John 6:22-51 Jesus clearly describes His purpose of coming to this world, that is, to give eternal life to those who believe in Him. Material blessings are perishable (temporal). For example, the bread. Spiritual blessings are imperishable (eternal). Let’s focus on that which is eternal.
This is a repeating pattern. When the people ask the right questions Jesus reveals the truth (iterations). Work for food that endures (v 27) – What work? (V 28) – Believe (v 29) – Signs? (v 30) – Bread from heaven (v 33) – Give us this bread (v 34) – I am the Bread of Life, believe in son for eternal life (vv 35, 40). At this the Jews began grumbling…
Jesus gives a promise for all who believe him that he will raise them up on the last day.
John 6:42 I always thought it would be easier to believe Jesus for people who lived at that time. But it proves the other way here. And verse 44 serves as an answer for this.
Like the jews we see how God helps us in times of our need. We thank Him and praise Him and next day we forget about it.John 6:30
Our FatherAmong the grumbling Jews about food and asking signs. Jesus gives us a portrait of His Father
1. His will for us: (v 40 )that we all share our eternal life with Him by “looking” and believing in Jesus.
Looking in Jesus the God coming down, looking him lying on the manger, looking him in his perfect life of obedience, looking Him in his prayer in the upper room, looking at him hanging on the cross, looking at him sitting at the right hand of the Father and looking and looking and looking until we believe that he did it all for us.
Let us be careful not to say ” Not this Jesus that “we know”(42) from Sunday class or my family or my tradition”. We have to look again.
V34 the crowd asks Jesus for the bread. This reminds the Samaritan woman who asked Jesus for water so that she never goes thirsty again. The crowd/woman didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about.V37 Jesus never drives anyone who comes to him. Isn’t this very comforting?
Let us believe the living bread who came down from heaven
If you believe in Jesus you will have eternal life.
This passage says that we just have to believe in Jesus, and he gives us a wonderful gift in return – eternal life. For us, it’s so confusing that we will live forever and that God has always existed. I think that God created confusing obstacles to test our faith. He wants us to believe no matter what.
Vs 51 – He gave His flesh (bread) for the life of world.Vs- 40 … And I will raise him up at the last day.
What an amazing promise
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes , but for the food which endures to everlasting life , which the Son of Man will give you , because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” – I don’t think this means, we shouldn’t get employed anywhere to earn money to run our family & to help others. Rather, where do we focus? Even at work place, for what we give importance? Are we trying to satisfy a person or God? It is all within us. If we focus on God, all other things will follow us. In that process, we need to cross waters, rivers and fire..this is my understanding.
The Jews questioned about what Jesus said. They taught that he was blaspheming. They did not believe in him because they expected the messiah will come as a king but in reality he came from a very ordinary village. We should believe in Jesus no matter what.
v48 I am the bread of life. V51 whoever eats this bread will live for ever. Recalling ch1v14; The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Therefore It seems plausible to equate ‘Eating His flesh’ to ‘Eating His word’ which means ‘Living by His word’. If I do that, then Jesus sees Life in me and does not condemn me as given in ch5v24. Drinking His blood: dont know what this means. May be there is a very simple explanation.
I equate these 2 against Holiness (Purity) and Love. When we eat His flesh, we are filled with His love. Drinking blood cleans and keep us Holy..this is my understanding
Are we searching for Jesus to accomplish our worldly need.I am the living bread, previously we meditated on I am the living water in samaritan women incident. Its world vs spiritual. Are we picking spiritual when it comes to bread and water. If we tasted the living water and living bread, our life will resemble our creator, our living water and living bread.
The crowd went to find Jesus. The crowd wanted more food from Jesus. But they did not understand why Jesus came to the world. Jesus came to give eternal life.
Jesus reveals himself to this crowd, at the same time he reveals the truth about the people too. In v(36)- still you do not believe, v(26)- looking for the signs.When God reveals himself to us, he will also reveal our hearts to us, we have to be ready to accept our faults and repent and believe in him to attain eternal life.
He has promised to give us the eternal life(v51)
The bread of life is Jesus and whoever believes in him will have eternal life.
V44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. We can pray & share gospel for the unbeliever and can never force them to accept Christ. As Heavenly Father draws people towards him in his own time
1. Stop Grumbling
-…Jews began to grumble (v41), …how can he say “I came down from heaven”.
-Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died (v49), because they grumbled for Food and Water, and etc, (Exo 16:2-3). Those who grumbled could not enter into the promised land (Canaan)!
2. Start Believing
-Then Jesus declared, “I’m the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever Believes in me will never go thirsty…” (v35).
3. Stay living (eternal)
-For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life…(v40). They enter through the narrow gate to God’s promised land (Heaven)!
Even after seeing several signs and wonders the Jews did not recognize Jesus as God’s own son . They were just looking for him to satisfy their worldly needs.
When Jesus said “I am the living bread” they just grumbled and related it to the Manna that their ancestors got.
But they all missed the main point of salvation. Are we as ignorant as the Jews, looking for worldly satisfaction or are we progressing to our heavenly blessings?
