peter’s witness to Jesus’ divinity; this is the third of seven such declarations in the gospel of John. Peter’s response comes after most of Jesus’ followers turn and walk away. Because His recent teachings are challenging (John 6:60), the crowd proves their lack of actual faith by completely abandoning Jesus and His ministry. Their reaction is not merely described as “leaving,” but implies that they totally dismissed His spiritual truth (John 6:66).

None of the disciples fully understand what Jesus’ symbolic teaching about bread, flesh, and blood really means. That understanding won’t be complete until after Christ’ resurrection (John 20:9). And yet, Peter’s response is exactly how a believer responds when Christ disrupts their preferences, their traditions, or their personal opinions. Here, Peter’s response is extremely practical and very logical: “where else are we going to go, since only you have the truth?” When faced with a choice between what we like, and what is true, we ought to stick with truth, even if it’s uncomfortable.

Verse 69. and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

In the gospel of John, there are seven moments when Jesus is openly declared to be divine; this is the third of these witnesses. After seeing many people abandon Jesus’ teachings completely, Peter has made a very practical, rational remark. Rather than choosing what he likes over what is true, Peter rhetorically asks, “where else would we go, since only you have the truth?” This is what separates the “follower” from the “believer.” Many people show interest in Christ and approve of aspects of His ministry. And yet, in the end, just because a person has a fondness for Christianity does not mean they are actually a Christian (1 John 2:19).

Peter’s use of the term “we” includes all twelve men in Jesus’ current inner circle. It’s a perfect illustration of Peter’s over-enthusiastic personality, since he presumes to speak for everyone. In fact, one of those twelve has not come to this conclusion and Jesus already knows who this is. While the crowd’s abandonment of Jesus proved their faith was shallow, the truth about Judas’ lack of belief will not be as easy to uncover.

This is the third of seven times in the gospel of John when someone overtly declares that Jesus is divine. The title “Holy One of God” is also used by a demon in reference to Jesus in Mark 1:24.

Verse 70. Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

Peter’s statement in the last few verses proclaimed Jesus as divine (John 6:68–69). This is one of the seven “witnesses” to Jesus’ godly nature given in the gospel of John. While most people walked away from Jesus, abandoning His teachings when they became hard to accept (John 6:60, 66), Peter did not. His reasoning for this is both simple and straightforward: there is no other source for truth, so how could he look anywhere else (John 6:68–69)?

And yet, in his declaration, Peter made a faulty assumption. His statement used the term “we,” which in that context means the inner circle of twelve men learning from Christ. But this group includes Judas Iscariot, who would eventually become a traitor and betray Jesus to His death.

Other Scripture points out that Jesus knew the real motives of everyone around Him (John 2:24–25; Mark 2:8). This is what allowed Him to say, in no uncertain terms, that the people who sought Him out in Capernaum weren’t there for truth—they were there for free food (John 6:26). God’s reasons for doing what He does, or allowing what He allows, are ultimately His alone. Christ knows that Judas is not really a believer, but He has kept Him in the inner circle, in order to complete His mission.

Verse 71. He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Judas’ betrayal did not take Jesus by surprise. Even in this story, Jesus has demonstrated that He knows what other people are really thinking (John 6:26). Judas stayed with Jesus even when a large number of others left (John 6:66). Peter, in response, claims that those who have remained truly believe that Jesus is “The Holy One of God.” Judas, obviously, does not, and Jesus knows this.

His reasons for telling the group that one of them is an unbeliever are unclear, at least at this point. Jesus earlier separated these twelve men from the crowd, right after the people clamored for Jesus to become king. It’s possible that this was done to keep the disciples humble. Jesus’ disturbing remark that one of these men, even now, was “a devil” might have been intended to have the same effect. Rather than being overly proud that they’d stayed with Jesus, the disciples needed to be reminded that, even so, things are not always as good as they seem.

End of Chapter 6.

Please Note:

The material use in this post, video is from BibleRef.com which is from Got Questions Ministries and is posted here to be read by Immersive reader in the Edge Browser. If you copy this material please follow these rules:

•Content from BibleRef.com may not be used for any commercial purposes, or as part of any commercial work, without explicit prior written consent from Got Questions ministries.

•Any use of our material should be properly credited; please make it clear the content is from BibleRef.com.

•BibleRef.com content may not be altered, modified, or otherwise changed unless such changes are specifically noted.