JOHN CHAPTER 6

John Chapter 6 – Lesson 1

Feeding of 5000 Plus

John 6:1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

He has moved from Judea in the south to the northern end of the Sea of Galilee. People followed Him there. The people were not following the Messenger for His message but to see what phenomenal sign He might do next. The crowd had particular interest in miraculous healing of the sick.

John 6:3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

Jesus sat down with His disciples, perhaps to teach or perhaps to rest awhile. Remember, the microphone had not yet been invented, so a mountainside could provide a natural way of projecting His voice to the stadium worthy crowd.  Several months had probably passed since Jesus healed the man by the pool because it is now time for another feast.

John 6:5 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?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

Jesus looked up and saw the large crowd approaching Him and His disciples. Jesus was setting Philip up when He asked him where they could buy bread. Would Philip realize Jesus could solve the problem? Of course, Jesus being omniscient (all-knowing) already knew that He was going to miraculously provide for supper.

John 6:7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Two hundred denarii would barely buy each of them a bite, not even a snack, let alone a meal. That amount of money would have been eight months’ wages for the common man! So basically Philip is telling Jesus, “No way!” Philip realizes the crowd is too large and their funds too small.

John 6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Andrew points out what they do have and that it is far from enough. Maybe Andrew was suggesting a Galilean potluck stew. The church I grew up in called this a “hobo stew” when each church member brought whatever they had and tossed it in a giant pot. It also reminds us of the story of “Stone Soup.” If you do not know that children’s story, look it up. It’s a great lesson on sharing. Back to THIS story. A little boy shared his lunch, and must have been amazed at the outcome! Jesus was about to show them what a little can become in the Master’s hands.

This miracle is the only one recorded in all four gospels. See also, Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17.

John 6:10 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.

John tells us how many men there were, but since these were probably families coming out to see and hear Jesus, there could have been as many as 20,000 people when you counted women and children. Both Mark and Luke specify that they sat in small groups of 50 or 100. Jesus had them do this in an orderly manner to make sure everyone was fed and no one was forgotten.

John 6:11 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 took the loaves, blessed them, gave thanks for them, and then instructed the disciples to distribute them. He did the same thing with the fish, as much as they wanted. Wow! This denotes that Jesus has an endless supply and wants to satisfy their hunger, physically in this example, but more importantly spiritually as well. He did not ration the food but gave liberally. Jesus gave them the all you can eat buffet or at least an all you can eat fish sandwich. Bottom line – the Lord is able to supply everything we need, physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Notice that even though the crowd’s motives in coming out were just to see signs and miracles, Jesus in His mercy feeds them anyway.

John 6:12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

When everyone was loosening the sash on their robe, Jesus instructed the disciples to gather up the leftovers. He did not want any food wasted. They gathered twelve full baskets of bread fragments. One little boy had compassion on the crowd and gave up his small portion of food, and Jesus multiplied it. We do not know what they did with the baskets full of bread because scripture does not tell us, but Jesus did not want them wasted so we can be sure they were used by someone.

John 6:14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

This was the miracle involving the largest number of people at one time. The Lord showed up and showed off. This was the fourth sign that John recorded to show that Jesus is God. The first was turning water into wine, and now this one is multiplying bread – the two elements of the Lord’s supper (communion). Hmmmm. (Selah – think about it).  The people were probably thinking of the Prophet that Moses foretold but may or may not have understood that Prophet to be the Messiah. They were at least elevating Him to a higher status than that of a mere man.  

John 6:15 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.

Jesus knew the inward thoughts of the people after He fed them. The people were thinking of Jesus as their version of Messiah – military leader and king who would lead them to conquer the Roman oppressors. Right Person, wrong book – we’re not in Revelation yet. Since this was not Jesus’ purpose at that time, He went up to a mountain to pray by himself.

Q – As we learned in John chapter 1, Jesus created everything that there is, so it should not surprise us that He could create a meal for thousands of people from a few loaves and fishes. Are you trusting Jesus to supply all your needs? When anxiety tries to overtake you, are you taking your concerns to Jesus? (Philippians 4:6-7) We are to supposed to do this. However, beware of seeking only what Jesus can supply instead of seeking to serve Him. (Matthew 6:33)  

Friday -3/18 - John Chapter 6 – Lesson 2 - Jesus Walks on Water

The fifth sign, Jesus walking on the water, is also found in Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-52.  We will be looking at the three versions simultaneously to get the entire picture. I have purposely included each gospel account using different translations of the Bible to demonstrate how checking out different Bibles can assist in your studies and to make the lesson more clear.

