Jesus’ creating desire for the bread 6:26-34This section of the text contains Jesus’ enigmatic and attractive description of the Bread of Life. Jesus was whetting His hearers’ appetites for it (cf. John 4:10). The pericope ends with them asking Him to give them the Bread (John 6:34). read more
Jesus had previously spoken to the Samaritan woman about living water (John 4:10; John 4:14), and now He spoke to these Galileans about food that endures. He was, as previously, contrasting physical and spiritual nourishment. Consequently the descriptions that follow contain a mixture of literal and metaphorical language. Jesus wanted His hearers to view the spiritual aspects of His mission as more important than its physical aspects.The people apparently understood His reference to bread that... read more
The Bread of LifeJohn 6:1 to John 7:1. Feeding the five thousand. Walking upon the sea. Discourse upon the bread of life. Defection of many disciples. The Apostles stand firm.Returning from Jerusalem, our Lord met the Apostles somewhere on the W. of the lake (perhaps at Capernaum), and heard their report of their mission (Luke 9:10). He then spent about a fortnight preaching and healing the sick (John 6:2), and afterwards, seeking retirement, sailed with them to a desert place on the NE. coast... read more
(27) Labour not for the meat which perisheth.—This is one of the instances in which the reader of the English Bible has in the margin a much better rendering than in the text. Work not shows the verbal connection with John 6:28-30, which is wholly lost in “labour not.” It will be instructive to compare the other passages in this Gospel where the word occurs: John 3:21 (wrought in God); John 5:17; John 9:4. Work not is better than “work not for,” by which the words have been sometimes rendered... read more
The Gospel Feast John 6:5 I. From the beginning, the greatest rite of religion has been a feast; the partaking of God's bounties, in the way of nature, has been consecrated to a more immediate communion with God Himself. For instance, when Isaac was weaned, Abraham 'made a great feast,' and then it was that Sarah prophesied: 'Cast out this bondwoman and her son,' she said, prophesying the introduction of the spirit, grace, and truth which the Gospel contains, instead of the bondage of the... read more
Chapter 14JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE.John 6:1-59.In this chapter John follows the same method as in the last. He first relates the sign, and then gives our Lord’s interpretation of it. As to the Samaritan woman, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so now to the Galileans, Jesus manifests Himself as sent to communicate to man life eternal. The sign by means of which He now manifests Himself is, however, so new that many fresh aspects of His own person and work are disclosed.[21]The occasion for... read more
CHAPTER 6 1. The Feeding of the Five Thousand Men. (John 6:1-14 .) 2. The Attempt to Make Him King, (John 6:15 .) 3. The Stormy Sea. “It is I, be not afraid.” (John 6:16-21 .) 4. The Discourse on the Bread of Life. The Food of the Believer. (John 6:22-59 .) 5. The Falling Away of Disciples. (John 6:60-66 ) 6. Peter’s Confession. (John 6:67-71 .) The events which are recorded in this chapter happened at the Sea of Galilee, the sea of Tiberias. John exclusively uses this name, an evidence... read more
6:27 {d} 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 {e} sealed.(d) Bestow your labour and pain.(e) That is, whom God the Father had distinguished from all other men by planting his own power in him, as though he had sealed him with his seal, so that he might be a vivid example and representation of him: and furthermore he installed him to this office, to reconcile us men... read more
FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND (vs.1-13) The setting here is no longer Jerusalem, but Galilee, and the contrast to the beginning of chapter 5 is striking. For here grace shines out beautifully, available for all, the miracle of the loaves and fishes being a sign to illustrate the gospel of free grace. But the sea of Galilee is called also Tiberias, named for the Roman Emperor, a reminder of Israel's humbling captivity and subjection to Rome. Great crowds follow Him, but not because they are... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 6:22-59
3. The bread of life discourse 6:22-59Jesus proceeded to clarify His identity by teaching the crowds and His disciples. He did so by developing the figure of the Bread of Life, which He claimed to be. Jesus used the feeding of the 5,000 as a basis for explaining His identity to the multitudes. He compared Himself to bread."Again, it was a ministry of ’grace and truth’ (John 1:17). In grace, our Lord fed the hungry people; but in truth, He gave them the Word of God." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:310.] read more