John 6:22-59 Bread of Life; December 19, 2020; www.seahord.org

 

John 6:22-59  Bread of Life                 December 19, 2020 

I AM the Bread of Life, Jesus talks to the people in general {22-40} and then to the Jews who questioned Him {41-59} 

Jesus was at the synagogue. 

John 6:22 The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea noticed that only one boat had been there, and no other, and that Jesus had not gotten into that boat with his disciples. Instead, his disciples had gone away by themselves. 

The side where the disciples had left.  The people assumed that Jesus was still there and they were looking for Him.  This was the day after the miracle of feeding the 5000 and the night storm on the Sea of Galilee. 

John 6:23 Other small boats from Tiberias arrived near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 

The Lord had given thanks: First time John uses the title, “Lord”.  Tiberias was the largest Roman City on the sea and built by Herod Agrippa in honor of the emperor, Tiberias and used as the Roman capital. 

John 6:24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into these boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus. 

The people went to the place where Jesus made His home.  Boats from Tiberias. 

John 6:25 When they had found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 

Jesus was now on the western shore of the sea.  The people did not know about walking on the water and enter the ship with the disciples. The day was the Sabbath, they had sought him in the synagogue, vs 59 

John 6:26 Jesus replied to them, "Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were completely satisfied. {stomach was full}

Not because he taught them, but because Jesus fed them; not for love, but for bread.  People who claim to be a Christian wants earthly bread than spiritual food for their souls.  

Probably made it worse, the people had seen the signs and miracles, but they had not accepted Jesus for what they were for proof of that He is God, proof of His true messiahship and were only interested in the physical. 

Truly: Four times in John 6, Jesus says, “Truly” (Jn 1:51, 6:26,32,47,53). Three times in the upper room John 13:16,20,21. A total of 8 times.

Means:  trustworthy, so be it, amen 

John 6:27 Do not work for food that perishes but for food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal on him." 

Jesus does not prohibit laboring for food, but making the acquisition of food and worldly things are the main objects of life. 

God the Father sealed: “The Seal of God upon Him.” A seal is a mark of ownership, a guarantee; it is irreversible. Jesus was sealed as the Son of Man. For how long was Jesus incarnate? Forever!  The Rabbis say the seal of God is truth: We are also sealed (Eph 1:13). 

Ephesians 1:13 You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in the Messiah, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 

John 6:28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to perform the actions of God?" 

What should we do to do the works and to satisfy God?” 

Those who questioned Jesus seemed sure that if only Jesus told them what to do, they could please God by their works of God. 

John 6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the action {or work} of God: to believe in the one whom he has sent." {Faith, Believe} 

The people were just told that the first requirement is faith in Jesus.  Does it mean that God is unconcerned about what we do for Him? No, faith is not a substitute for works. Faith is the foundation for works that really please God. Salvation is totally by God’s undeserved favor, grace. 

How many times in the Scriptures it says, if you love me, obey my commands. 

John 6:30 So they asked him, "What sign are you going to do so that we may see it and believe in you? What actions are you performing? 

People wanted now, a sign, especially after what they had just seen, miracle of the feeding of the 5000.  Jesus’ questioners are trying for Him into providing daily bread for them, just as Israel had from God during the Exodus. 

Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Watch! The young lady is conceiving a child, and will give birth to a son, and his name will be called Immanuel. 

John 6:31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 

The people probably also saw this “miracle worker” as the provider of physical needs rather than spiritual ones. 

Manna:  bread from heaven, means “what is this”.  The Lord gave Israel manna for 40 years, not one year, many years daily. 

Psalms 78:24-25 so that manna rained down on them for food and he sent them the grain of heaven. (25) Mortal men ate the food of angels; he sent provision to them in abundance. 

John 6:32 Jesus told them, "Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 

True bread:  Truth, the Father gives true bread and gives life unto the world, it is for the soul instead of the body, by sending the Son, true bread of life.

He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world 

The people said fake news, so Jesus corrected them, not from Moses, but by God. 

The bottom line is Jesus is trying to lift their minds above earthly things on to heavenly realities; to an understanding that we need spiritual sustenance, just as bread is necessary for physical survival. 

John 6:33 The bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 

The bread is now called the bread of God, meaning it is bread from God—or Christ. 

Comes down:  used seven times in this chapter (Jn 6:33,38,41,42,50, 51, 58).  He emphasized His heavenly origin and exposed unbelief in the crowd.  Without this Bread, mankind is spiritually dead. 

Jesus came down from heaven, and gives life unto the world 

Jesus just told them that Gentiles will be included in Israel’s blessings. 

John 6:34 Then they told him, "Sir, give us this bread all the time." 

What is the different between manna and Jesus. 

·      Manna is God’s gift through Moses: Jesus given directly by God

·      Manna was given temporarily, ceased in Canaan;  Jesus gives continuously

·      Manna was gives only to Israel;  Jesus gives to the whole world

·      Manna sustained life until death; Jesus sustains spiritual life forever 

John 6:35 Jesus told them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty. 

Faith is the power that brings us to Christ through the Holy Spirit.  Manna satisfied physical needs for a while; Christ satisfies spiritual need forever 

John 6:36 I told you that you have seen me, yet you don't believe.

