The Bread of Life – (John 6:1-71)

John 6:1-71

There is a Christian artist and film producer named Joe Boyd. Joe Boyd’s idea is that, rather than trying so hard to interpret the meaning of individual verses, we should hear the story of God’s Word as a whole and let it speak to us. Joe Boyd created a theatrical performance in which he presents the entire Gospel of John as a single monologue. I have taken only the part of his performance that deals with chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. I have woven it into the text of my sermon on this chapter, because I think he presents in a very vivid way what actually happened. At the same time, we will read the whole chapter, so that we know not only what Joe Boyd says, but also what the evangelist John says. So let us open our hearts and reflect on the Word of God, because I believe that in everything spoken in this chapter, God has a message for us.

JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND (vv. 1-15)

After His clash with the Pharisees over the healing of the man who had been sick for thirty-eight years, on the Sabbath, Jesus withdrew to a remote place. This happened at a time when His popularity was reaching one of its peaks. Because of the healings He was performing, Jesus had gathered a crowd of five thousand people in that field, people who longed to hear Him.

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. (John 6:1-4)

This was before there were microphones and sound systems, so Jesus simply walked from person to person among them and taught them. These people were so hungry for Jesus’ words that they missed lunch, and they missed dinner too. Soon it would grow dark. Then Jesus pulled Philip aside and said to him:

“What are we going to do?”
Philip answers, “Why? What’s the problem?”
Jesus says, “Well, they haven’t eaten today. We have to feed them.”
Philip answers, “Uh… We’re poor, Jesus. To feed them, we’d need seven or eight months’ wages from a man who has a job. And our job is to follow You around. We don’t have any money! We can’t feed these people!”

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” (John 6:5-7)

Philip was very sure about what could not be done, but he had no vision at all for what could be done.

Then Andrew arrives with a little boy who had brought food along for the journey. Andrew introduces him to Jesus.

“Jesus, this little boy, this sweet little boy, has followed You all day long. He understands that the people are hungry and wants to share his food with them. I think this is one of the most self-giving gestures I’ve ever seen anyone make. It’s just like one of the parables You tell. Give him a little of Your time — talk with him.”
Jesus replies, “Finally, someone’s doing something around here.” “Hey, buddy, how are you? What’s your name?”
John.
What do you have in your bag? Mom gave me five barley rolls from the batch she baked. She makes them wonderfully. I also have two little fish.
Are you sure you want to share them with us? All right. Don’t worry, I’ll set something aside for you too.

After Jesus spoke with the little boy, He turned to the crowd.

“People, we’ve spent the whole day here. You must be hungry. In Nazareth, before we eat, we thank God for the food. Let’s pray! Father, thank You for giving us this bread and this fish. You care for us, just as You care for the birds of the sky and the flowers of the field. Amen.”

Jesus prayed. Then Jesus turned to His disciples.

“What are you waiting for? Have the people sit down on the ground so you can serve them more easily.”

Then Jesus began to break the loaves and the fish and started handing them to His disciples to distribute to the people. And that is when the miracle happened — as the disciples took the loaves and fish from Jesus and passed them out, they multiplied in Jesus’ hands and in their hands. Everyone ate, and there were twelve full baskets of leftovers for the next day.

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:8-13)

Then the chanting began to be heard. It started softly, but it grew louder and louder.

“Make Him king! Make Him king!” “Make Him king! Make Him king! Make Him King!” Five thousand people chanting His name. “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!”

They were ready to march on Jerusalem, to storm the temple, to storm Pilate’s palace, to take the city and enthrone Jesus. They wanted Jesus to be their king, because they were poor and could not manage to eat every day, and He somehow managed to work miracles and multiply food. Of course, this was their king. Jesus, however, was not ready for this. He said to His disciples:

“I don’t like this. I’m out of here. I’m going up the mountain to pray. I’ll see you on the other side of the lake tomorrow morning. Just get out of here as fast as you can.”

Jesus goes off to pray. They get into the boat and head for the other side of the lake.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (John 6:14-15)

JESUS WALKS ON THE WATER (vv. 16-21)

In the middle of the night Jesus finishes His prayer and heads for the other side of the lake, where He is expected to meet His disciples in the morning. Jesus, however, does not go around by land, but cuts straight across the water. And as He walks on the water, He catches up with them. Picture it: they are rowing. When a person rows, he sits with his back to the bow and his face toward the stern of the boat — in other words, he is looking backward. And as they were rowing, they see Jesus. They are frightened, but He catches up with them, they take Him into the boat, and they reach the other side of the lake.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. (John 6:16-21)

By now it has grown quite late. They have had a long day. Jesus is tired and falls asleep. The rest of the disciples fall asleep too.

