Seeking and Believing
John 6-7 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewPart one will emphasize the crowd’s efforts to find Jesus and the deep conversation he initiates with them.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
John established the motivation of the crowd for seeking Jesus at the outset.
See Jn. 6:1.
Jesus has fed a crowd of approximately 5k, but he has also walked on water and brought his disciples to land.
Part one will consider what happens after the crowd arrives across the sea and locates Jesus.
We have noted that they expend much energy trying to find Jesus.
This effort will become part of the conversation and the dynamic of the third movement.
Questions to pose:
What motivates people to serve God (this could be any deity)?
At the time of the New Testament, what was the common motivation for religion?
How does the God of the Bible differ, if He does, from how people think about the role of a god?
Why should we want to know God?
Jesus’ First Response to the Crowd
Jesus’ First Response to the Crowd
After finding Jesus, the crowd inquired, “how have you come to be here” (Jn. 6:25).
Jesus will respond to this question, but he will address the motivations of the people instead of answering their questions.
Like we saw in Jn. 2, Jesus knows the inward drive of the people, perhaps better than they do.
We see a slight play on John’s initial explanation for the crowd in Jn. 6:1.
Jesus could be saying that following the feeding event, the crowd now has different motivations for seeking him. They are no longer interested in the signs. They want the food.
It might be more probable that Jesus means to say that the people did not contemplate the meaning of the signs they have seen, especially the most recent one.
Given the play on this idea to come, in Jn. 9, this may be what Jesus intends to say to them. They saw, but they didn’t see (they didn’t contemplate or understand).
Eating food now became their reason for pursuing Jesus.
Jesus, then, confronts the crowd with their misplaced motivations.
Providing physical food for survival was a basic part of religious thought in antiquity.
People wanted to secure divine favor to ensure the continued agricultural cycles.
Job might be relevant to consider here.
Seeking him for food is to miss the point.
Human beings have a greater need than just food.
“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
They should seek him for eternal life.
God has authenticated the Son of Man, the one who provides the food that remains unto eternal life.
Introduction Part 2:
Introduction Part 2:
One of the important lessons to learn from the Jews is that access to scripture does not result in knowledge of the truth by default.
Jesus’ second response to the crowd has now opened the door for an additional question to be answered, namely, what is the nature of this “food that endures unto eternal life.”
The crowd, however, does not follow up with Jesus on that point.
Yet, it is clear they understand him to be speaking about himself.
The Crowd Responds to Jesus
The Crowd Responds to Jesus
The people reacted to Jesus’ teaching either based on scripture or their understanding of the role of the human being in attaining eternal life.
If they are thinking of the scriptures, then they may have the obedience test of the Manna event in mind (see Ex. 16).
If they are reflecting a Pauline like portrayal of first century Jews, then they assume that having eternal life is the result/reward for an obedient life.
They sound very much like the rich young ruler here.
Jesus’ Second Response to the Crowd
Jesus’ Second Response to the Crowd
We should notice the “tweaks” to their question found in Jesus’ response.
Works has been reduced to the singular…work.
We could even question if Jesus means “God’s work” differently from their question.
His response could look at this from the perspective of grace. If so, it does not mirror theirs.
If he does mirror them, then he refers to what God wants them to do (again, this would seem to have its foundation in Ex. 16).
What God wants them to do, would be the idea, is to be believing in whom that one sent.
The Crowd Challenges Jesus
The Crowd Challenges Jesus
The crowd exemplifies another key issue, namely, unbelief.
In a statement that almost defies belief, they want Jesus to give an additional sign so that they may, “see and believe.”
What Jesus has already done has neither given him credibility with the crowd nor has it been sufficient to persuade him.
Again, they did not “see” the other signs. Now they want to see another one.
They also seem to understand that Jesus was talking about himself because they want him to give them a sign.
They now rely on their understanding of the scriptures.
They quote scripture to Jesus, but they understand it incorrectly or misapply it.
They may be willing to entertain, once again, that Jesus is a prophet like Moses, so they want him to mirror what Moses did as a sign they should believe him.
“It shall come to pass…that the treasury of manna shall again descend from on high, and they will eat of it in those years” (2 Baruch 29:8). Morris cites a Midrash in his footnotes on p. 321: “As the former redeemer (Moses) caused Manna to descend, as it is stated, Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Ex. 16.4), so will the latter Redeemer cause manna to descend as it is stated, “May he be as a rich cornfield in the land.” (Ps. 72.16).
Jesus’ Third Response to the Crowd
Jesus’ Third Response to the Crowd
He calls their attention by another formal introduction to the significance of his ensuing statement.
He then corrects their misunderstanding.
They have attributed to Moses something he did not do. He has not given them the bread from heaven.
God has given them the genuine, the true bread from heaven.
That bread is the one descending from heaven.
It is a person, not literal food.
He is the one giving life to the world.