1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
All four Gospels have the account of Jesus feeding five thousand men with only five loaves and two fish (Mat 14:14-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17). Matthew and Mark record two occasions, the second at which He fed 4000 men (Mat 15:30-38; Mark 8:1-9). As his custom, John supplies a few details which the other accounts do not, chiefly Jesus’ conversation with Philip and Andrew. The sea of Galilee was also called Gennesaret (Mat 14:34; Luke 5:1), which derives from the Hebrew Chinnereth (Num 34:11). Only John calls it the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1), probably because Herod Antipas had built the town of Tiberias on its shores in honor of Tiberius the Roman Caesar who ruled at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 3:1; John 6:23, see Josephus).
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
Jesus didn’t go purposeless up into this mountain, for He often went to pray (Mat 14:23; Luke 9:28). Luke says He went up into this mountain with His disciples upon receiving the news that Herod had beheaded John the Baptist in prison (Luke 9:9-12; Mat 14:10-13). In my opinion, Jesus gives an example for working missionaries who are ever surrounded by others and their needs, that periodically a time should be made for rest and revitalization (Mark 6:31).
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
John mentions at least three, and possibly four, Passovers in his Gospel (John 2:13; 5:1; 6:4; 13:1). Most commentators believe the feast in John 5:1 refers to the Passover, though some think it may have been Pentecost (see below). If it be Passover, then a full year passed between the healing of the cripple in the pool of Bethesda in chapter five and the feeding of the five thousand in chapter six. John does not directly say whether Jesus went to Jerusalem for this feast or if He passed the time in Galilee. Jesus’ continuing actions in Bethsaida and Capernaum recorded in this chapter imply that He did not attend that year’s Passover and stayed in Galilee because of the Jews’ plot to kill Him (see John 7:1-2).
Alternatively, is it possible that the phrase, was nigh, simply means it was about the time of Passover and that actually the Passover had just concluded? For if the standard idea is correct that the previous chapter relates events of the Passover, then a whole year has gone by without John noting a single detail in the life of Jesus. Moreover, in the next chapter Jesus is again in Jerusalem, this time for the feast of Tabernacles, when He reminds the people His healing the impotent man as recorded in chapter five (John 7:20-24). Would He have expected them to remember that event so vividly if it had taken place a year and a half earlier? It would have been still fresh in their minds if the feasts of chapters 5-6 are the same Passover of just 6 months prior. Also, would the Jews be wondering why He had not appeared at Tabernacles (John 7:11-12), when He apparently had not even attended that year’s Passover?
A third possibility is that the feast of chapter 5 was not the Passover, but a different feast, such as Pentecost or Ingathering, which could significantly shorten the time between Jesus’ healing the impotent man on the Sabbath and His clash with the Jews. These ideas could be used to argue against the belief that Jesus’ ministry lasted 3-1/2 years.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
The other Gospels do not record this conversation. The feeding of the five thousand took place near Bethsaida (Luke 9:10), which was the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip (John 1:44). Perhaps that is why Jesus asked them where they could buy food, since they were most familiar with that region.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Moses felt as Philip when God promised to feed the children of Israel meat for one whole month (Num 11:21-23).
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
This minor detail provokes some questions: How did Andrew know about this lad and his lunch? Had the boy offered to share? He was probably from a poor family, for well-to-do families typically used wheat instead of barley for their bread. What a story this boy had to tell, “Jesus used my lunch to feed five thousand people!” Another question: How is it that only one lad had gone to this meeting prepared? And how were the rest of that great multitude expecting to eat? The answer may help us understand Jesus’ words to them in John 6:26.
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
While the miracle of feeding 5000 men with just 5 loaves of bread and two fish has much merit simply as a demonstration of God’s power, there is also a typological lesson to be seen in the details. Bread is type of the Word, of Christ Himself: I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world (John 6:51). His bread is freely available to all, abundantly sufficient forever and divinely provided. It originates miraculously, but He uses the disciples to spread it to others. It is free to all, but He does not force it upon anyone; in order to gain it, one must personally accept it, take it and eat it (Rev 10:9-10). Five loaves of bread. Five is the number of God’s grace to man. Two small fishes. Two is the number of God’s choice. Twelve fragments left over. Twelve is the number of the elect of God (see note on Rev 22:21).
On several occasions, food was miraculously multiplied in the Old Testament. Elisha was involved in a miracle that resulted in fragments of food being left over (2King 4:42-44).
