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John 6

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John 6
 
The scenes in Jn 6 are further presentations of the apostle’s theme: revelation and redemption through Jesus, through the medium of His signs and sermons. The fourth and fifth ‘signs’ Jesus performed—feeding of the 5,000, and walking on water—are arranged in a ‘sandwich’ format that reveals the degree to which the crowd was willing to go to enjoy Jesus’ bounty. After they had been fed, they literally chased after Jesus, looking for another free meal. Their pursuit prompted Him to instruct them of the kind of food He would give freely—so satisfying than one would never hunger again! Yet, concomitant to the statement that Jesus “came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him” (1.11), Jesus’ sermon ended with many turning away.
 
John provided important details that framed the setting of the events in ch 6. Jesus was near the Sea of Galilee in the north (v. 1), followed by huge crowds who were responding to His miraculous signs (v. 2; cf. 4.46-54), and they were seated with His disciples on a mountain around the sea (v. 3). While seated there, “Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him” (v. 4), most likely travelers on their way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Jesus used this occasion to further reveal Himself to His disciples; He asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so these people can eat?” (v. 5). Peter responded in faith, “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are these among so many?” (v. 9). Jesus gave thanks for the provision and instructed His disciples in the distribution of the bread and fish, with the result that when everyone had eaten to the full twelve baskets of bread yet remained (vv. 10-12). The miracle was so astounding that the people not only confessed Jesus a prophet, but also “were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king” (v. 15)! He had to withdraw; His kingdom was not of this world (cf. 18.33-38), and His hour had not yet come (cf. 2.4; 17.1). That evening Jesus’ disciples crossed the sea—and during the midst of a storm—Jesus walked toward them on the water with the words, “It is I. Don’t be afraid!” (v. 20; cf. Mk 6.50-52). 
 
Understandably, the crowd was not a little intrigued at the miracle they had witnessed. When they awoke the next morning, perhaps hungry, they went to Capernaum, in the direction they had seen the disciples depart (v. 17, 22-24)—hoping to find out where Jesus had gone. Surprised they were when they found Him in Capernaum, since the only boat in the region had carried the disciples, not Jesus! These seekers eventually found Jesus in the synagogue (v. 59), where He dialogued with them regarding “food that lasts for eternal life” (v. 27):
  1. Jesus confronted these seekers saying, “I assure you: You are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled” (v. 26). Jesus exhorted them to work for eternal food—enjoyed by those who perform the work of God, viz., “that you believe in the One He has sent” (v. 29)
  2. The seekers requested another sign from the Messiah(!), so that they would have a basis for their faith—after all, they proposed, “Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness” (v. 31). Their hope was forty years of food—should they not expect this from One who so miraculously had fed them the day before?! 
  3. Jesus informed them that He Himself is “the bread of life” (v. 35), the “One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (v .34). He promised that those who come to Him—everyone the Father gives (v. 36)—would never hunger or thirst for spiritual sustenance, and that He would never cast them out. Jesus promised that these elect few would not only enjoy spiritual satisfaction now, but also be raised up on the last day (v. 39-40)
  4. The seekers complained that Jesus was making promises beyond Himself; “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” (v. 42). These skeptics were those who displayed no evidence of the Father’s drawing (v. 44), or teaching (v. 45)
  5. Jesus claimed that the food He gives lasts to eternal life, unlike the manna enjoyed by the wandering generation—all of whom died in the wilderness (v. 47-58; cf. Ex 16.12-36; Num 14.20-38; 26.63-65; Heb 3.4-4)
 
The response was not what one might expect; they said, “This teaching is hard!  Who can accept it?” (6.60). Jesus had clearly stated the Father’s sovereign drawing of all who would come to Him (v. 37, 44, 61-65), yet He also placed the responsibility on His disciples and asked them, “you don’t want to go away too, do you?” (v. 67). Peter confessed rightly, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!” (v. 69). This was the case for all twelve, save Judas—who would betray Him (v. 70-71)
 
Jn 6 is replete with allusions to the Old Testament, and shows the significant place Jesus enjoys in the storyline of Scripture. This is so in the two Old Testament quotations of the chapter:
  1. When the seekers found Jesus in the synagogue in Capernaum, they quoted Scripture, Ps 78.24 “He rained manna for them to eat; he gave them grain from heaven,” to justify their demand for another sign; since their fathers had enjoyed such miraculous verification of God’s blessing upon them in the wilderness, should not Jesus—who claimed to be sent from God—provide the same to His followers? Ps 78 recounts Israel’s wilderness wanderings and sin, despite which the LORD remained faithful, even placing over them David as king and expanding their territory in Canaan. The audience in view may have thought too highly of Moses as the provider of the manna, so to clarify the matter, Jesus said: “I assure you: Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the real bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (6.33). Jesus expanded their view of Ps 78.24, but urged them to look beyond even the profound miracles of old, to the true bread from heaven
  2. Predicting the future glory of Jerusalem, Isaiah said, “Then all your children will be taught by the LORD, their prosperity will be great” (54.13). In Jn 6.45 Jesus capitalized on Isaiah’s thought that in the future day of grace the descendants of Jacob would receive direct instruction from God. He had been sent from God as the bread of life (6.35), the one who provides nourishing spiritual instruction. But Jesus quoted Isaiah as a validation of not only His role as the teacher sent from heaven, but also the fact that only those who are drawn by God respond to Jesus’ teaching. In this way then, the Father is the one who sent the Son, and without whose drawing, no one will listen to Him
 
 
*For a complete list of references, please see scripturestoryline.com