John 6 - The Moody Bible Commentary

a Feeding of the 5,000 (6:1-14)

2 Events Near the Passover (6:1-71)

In Jn 6, Jesus fed the 5,000, calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, and in Capernaum explained the meaning of the feeding miracle. The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels. The events took place about half a year after those of chap. 5, in spring, just before the Passover (v. 4). Jesus had just claimed that Moses spoke of Him (5:39, 46-47). In the following events, John showed how Jesus illustrated this claim. As in chap. 5, where a healing led to a discourse by Jesus on His true identity as the life-giver, (5:21, 24, 26), so the feeding miracle of chap. 6 led to a discourse on Jesus’ identity as the bread of life.

6:1-2 The time reference, after these things, is vague but provides for Jesus’ unidentified movement from Jerusalem (chap. 5) to Galilee. The other side of the Sea of Galilee refers to the eastern shore. Only John identified the Sea of Galilee as also the Sea of Tiberias (Cf. 21:1) after the major town on the southwestern shore. Jesus went to the eastern side to get some rest (Mk 6:30-32) and to avoid Herod Antipas, who had just killed John the Baptist (Lk 9:7-10). The miraculous signs (v. 2) that Jesus did for those who were sick drew a large, curious crowd of followers.

6:3-4 Mountain may refer to the sloping hills (cf. “went down” in v. 16) of the Golan Heights. As was common for rabbis, Jesus sat down with His disciples, probably to teach (Mt 5:1; 13:2; Mk 4:1; 9:35), the common rabbinic posture for instruction. This Passover (v. 4) would have been one year before Jesus’ crucifixion. The Passover commemorated the deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians through Moses (cf. v. 32), and messianic hopes ran high during this festival.

6:5-7 Jesus addressed Philip concerning where to buy bread since he was originally a local resident (1:44). The question was designed as a test (v. 6). Since God had provided manna for His people in the wilderness, Philip should have known that the Messiah would do the same for the multitude. Jesus did not feed the 5,000 based on a last-minute expedient, but He Himself knew ahead of time what He was intending to do. A denarius (a silver coin) was worth a day’s pay, and 200 denarii (v. 7) were worth about eight months of wages. Philip’s answer established the fact that a human solution was impossible.

6:8-9 According to Mk 6:38, Jesus had instructed the disciples to determine how many loaves were available. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (like Philip, both were from Bethsaida, 1:44), mentioned a lad there (v. 9) who has five barley loaves and two fish. While Jesus could have supplied food from nothing, He chose to multiply the barley loaves of the young boy (the loaves are identified as barley only in John), purposefully replicating a miracle done by the prophet Elisha (2Kg 4:42-44). The prophet Elisha fed 100 men with 10 barley loaves and verified he was sent by God. Jesus demonstrated by the feeding miracle that He is the Prophet sent from God (see the comments on Dt 34:10-12).

6:10-11 The springtime of the Passover season (v. 4) produced plenty of grass in the place. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus led His Jewish lost sheep (Cf. 10:1-16; Mt 10:6) to lush pasture. The number, about five thousand (the number is rounded off), was the count of the adult men (Mt 14:21 mentions women and children). The total number of people may have been 15,000 or even 20,000. Before distributing the bread and fish (v. 11), Jesus gave thanks for the food (cf. v. 23).

6:12-13 Christ always supplies an overabundance for our needs. The people were all filled and there were many leftover pieces. “Leftover” is the Greek word perisseuo, lit., “abundance” (cf. v. 13; 10:10). Since John favors symbolism, the twelve baskets (v. 13) may symbolize the Messiah’s sufficiency for the twelve tribes of Israel. Only the leftover bread is mentioned since that alone relates to the bread of life teaching that follows (vv. 32-58).

6:14-15 Moses fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna from heaven. When the people saw the sign (see comment on 2:11), which Jesus had performed, it reminded them of Dt 18:18, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses].” In disregard for the spiritual, they sought a political solution, deciding to take Christ by force to make Him king (v. 15)—a point not mentioned in the Synoptic parallels. Resisting the temptation for recognition and power, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

b Walking on Water (6:15-21)

6:16-17 Although John did not specifically call Jesus’ walking on water a sign, there is little doubt he presented it as such. According to the Synoptics, Jesus had instructed the disciples to sail ahead of Him to Capernaum while He spent time praying (Mt 14:22-23; Mk 6:45-46). So when evening came, the disciples set out on their trip (four to five miles). It had already become dark (v. 17) pictures the physical environment. But with the added phrase, and Jesus had not yet come to them, the clause “may also be symbol-laden: as in 3:2; 13:30, the darkness of night and the absence of Jesus are powerfully linked” (Carson, John, 274).