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
The Jewish idea of their coming Messiah included God’s promise to Moses, that He would raise up a Prophet in Israel who would speak the complete words of the Lord directly to the people. Whosoever would not hearken unto His words spoken in the name of the Lord, it would be required of him (Deut 18:18-19). This obviously was a true prophecy of the Messiah and some of the Jews did recognize Jesus by it, however, it was not until after His resurrection that the disciples’ eyes were opened, and then they were bold to identify Him as that Prophet (Acts 3:22-23; 7:37). See John 1:21,25.
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. 16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
The Jews’ flawed concept of the Christ is what led them to attempt this action. It was high time, they thought, that He asserted Himself as their physical Savior and King. Even His relatives and disciples thought He should show Himself to the world (John 7:4; Luke 24:21). Throughout His ministry Jesus had to evade these attempts to politicize His mission (see note Mat 15:21). From the parallel account in Mat 14:22-23, it appears that in order to avoid being forcibly made king, Jesus divided the company, sending His disciples by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while He remained on shore with the multitude. After retiring alone for the night, Jesus then followed the disciples by walking on the water. His late-night departure went unnoticed by the multitude, which awoke confused. Jesus was nowhere to be seen, but there was no missing boat to indicate that He had secretly left (Mat 15:22-25).
Over the sea toward Capernaum. Mark however, says that Bethsaida was their destination (Mark 6:45). The two towns are not far apart (five miles?), and clearly the feeding of the five thousand took place outside the city in a desert place, perhaps between the two towns such that one witness could differ from the other and both still be right.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. 20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. 21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
The sudden wind made the voyage slower and allowed Jesus to overtake them by walking (Mat 14:24). From whence came this contrary wind? Some say it came from Satan, but could it not have been ordained by Christ? Notice that by a miracle of conveyance the ship was immediately at destination after Jesus had entered the ship.
The disciples had traveled about 3 miles and were right in the middle of the sea when they saw Jesus walking on the water, moving as if He was going to pass them on the side (Mark 6:48). Only Matthew reports Peter’s attempt to also walk on water, which took place at this time (Mat 14:25-30).
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
Jesus had successfully thwarted the multitude’s attempts to make Him a king the day before, but now they found Him once again. They were baffled by how He could have arrived before them and was already with His disciples, for no ships had left Tiberias after the disciples had departed, and they had seen the disciples ship leave without Him. Jesus, however, did not explain to them what had happened. That was information only for His disciples.
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
The multitude sought Jesus because they recognized that He was able to entirely supply their earthly needs: He had healed the sick among them, He had provided food in the desert. Surely He could also deliver them from their enemies and work any miracle that might be required. In short, they sought Him not because they saw His miracles as evidence of divine authority but for selfish reasons involving their physical needs and comforts. And even today, many people seek Him for the same wrong motives! When life is going well, they have no need of Christ, but when health fails, marriages are struggling, or money troubles arise, it is then that they seek Christ.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Like the woman at the well, the multitude wished for an easier life (John 4:15) in which they didn’t have to work for their food. Jesus doubly reprimands them: “It is right that you labor for your meat (2Thes 3:10), above all however, seek that meat which endures unto everlasting life.” He speaks metaphorically of meat as a symbol of Himself and later says, Whoso eateth My flesh…hath eternal life…for My flesh is meat indeed (John 6:54-55). Those who partake of what Christ offers spiritually will live forever spiritually (see John 6:55; 4:14).
For Him hath God the Father sealed. “God has confirmed with His own seal that the Son of Man is the Messiah” (John 3:33; 4:26). A king’s seal was used to mark ownership and also to confirm/attest to authenticity (ex. Esther 8:8; Dan 6:17; Mat 27:66; Jer 32:10-14). God sent His Son to the world and placed His seal upon Him so that all might know and believe in Him. That seal is, of course, a figurative one, and represents His miracles, His authoritative teaching (John 7:46), His perfect grace and truth. God has shown by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3) that Jesus is the true God and eternal life (1John 5:20). See also John 3:33.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
There is an easily missed connection between Jesus’ admonition and the people’s response; the words labour and work are the same in the Greek. Jesus says, “Work to attain that meat which endures unto everlasting life.”
“What is the work of God that we might do it?”, the people ask.
“The work of God is to believe on Him whom He hath sent.” This is first a reference to that basic step of saving faith, which is a mental affirmation that Jesus is the Son of God, and salvation is only by His divine forgiveness. Before obedience to the words of Christ (Mat 7:24-25), one must know, believe and accept His words. The Greek word for believe (pisteuo) is the verb form of faith (pistis). See note on Mat 14:31.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
The people’s questions expose their shallow hearts, and give reason to Jesus’ stern words. They had seen the sick miraculously healed, the demons cast out and bread multiplied without end. Yet they dared to ask, “What sign will you work that will make us believe in You?”
