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John 6

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Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 1–15

1
After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which isthe seaof Tiberias. ​
2
And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick.
3
And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4
Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. ​
5
Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?
6
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. ​
7
Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
8
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
9
There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many? ​
10
Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11
Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would.
12
And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost.
13
So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten.
14
When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. ​
15
Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone. ​

Jesus Walks on the Sea 16–21

16
And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea;
17
and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
18
And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew.
19
When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid. ​
20
But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. ​
21
They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going.

The People Seek the Wrong Bread 22–34

22
On the morrow the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus entered not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away alone
23
(howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks):
24
when the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25
And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. ​
27
Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed. ​
28
They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may 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. ​
30
They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou?
31
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat. ​
32
Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven. ​
33
For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34
They said therefore unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

Jesus Declares, 'I Am the Bread of Life' 35–50

35
Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. ​
36
But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not.
37
All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ​
38
For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39
And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
40
For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
41
The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.
42
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven? ​
43
Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44
No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day. ​
45
It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. ​
46
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he that is from God, he hath seen the Father.
47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath 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 cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

The Bread of Life: Eating His Flesh 51–59

51
I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. ​
52
The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53
Jesus therefore 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 not life in yourselves. ​
54
He that 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 abideth in me, and I in him. ​
57
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.
58
This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever.
59
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. ​

The Hard Saying and Division 60–66

60
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heardthis, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? ​
61
But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble?
62
What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?
63
It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and 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 it was that should betray him. ​
65
And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.
66
Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. ​

Peter's Confession and Judas’s Betrayal 67–71

67
Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away?
68
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. ​
69
And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God.
70
Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? ​
71
Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for John 6

Verse 1

the sea of Tiberias — One lake under three names: 'the sea of Galilee' (Matt 4:18), 'the lake of Gennesaret' (Luke 5:1), and here the name of the town on its shore, Tiberias. John uses it again in v.23, where 'other boats from Tiberias' come to the place of the feeding.

Verse 4

the passover, a feast of the Jews — The LORD's passover fell on 'the fourteenth day of the first month' (Lev 23:5). Its nearness frames the bread of this chapter: Israel's deliverance from Egypt (Ex 12:14) is followed by the manna of the wilderness, which the crowd raises in v.31.

Verse 6

to prove him — Peirazo, to test or try. God 'did tempt Abraham' (Gen 22:1) and led Israel in the wilderness 'to prove thee' (Deut 8:2) in the same sense: a test, not a trap. Christ puts the question to Philip while he 'himself knew what he would do', so the test shows Philip's faith, not Christ's need.

Verse 9

five barley loaves — Krithinos, of barley. Elisha's servant likewise had 'twenty loaves of barley' for a hundred men, and 'they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD' (2 Kings 4:42–44). The small fishes (opsarion) are the relish eaten with the bread; 'what are they among so many?' states the need the sign answers.

Verse 14

that prophet that should come into the world — The crowd recalls the promise of 'a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me' (Deut 18:15), the 'that prophet' of John 1:21. Fed in the wilderness as under Moses, they name him rightly, yet in v.15 they mean to make him a king by force.

Verse 15

take him by force, to make him a king — Harpazo, to seize, the verb for snatching. Christ withdraws 'into a mountain himself alone', and before Pilate states why: 'My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight' (John 18:36).

Verse 19

five and twenty or thirty furlongs — A stadion is about a furlong, so the boat was some three miles out. Christ 'walking on the sea' fulfils what Job says of God: he 'treadeth upon the waves of the sea' (Job 9:8). The disciples' fear is met by his words in v.20.

Verse 20

It is I — Literally 'I am' (ego eimi), the same words as 'I am the bread of life' in v.35. He uses them in the same hour in Matt 14:27, 'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid'. The LORD's promise stands behind it: 'When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee' (Isa 43:2).

Verse 26

Verily, verily — Amen, amen, a Hebrew word meaning sure and trustworthy, doubled as Christ's opening for a weighty statement. He answers the question of v.25 by naming their motive: 'because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled'. The sign was meant to point beyond the bread, as v.27 goes on to say.

Verse 27

Labour not for the meat which perisheth — The verb ergazomai, to work, is the same as 'work' in v.28, where the crowd takes it up in their question. The call echoes Isa 55:2, 'Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?' 'Sealed' (sphragizo) is to mark with a signet: the Father has attested the Son.

Verse 29

the work of God — The crowd asked for 'works' in the plural (v.28); the answer is one 'work' (ergon), 'that ye believe on him whom he hath sent'. Faith is named as the work itself, and the same verb pisteuo runs through the chapter to Peter's confession in v.69.