John 6:16 (ESV) When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

Matthew 14:22 (NASB) Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

Mark 6:45 (VOICE) Not long after, He sent His disciples out onto their boat to sail to Bethsaida on the other shore, and He sent the crowd away. 46 After everyone had gone, He slipped away to pray on a mountain overlooking the sea.

After feeding the 5,000 plus, Jesus sent them away before they could crown Him king. Jesus needed to refuel Himself after ministering, so He sent the disciples by boat to another shore of the lake. Jesus went up on the mountain to pray and allow the Father to fill Him up so He could continue giving of Himself. Fellowship with and direction from the Father was a priority, even a necessity, for Jesus as the God-Man.

Q – If dedicated time alone with God in prayer was a necessity for the Son of God, how much more important should it be in our lives?

John 6:18 (ESV) The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.

Matthew 14: 24 (NASB) But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.

Mark 6: 47(VOICE) When evening came, the boat was out on the sea and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw that the disciples were making little progress because they were rowing against a stiff wind.

Winds were fierce, and waves were high; and the disciples were only about halfway across the lake. The disciples were confident fisherman and had probably weathered many storms, but this one had them rattled. Jesus is still on dry land, but He sees all that is transpiring in the middle of the lake. He saw the disciples rowing against a stiff wind. How did He see them if He was still on the shore? Jesus is the all-seeing God-Man. When Jesus was incarnated (born as a human), He did not check His abilities as God at the door of Mary’s womb. He was fully God and fully man, but limited Himself in some ways to enable Him to be the perfect Lamb of God.

John 6:19 (ESV) 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.

Matthew 14: 25 (NASB) And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.

Mark 6:48b (VOICE) Before daylight He came near them, walking on the water, and would have passed by them. 49 Some of them saw Him walking on the surface of the water, thought He was a ghost, and cried out. 50 When they all saw Him, they were terrified.

In the wee hours of the morning, Jesus joins the disciples by walking on top of the water in the midst of the storm. The disciples’ brains are saying, “It’s physically impossible for a human to do this! This must be a ghost!” The late hour, the darkness, and storm had them all affright already, and now SOMETHING is walking toward them on top of the water. How could this be? They were shaking in their sandals.

John 6:20 (ESV) But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Matthew 14: (NASB) 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

Mark 6:50b (VOICE) Jesus (immediately calling out): Don’t be frightened. Do you see? It is I.

51 He walked across the water to the boat; and as soon as He stepped aboard, the contrary wind ceased its blowing. They were greatly astonished; 52 although they had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 with bread and fish, and other signs besides, they didn’t understand what it all meant and their hearts remained hard.

Jesus said, “It is I,” or better, “I AM.” This is clearly using the name of God, identifying Himself as God. Matthew tells us Peter’s response. Peter says, “If it’s really you, Lord, let me walk on the water, too.” Not sure if this is out of belief or testing the Lord, but Jesus replies, “Come.” Peter steps out of the boat, but then the problem is he takes his eyes off of Jesus and onto the challenge of the choppy water. Then he begins to sink! He cries out to the Lord to save him. Jesus confronts Peter about his doubt and little faith, but lifts him to safety compassionately. When Jesus and Peter get back in the boat, the storm suddenly ceases to the amazement of the disciples and they find themselves safely at their destination, dumbfounded by His power to turn their simple boat into a divine “transporter” (Think Star Trek). They proclaim, “Certainly you are the Son of God!” After the feeding of nearly 20,000 people, they still had doubts about that?! How dense can they be? Are they afraid what He might require of them? Perhaps in showing the disciples His ability to satisfy physical hunger, He was opening their eyes to His ability to fill spiritual hunger; but they still did not understand. As we will see, they waver back and forth in their faith until after the resurrected Jesus appears to them. Human frailty continues to get in their way. However, Jesus is molding the disciples to explain the gospel to others when He is gone.  They are slow learners, but they eventually get there. Getting ahead of ourselves a bit. Hard to hold in the best parts of HisStory!

John 6:22 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. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 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 crowd realizes both the disciples and Jesus are gone. They had seen the disciples row away toward the far shore and rightly assumed Jesus would somehow follow His loyal men. So they procured their own transportation and eagerly followed the disciples. They landed in Capernaum and looked for Jesus. Maybe they were getting hungry again and were pursuing the traveling “all you can eat buffet.”  I hope a few of them actually wanted to hear more of what Jesus had to say to them.

