NBBC SS John 6

Introduction: While it is my intent to get through all 71 verses of this chapter, it’s going to mean that we read the text quickly and offer some high level understanding and application. Therefore, at certain points, I’m going to ask a question that I want for you to consider this week as you study God’s Word. By way of background, this chapter follows on the heels of the previous in the use of the phrase “After these things”. The things that preceded this chapter included Jesus’ demonstration of authority over all things, to include human health and the observance of the Sabbath that led Him into conflict with the religious leaders.

John 6:1-15 “1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.”

This event occurs after Jesus’ healing ministry in which He has demonstrated His authority of human biology as well as human institutions.

Therefore, it’s not wonder that a crowd has gathered around Jesus upon hearing of these great miracles, particularly the healing of man paralyzed for 38 years.

Notice, the Apostle John gives us insight as to why Jesus asked Philip the question He did in v. 5.

Why is it that Jesus is testing Philip?

V.6 explains that Jesus knew what He was going to do.

Jesus was going to miraculously provide.

Notice the setting, the abundant grass is emphasized.

What are the connections between Jesus, satisfying the people’s needs, and the setting of much grass?

Jesus is presented here as the Good Shepherd Who not only provides for the needs of the people, but satisfies them.

How was it that the people responded to this event in v. 15?

They wanted to forcefully make Jesus their king.

This is fascinating because Jesus is referred to by Nathanael as the King of Israel (John 1:49).

Why not make it a political reality?

I believe it’s because of the use of the phrase “take Him by force”.

This term is used 4 times in John’s Gospel: once here and three times in John 10.

In John 10:12, it refers to a wolf snatching a sheep.

In John 10:28, 29 it refers to Jesus’ and the Father’s power and authority to keep those who are called God’s children who have believed in Jesus.

In other words, John consistently uses this term in a negative sense to take something away.

Particularly in John 10:12, a wolf snatches a sheep in order to consume it to satisfy its desires.

Jesus has just satisfied the appetite of the crowd in John 6.

The crowd wants a king who can appeal to their appetites.

In summary, the event of the feeding of 5,000+ in John’s Gospel we are confronted with Jesus’ abundant ability to satisfy our needs but reminded that we seek Him on account of Who He is instead of how He can fill our bellies.

Notice that John indicated that there were 12 baskets full of leftovers; what does the fact that Jesus provided enough for the people to be satisfied and there were 12 baskets full remaining teach us about Jesus?

John 6:16-21 “16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.”

While there are many things that we could focus on in this section: the strong wind, the miracle of walking on water, the disciples’ response, I want for us to focus on the order of Jesus’ Words to the disciples.

Notice how Jesus begins the statement: “It is I”.

What is Jesus doing with this?

He’s identifying Himself to His disciples and getting them to focus on Him.

In their current circumstances, there’s a lot to focus on - just like for any of us even in this moment.

What statement immediately follows Jesus’ identification of Himself to His disciples?

“Do not be afraid”.

Which means that there was something to be afraid of!

What was it that the disciples were afraid of?

Jesus walking on water - something they’ve never seen before?

The strong wind that was stirring up the sea?

The point is that there’s no referent to Jesus’ statement - He does not tell them to not be afraid of some specific item.

However, He connects His identification of Himself to the disciples with His encouragement to not be afraid.

Hence, Jesus with us is our confidence to face all circumstances, just like here with the disciples.

John 6:22-24 “22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate 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 small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

How does Jesus respond to the crowd that has sought Him?

He identifies what’s going on in their hearts: you sought me to have your appetites satisfied again.

Notice Jesus’ reference to signs here.

Remember, John’s Gospel consistently uses the term “signs” to refer to the miraculous power of Jesus to demonstrate that He is God.

Unfortunately, the people did not respond to the sign of the miraculous feeding with a confession that Jesus was the Christ.

Instead, they looked at the miracle as what they could gain from Jesus.

How would we describe this kind of thinking that looks at Jesus only for the miraculous power that He can use to give us things?

A Genie mentality.

We certainly are to rely on the Lord for what we need.

The difference here being looking at Jesus to get what I want to satisfy my desires instead of being satisfied in Him.

John 6:27-34 “27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so 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 out of heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.””

Why does Jesus have to make a distinction between the food which perishes and the food which endures to eternal life?

Because the people are more concerned about the food that perishes instead of the receiving eternal life.

They are still preoccupied with having their physical appetites satisfied.

What is the significance of a “seal”?

During this time, it would have been used on letters to provide a measure of authenticity to the document having come from the person that it is alleged to have come from.

When used of Jesus’ burial, it signified that Rome had committed to protecting the tomb from any who might have ill intentions with the body.

What Jesus has identified here is that He has the Father’s stamp of approval, the Father’s authenticity to back up Jesus’ claims to give eternal life.

Notice how the people respond to this: What question do they ask Jesus?

What do we do?

What’s fascinating is that Jesus just told them that He gives eternal life!

In other words, eternal life is not something for them to gain through work!

And yet they are preoccupied with doing something.

How does Jesus respond in John 6:29?

Believe in Him, the One sent by God the Father.

Notice how the crowd responds to this.

They ask Jesus another question.

This time, the question concerns the sign of authority that Jesus would give to them to authenticate His claims to have the authority to give eternal life to those that believe in Him.

According to John 6:31, what sign did they appeal to from the Old Testament?

