John 6

JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND

The people followed Jesus because they believed in His signs performed on the sick, and they wanted to see more miracles. When He saw the multitude coming, He asked His disciples how they would feed them all.

Andrew said there was a boy with five loaves and two fish. Jesus had the people sit down. There were about five thousand men, not counting the women and children. He distributed the loaves and fish, and by the time everyone had finished eating, the disciples collected the leftovers and filled twelve baskets. Then the people were amazed at the sign.

JESUS WALKS ON WATER

Jesus knew the men wanted to make Him king; therefore, he departed to the mountain by Himself. By evening, His disciples went into a boat on the sea and started toward the otherside. In the night, a great wind came up and there they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. They were afraid, but He assured them it was Him. He got into the boat and immediately they were on the other side of the sea. 

The people sought Jesus because they ate and were filled. Jesus told them not to labor for the food that perishes, but "for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give [to them], because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

When they asked what shall they do, that they may work the works of God. He answered that "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." And they asked for a sign that they may believe. Jesus told them (again): 

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. but I say to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me will by no means cast out. 

The Jews did not understand because He called Himself the bread "which came down from heaven." Jesus replied to them that No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Jesus said, "...I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The Jews did not understand and even His disciples found this a hard saying to comprehend. 

Jesus knew from the beginning who believed and who did not. He said again, "...I have said...that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." Afterward, many disciples stopped following Him. 

When Jesus asked of His twelve disciples if they would go away, too, they said they would not because He had the words of eternal life, and they believed that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God." But Jesus also knew that one of them was "a devil," Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.

COMMENTARY

Jesus' mission is not to restore our physical bodies but to be Lord of our hearts. Unfortunately, the people were only interested in seeing Jesus perform more miracles. That was why they followed Him all over and sought Him out. He wanted them to seek Him for the food that endures forever. Just as He told the woman at the well about the everlasting water, He told these people about the Bread of Life. 

The people asked what "work" they must do for this bread of life. "Man has always felt that if he could just work at it, he could be saved. He feels thoroughly capable of working out his salvation. He feels competent to do it, and he feels that God must accept his works." But the work of God is that you believe on him who God has sent. It is what God has done, not what we can do. 

ELECTION OR FREEWILL

According to McGee, the arguments of election and free will are present in this chapter. 

All that the Father gives to me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:36-37)

"All that the Father gives to me shall come to me," represents election. "And him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out," is free will. The Father gives men to Christ, but men must come. And the ones that come are the ones whom the Father gives to Him. "Whosoever will may come!" And if you come, He will not cast you out. "If you come, you will be the elect." 

When Jesus told the people about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was preparing them for the Last Supper, which is symbolic for His sacrifice. This is my body, is just symbolic. Bread is bread and wine is wine, but the sacrament is a spiritual blessing for the heart of all Christians.