Session 8 John 6:26-40
JOHN 6:26-40
MEMORY VERSE: JOHN 6:33
In Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist, a starving Oliver brings his empty bowl to the master and pleads for more food. Instead of food, he receives a blow to the head and a prompt decision to sell him. That master viewed Oliver as a nuisance and not a person in need. Jesus not only compassionately fed thousands of hungry people, He reminded us that only faith in Him will satisfy our deepest needs.
(In PSG, p. 73)
Wanting to be with Jesus is not enough if our reasons are impure. The crowds originally came to Jesus because they heard about His miracles. When the masses gathered in John 6, Jesus knew they were hungry for more than teaching. His response was partially due to His compassion, but He also wanted to challenge His disciples to deeper faith (6:1-6).
His question about food produced a bewildered response. They didn’t have enough money to buy bread for everyone. One small boy offered his five loaves and two small fish. When Jesus miraculously multiplied what was given, everyone was fed, and twelves baskets of food were left over.
During the evening, the disciples traveled by boat back toward Capernaum while Jesus remained to pray (6:15-21). That night, He walked on the water to join them. If they were astonished at the multiplication of loaves and fish, they were overwhelmed by His sudden appearance on the Sea of Galilee. Receiving Him into the boat, the disciples found themselves at their destination.
The next morning, some of the people followed Him to Capernaum and found Him in the synagogue (6:22ff). When they questioned why He left, Jesus challenged them to recognize they had not come for Him, but for what they could get from Him. He urged them to seek bread from heaven.
Although Jesus fed them through supernatural means, the people demanded more proof of His authority and tried to manipulate Him into doing what they wanted. When He claimed to be the Bread of Life, they mocked Him. Eventually, many abandoned Him (6:66).
At that point, Jesus questioned the Twelve about what they would do. Speaking for the group, Peter responded that they had no one else to follow. Jesus alone had the words of eternal life. Yet, despite this loyal affirmation, Jesus knew one of His own would betray Him (6:70-71).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”
Some of the people whom Jesus had miraculously fed on the other side of the Sea of Galilee followed Him to Capernaum. When they questioned why He had left them the previous night, He confronted their motives. The miracle of multiplying bread and fish was not enough for them. They ate the loaves and were filled. Now, instead of glorifying God, they wanted more free food.
Jesus understood they were not really looking for Him. They saw the signs, but they did not comprehend the significance. The term signs referred to miraculous tokens of supernatural power. It also involved the meaning behind the miracle. While the people experienced the phenomenon, they missed its purpose. They wanted someone who could provide their wants, but they did not understand their own deeper needs.
The people concentrated on temporal rather than eternal concerns. Jesus encouraged them to turn their attention to the more important issue of eternal life. His statement about work did not mean they could earn salvation but challenged their emphasis on food that perishes. Centuries before, Isaiah warned the people of his generation against laboring for things that could never truly satisfy them (Isa. 55:2).
Jesus offered a better deal than they had requested. Although they had eaten miraculous, yet material, bread the previous day, they were hungry again. What they wanted could not last. On the other hand, Jesus could give them eternal life. His use of give contrasted with their understanding of work. We cannot offer enough good works to gain eternal life; we can only receive it as a gift from God through Christ.
Jesus again referred to Himself as the Son of Man, which indicated a clear claim of being the Messiah. He could offer eternal life because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him. At Jesus’s baptism, as the Holy Spirit descended on Him, the voice of the Father spoke from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 3:17). The Father also attested to the validity of the Son through the miraculous works Jesus performed (John 14:11). What the people did not know yet was that Jesus’s ultimate affirmation would eventually come through His death and His resurrection from the grave.
28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked. 29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God — that you believe in the one he has sent.”
The crowd still refused to accept Jesus’s answer. The Jewish concept of a right relationship with God centered on religious and moral works, so they wanted to know how to perform the works of God. Not satisfied with doing works for God, they coveted the ability to do the works of God. If Jesus would not give them bread, they thought He should give them the ability to make food on their own. The selfishness of their motives was surpassed only by their lack of appreciation for Jesus’s offer.
Undeterred, Jesus returned to the central issue—faith in Him. The work of God was not in multiplying fish and bread. God’s concern went beyond physical nourishment to spiritual food that provided eternal life. But that meant they needed to believe in the one he has sent. The people had witnessed Jesus’s miracles, but they had not made the connection with Jesus as Messiah. God is not moved by our self-righteous works, but He honors our faith
in Jesus.