Our fathers did eat… bread from heaven. They seem to be insinuating that Jesus should continue to provide them with free food (v34) because Moses had given their forefathers food in the desert for forty years. “Provide us with food like Moses did, and then we will believe in You,” is their challenge. Jesus refuses to be drawn into that conversation, and instead uses Moses to teach them new truths that point them to the Father, who was the true provider of that wilderness manna, and who now had sent the true bread from heaven, the Son of man.
In these verses Jesus speaks in highly figurative language. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger. He is speaking of spiritual bread, spiritual hunger and spiritual life. The contrast between the true bread and that physical manna is clear. Both manna and the true bread had come from God out of heaven, but the manna had not satisfied their hunger for more than a day, much less endure unto everlasting life.
There are many additional parallels between physical bread and Jesus, the bread of life. The following are from John Gill’s commentary:
- Bread is made from a grain of wheat, which must first fall into the ground and die before it can bring forth fruit (Joh 12:24).
- To prepare bread, the wheat grains must be threshed and ground into flour, which express the sufferings of Christ.
- The flour must be mixed with oil and kneaded together to form a dough that is then baked in the fire. Oil and fire are types of the Spirit.
- Bread is a vital part of maintaining life; Jesus is that true bread which maintains spiritual life as long as He is “eaten” daily.
- Unleavened bread, which was eaten on the day of the passover, typifies Christ’s perfection and sinlessness.
- The shewbread placed daily in the holy place typifies His continual intercession, ever available, ever efficacious but only for priests (Re 1:6).
- The meat offerings (actually bread, not flesh) involved in the sacrifices express man’s knowledge and acceptance of the Bread.
- The manna, or natural bread from heaven, is yet an additional type of that True Bread from heaven. It was round, sweet, white, small (Ex 16:31), which may be natural symbols of Christ’s spiritual attributes – eternal, pure, true, all-sufficient, useful.
In the rest of the chapter, Jesus answers the Jewish multitude’s hardness of heart with true yet difficult to understand parables (John 6:60,66). It was His way of purging the real seekers from the self-seekers (Mat 13:13).
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
The multitude was no different than their forefathers who had seen the Lord’s miracles and yet were barred from the promised land because of their unbelief (Heb 4:11). Not that they doubted the veracity of the miracles, but that it did not produce in them the faith that saves. Like the Pharisees of the previous chapter who believed in God, they did not act in obedience and love of God (John 5:40-42; 8:47).
Some in that multitude did believe and follow Christ. All that come to Him are accepted; not one will be disappointed or cast out. Regardless of prior sins and rebellions, Jesus will always accept the one who comes to Him in true humility and repentance. The Father and the Son work together to effect salvation (John 6:44).
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The will of God was to redeem mankind from Satan’s clutches, to give them the spiritual food that nourishes the soul unto everlasting life. That was the reason Jesus came down from heaven. But most of the Pharisees and the multitude were not interested in spiritual life. They were far too short-sighted. The present physical life and their own selfish, temporal desires were more important.
I should lose nothing. This is a sincere promise to all who trust in Christ, that salvation is sure to everyone who believes in Him (John 18:9; 17:12). Not one person will be forgotten or overlooked as happens occasionally in human relationships. But should raise it up again at the last day. Another promise. Every soul which has died in Christ will be resurrected at the last trump, and that this is an infallible word is affirmed by repetition, being repeated three times in the next few verses (v40, 44, 54).
Every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him. The multitude had seen the Son’s miracles and heard His doctrine, but they did not believe unto life-changing faith in Him. This same multitude sits in many churches today, seeing and hearing of Christ, but not believing to the point of obeying His commandments and living by His laws.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
The Jews would not believe Jesus’ testimony, that He had come down from heaven and that His Father was God. Perhaps if He had looked and dressed as a god they would have believed Him, and perhaps if He would have provided them with miracle food every day as they had wished they would have followed Him – but that is not the way God works with Mankind. He wants to develop faith and love in every human soul. And if any person doubt that constant miracles tend to develop unbelief rather than faith, we offer the children of Israel in the desert as evidence.