Q – Are you facing storms in your life? Oswald Chambers describes it well when he says, “The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it.” (My Utmost for His Highest, March 7^th) Jesus does not enable us to avoid all strife, but He does take us through the difficulties victoriously. Are you in the habit of crying out to Him as your first recourse? Do you go to the phone or do you go to the throne?

 Lesson 3 – BREAD OF LIFE

John 6:25 (ESV) When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

The crowd of people who got into boats to follow the disciples landed and found Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They addressed Jesus as Rabbi (Teacher) and asked when He had arrived in Capernaum. The people were really asking, “HOW did you make it here before we did?” They did not see Jesus get into a boat, so they were wondering how he had arrived before they did.

John 6:26 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.

Jesus told them they were tracking Him down because they were physically hungry, not because they believed the signs were God the Father’s proof he was the Messiah. They were still interested in what Jesus could provide materially rather than what He wanted to give them spiritually.

John 6:27 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.”

God’s stamp of approval was clearly seen on Jesus through the signs He was performing. Therefore, He admonishes them to seek spiritual food that leads to eternal life, food that only He can feed them. Jesus tells them to stop working for things that are not everlasting. As He offered the woman at the well living water so she would thirst no more, He offers to permanently quench their spiritual hunger. He offers them “living” bread.

John 6:28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”

The people expected Jesus to tell them to obey the commandments, the law or instructions, to do some penance or some noteworthy good deeds. They still thought they could earn this eternal life. The crowd was focused on being “human doers” instead of “human beings.” The Lord does not require us to do certain tasks to earn Heaven. Instead He wants us to be His children by trusting Him as the One who has already done everything required by dying on the cross in our place. Our part is simply to surrender our own lives in order to receive adoption into the family of God, a position we did not and could not earn but were freely given.

John 6:29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

The only work required is belief in “him whom he has sent.” In other words, trust and reliance on Jesus is the only requirement for eternal life, complete satisfaction of spiritual hunger.

John 6:30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

The people who had just eaten until they were full (maybe till their bellies ached) from miraculously provided food, wanted to see a sign. What more did they need? They give the example of Moses and the children of Israel being provided manna in the wilderness. Their logic is that Moses fed the entire nation of Israel, so they wanted to see a miracle of that magnitude from Jesus. They still cannot see that Jesus is greater than Moses. Why would the people want something that their ancestors ultimately complained about? They had asked to be fed and then did not have gratitude for what the Lord provided. Ultimately, because of their unbelief at Kadesh-Barnea, the Israelites were given an adult-sized time out, i.e. forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But even then, the Lord made sure their clothes and shoes did not wear out! He still exercised mercy and compassion even though they were cantankerous, spoiled, unbelieving, and rebellious. The people of Jesus’ day were much like their forefathers. The apples did not fall far from the trees.

John 6:32 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. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

Reformation Study Bible:

6:32 the true bread from heaven. The word “true” has a special meaning. Jesus refers to what is everlasting, as opposed to something merely representative. The bread God provided through Moses (Ex. 16; Num. 11) was only material and temporary, not spiritual and eternal.

Jesus points out that it was God, not Moses, who provided manna but that more importantly, God is now sending the true (non-perishable) bread in the person of the Son. This Bread (Jesus) provides eternal life to all who believe. Jesus is saying, “I AM the authentic Bread that sustains those who believe forever.” The incarnate Son of God is the True Bread.

John 6:34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

They still don’t get it. They want Him to turn on the heavenly ovens and bake them bread every day. They are still focused on the material and natural rather than the spiritual. The Bread is right there in front of their faces, but they are not taking it in. In the next couple of lessons, Jesus continues to clarify the Bread of Life.

Q – Are you seeking God only for the material blessings He can provide in the here and now? Do you view the Lord as a “cosmic bellhop” or “supernatural Santa Claus?” Or do you understand the meaning of the Westminster Confession when it states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Are you living your life in such a way as to bring glory to God? If so, I believe you will have much joy whether you are rich or poor in material goods.

Wednesday – 3/23 - Lesson 4

John 6:35 (ESV) 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. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary

“Jesus’ famous discourse on the bread of life. The key theme is verse 35 (i.e., “I am the bread of life”) which is the first of seven emphatic ‘I AM’ statements of Jesus in this Gospel.”