Verse 31

He gave them bread from heaven to eat — The crowd cites Scripture, close to Ps 78:24, 'had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven', with Ex 16:4, 'I will rain bread from heaven for you'. They set Moses' sign against Christ's, and v.32 corrects who gave and what is 'true'.

Verse 32

the true bread from heaven — Alethinos, genuine, the real thing of which the other was the pattern, as in 'the true vine' (John 15:1). Tenses matter: Moses 'gave' (past) and 'not that bread', while the Father 'giveth' (present) the true. The manna came from the Father, not from Moses.

Verse 35

I am the bread of life — 'Never hunger' and 'never thirst' use the strong double negative (ou me): not at all. 'Cometh' and 'believeth' are two names for one act. The invitation answers Isa 55:1, 'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters', and he repeats it at the feast (John 7:37).

Verse 37

in no wise cast out — The double negative ou me again: certainly not. 'All that the Father giveth me' and 'him that cometh to me' stand side by side, as in v.44 and v.65. The security is restated in 'neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand' (John 10:28).

Verse 42

the son of Joseph — The crowd knows his household, as Nazareth did: 'Is not this Joseph's son?' (Luke 4:22); 'is not his mother called Mary?' (Matt 13:55). Their knowledge is accurate and incomplete; it cannot account for 'I came down from heaven', which v.44 says only the Father's drawing makes credible.

Verse 44

draw him — Helkuo, to draw, the verb for hauling a net (John 21:6, 11). The Father's drawing is paired with Christ's: 'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me' (John 12:32). The LORD says the same of Israel, 'with lovingkindness have I drawn thee' (Jer 31:3).

Verse 45

they shall be all taught of God — From Isa 54:13, 'all thy children shall be taught of the LORD'. John's 'God' renders the LORD of Isaiah. Those who 'hath heard, and hath learned of the Father' come to Christ, so the Father's drawing in v.44 is carried out as teaching. Jer 31:34 says likewise that all 'shall know me'.

Verse 51

my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world — The bread is now named: his flesh, given 'for' (huper, on behalf of) the world. The language of giving is that of sacrifice: 'to give his life a ransom for many' (Matt 20:28), and at the supper, 'This is my body which is given for you' (Luke 22:19).

Verse 53

eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood — The saying answers the quarrel of v.52. Christ takes bread and cup at the supper with 'this is my body' and 'this is my blood of the new testament' (Matt 26:26, 28). The blood is life given for atonement: 'it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul' (Lev 17:11).

Verse 56

dwelleth in me, and I in him — Meno, to abide, the word of John 15:4, 'Abide in me, and I in you'. The verb for eating changes in vv.54–58 to trogo, a word for chewing or feeding. Eating and drinking result in mutual indwelling, and the life it brings is that of v.57.

Verse 59

in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum — Capernaum's synagogue is where 'on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught' (Mark 1:21). A centurion had 'built us a synagogue' there (Luke 7:5). The teaching just given was thus spoken in a place of public worship, in the town toward which the crowd had sailed (v.24).

Verse 60

an hard saying — Skleros, harsh, rough, and logos, the saying. The complaint comes from 'many of his disciples', not from opponents, and 'who can hear it?' asks who can accept it. It leads to the turning back of v.66. Christ asks in v.61 'Doth this offend you?' (skandalizo, to cause to stumble).

Verse 63

It is the spirit that quickeneth — Zoopoieo, to make alive. Compare 'the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life' (2 Cor 3:6). His 'words' (rhema) are 'spirit' and 'life', and Peter answers in v.68 with 'thou hast the words of eternal life'. 'The flesh profiteth nothing' is set against the Spirit's work, not against his own flesh given in v.51.

Verse 64

Jesus knew from the beginning — He knew from the first who would not believe and 'who should betray him', as 'he knew all men' (John 2:24). v.71 names Judas Iscariot, and Ps 41:9 had foretold the treachery: 'which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me'.

Verse 66

went back, and walked no more with him — The verb peripateo, to walk, is the language of discipleship as following; they 'walked no more' with him. The warning of Luke 9:62 applies, as does 1 John 2:19, 'They went out from us, but they were not of us'. The Twelve are asked in v.67 whether they too will go.

Verse 68

to whom shall we go? — Peter does not argue the saying but names the only place to turn: 'thou hast the words of eternal life'. The word is rhema, the same as the 'words' that Christ called 'spirit' and 'life' in v.63. His answer is in the tone of the psalm, 'Whom have I in heaven but thee?' (Ps 73:25).

Verse 70

Have not I chosen you twelve — Eklegomai, to choose out, as 'of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles' (Luke 6:13). Among those chosen was 'a devil' (diabolos, slanderer); v.71 names Judas. In John 13:18 he says, 'I know whom I have chosen', and quotes the Scripture about the one who eats bread with him and lifts his heel.