People requested a miracle so they might believe, which was a confession of their unbelief. Seeing does not necessarily mean believing. 

John 6:37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and I'll never turn away the one who comes to me. 

This implies divine election 

Acts 13:48 When the gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. Meanwhile, all who had been destined to eternal life believed, 

Matthew 22:14 because many are invited, but few are chosen." 

The Parable of the Sower, Seed 1. Path 2. Stony 3. Thorn bushes 4. Good soil. 

John 6:38 I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me. 

John 6:39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything that he has given me, but should raise it to life on the last day. 

Raise it {him} to life:  Three references to future resurrection in this chapter alone (vv. 39, 40,44). 

Last Day:  expression found in Book of John, 5 times. 

John 6:40 This is my Father's will: That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day." 

Jesus spoke to the Jews of the Council who questioned Him 

John 6:41 Then the Jews began grumbling about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 

What was they grumbling about in an under tone about Jesus: “What can this mean? Do we not know all about Him - where, when, and of whom He was born? And yet He says and claims that He came down from heaven!” 

John 6:42 They kept saying, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph, isn't it, whose father and mother we know? So how can he say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 

They knew Jesus parents. To them, there was nothing supernatural or mysterious about Jesus’ origin 

John 6:43-44 Jesus answered them, "Stop grumbling among yourselves. (44) No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him to life on the last day. 

Jesus returns to His message of life. In order for a person to come to the Bread of Life, the Father through the Holy Spirit must draw him. 

The Jews thought that they were all chosen by God by virtue of their old Jewish birth. Jesus makes it clear that God must draw them before they can come to God. Everyone who responds to the Father will respond to the Son. 

Apostle John explains how someone is drawn to the Father. 

John 6:45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And all of them will be taught by God.' Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned anything comes to me. 

Cited:  Isaiah 54:13 Then all your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's prosperity. 

How does the Father draw people to Him

God draws people by teaching them and they learn. Everyone, then, who hears and learns from the Father will come to Christ. 

The Parable of the Sower Explained by Jesus how someone is drawn to the Father and Jesus. 

Notice the important words in the Parable is:  hears the word.  Is this not what the Apostle John said, listened and learned.  

Matthew 13:19-23  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.  (20)  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;  (21)  yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  (22)  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  (23)  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." 

Someone hears the word, learn from it and then has to act on it. 

John 6:46-47 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who comes from God. This one has seen the Father. (47) Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, the one who believes in me has eternal life. 

Individuals are drawn by hearing and learning the Word, not by seeing.

We have not seen the Father, but if we believe in the Word, we will have eternal life. 

He that believes” is in the present tense: continuing, meaning that a believer is characterized by his continuing trust. He has everlasting life, which is a present and abiding possession. 

John 6:48 I am the bread of life. 

This is what it is all about.  Believe in Jesus.  Every Passover we renew our commitment to Jesus and celebrate with the Bread of Life and the sacrifice of His blood for our removal of sin.  We will be changed at His second coming. 

The 7 “I AM” verses in the Book of John 

1)     I AM the Bread of Life  {6:48}

2)     I AM the light of the world  {8:12}

3)     I AM the door {10:9}

4)     I AM the good shepherd  {10:11}

5)     I AM the resurrection and the life  {11:35}

6)     I AM the way, the truth, and the life  {14:6}

7)     I AM the true vine  {15:1} 

John 6:49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness and died. 

Jesus was very straight forward with the Jews.  Jesus said He is the bread of life. Those who believe in Him have life. The miracle of manna in the wilderness could not keep a person alive and they who ate the manna eventually died because it could not provide everlasting life. 

John 6:50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die. 

Live forever as a Spiritual Being, Kings and Queens in the Kingdom of God.   If we eat of the bread, show faith in Jesus. 

John 6:51 I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. And the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 

Jesus offers us heavenly bread for eternal life, but we must eat it. Faith in Jesus is not compared with tasting or admiring, but with eating. We must dig in! Jesus says that we must have Him within us, and we must partake of Him. 

Jesus is talking about the Passover each year. This is why we are to take of the Passover.   Jesus is our spiritual food for life. 

John 6:52 Then the Jews debated angrily with each other, asking, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 

The Jews took it as fleshly eating, which is done by the help of the teeth and compared to spiritual eating, which consists in faith.   Did Jesus disciples feel the same way. 

John 6:53 So Jesus told them, "Truly, I tell all of you with certainty, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 

Life in ourselves, is it because the Holy Spirit and Jesus lives in us. 

This is why we need to observe Jesus New Testament Passover every year.  This is just one of His commands for us as Christians to do each year at the Passover. 

Matthew 26:26-28  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  (27)  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  (28)  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

John 6:54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day, 

Jesus institute a year later at the Passover with His disciples.  

John 6:55 because my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. 

John 6:56 The person who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 

This is the Passover Services that we observed each spring, as commanded, taking of the Bread and Wine.  Jesus would institute the New Testament Passover Service a year later on the night He was killed. 

John 6:57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will also live because of me. 

John 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not the kind that your ancestors ate. They died, but the one who eats this bread will live forever." 

Did Jesus just point to Himself.  Man died by eating the manna, we are made alive by eating the Bread of Life at Passover each year. 

John 6:59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.