6:18-19 The Sea of Galilee is well known for its sudden storms. Cooler Mediterranean winds from the west get funneled through several valleys that descend to the lake, often colliding with hotter inland air, resulting in strong winds. As the winds increased, the disciples found that they had only rowed about three or four miles (v. 19), to the middle of the lake (Mk 6:47). The storm did not terrify them. But they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost (Mk 6:49). John did not call Jesus’ walking on the water a “sign” (see comment on 2:11). Instead, it was a private manifestation of His messianic glory to His disciples.

6:20-21 Jesus’ walking on water is united with His unique claim to deity, It is I (lit., “I am”). See comments on v. 35 and 8:58. In the OT, the sea often represented anarchy and disorder. It was God who brought it under control (cf. Jnh 1:4-15; Pss 65:5-7; 93:1-4). Since they were in the middle of the lake, the words immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going carry a supernatural sense.

c Bread of Life Message (6:22-71)

6:22-24 The disciples’ willing reception of Jesus (v. 21; Cf. 1:11-12) contrasted with the response of the crowd that stood on the other [eastern] side of the sea (cf. vv. 26, 36, 41-42, 52), across the lake from Tiberias. They eventually discovered the disciples had left for Capernaum (on the northwest shore of the lake) without Jesus. But they also determined that Jesus was not in the area. The crowd had dwindled enough by now (Jesus had dismissed them; Mt 14:22; Mk 6:45) that they could all fit in the small boats that came from Tiberias on the southwest shore of the lake (vv. 23-24). They came to Capernaum seeking Jesus, and apparently all crowded into the synagogue at Capernaum (v. 59). The archaeological discovery in 1976 of a contemporary synagogue at Gamla (10 miles east of Capernaum) indicates it held about 300 people. The synagogue at Capernaum may have been a similar size.

6:25-27 Since Jesus had not taken a boat and could not have traveled on foot to Capernaum that quickly, the people knew something unusual had happened. Their question when did You get here? expressed their confusion. Jesus did not explain when He arrived but addressed their motive in seeking Him (v. 26). It was not because they saw signs, which could lead them to faith (20:31-32), but because they ate food and were filled. Two kinds of food must be distinguished (v. 27): food which perishes and food which endures to eternal life. Jews would recall that the manna given by Moses in the wilderness lasted only a day (Ex 16:19-21). For set His seal, see comment on 3:33. God’s seal on Christ is the Spirit (Jn 1:32-33; 3:34; Ac 10:38).

6:28-29 The command to “work” for eternal food (v. 27) prompted the question What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God? Jesus redefined the “works of God” (pl.) as the work of God (sg.): to believe in the Son (v. 29). By this wordplay on “work,” Christ declared that eternal life is really not gained by works (Eph 2:8-9; Rm 4:4; Ti 3:5). Even the manna that Moses gave the Israelites was so that they might learn not to live by physical bread alone but also spiritual bread (Dt 8:3).

6:30-31 The crowd at Capernaum consisted of skeptics who had seen Jesus’ previous signs (v. 2) and the feeding miracle, and others who had not seen the feeding miracle (cf. those in the boats from Tiberias, vv. 23-24). Together they asked, What then do You do for a sign so that we may … believe You? In their thinking, if Jesus were the Prophet like Moses, then His miracles would be superior. Jesus provided one meal for 5,000 on a grassy hillside; Moses fed a nation manna (v. 31) in the wilderness for forty years. Jesus used earthly fish and bread, but Moses GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT (a quote from Ps 78:24). Later rabbis also saw a link between Moses feeding Israel manna in the wilderness with the future Messiah, as seen in the Midrash (the ancient rabbinic exposition of the Bible). “As the first redeemer (Moses) was, so shall the latter Redeemer (Messiah) be…. As the former redeemer caused manna to descend … so will the latter Redeemer cause manna to descend” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 1:9).

6:32-33 The bread given by Moses in the wilderness was temporal. In that sense, it was not the bread out of heaven. Instead, it was My Father, Jesus said, who was giving them the true heavenly bread. “True” means spiritual and eternal as opposed to temporal and physical. The feeding miracle pointed to Jesus, the true bread of God (v. 33). This Bread is far superior because it gives eternal life to the world, not just temporal life to the Jews.

6:34-36 The woman from Sychar mistakenly asked for a continual supply of physical water (4:15). Similarly, these listeners requested never-ending physical bread (always give us this bread). Verse 35 (I am the bread of life) contains the first of seven “I am” statements in John (but cf. v. 20; 4:26). Will not hunger and will never thirst are emphatic in Greek and demonstrate that eternal life is a permanent possession. In v. 30, the Jews told Jesus that if they saw a sign, they would believe. Jesus contradicted this (v. 36), explaining that they had seen Him and His signs but still did not believe.