Jesus clarifies that He is not talking to them about some magical, physical bread to satisfy their daily hunger. He Himself is the Bread of Life. In saying, “I AM the bread of life,” Jesus is identifying Himself as one with God since the structure of “I AM” is the name God used to identify Himself to Moses. Once we partake of Jesus, trust Him for salvation, we are saved forever. However, we still need daily nourishment. Most of us physically eat about three meals a day or five to six small meals, but how often do we dig into a meal of Scripture or graze on the word? Should we not be continually filling ourselves with God’s instruction to us?

Jesus was right in front of them, but they still did not believe. They had eaten the fish and bread He provided, but they were not satisfied because they enjoyed only the physical nourishment without partaking of the spiritual meal, the truth that Jesus was the Son of God. However, they did not yet realize what they were hungry for. The crowd thought they could pick from an a la carte menu instead of seeing that Jesus is the complete meal deal. We cannot isolate certain scripture and decide “I will take this but not that.” God’s word is not a cafeteria.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Jesus will not reject any who come to Him, believing in Him as the Son of God, but He will receive them joyfully. Those who come are a gift from the Father to the Son. If God has chosen them, they WILL come. God is sovereign and His grace is irresistible to those He has elected. We were in a state of rejecting God in our trespasses and sins. God had to come down in the person of the Son in order to lift us up to even have the potential to accept the invitation to the eternal life party with Him called Heaven. Nobody can throw a better party than God! Not the party of the year, or the century, but the party of a lifetime, the forever party! Man has already rejected the Lord. God has chosen to save some, and those He has chosen will, in turn, choose Him.

Ephesians 1:5 …he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—

Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

To be quite honest, I have not totally figured out how God could choose us but we also must choose Him. To say we could refuse to be chosen would be saying God can fail. However, I know I can trust that if our Sovereign Lord has chosen me, He will never “un-choose” me because Jesus promises not to cast me out. As the Son, Jesus completely obeyed the Father’s will. Jesus will be faithful to the covenant between the Father and Him, their plan that Christ would die for the sins of those who would believe, be raised from the dead, and enable those who come to Him to be adopted into God’s forever family. By stating that He came down from Heaven, Jesus is once again asserting His deity, His equality with God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-7 (AMP)  Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man].

Jesus’ glory was still with Him on earth, but in His humility, He chose not to access it because the time for His glory was yet to come. This was the time for His humanity to be on center stage, not His deity.  Even though He was performing signs, it was difficult for the people to see that He was truly God because He appeared to be a humble carpenter. However, those whose eyes were opened by God, were enabled to perceive the truth.

John 6:39 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. 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.”

God’s sovereign will is that everyone who comes and believes, Jesus will retain. They will live and abide with Him eternally. Once a person trusts Jesus, once he is “saved,” he can never return to that state of being dead in sin and trespasses. Eternal life with the Lord is kept and protected by the Lord Jesus Himself. We cannot do anything to cause Him to revoke what He has given us because we can do nothing to earn it in the first place. Jesus, at the appointed time, will resurrect His bride elect (all who trust in Him as Messiah and Savior). He will then take them to the place He is preparing for them to be with Him forever. We will get further into this concept when we get to John chapter 14.

John 6:41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 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’?”

The Jews were discrediting and disputing Jesus’ claim that He came down from Heaven. They were virtually calling Him out as a liar. They knew Jesus as the son of Joseph and Mary, so they could not grasp the fact that this small town carpenter came down from Heaven. They could not reconcile the reality that He was the Son of God in their finite minds. The religious leaders among them should have remembered the prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, but I suppose that since Mary was married to Joseph by the time Jesus was born they may have assumed she was no longer a virgin. Knowing how people love to gossip, I would think they would have heard of the scandal that Mary was pregnant before she and Joseph were wed. Of course, we do not know if Mary and Joseph had tried to explain the miracle to others. However, God opened the eyes of Anna and Simeon to recognize Jesus as Messiah when Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple as a baby, no explanation needed. Anna was so excited at the age of 84, that she went out and proclaimed the arrival of the Messiah until her home-going. We have the benefit of the New Testament Scriptures which they did not, but there was evidence abounding that Jesus was the Son of God; and the crowd chose to remain blinded to it!

John 6:43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.

