John 6 - NIV Study Bible
6:1 far shore. The northeast shore, probably near Bethsaida (see Lk 9:10 and map). Sea of Tiberias. Probably the official Roman name of the Sea of Galilee (see note on Mk 1:16). The name came from the town of Tiberias (named after the emperor Tiberius), founded c. ad 20.
6:1–15 The feeding of the 5,000 is the one miracle, apart from the resurrection, found in all four Gospels. It shows Jesus as the supplier of human need and recalls God feeding Israel with manna in the wilderness, setting the stage for his testimony that he is the bread of life (v. 35). It also points forward to the great Messianic banquet described in Isa 25:6–9.
6:4 Passover. The setting for Ch. 6, with its key symbol of bread (see notes on 2:13; 5:1).
6:5 Philip. Since he came from nearby Bethsaida (see 1:44 and note), it was appropriate to ask him.
6:9 barley loaves. Cheap bread, the food of the poor.
6:10 about five thousand men. Women and children were not included in this number, and so the entire crowd was much larger (see Mt 14:21 and note).
6:12 Gather the pieces. See note on Mk 6:43.
6:13 twelve baskets . . . left over. See note on Mk 6:43.
6:14 sign . . . Prophet. It pointed people to the Son of Man and the food for eternal life that he gives (see v. 27 and note), but they thought only of the Prophet, i.e., the prophet of Dt 18:15,18 who would be like Moses (see 1:21 and note). Through Moses, God had provided food and water for the people in the wilderness, and they expected the Prophet to do more than this.
6:15 make him king by force. Jesus rejected the widely held Jewish view of the Messiah’s kingship characterized by exerting power to overthrow Rome (cf. notes on 18:36; Lk 24:21).
6:19 three or four miles. Mark says they were “in the middle of the lake” (Mk 6:47). frightened. They thought they were seeing a ghost (Mt 14:26).
6:20 It is I. This reassurance by Jesus may allude to God’s self-designation as “I AM” (see Ex 3:14; Jn 6:35 and notes; see also article).
6:21 immediately the boat reached the shore. Some think that this was another miracle. In any event, the boat’s safe arrival is implicitly credited to Jesus.
6:22–24 The crowd could not figure out what had happened to Jesus. But they wanted to see him again, so they looked for him in the most likely place, Capernaum (see note on 2:12; see also map).
6:27 eternal life. Not something to be achieved but to be received by faith in Christ (see vv. 28–29; 3:15 and notes). Son of Man. See note on Mk 8:31. Submission of the Son to the Father is one of John’s major themes (see note on 4:34).
6:28 What must we do . . . ? They missed the point that eternal life is Christ’s gift and were thinking in terms of achieving it by pious works (see Eph 2:8–9; Titus 3:5 and notes).
6:29 work of God. Believing in Jesus Christ is the indispensable “work” God calls for—the one that leads to eternal life (see 9:4 and note).
6:30 What will you do? They seek from Jesus a sign greater than the gift of manna that had accompanied Moses’ ministry.
6:31 manna. A popular Jewish expectation was that when the Messiah came he would renew the sending of manna. The crowd probably reasoned that Jesus had done little compared to Moses. He had fed 5,000; Moses had fed a nation. He did it once; Moses did it for 40 years. He gave ordinary bread (see note on vv. 1–15; see also note on v. 14); Moses gave “bread from heaven” (see notes on Ex 16:4; Nu 11:7).
6:32 Jesus corrected them, pointing out that the manna in the wilderness did not come from Moses but from God and that the Father still “gives” (the present tense is important) the true bread from heaven, the Son, who gives eternal life.
6:33 bread of God. Jesus moved the discussion to something (and Someone) much more important than manna. bread that comes down from heaven. This affirmation is repeated six times in this context (here and in vv. 38,41,50–51,58), emphasizing Jesus’ divine origin.
6:34 this bread. Probably another misunderstanding, like that by the woman at the well (see 4:15 and note; cf. also Nicodemus, 3:4). They were interpreting it physically rather than spiritually.
6:35 I am. The first of seven (the number of completeness and perfection) self-descriptions of Jesus introduced by “I am” (see 8:12; [9:5;] 10:7,9; 10:11,14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1,5; see also chart). See note on 8:58 for Jesus’ use of “I AM” on its own. the bread of life. Meaning “the bread that gives life.” What is implied in v. 33 is now made explicit, and it is repeated with minor variations in vv. 41,48,51.