6:37 All that the Father gives to the Son will come to Him (i.e., believe). Similar statements are mentioned frequently in John (6:39; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24; 18:9). The “giving” could refer to a divine election that precedes the “coming” (cf. Eph 1:3-6) or to the certain reception of Jesus by those who genuinely seek the One True God (cf. “if you believed Moses, you would believe Me,” Jn 5:46; cf. also 1:35-51; 5:24, 38; 10:27-29). Will certainly not cast out is clarified in the following verses. Cast out (two words in Greek, the first from the verb ekballo, “I throw out,” and the second an adverb ekso, “outside”) does not refer to how Jesus will receive people, but how He will keep people who have believed in Him. Though the blind man was cast out of the synagogue (ekballo and ekso also, 9:34), he will always be “in” Christ.

6:38-40 Christ’s purpose in coming to earth was to do the will of the Father who sent Him (4:34; 5:30; 8:29). On the basis of His perfect obedience to the Father, Jesus promised (v. 39) that all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. The “last day” refers to the resurrection and final judgment. Verse 40 emphatically repeats v. 39. No clearer verses can be found that affirm the ultimate safekeeping of the believer. Our eternal security depends on Jesus fulfilling the will of the Father, which He will never fail to do.

6:41-42 Grumbling is reminiscent of Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness (Ex 16:2, 7-9, 12). The Jews stumbled over Jesus’ claim to be the bread that came down out of heaven. “Came down” is the language of incarnation (Jn 1:14; Gl 4:4; Php 2:7-8). Their familiarity with Jesus’ human lineage like His father and mother (cf. Mk 6:3; Lk 4:22) prevented them from seeing His true nature as God come in human flesh (Cf. 1:14).

6:43-44 The crowd of skeptics grumbled against the assertion that Jesus had come down from heaven and that people were coming to Him because the Father “gave them to” Jesus (v. 37). Jesus both rebuked their complaining and corrected their ignorance. No one could come to Him unless the Father who sent Christ draws that person. Left to oneself, no one would ever seek God or Christ (see the comments on Rm 1:18-23 and 3:9-18). God provided that everyone who hears the message of Christ should be drawn (12:32), but that drawing does not last forever (Cf. 12:40).

6:45-46 Jesus confirmed the universal drawing of God (Cf. 12:32) by a quote from the writing of the prophets. Isaiah 54:13 declared that in the millennial kingdom, people will ALL BE TAUGHT by GOD (Is 2:3; Mc 4:2). “Taught” clarifies how God “draws” people (v. 44). But it is not enough to be drawn or taught by God. Everyone who has heard and has actually learned from the Father comes to or believes in Jesus. Those who have “learned from the Father” will be given to the Son (v. 37). Because of a switch from the first person to the third person, v. 46 is regarded by the NET as a parenthetical note by John. But Jesus may use the third person of Himself (cf. Jn 5:19; 10:11; 17:1-2) here to explain that He is the only One who has learned from the Father by actually seeing Him.

6:47-48 Truly, truly alerts the listener to the significance of what follows. The one who does nothing more than believes has eternal life. In radical contrast, every other religion requires some works to gain eternal life or reach the “ultimate,” whatever it might be. Christ’s claim I am the bread of life (v. 48; cf. vv. 35, 51) uses one of the most basic sources of nourishment to express metaphorically His role in sustaining everlasting life.

6:49-51 By referring to your fathers, Jesus identified His opponents with the rebellious Israelites who ate the manna in the wilderness, and died. For the first time of several in the chapter (vv. 50-54, 56-58), Jesus mentioned directly that one must eat of this bread (v. 50). To eat this bread is a metaphor for believing in Christ, since this thought is the central concern in the chapter (vv. 29-30, 35-36, 40, 47, 64, 69). Just as one takes in bread for physical life, one must “take in” Christ by faith for eternal life. One who eats living bread (v. 51) will live forever. The bread is now defined as His “flesh” or body that He will voluntarily offer (I will give) on the cross to bring salvation for everyone (for the life of the world). Since neither wine nor the cup is mentioned (Mt 26:27; 1Co 10:16; 11:26-28), there is no clear allusion to the Lord’s Supper.

6:52-53 Jesus’ analogy of eating His flesh was purposeful. Eating someone’s flesh is abhorrent. Likewise, sinful humanity is repulsed by the need to believe in Christ. Misunderstanding Jesus again (cf. v. 34), the unbelieving Jews question, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? To the need to eat the flesh of the Son of Man (v. 53), Jesus added an additional revolting image, the command to drink His blood. With the imagery of “eating” and “drinking,” Christ helped communicate the need to assimilate by faith Christ’s death for one’s self.