Even though the crowd did not address these comments about His heritage directly to Jesus, He knew they were grumbling among themselves about it. Jesus knew their thoughts and murmurings because He is omniscient (all-knowing). However, He did not address their concerns about His statement that He came down from Heaven. He gives it no attention.

John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Jesus simply continues with the presupposition that His coming down from the Father is fact. Jesus is certain of the truth that He is the Son of the living God. The Jews may be cloudy about it, but He is very clear about His heritage. Unless a person is being wooed by God, there is no way he can have understanding of how a person born to a local couple could be the Son of God.  God, through the Holy Spirit, enables the very faith we need to believe that Jesus is His Son. Those the Father draws will believe and will be resurrected and abide in the forever home the Lord has prepared for them.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Salvation is by grace through faith, and even the faith to believe is a gift from God.

John 6:45 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— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

The Prophet Isaiah had foretold that men would be taught by God and have great peace (see below). Jesus says those taught by the Father will come to Him, another way of stating what He already said in verse forty-four. It is God in the Person of the Holy Spirit who draws and teaches people the truth about the Son, The Word, The Light, The Son of Man, The Living Water, The Bread of Life. The Spirit is not seen with eyes, but His presence is known nevertheless. The only one who has seen God the Father with eyes is Jesus who came down from His presence. Those who heed the instruction of the Holy Spirit, believe the truth about the Son, and entrust their lives to Him, are the ones who receive eternal life.

Isaiah 54:13 (NIV) All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

The peace granted to those who believe would not be peace from earthly conquerors such as Rome. It is the peace of knowing that when our earthly frame passes away, we will immediately be with our loving Father. When you live some of these days down here in your earth-suit, knowing that certainty is the only thing that gives you strength to hold on.

John 6:48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.

Jesus points out that the Jews’ forefathers were physically sustained for a time but eventually died. He explains that if they entrust their lives to Him and have an intimate relationship with Him, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Jesus was better than the (manna) bread that rained down from Heaven. Manna was a temporary fix to a temporary problem. Jesus is the final solution to the ultimate problem, the sin that separates men from God.

John 6:51 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.”

When Jesus says He came down from Heaven, He is not just talking about some ethereal place. He is claiming to have been in the presence of God and to have been sent down by God the Father. Jesus says He IS the Bread, and if they eat of this bread, they will live eternally. He then drops a bomb that the bread He will give for the life of the world is His flesh. We know that He is speaking of the fact that He was born and lived in order to die in our place for our sins that separated us from the Father forever had Jesus not come. As we will see in the next lesson, people were still taking things literally and physically.

Q – If you have never surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus, and this is beginning to make sense to you, that is the Father drawing you to Himself. What would hinder you from agreeing with Him that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and accepting His gift of salvation purchased on the cross today? You cannot earn or deserve it, so there is no sense in wasting time waiting to be worthy. Worthiness is impossible. Admit your need and trust the Lord to prepare you for life with Him forever!

Friday – 3/25 - Lesson 5

Eat My Flesh, Drink My Blood

John 6:52 (ESV) The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

The people in the crowd were totally grossed out. They did not see the big picture. Once again, they are taking Jesus’ words literally. They think Jesus wants them to literally eat His flesh. Barbequed Jesus? They could not conceive how they could eat of this Bread of Life.

John 6:53 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. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Have you ever seen a cute baby and said, “I could just eat him up!”? You are not saying you want to have the baby for dinner! You are saying you would like to be close and snuggly and huggy, fighting for a turn to hold him. Jesus is speaking of becoming intimate with Him by embracing His sacrifice on the cross and beginning an eternal relationship with Him. Some people believe Jesus is talking about the Lord’s Supper that He had not yet instituted, and the crowd would not have understood. They could partake of the Bread of Life right then by believing Jesus is the Messiah, the One sent from God the Father.

John 6:55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 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.

Whoever communes with Jesus, back to the relationship again, is feeding on His flesh and drinking His blood. He is not speaking of the elements of Lord Supper (communion) because if He were, that would mean anyone who partakes of the Lord’s Supper would be guaranteed salvation. Sometimes people who do not know the Lord will partake of communion to avoid feeling awkward or drawing attention to themselves as non-believers. The act of eating a cracker and drinking a sip of wine or juice does not have any power to save. People of different confessions or even denominations have differing views of the elements of communion. Some believe that the bread and wine are somehow mystically transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus. Most protestant believers view the bread and wine as a symbolic representation of the flesh and blood. What we can all agree on is that partaking of communion (Lord’s Supper) reminds us of the mystical reality of becoming one with Jesus. We are reflecting on and celebrating the true familyship this sacrament represents.

