Joh 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;
Joh 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:)
Joh 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.
Joh 6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
Joh 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.
Joh 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.
Jesus told those seeking him… Truly you seek me not because you saw the miracles- but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
A miracle. Bread multiplied miraculously. Enough bread to feed 5000 people.
If you've ever hosted a dinner party you know feeding a lot of people is an endeavor. Of course if all you had to give them was bread, well, not so complex, right? You go to the store grab a few bags of rolls and that's that. Or if you are so inclined you make your own bread for the occasion. It's doable for a dinner party. Now let's imagine a bread party for 100 people, that's a lot of bread. 500 people, wow, you're going to need a lot more bread.
The miracle of the 5000 being fed is overwhelming. Yet Jesus told some of those who ate of the miracle bread that they didn't care about the miracle aspect, but rather the fact they had someone who could supply them food from out of nowhere. They believed they had someone who could make it so they'd forever have their bellies full. It didn't matter that it was a miracle from God and the ramifications of that fact. All that mattered was they'd be able to eat forever without end if this bread producer would just keep producing bread. Their thoughts were on the TEMPORARY. We all know we are only ever sated temporarily after eating, sooner or later those hunger pangs will start up again no matter how full we were hours, or even a day before. No matter the amount of food we eat, and unless we eat without ceasing, without waiting for hunger to hit, we will feel the need for food again. (Barring medical conditions).
So, what's my point. Food only satisfies for so long before you need to eat again. When people lose their appetites they know they need to eat to maintain their existence, it might not be easy, but they do it just to keep on living.
For people in Jesus' day who were perhaps used to surviving on a couple meals a day, barely sustainable meals, a source of endless food was their focus.
Jesus wanted the focus to be on the miracle. God had provided for their hunger that day because they were in the presence of one who was expounding words of eternal life to them. The eternal source of life everlasting was there in front of them, and they only saw the source of one who sated their temporary hunger.
There was a lesson being taught- all the words spoken that day were the miracle- the bread was the proof of those words of eternal life. Who could deny the words being spoken by Jesus especially after they ate miracle bread? Apparently almost all of them could deny Jesus' words of eternal life in favor of simply wanting their temporary lives taken care of.
The fact that Jesus was NOT there to give them endless supplies of physical sustenance is apparent throughout his entire ministry. However, the endless supply of eternal spiritual food preparing one for eternity was available. The fact that his life alone was a temporary one was made clear by Jesus. He wasn't sent to make their temporary lives easier. He wasn't there to give temporary luxuries so none would know want and deprivation.
Feeding the 5000 was a lesson being taught, and so few understood.
The people the next day wanted more food, more miracles to prove their temporary lives would become ones of ease.
Still not grasping what Jesus said, they asked what they could do to work the works of God. Were they asking how they too could produce miracle bread? Hadn't they heard Jesus say not to labor for the temporary?
Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Jesus gave them an answer to their question, the work of God was for them to BELIEVE on HIM WHOM HE SENT. It wasn't for them to become miracle workers, it was for them to BELIEVE what HE was telling them, and His focus was eternal life.
Joh 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
Joh 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Even after being fed miraculously the day before they wanted a SIGN from Jesus so they could believe him. They wanted a food supply, a constant food supply like their forefathers had been given manna. If Jesus could give them such a sign, that miracle bread produced daily for their needs then sure, they'd believe in Him and what He said.
Joh 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.
Manna, the temporary life sustaining bread wasn't something pointing them to eternal life, it kept them physically living as they learned God's ways. That manna stopped falling when they could provide for their own physical needs. That manna wasn't to sustain eternal life, it was temporary life sustaining. If it had been necessary for eternal life God would have never stopped it from falling, but a full belly isn't the way of eternal life. The Bible even tells us people treat their bellies like their god. They worship their temporary hunger, living to satisfy the god they've made of their stomachs. When we worship our own bellies, we in truth worship a false god, a false idol. There is danger in temporary food and these people were focused on the temporary.
Jesus tells them that His Father is giving them the TRUE BREAD from heaven. The true life sustaining necessary sustenance of eternal life, bread that is much more important than what they'd had to eat the day before.
He went on to say--
Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Jesus is the bread of God- able to give life to the world, ETERNAL LIFE. EVERLASTING LIFE.
Joh 6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
They just didn't get it. Jesus had just told them that the BREAD is HE WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. It was a HE. And HE was that HE. Still they wanted the BREAD- not Jesus! They wanted that temporary bread they could consume with their mouths and they wanted it supplied forever.
Joh 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.
Jesus couldn't have spoken any plainer. He tells them again-
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. Those who come to HIM will NEVER hunger, those that believe on HIM will NEVER thirst.
Logically every single one of those inquiring after this bread didn't like that answer. Jesus Himself wasn't made of bread, or for that matter water. Going to Him as they were right now hadn't produced bread and water for them to eat and drink. If he was saying HE was bread and water then something wasn't quite right. They refuse to switch from the material world to the spiritual world and comprehend that Jesus was offering LIFE EVERLASTING- a future life beyond the temporary. He was offering something so much more important than bread that could rot away.
Jesus continued--
Joh 6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
Joh 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.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joh 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.
Joh 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.