People must examine their motives for following Jesus. Do we only seek temporal benefits, or do we want Him alone? We can trust God to take care of His children, but the only way to become His child is through faith in His Son, Jesus.
(In PSG, p. 75)
30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
The crowd wanted more. Asking for another sign in order to see and believe was an insult to the One who miraculously fed them. People who demand such evidence have ignored or deliberately rejected what God has already done. Faith rarely comes from what is seen; it trusts God with the unseen.
Following Jesus’s resurrection, Thomas believed once he saw His scars and side. Jesus replied that Thomas’s faith came only after he saw physical proof. He declared the truly blessed were those who had not seen, yet believed anyway (John 20:28-29). In this case, the people demanded that Jesus perform some new miracle. Their attitude showed their disdain for Jesus if He would not do what they wanted.
The people had a specific miracle in mind. They recalled how their ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness. This citation of God’s miraculous provision during the exodus was not provoked by their faith but their greed. The people in Capernaum misused the Scripture to manipulate Jesus. Their quotation, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat,” was a loose translation of Exodus 16:15. God made a bread-like substance appear on the ground each morning as the Israelites wandered in the desert.
Wilderness described the area south of the promised land where the Hebrews meandered for forty years. Their journey was lengthened because of their lack of faith, and the crowd before Jesus had the same spiritual affliction. They wanted God’s gifts, but they did not believe in His Word.
32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
Jesus introduced His response with truly. The original word appears twice in the Greek and can also be rendered “Amen, Amen.” Repeating the term increased its importance. Jesus contrasted the people’s mismanaged ideas with I tell you. These people attributed the bread from heaven to Moses. Like the people of the exodus, they had stopped seeking God and substituted a human they could understand.
Jesus’s response included several important points. First, the source of miraculous provision was not Moses but God. Second, Jesus asserted that God was my Father. Being God’s Son was tantamount to equality with Him. Third, God not only provided bread from heaven for the Israelites in the desert, but He also provided the true bread from heaven in Jesus Christ. Fourth, this gift was not historical but current. The verb tense of gives emphasized that God was offering this gift at that very moment. Fifth, God’s gift could not be earned; it could only be received. Sixth, God offered the true bread to these people—you. It was personal. In spite of their lack of faith, God still loved them and wanted to save them.
Jesus used their temporal need to point toward an eternal solution. He defined the bread of God with several important aspects in a simple sentence. This bread is of God. It comes from God and belongs to Him. In addition, God’s bread is not something but Someone—the one who comes down from heaven.
Further, Jesus gives life to the world. The term world can be understood in several ways. In some Scriptures, it refers to the earth, the planet which God created and on which we live (Isa. 23:17). It can also describe the evil world system. Jesus did not come to save either of those, though creation will benefit from believers’ redemption (Rom. 8:19-23; Rev. 21). Christ took on human flesh to atone for the sins of people—all people. Whoever repents and believes in Him can receive the life He came to give.
34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Moments earlier, the crowd’s tone was hostile and scornful. Now, believing they might get something, they addressed Jesus as Sir. Although the Greek word can be translated “Lord” or “Master,” here it is simply a respectful form of address. They were not ready to acknowledge Jesus as either Lord or Master.
Sensing Jesus was offering more than barley loaves and fish, the people asked Him to give us this bread always. Since they were in the synagogue, numerous people were likely present in addition to the group that followed Jesus to Capernaum (John 6:59). The request for heavenly bread may have originated from some of these worshipers. Their presence in the synagogue suggests they could have had a higher degree of spiritual interest than the bread-seekers from across the sea.
They asked for this bread—something that offered life. Understanding Jesus as the source of the offer, they wanted Him to provide this sustenance always. They didn’t desire bread for just a day or two. They asked Jesus to provide it continually.
Believers find nourishment in the truth of the gospel. Having received salvation through Jesus, we can receive ongoing sustenance from His Word. Just as physical growth depends on food, spiritual growth comes from continually receiving spiritual nutrition from Him.
(In PSG, p. 77)
35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who be-lieves in me will ever be thirsty again.
No longer using cryptic allusions, Jesus plainly declared Himself to be the bread of life sent from the Father. He employed a theological phrase found throughout His ministry: I am. God’s revelation of His name to Moses incorporated this idea of “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14), the ever-existing One. Jesus employed this phrase to further His claim of equality with God. Usually, Jesus used “I am” with various characteristics of His nature and ministry. As the bread of life, He promised eternal satisfaction.