6:54-56 The phrase He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood cannot refer to the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper since John (1) paid very little attention to sacraments (the Lord’s Supper is never mentioned in the book); (2) made faith alone the means by which one has eternal life; and (3) showed that interpreting Jesus literally and physically (as in a sacramental view) is a misunderstanding (a common literary feature in John). For true, see v. 32. As with food that our body completely absorbs, one who by faith eats Christ’s flesh and drinks His blood abides in Christ, and Christ abides in him. “Abiding” in Christ in v. 56 involves an ongoing fellowship with Jesus that begins at the moment of faith. But as 15:1-11 will show, “abiding” in Christ requires ongoing obedience (15:10). So 15:4 will give the command to remain or continue in this fellowship with Christ.

6:57-59 This is the only place in the Bible that God is called the living Father. The Son draws His life from the Father (I live because of the Father). Similarly, the believer’s eternal life is dependent on the Son (so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me). Verse 58 restates v. 49. Not as the fathers ate and died contrasts with Jesus’ reference to the “living Father.” John informed us (v. 59) that Jesus’ message on the Bread of Life took place in the synagogue at Capernaum. Adult men competent in the OT Scriptures could speak in the synagogue service (Lk 4:16; Ac 13:15, 42; 17:2).

6:60-61 Many of Christ’s disciples found it difficult to accept the teaching that one needed to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink His blood (i.e., believe in Christ) to gain eternal life. “Listen” (Who can listen to it?) is better rendered “accept” (NIV, HCSB). Jesus (v. 61) was supernaturally conscious (Gk. “knew within Himself”) that many of His disciples grumbled at His claims. Stumble (skandalizo) means “that which causes an obstacle” to faith, “that which shocks or causes anger.” The cross (cf. v. 51) is the primary offense to man’s persistence in self-righteousness (1Co 1:23; Gl 5:11).

6:62-63 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending implies the crucifixion (cf. v. 61) and resurrection through which the ascension is accomplished will be more difficult to believe. Where He was before is part of the offense since it teaches Christ’s preexistence (Cf. 1:1). The Spirit is the One who gives eternal life. The flesh (human nature associated with sin and self-righteousness) profits nothing as it relates to the attainment of eternal life, or even in evaluating who Jesus is. The truth about Jesus’ death by crucifixion seems unthinkable from a human perspective (“the flesh”). But the Spirit works through Jesus’ words, not fleshly reasoning.

6:64-65 Without pointing out individuals, Jesus told His disciples, There are some of you who do not believe. In His omniscience (cf. v. 61; also 1:47; 2:24-25; 6:15), Jesus knew the ones who did not believe. The parallel words and who it was that would betray Him identify Judas as an unbeliever (Cf. 6:71; 13:11). The words no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him (v. 65) show again the divine side of human faith. Unless God brings about faith in the heart of a person, he or she will not believe. In salvation, God is the “prime mover” (i.e., “drawing,” v. 44).

6:66-67 Many of Christ’s disciples withdrew and stopped following Him as their Teacher/Rabbi (i.e., stopped traveling with Him and learning His teachings). Jesus’ total disciples may not have been a large group (for an estimate of the total crowd, see 6:22-24). These followers were not rejecting the conditions of discipleship but the condition of eternal life as found exclusively in Christ (vv. 30, 35-36, 40, 47, 64, 69). But Judas continued as a disciple (vv. 70-71), yet also never believed. Although Jesus questioned (v. 67) the twelve (including Judas), this does not imply that all His other disciples left. His question called for a confession of faith from His closest followers.

6:68-69 Peter’s spontaneity results in testimony. Lord, to whom shall we go? rightly assesses the exclusive role of Christ in receiving eternal life (Cf. 14:6). You alone (“alone” is implied in the context) have words that lead to eternal life. Peter announced as the representative for the others (v. 69), We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God. For “know” as a synonym for “believe,” see 4:42. Faith in Christ for these eleven disciples began at least as early as 2:11.

6:70-71 Peter thought that all twelve disciples had believed (“we have believed,” v. 69). Jesus corrected him, Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil [or just possibly “the Devil”]? Jesus stated that among the twelve (not among the disciples who left), there was one controlled by the Devil, or Satan. This is the first mention of Judas (v. 71), identified as the son of Simon Iscariot, and thereby distinguished from another apostle (Lk 16:16) and Jesus’ half brother (Mt 13:55). Since both Judas and his father, Simon, are called Iscariot, “Judas” may be a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew for “man of Kerioth” (Jos 15:25), the town from which they came (Carson, John, 304).