Such detail! Such truth! Jesus was telling them that in the LAST DAY that He would raise up those who are HIS. In the LAST DAY He will raise them up to EVERLASTING LIFE. He wanted them to understand beyond their temporary lives to their eternal lives. People lived and died and yet there was so much more. There would be in the LAST DAY a rising up of all who are Jesus' to everlasting life, this implied a need for being raised up. They needed to be raised to everlasting life because they could not raise themselves to it, it wasn't automatically given to them. A LAST DAY would come and on that day JESUS was the way to being raised.
They still didn't get it.
Joh 6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
Joh 6:42 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?
Suddenly their minds switched from -give us this eternal food and drink so we aren't hungry or thirsty, you miracle worker. You gave us food yesterday, we want more. We know you can give us food, so do it all the time. They switched from that mind set to the fact Jesus said HE was the bread that came down from heaven. What? Uhn? This stumped them completely. They knew Jesus. They knew he was born and raised by Joseph and Mary. They'd seen his parents, they'd seen him growing like any other person. So HOW could he have come down from heaven? They understood manna being rained down from heaven, but not this man, this man whose family they knew, coming down from heaven. It was ludicrous.
Jesus had so much more to say…
Joh 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
Joh 6:44 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.
Joh 6:45 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.
Joh 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Joh 6:48 I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51 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 prophets who they all believed in, wrote that they shall be taught of God. Jesus told them yes, their forefathers ate heaven sent bread, manna, but they are dead now. That heaven sent bread for their physical sustenance did not give them life everlasting. Jesus himself was the way to life everlasting, there was no other way. They had to Believe Him, believe that HE was the real bread they needed. The miracle worker was the source of life, not the physical bread. But just like in Moses' day they needed that bread to live, and they needed HIM to live. He was going to DIE so they would have access to living forever. He was going to give his life - the life that was, like theirs, sustained by bread. He was going die, for them to live. He wanted them to understand the truth of what He was telling them. He was sent by God, they saw the miracle(s) He could perform that no other had ever done before, they had all the proof they needed to recognize Him as the true source of eternal life- the eternal bread. And HE would give up His life so they would forevermore have a way to life everlasting. The bread- a metaphor He wanted them to understand. They needed MORE THAN THE BREAD THEY ATE THE DAY BEFORE! Look beyond the temporary, look to the eternal! His flesh- he would give that up for them.
Joh 6:52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Still they refused to comprehend. No, Jesus wasn't holding out his arms and telling them to bite him and take some of his flesh to eat. It was a METAPHOR. They had the miracle of bread being supplied to them the day before. He could also supply them with eternal life, eternal bread it would be found in Him, His life, His death and YES, they could have this life eternal too, through HIM. There was no other way they could get it, none.
Joh 6:53 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.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Joh 6:58 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.
Joh 6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
His flesh, His blood--- eat and drink -- GET YOUR LIFE FROM HIM! No other way. You had to have HIM as your source of LIFE ETERNAL! If you don't have HIM as your source of life eternal you will have eternal death. EAT, DRINK- get LIFE from JESUS! He died to make this possible! To take Him literally is to deny the truth of His entire message, and that is what MANY did. They were confounded because they refused to see the metaphoric message He was giving to them. He wasn't instituting cannibalism!!! How ludicrous an idea! Metaphorically it all makes sense, perfect sense.
At the last supper He didn't rip off pieces of his flesh and tell them to eat it. He didn't let his blood pour into a cup and pass it around. BREAD and WINE- SYMBOLICALLY taken in REMEMBRANCE of Jesus giving His LIFE so we could live!
The many couldn't comprehend what Jesus was saying, they thought Him a mad man. Coming from heaven when they knew he was born on earth like any man. Eating his flesh and drinking his blood, crazy talk. Even though it was they who introduced the manna, the bread, the eating of that bread they still refused to take the step necessary to understand Jesus was the source of eternal life, something so much more important than their bellies.
Joh 6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
Joh 6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Joh 6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
IN HIS OWN WORDS HE EXPLAINS PLAINLY.
The flesh profiteth nothing! THE WORD THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU- THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE!
Spirit and life!
He wanted them to understand He was being metaphoric and still, they refused to understand.
Joh 6:64 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.
Joh 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
He told them outright, some of you believe not. He knew that even one among his Apostles would betray him because of unbelief.
Joh 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Joh 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Joh 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Joh 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Joh 6:71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus tried so hard to get people to believe, he did all he could do. But the blind would remain blind, yet he would give sight to those who would see.
Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
This bread represents his body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
This wine represents his blood.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
It was the fruit of the vine, not his real blood, never real blood. Jesus used so many symbols, parables and so on. Those who seek truth can see this, those who seek tradition cannot.
1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Do this- take bread, eat it, remember His body broken for us.
1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
Do this- take the wine, drink it, remember his resurrected life.
1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
We remember! We show that we remember by these symbolic actions. Jesus is life eternal, life everlasting!
Bread for five thousand, bread for a day,
Bread for eternity, your every word spoken.
Bread for remembrance, Bread of Life.
Bread for the belly, can't satisfy.
Bread for the spirit, everlasting, ever living.
Bread, Jesus, your body once bruised, once broken.
Bread, your words devoured.
Yes, I remember you often, your sacrifice, your life, you dying and being raised up for me. I remember you.
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