*John 6:22-40
Jesus explains that he is the true source of eternal life and salvation.
- The Crowd Searches for Jesus:
- The day after Jesus feeds the 5,000, the crowd realizes that Jesus and His disciples are no longer there.
- They know that there had been only one boat and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples.
- Other boats arrive from Tiberias, and the crowd gets into them to go to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
- Jesus Teaches About the Bread of Life:
- The crowd finds Jesus on the other side of the lake and questions Him about when He got there.
- Jesus responds by addressing their motivations:
- He tells them they are seeking Him not because of the miraculous signs but because they ate the loaves and were filled.
- He advises them not to work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give them.
- Jesus indicates that God the Father has placed His seal of approval on Him.
- Work of God:
- The crowd asks what they must do to do the works God requires.
- Jesus answers that the work of God is to believe in the one He has sent.
- Request for a Sign:
- The crowd asks for a sign so they can believe in Him, referencing the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness.
- Jesus corrects them, saying that it was not Moses who gave them the bread from heaven but His Father who gives the true bread from heaven.
- He explains that the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
- Declaration of the Bread of Life:
- The crowd asks for this bread always.
- Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
- He expresses that they have seen Him and still do not believe.
- Jesus’ Assurance:
- Jesus assures that all those the Father gives Him will come to Him, and He will never drive them away.
- He explains that He has come down from heaven not to do His own will but to do the will of Him who sent Him.
- The will of the Father is that Jesus shall lose none of all those He has given Him but raise them up at the last day.
- Promise of Eternal Life:
- Jesus concludes that the will of His Father is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and He will raise them up at the last day.
6:22 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; 6:23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 6:24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 6:26 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.
6:27 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.
6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
6:32 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.
6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
6:35 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.
6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
6:39 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.
6:40 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.