THE BREAD OF LIFE (vv. 22-65)

And here is what Jesus wakes up to the next day: “Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast!” “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” Then Jesus sits up, looks out from the boat, and there are thousands of them, more than before. And they are chanting, “Make Him king! Make Him king!” “Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast!” “Pancakes! Pancakes! Pancakes!”

Jesus asks them:

“Are you hungry?”
“Yeeees!”
“Do you want to eat?”
“Yeeees!”
“Very good. Now, you need to know that there is also spiritual food. I am the bread of life. You need spiritual food too!”
“… — …”
“Moses gave you bread in the wilderness, remember? That thing you asked about, ‘What is it?’ — do you remember? God gave you that food, not Moses. Oh, you want real food?”
“Yeeees!”
“You want real drink?”
“Yeeees!”
“You’re hungry?!”
“Yeeees!” “Breakfast! Breakfast! Breakfast!” “Feed us! Feed us! Feed us!”
“You want to eat?! If you want to eat, eat Me!”
“… — …”
“Eat My flesh!” “Drink My blood!”
“… — …”

They were shocked by this offer.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. (John 6:22-24)

In the text that follows, we see Jesus speaking with three groups of people — the crowd, the “Jews,” and the disciples.

THE CONVERSATION WITH THE CROWD (vv. 25-40)

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” (John 6:25)

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (John 6:26-27)

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:28-29)

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” (John 6:30-31)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32-33)

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” (John 6:34)

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:35-40)

THE CONVERSATION WITH THE JEWS (vv. 41-59)

After the conversation with the crowd, John describes another, similar conversation, which is a continuation of the previous one. This conversation of Jesus is with the Jews. The “Jews” in the Gospel of John were the opponents of Jesus. They were all Jews, but these were a particular sort of “Jews.” And here it says that they “began to grumble” against Him.

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” 43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:41-51)

Imagine that one of the Jews raises his hand:

“Jesus, this teaching is hard for us to understand. Could You put it to us in a slightly different way?”
“What is so hard for you to understand? You say you’re hungry. You say you want to eat right now. I tell you: Come and eat My flesh! Drink My blood! I tell you, if you do not eat My flesh, which is real food, and do not drink My blood, which is real drink, then you can go home to your houses and you have nothing to do with Me.”

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. (John 6:52-59)

THE CONVERSATION WITH THE DISCIPLES (vv. 60-66)

Up to this point Jesus was speaking first with the crowd, then with the Jews. Now He begins to speak with the disciples — people who considered themselves His followers.

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! (John 6:60-62)

The fact that the Son of Man will ascend to where He was in the beginning is proof that He will not be “eaten.” He will ascend whole to where He was at first. This verse is proof that when Jesus said to eat His flesh and drink His blood, Jesus did not want to make us cannibals. What is at stake is that we believe and receive His sacrifice on the cross. For on the cross He gave Himself for us. So this is not about material things, but about spiritual ones.

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:63)

Now, which is true — what Jesus says here, that “the flesh counts for nothing,” or what Jesus said earlier, that “His flesh” is “real food”? Both are true. Because in the one case He is speaking about Himself, and in the other case He is saying that the things He is speaking about are not physical things, but spiritual ones.

64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:64-66)

WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE (vv. 67-71)

Then the people of the crowd went away — every one of them. The “Jews” — His opponents — went away too. And many of His disciples went away as well. Only the Twelve remained. They were, so to speak, “stuck in the boat with Him and had nowhere to run” — even though the conversations in this chapter take place in the synagogue in Capernaum. And I don’t know… People think different things about Jesus. And perhaps in your picture of Jesus there is no room for a Jesus who is sorry about something, or a Jesus who does not always make the right decisions. But if you did have such a picture, then perhaps this would be the episode from which you might get it. Why did Jesus make the people go away? Why did He push them away? Why did He not tell them something that would be attractive to them? Why did He speak so directly: “Eat My flesh! Drink My blood!”? So directly that these people were simply disgusted by His words — they did not want to listen to them. They left; they abandoned Him. And His disciples saw all this, and they were shocked. They just stared at one spot and said nothing. Then Jesus looks at them and says:

Boys, will you leave Me too?
Then Peter speaks up: “Jesus, we have nowhere else to go. Besides, You are the only one who speaks words that give us… eternal life.”

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6:67-71)

In this chapter Jesus’ “rating” (if we may put it in modern terms) went from the very highest — because after the miracles of healing the sick, and especially after the miracle with the bread and the fish, the people followed Him, sought Him, walked after Him — from the very highest, His rating dropped to “zero.” And yet, despite this, Jesus still had “words of eternal life.” In this chapter we find two of His greatest miracles — the feeding of the five thousand and the walking on the water. Jesus, however, does not use them for anything else; He does not use them to win even more people, an even larger crowd. Instead He uses them to give His disciples the most important teaching of all — the teaching about faith in Him and about receiving Him as the bread of life.