“Isn’t this Jesus the Nazarene, whose father and mother we know personally? How can He say that He came down from heaven?” (Mat 13:55). While it may have been a hard saying for them to accept, why didn’t they ask the same questions when He had healed their sick ones and fed 5000 of them with only a boy’s lunch? For then they should have been able to believe His testimony, for no man is able to work such miracles.
“I am not surprised that some of you do not believe Me,” Jesus says, “For unless the Father’s teaching draws a man to Me, that man cannot believe.” The next twenty verses explain what He means and He concludes by repeating it, saying, Therefore I said unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of my Father (John 6:65). While Calvinists use this verse to support their idea of limited atonement, there is another way to understand this passage such that it does not contradict the many verses which teach that salvation is open to all: Come…whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely (Rev 22:17). If any man thirst, let him come unto Me (John 7:37).
Except the Father…draw him. Later, John uses the same word to affirm that by His death Jesus would draw all men (John 12:32). The Spirit of God works in all the world to draw every man unto a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, but not all will hear, believe and repent. The call is more effectual in some hearts than in others, not because God works harder in certain persons (Rom 2:11), but because some hearts have better prepared themselves (Mat 13:23).
They shall be all taught of God. Jesus uses a prophecy from the Jews’ Scripture to support His claim to be the Son of God come down from heaven. And while that prophecy (Is 54:13) seems a little indirect, none of the Pharisees disputed Jesus’ interpretation. I doubt it had crossed their minds that it would be so literally fulfilled – the Son of God, and thus God Himself, was standing before them and teaching them the truth of the Father and His will.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
This fact has been stated in various parts of the Scripture (Mat 11:27; John 1:18; 1John 4:12), yet John also records Jesus saying, he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father (John 14:6-10; 8:19). These verses cannot be reconciled without a correct understanding of the tri-une nature of God.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
See John 3:16-18; 3:36; 5:24; 11:25; Acts 16:31.
48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
The bread of life. See note on John 6:35. Manna was a form of bread too. Both are symbols of the spiritual sustenance that is found only in Christ. the true bread (John 6:32) is Christ, that His flesh, which He has given for the life of the world (John 6:51). All who eat of this bread shall live for ever. Of course, Jesus does not mean that literally, physically we will live forever, so neither should we expect that He means to say that we must literally eat His flesh.
All those who ate the manna in the wilderness died, but those who eat the Bread from heaven will not die. Clearly Jesus is speaking of spiritual death when He says that the man who eats the true bread will not die, but what about those who ate the manna and died? Did He mean their physical death or their spiritual death? It does not seem right that He would draw a unlike comparison by saying the Jews had died physically but those who partake of His bread would not die spiritually. More probably He spoke of spiritual death in both cases, for the children of Israel who ate that wilderness manna all died without seeing the promised land on account of their unbelief (Heb 3:8-11, 17-19).
I am the living bread which came down from heaven (v51). The Christian apologist rightly points out that statements such as these could only be said by a complete maniac or by a true witness. There is no middle ground here – Christ was either entirely truthful, or He was the biggest liar this world has ever seen, for no man in all history has dared to make such claims. And no man has ever been able to back up His words with doctrine and miracles that only God can do.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
The Jews’ reaction to Jesus’ words would be normal for the natural man, “How can He give us His flesh to eat?” Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish ruler, was equally stumped when Jesus told him that in order to be saved a man must be born again (John 3:4, 9). Even His close disciples did not understand what He meant by saying they must eat His flesh (see v60). Yet if anyone should have been able to understand, it would be the Jews, for while Jesus’ words are deeply symbolical, they are rooted in the Jewish Old Covenant sacrificial system instituted by God through Moses, the man who had provided their forefathers with manna.
Jesus did not answer the Jews’ question of how they could eat His flesh, and instead strengthened His statement: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. To the natural Jewish mind, this would be heretical in the extreme. Hadn’t Moses taught that drinking blood was unlawful and punishable by permanent excommunication from Israel? (Lev 17:10). Those who had pre-disposed themselves against Jesus Christ could think of nothing other than a natural meaning, but the honest listener with knowledge of the OT sacrifices might have been able to see the meaning behind this so evidently figurative language.
To eat of something is to become one with it, to identify with it in a spiritual sense. David wrote that a taste of God’s Word was sweeter than honey (Ps 34:8; 19:10), and when God told Ezekiel (Eze 3:1-4) to eat a scroll he was agreeing and identifying with His message (see also Rev 10:9-10). Yet even more relevant in this context is the OT commandment that the priests eat a portion of the sin-offering meat they sacrificed to God, which made them spiritually one with that sacrifice, or as Paul says it, partakers of the altar (1Cor 10:18). The solemnity and importance of that command is seen in Lev 10:16-17, where Moses was angry with the sons of Aaron for not eating the sacrificial meat upon the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. Thus, to eat the flesh of the Son of man is to identify and trust in the sacrificial death of Christ, that His broken body is worthy and able to give eternal life. This truth His hearers would not be able to understand until after His death and resurrection.