Jesus used two terms to describe how people receive Him. A genuine Christian comes to Him and believes in Him. Coming to Jesus means more than moving toward Him. It also requires moving away from ourselves and our way of doing things. Similarly, believing in Jesus goes beyond affirming His existence. Saving faith requires affirming that He is God’s Son and that God has raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9; 1 John 4:15).
Jesus also used two metaphors to illustrate the results of receiving the bread of life. Unlike physical food, no one who follows Jesus will ever be hungry or be thirsty again. In His conversation with the woman at Jacob’s Well, Jesus offered “living water” (John 4:5-26). Later, He offered living water to whomever believed in Him (John 7:37-39). In Christ, we continually have everything we need.
36 But as I told you, you’ve seen me, and yet you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out.
Despite Jesus’s extraordinary offer, the people remained incredulous. They had seen Him, implying more than visual sight. The crowd that followed Him to Capernaum witnessed the amazing multiplication of loaves and fish. People who made up the congregation of this synagogue had observed His miracles and His manner of life. Yet, they did not believe. Jesus was not surprised. In fact, He knew others would come.
His reference to those persons the Father gives me has been misunderstood. The form of the pronoun me reads “to me.” To understand the phrase, one must consider the inclusive and exclusive nature of the statement. Everyone indicates that every type of individual may be included. But the second half of Jesus’s statement restricts everyone to the one who comes to me. Whoever believes and comes to Christ receives salvation as a gift from God, just as believers are gifts from the Father to the Son.
Another aspect of salvation involves the security it provides. Believers’ security rests with the Son. Jesus promises that He will never cast out anyone who follows Him, and He does not reject those who come to Him in repentance and faith. Receiving eternal life means that we will never perish (John 10:28).
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus continued to emphasize the importance of the Father’s involvement in the Son’s activities. Jesus had come down from heaven—an extraordinary claim to make before this assembly. His purpose was not merely to assert His association with the Father, but to express His purpose. He didn’t come to fulfill His own agenda, but to obey the will of him who sent me. Jesus also made this assertion on other occasions (Matt. 26:39; John 4:34; 5:30).
We begin to grasp this truth only as we understand His human and divine natures. As God the Son, Jesus was in every way at one with the Father. In His humanity, Jesus became obedient, even to His death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-8).
The topic of the believer’s security continued as Jesus explained the will of him who sent me. The Father desired that Jesus would lose none of those he has given me. In a later scene, Jesus declared that no one could take His followers out of the Father’s hand (John 10:29). Neither statement made Jesus lesser to the Father, for the two were one (John 10:30). As a result, Jesus promised to raise believers on the last day. The last day was a broad eschatological reference to the end of time. It would include things like the bodily resurrection of believers (John 11:24; Acts 17:22-34; 1 Thess. 4:13-17) and the final judgment (John 12:48).
In Jewish literature, repetition emphasized the importance of a matter. Jesus reiterated both the Father’s will and His promise. God was the One who sent Jesus, but Jesus also claimed Him as my Father. This relationship serves as the basis for believers’ hope and rests in the Father’s will.
Again employing the term everyone, Jesus included people of every background. The only qualification is that one sees the Son and believes in him. The word sees involves recognizing Jesus for who He is—the Messiah, God the Son. Jesus promised that such a person will have eternal life. This life does not begin on the last day, but at the moment one trusts Christ as Savior. However, it continues past death into eternity.
A believer’s security comes through faith in Jesus. Our religious and moral works do not earn us a place in God’s family. We come to God only by believing in Jesus and receiving Him as Savior and Lord. He does the saving. By faith, we receive His gift of grace and are born again.
(In PSG, p. 80)
>God’s Purpose and Grace
Believers shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. (See Psalm 97:10;
1 Peter 1:5.)
Dig deeper into the background and usage of key words or phrases.
Compare God’s self-identification to Moses in Exodus 3:14 with Jesus’s “I am” statement in John 6:35. Con-sider other instances of “I am” found in John’s Gospel: John 8:12; 10:7; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; and 15:1,5. How did the Jews’ reaction (John 8:59) demonstrate that Jesus equated Himself with God? How could you use these statements to help a non-believer understand Jesus’s divine nature and mission?