Rather than taking the elements of communion, Jesus is talking about taking HIMSELF into your life, becoming one with Him as He and the Father are one. Salvation is resigning from who you have known yourself to be, in order to surrender yourself to being the person that God designed and purposed you to be. It is an emptying yourself of your right to yourself, in order to be filled with the Spirit of the Living God. It is realizing you are a lump of clay and being submissive to the hands of the Divine Sculptor.

Jesus promises that those who believe, trust in Him, WILL live. Hallelujah, Amen!

John 6:58 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.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

The True Bread is not like the temporal bread eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness. The Living Bread, the Bread of Life come down from Heaven has a divine differential which is that if we partake of it, we will have life forever in the awesome presence of our Lord.

Q – Have you experienced the complete depletion of your self-interest by surrendering your life to Jesus’ control? If so, reflect on this passage the next time you take communion (Lord’s Supper) and remember that the Bread of Life humbled Himself in order to give you everlasting life.

Monday – 3/28 - Lesson 6

Peter’s Declaration – Jesus Has the Words of Eternal Life

John 6:60 (ESV) When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

Some of Jesus’ followers bristled at the idea of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood. They would not even consider listening to His explanation worthy of contemplative consideration. Perhaps, since many were still thinking literally, they thought Jesus was proposing cannibalism and drinking blood which was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law, and it disgusted them.

John 6:61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

Once again, Jesus knows their grumblings even though they are not intended for His ears. They were offended not only at the idea of eating His flesh and blood, but were also doubting the fact that He came down from Heaven. So Jesus counters with, “What if you saw me going back to my heavenly home where I came from?” Would they then complain that He had not provided protection to shield them from the radiance of His glory? Would ascending back to Heaven convince them that He had come down from there?

John 6:63 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.

Jesus’ words about being the Bread of Life come down from Heaven can only be understood in the Spirit by faith. A physical understanding of them leads to obvious wrong conclusions such as cannibalism, literally eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The Father, Son, and Spirit synergistically (cooperatively) work together to bring clarity to those the Father has chosen. Then the words of Jesus are Spirit and life to those who believe, those whose spiritual eyes have been opened.

John 6:64 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.) 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.”

Jesus knew that some of the people who had been following Him were not believers, were not truly His. He knew that some were not gifts from His father. He even knew that one would betray Him after walking with Him as one of the twelve disciples closest to Him who had been with Him since the beginning of His ministry. Some of the people tagging along behind Him as followers were actually NOT chosen by the Father. They heard the things Jesus said but could not make sense of them because they were not hearing with spiritual ears (ears of faith).

Reformation Study Bible

6:65 It is impossible for anyone to come to Christ without the enabling call of God. The sinner’s moral inability to choose Christ must be overcome by the gracious and sovereign power of the Spirit (3:5–21).

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

Many who had been following Jesus as learners turned back permanently because they could not comprehend the message of the Bread of Life or the fact that Jesus came down from Heaven. Jesus asked the Twelve if they also wanted to go home. Jesus was saying, “Here’s your chance to leave. Are you going to take it like these others?” Of course, Jesus already knew the answer to that question, but I believe He was prompting the Twelve to examine their own hearts, their convictions, and their loyalty to Him as the Son of God.

John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Simon Peter, as he often does, answers for the entire group. Peter got it right this time! He affirms that they believe Jesus to be the Holy One of God and to be explaining the way to eternal life. In essence Peter is realizing out loud that there is nowhere else to go. Peter recognizes that the truth is in no one else, and there is nowhere else to hear it.

John 6:70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.

Jesus sovereignly chose the twelve, but He knew Judas would betray Him before He even beckoned him to follow Him. In His humanity Jesus may not have wanted to choose Judas; but in His divinity and being constrained by the Father’s will, He knew He MUST choose Judas. There must be a betrayer in order to complete His purpose of coming down from Heaven which was to live as the perfect man, to share with us the nature of God, to die on the cross in our place for everything that separated us from the Father and His glory. He was then to be raised from the dead to return to glory after appearing to many, validating the truth that He is the Son of God.

Q – Can you confidently affirm as Peter did that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to the Father?  It is our prayer that some of our readers may have their eyes opened in order to receive the gift of eternal life and that those who already believe will be strengthened in their faith and their confidence to share the good news with others.