Their ancestors being fed with manna.

You know what’s really interesting?

Think about the history of the people’s relationship with manna.

Did the people always love the manna that the Lord provided for them?

No!

In fact, in Numbers 11, the people are referenced as having complained about the manna in the wilderness as compared to the variety of foods they ate while in captivity.

In other words, this example that they put forward as their test for Jesus’ authority ends up demonstrating their need for eternal life: they and us are sinful!

Let’s also think about this crowd.

Contextually, we are led to conclude that many of them were part of the miraculous feeding crowd.

Think about that setting.

Jesus is out, not necessarily in the wilderness, but in an isolated place with the people.

He then miraculously provide bread for them that they needed and abundantly satisfied said need.

What more of a sign do they need?

Jesus just provided the sign of His authority and authenticity right before their eyes.

He provided bread for them in a miraculous way; a way that only God could!

What I find so incredible is that in this section is how many times “give” is used.

Jesus uses it twice in reference to both His willingness to give eternal life and the Father’s generosity in giving manna in the wilderness and, by extension, eternal life through Jesus.

The people use it once in demanding an authoritative sign from Jesus.

What we have is the generosity of God in giving eternal life on display.

This is within a context of the people’s dissatisfaction: initially with manna and culminating with their demand of Jesus.

In other words, not even the sinful, human condition can thwart God’s generosity to give eternal life.

Notice how the people respond!

They ask the Lord for this bread!

This sounds like they’re finally getting it!

They recognize that this bread that leads to eternal life can only come from God.

However, Jesus’ next statement to them indicates that a problem still remains.

John 6:35-40 “35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 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 of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

With Jesus identifying Himself as the Bread of Life, what is it that He has identified that the people need in order to receive eternal life?

They need Jesus.

With Jesus referencing that those who come to and believe in Him will never hunger or thirst, Jesus is identifying how He will satisfy them beyond compare with eternal life.

Jesus states that the group before Him has yet to believe in Him but, in the same breath, references that He will cast out no one; what is the relationship between these two ideas?

Jesus is welcoming whereas the group has not welcomed Him.

Notice Jesus’ twice repeated statement concerning all that the Father has given to Him (John 6:37, 39).

If Jesus is referring to what the Father gives to Him will come to Him, what could Jesus possibly be referring to?

People, based on the latter part John 6:37.

Contextually, John 6:40 indicates who it is that Jesus will raise up from John 6:39: People.

What we have here is an amazing truth pointing to eternal security of the believer.

The Father’s role in salvation is to give to the Son all who the Son will never lose but give eternal life and raise up with Him, to live forever in His Kingdom.

These who receive eternal life from the Son will do so because they believe.

We have the Father’s choice balanced with human responsibility to believe in Jesus as the Christ, come from God to give salvation from sin and eternal life through His death and resurrection.

John 6:41-42 41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?

What do their two questions indicate about their perspective on Jesus?

They still have not believed in Jesus.

They have rejected His Heavenly origin.

They have accepted Him for merely being a great man instead of the Son of Man.

Lest we’re tempted to think that Jesus obscured His identity before them, remember, Jesus has a healing ministry that has emphasized His power as Creator God to demonstrate that God is in their midst.

John 6:43-66 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 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. 45 “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. 49 “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 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 yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats 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 he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” 66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. ”

As we read these verses, Jesus is foretelling His own sacrificial death that, in order to receive eternal life, all must partake of by believing in Jesus.

Our temptation when we read these verses is to ask, “Why was Jesus being so provocative amongst His hearers?”

When we look at the response, you have an irritated crowd and numbers of disciples who stopped following Jesus.

The point of this episode is to further reveal the true believers from those who merely followed to satisfy their appetites.

In other words, not everyone who professes to believe in Jesus really does.

Eventually, one’s actions catch up with what they really believe.

John 6:67-71 “67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.”

When we read Jesus’ question, I’ve always been tempted to read it in a defeated tone.

However, Jesus’ question prompts one of the most amazing and beautiful confessions listed in Scripture.

Who is it that speaks up?

Peter

How does Peter initially address Jesus?

As Lord.

In other words, Peter is publicly acknowledging Jesus’ authority over all things while others have rejected it.

What is Peter’s reasoning for not seeking anyone else?

He recognizes that Jesus’ Words lead to eternal life.

That is, Jesus has the authoritative teaching that will lead to one receiving eternal life.

Notice, Peter concludes with a confession about Jesus.

Peter and the rest, believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God.

Peter and the rest have come to know, or experience first hand that Jesus is the Holy One of God.

Notice Peter’s use of the designation “Holy One of God” as identifying the same with Jesus.

It’s only used once in John’s Gospel.

It’s used in two other places: Mark 1:24 and Luke 4:34.

Outside of John’s Gospel, the usage was made by a demon who had possessed a man.

Notice how Jesus receives this confession.

He marks it as a true characteristic of their having been chosen by Him.

In other words, this is the mark of true discipleship: believing and knowing (relationally) that Jesus is the Holy One of God.

Conclusion: In our passage today, Jesus has demonstrated that He is Almighty Provider God Who offers eternal life to those who believe, whom the Father has given to Him. We are warned against seeking Jesus as some sort of genie to grant our desires for our motives will be uncovered in either our belief in Jesus’ teaching or rejection of the same. Let us confess Jesus as the Holy One of God that we believe and know in relationship to Him.