6:37 God’s action (see v. 44; 10:29; 17:6; 18:9 and notes), not ours (see v. 28 and note), is primary in salvation, and Christ’s mercy is unfailing (see vv. 31–40; 10:28; 17:9,12,15,19 and notes on 17:12 and 17:19; 18:9).
6:38 to do the will of him who sent me. See note on 4:34.
6:39 I shall lose none. True believers will persevere because of Christ’s firm hold on them (see 10:28–29; Php 1:6 and notes; cf. Heb 3:6,14 and notes; cf. also Introduction to Hebrews: Theme). the last day. An expression found only in John in the NT (vv. 40,44,54). Jesus probably refers to the resurrection of believers (v. 40) followed by judgment (cf. 5:25–30; 11:24; 12:48).
6:40 eternal life. See note on 3:15. raise them up at the last day. Death cannot destroy the life that Christ gives (see 11:25–26 and note on 11:25).
6:41 the Jews there. See note on 1:19.
6:44 draws. People do not come to Christ strictly on their own initiative; the Father draws them. But neither does he compel them against their will; the verb suggests a gentle persuasion.
6:45 the Prophets. The section of the OT from which the quotation is taken (see note on Mt 5:17).
6:49 they died. Jesus’ opponents had set their hearts (cf. v. 31 and note) on that which could neither give nor sustain spiritual life.
6:50 eat and not die. Jesus’ gift is in contrast; the life he gives is eternal (see 11:26 and note).
6:51 Whoever eats this bread. That is, whoever appropriates Jesus by faith as the sustenance of their life. my flesh, which I will give. Looking forward to Calvary. Providing eternal life would be costly to the Giver. for the life of the world. Pointing to the substitutionary character of Christ’s self-sacrifice. world. See notes on 1:9; 4:42.
6:53–58 “Flesh” and “blood” here point to Christ as the crucified one and the source of life. Jesus speaks of faith’s appropriation of himself as God’s appointed sacrifice.
6:54 eats my flesh . . . drinks my blood. In addition to any possible reference to the Lord’s Supper, the parallel with v. 40 suggests that these terms are metaphorical for believing in Jesus as the Son of God. the last day. See note on v. 39.
6:58 bread that came down from heaven. As in v. 49, the value of the manna is limited and is contrasted with the heavenly food Christ gives.
6:60 hard. Hard to understand, but even harder to accept. The thought of eating the flesh of the Son of Man and drinking his blood was doubtless shocking to most of Jesus’ Jewish hearers (see note on vv. 53–58).
6:62 Son of Man. See notes on Mk 8:31; Lk 6:5; 19:10. ascend. Probably refers to the series of events that began with the cross, where Jesus was glorified (see note on 7:39). where he was before. Referring to Jesus’ heavenly preexistence (see 8:58; 17:5 and note).
6:63 Cf. 3:5–6,8. words . . . full of the Spirit and life. The Spirit is at work producing life through Christ’s words (v. 68).
6:65 Coming to Christ for salvation is never a merely human achievement (see vv. 37,39,44–45 and notes). The verb “enabled” could also be translated “given” or “granted.”
6:66 From this time. May also mean “For this reason.” many . . . turned back. Jesus had already made clear what discipleship meant, and many were not ready to receive life in the way he taught (cf. Lk 9:62).
6:68 As in the other Gospels, Peter acts as spokesperson. This statement parallels his confession that Jesus is the Messiah in the Synpotic Gospels (Mt 16:15–16; Mk 8:29; Lk 9:20). words of eternal life. The expression is general. Peter was not speaking of a formula but of the thrust of Jesus’ teaching. He perceived the truth of v. 63 (see note there).
6:69 Holy One of God. Applied to Jesus in Mk 1:24 (see note there); Lk 4:34 (cf. Ac 2:27).
6:70 a devil. Judas (v. 71) would be used by Satan to oppose Christ.
6:71 Iscariot. Means “man from Kerioth” (in Judea; see Jos 15:25) and would apply equally to the father and the son (cf. 12:4). Judas seems to have been the only non-Galilean among the Twelve. one of the Twelve. Therefore one of the last persons likely to betray Jesus.
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