In this chapter Jesus’ popularity among the people and the favor He enjoyed with the masses is decreasing, and in its place arises the individual faith of each one of the Twelve. And I believe this is something with which God is speaking to us today. Today we live in a similar time — a time when the multitudes, the crowds, have no faith. The people of the world have no faith. Their faith has evaporated, has melted away. But for us this is not a bad thing. It is simply a challenge to each one of us — to weigh our own hearts and to decide personally for ourselves: will I believe in Jesus or not? Here the question is not a public one, not a social one. It is personal. Right now Jesus Christ wants to ask you this question: “Do you believe in Me? Do you receive Me as the bread of life? Do you accept that without Me there is no life? Do you want Me to be the Lord of your life?”

Four of the disciples — Philip, Andrew, Peter, and Judas — are mentioned by name in this chapter. This shows us that the Lord is interested in each one of us. He knows your name. He knows you, and He wants to find out whether you will follow Him. Do you follow Him simply for the material well-being He gives you (for the food, for the “bread and fish”), or do you follow Him for who He is — the Messiah, the Son of God, the Anointed One, the Savior of the world? Why do you follow Him? Out of tradition, or because you have received Him into your heart and He is your Lord?

This is what God expects of each one of us as well — that in a time when faith in Jesus on the part of the multitudes is evaporating, our own personal faith, built upon our relationship with Him, would grow and mature. The challenge to our faith is enormous, but the reward for our faith is incomparably greater. Jesus Christ is the bread of life. He is the food which, if anyone eats of it, he will never go hungry forever. Material food is necessary, but the satisfaction it gives is temporary. Spiritual food brings us a lasting satisfaction. Jesus said again and again — “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” — that is, he will have a lasting satisfaction. This food is the very Son of God, and the way to receive it is to believe in Him. The way we must come to God is not through our works, but through a declaration of our faith — to say, “Lord, I believe in You.” To say before people, “I believe in Jesus Christ.” Eternal life can be found only by receiving Jesus as He says He is, and by receiving His claims as He says they are. If He says, “I am the bread of life,” you must receive Him as “the bread of life.” If He says, “I am the light of the world,” you must receive Him as the light of the world.

If we receive Him, He will come into us and will be the Lord of our life. We will be completely satisfied — we will never go hungry and never be thirsty. Then we will remain in Him and He in us. Then we will have eternal life, and Christ will raise us up at the last day.

Notice that in our text Jesus speaks several times about “eternal life” and being “raised up at the last day”:

v. 27:

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. (John 6:27)

v. 39:

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:39)

v. 40:

40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:40)

v. 44:

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:44)

v. 47:

47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. (John 6:47)

v. 54:

54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:54)

v. 68:

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)

Another remarkable thing in this chapter is that the way salvation happens is by the Father drawing a person to Himself. If we are in church today, if we are with Jesus, it is because the Father has drawn us to Himself. God is the one who has saved us.

v. 37:

37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37)

v. 39:

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (John 6:39)

v. 45:

45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. (John 6:45)

vv. 64 and 65:

64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” (John 6:64-65)

The fact that God the Father gives someone to Jesus Christ means that He is at work in that person with a special grace — in those He has chosen, so that they may come to know Him. And if God has “given” you to Jesus, you will be His. So Jesus was not interested in those five thousand people who had come to Him only to eat of His bread and who did not understand who He was. Today we see the church shrinking. Why? Evidently there are people among us who are not chosen by God. If someone is chosen by God, he will not stop seeking Jesus. If someone is chosen by God, he will come to Jesus — he will seek Him, he will long for Him, he will live with Him. So in this time, when the multitudes are gone, when there is no revival, when the miracles that used to be there are not there — has God changed? No. Has Jesus changed? No. Can He today multiply the bread and the fish and feed five thousand people with them? He can. Can He take our inadequacy, if we dedicate it to Him, and turn it into adequacy for the glory of God? He can. Can He walk on the water and calm the storm? He can. But today too He says the same thing — He wants to know whether you have faith in Him. Today He says to you, “Do you want to leave Me too?” “Do you want to leave Me too?!” And each one must answer this question — not to me, but must answer to Jesus. And I pray that in this answer each one of us would say the words of Peter: “Where shall we go, Lord? You alone have the words of eternal life.”

These words that Peter spoke are an incredible confession of faith. Look, he says, “We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” This is the faith that Jesus Christ is God, that He rose from the dead, that He is God’s Savior, God’s Anointed One, the one who redeemed us so that we might be God’s and be His.

And finally, in v. 56 it says that if we eat of the Bread of life, we will remain in Him.

56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. (John 6:56)

Then we can ask ourselves this question: “Does Christ remain in me? Is He always in me?” To remain means to stay always in us, and for us to remain in Him means that we stay always in Him. This is about a deep faith that we must have in Jesus. May God help us to come to our senses — whether we remain in Him, whether we eat of Him, and whether we receive Him as the “Bread of Life.”