However, the most important analogy of eating is certainly the Passover. Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36), was the true Passover lamb. Just as that passover lamb was to be eaten by every member of the Jewish community, so too the Christian community must eat Jesus, for He alone gives spiritual life to every man (John 1:4).
To drink His blood is a further symbol of appropriating Christ’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf and it too has symbolic significance that is deeply rooted in the Law. There was nothing so sacred in all the OT as blood. In fact, any man who ate blood was to be cut off from Israel. God explains why: For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul (Lev 17:10-11). If we are ashamed of the precious blood of Christ, there is no remission for sins. To drink His blood is to accept it to be effective for the saving of our souls (Heb 13:20; 1John 1:7).
All of this brings to mind Jesus’ words that not one jot nor tittle of the Law would remain unfulfilled (Mat 5:18; Luke 16:17). These small details of the Mosaic sacrificial system were ordained by God to foreshadow events and concepts that were fulfilled in the New Covenant. Those physical and symbolic acts point to the spiritual reality fulfilled by Christ, that salvation and spiritual sustenance is found only in Him.
Of course, the two principles of eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood are forever illustrated in the Communion service, the bread representing His flesh and the cup representing His shed blood (1Cor 11:24-26; Mat 26:26-28). But some, most notably the Catholics and even Martin Luther, have fallen into the same error as the Jews who could not think other than literally and teach that the emblems of communion actually become in some way the literal body and blood of Christ. Some say that even the early church writers expressed a similar belief, yet it is difficult to imagine taking this type of language so literally. Being born again, drinking from a well that gives water which makes you never again thirsty, and eating Christ’s flesh; these are naturally understood in a figurative sense with symbolic meanings.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Jesus had preached a very similar message to the Samaritan woman (John 4:14), in which He emphasized that spiritual life is only found in Christ, who is the real bread from heaven. Those who find Him and abide in Him are eating and drinking the spiritual food He offers, and they only shall live for ever, another figurative expression that speaks of the spiritual state of the human soul being eternally with God in heaven. Those who reject Christ shall perish forever in the Lake of Fire.
The people who heard Jesus could not accept His radical teaching, and even His disciples were offended by His words. It wasn’t that they didn’t understand, it was that believing Him would mean rejecting their entire tradition. The thought of His Father being God, that He had descended from heaven, that He was greater than Moses – it was all too much for them. As for eating blood, could there be a more offensive act against the Jewish religion?
Jesus answers, “If this teaching offends you, what will you do when you see the Son ascend up to heaven again?” Most of those listening did not see His ascension (Luke 24:50-51), but surely if they had, they would have believed. However, Jesus did not permit the unbelieving that privilege.
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Jesus’ words are spirit and life to all those who believe, but some did not, including the son of perdition, Judas Iscariot. The words of Christ in this difficult passage must be understood spiritually, and they must take root in the spiritual part of man. They are not intended literally in the flesh, for it is the spiritual part of man that is redeemed, not the fleshly part. That is not to say that the flesh does not matter to God, but that the flesh cannot effect redemption, neither can flesh and blood inherit eternal life (1Cor 15:50).
No man can come unto Me except it were given him of my Father. This statement He had made earlier in this chapter (John 6:44) as a way of excluding those who did not accept Him. See note on that verse.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus apparently offended quite a few of His followers by the strong words in this chapter, but He did not try to win them back. It appears that He was testing His disciples to see which ones had totally given themselves to Him. The twelve Apostles, though perhaps a little shaken by His teaching, were unmoved. They were convinced that He was the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
Will ye also go away? Surely Jesus has asked this of many other half-hearted seekers down through history. So, so many are offended by Jesus, either His identity, His teaching, His commandments or some other detail. May we say with Peter, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.
Four types of people, or four responses, jump out in this chapter: the Jews rejected, Peter found it hard but stayed firm, Judas seemed to believe yet guarded his offense for the day. The fourth response came later, which is to change and re-invent Jesus’ words so that they aren’t so hard.
70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus chose Judas Iscariot knowing that he would betray Him. Jesus will not lose even one of his sheep (John 6:39; 17:12).