May 6,2012
Lesson Scripture:
John 6:22-35
Lesson Focus:
Our Need For God Goes
beyond our Physical needs
INTRODUCTION. God has created us with both physical needs (food, clothing, and shelter) and spiritual needs (forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, and more). Often, however, we focus on our physical needs over spiritual needs. This week’s lesson shows us how Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger, for He is the Bread of Life.
(vs. 22). Our lesson begins with “The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone.” The phrase “The day following” refers to the day after Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand (see John 6:5-14). After feeding the multitude, Jesus realized that there was a movement to make Him king, so He immediately left His disciples to be alone (see John 6:15). Near evening, His disciples boarded a boat and went across the sea toward Capernaum (see vs. 17). Jesus joined them later by walking on the water (see vss. 18-21). Those who had been fed went looking for Jesus the next day. They knew that the only boat that was there the day before belonged to the disciples and they had sailed across the sea as noted by the phrase “Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone.” However, the crowd didn’t see Jesus get in the boat with His disciples. The crowd then assumed that He was still near Bethsaida so they went looking for Him. They didn’t know that Jesus had walked out on the water to His disciples during the storm in the night.
(vs. 23). Here John says parenthetically “(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks).” Other boats arrived from Tiberias to this location where Jesus had fed the five thousand but the one carrying the disciples was the only one that had left. We are not told why these boats came from Tiberias, but one would conclude that word about the feeding of the multitude had spread and others were coming to see Jesus too.
(vs. 24). John now writes that “When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.” When the people looking for Jesus couldn’t find Him, they “also took shipping, and came to Capernaum” meaning that they got into the boats that came from Tiberias and headed for Capernaum to try to find Jesus.
(vs. 25). This verse says “And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?” When the crowd found Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, they had only one question for Jesus, “Rabbi, when camest thou hither?”They wanted to know when did Jesus leave Bethsaida and cross the sea to get to Capernaum.They knew He didn’t leave with His disciples and that He went off by Himself from the crowd, but they had no idea how He made it from Bethsaida to Capernaum overnight when there were no boats available.The answer of course was that He walked on the water to His disciples and entered their boat.
(vs. 26). Jesus then answered the people saying “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” The words “Verily, verily” literally mean “truly, truly” and indicated that Jesus was about to say something very important that they needed to hear. Jesus told them that they were only looking for Him for the free food, not for the miracles He performed. Jesus was about to expose their inner motives for looking for Him, because He knew their hearts. He knew that they were seeking Him only to see what else He would do for them.
(vs. 27). Jesus continued to say the people, “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 sealed.” Jesus told them not to spend their time seeking or working for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. In other words, they needed to be looking for spiritual food. Spiritual nourishment, as opposed to physical nourishment, will endure forever. This kind of nourishment comes only from the Son of God, the One the Father has authorized or “sealed” to give it to those who believe in Him.
(vs. 28). The people “Then said they unto him (Jesus), What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus’ listeners apparently thought He was saying they could gain salvation by earning or working for it. Unfortunately, many people today are puzzled by what God wants them to do. Like many people today, this crowd thought that their works in life would determine whether or not they will get into heaven.
(vs. 29). In response to their question, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Jesus told the crowd that the only work that God expected of them was to “believe on him whom he hath sent.” Satisfying God does not come from the work we do but in whom we believe. Of course, this is not work in the sense we usually think of work, but is a matter of responding to God’s offer of salvation through belief in His Son. There is no activity or work that we can do to earn or merit eternal life (see Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift given to those who believe that Jesus is who He claims to be, “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). Note: The only requirement for receiving salvation is belief. It is simply a matter of believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that His death has provided all the payment needed for us to inherit eternal life (see I Corinthians 6:19-20; Hebrews 10:10).
(vs. 30). Then the crowd “said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?” These Jews no doubt understood that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah when He spoke about believing in the One whom God had sent. Note: Earlier in the text, after the multitude was miraculously fed by Jesus, they concluded that He was “the prophet that should come into the world (see John 6:14). Of course this was a reference to the expectation of a prophet like unto Moses (see Deuteronomy 18:15-19; John 1:21, 45; Acts 3:20-26) who Israel identified as the Messiah. Since Jesus claimed to be the One sent by God, the crowd asked for another “sign” or miracle as proof that He was the Messiah. It’s ironic that they would ask for another miracle since they had just seen Him multiply five loaves of bread and two small fish in order to feed thousands of people.
(vs. 31). The people went on to say to Jesus, “Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” By making this statement, the people were attempting to minimize the miracle Jesus performed by comparing it to what Moses,by God’s power, did in the wilderness.Moses had provided manna for the entire Hebrew nation for forty years while in the wilderness. As far as they were concerned, Jesus had only fed several thousands once.If He was the Messiah, surely He could do better than that!The people even quoted Scripture to prove their point (see Psalms 78:24).In spite of the fact that Jesus was performing miracles, the people still had their own ideas about what the Messiah would do and be like, and they expected Jesus to fulfill their expectations.Note: It is most important that our understanding of who Jesus is comes from God’s Word and not from other people’s ideas and opinions!
(vs. 32). After the people tried to compare Jesus’ miracle with what God did through Moses in the wilderness, John says “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.” Jesus made it perfectly clear that it was God, not Moses, who had sent the bread, or manna from heaven. When the manna was first provided, even Moses pointed out that it came from God (see Exodus 16:15). Jesus also indicated that there was a difference between the bread that came from heaven in Moses’ time and the “true bread” that was now available to them. The biggest difference between these two breads is that the “true bread” would satisfy both spiritually and eternally.
(vs. 33). Jesus went on to further describe this spiritual bread. He said “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” The bread that the Father had now sent was in a Person. The phrase “bread of God” is the same as “bread from heaven” but it is now personified and points to Jesus.
(vs. 34). The people then said to Jesus “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Like the Samaritan woman, these people were not ready for salvation. The woman of Samaria wanted the living water from Jesus so that she wouldn’t have to keep going to the well. These Jews wanted the bread so they wouldn’t have to toil or work to maintain life. Even today, people want Jesus only for the benefits He can give them.
(vs. 35). These people needed to know that Jesus wasn’t talking about physical bread so He made some clear statements about Himself. John writes “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Jesus plainly told them that He was “the bread of Life,” the one who could sustain them spiritually if they would receive Him into their lives. Both the “hunger” and the “thirst” that Jesus referred to are spiritual longings that can be satisfied only through a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Following Jesus means to allow Him to be Master and Lord; it is a commitment to discipleship.
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