John 6 - Are You Getting Your Recommended Daily Allowance for God's Word?

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Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and many people followed him. They followed him, because they saw the signs that Jesus had performed. Jewish went up on a mountainside with his disciples. The Jewish Passover was near. 

When Jesus saw the large crowds coming, he asked Philip where they could get enough bread to feed the people. When Philip saw the amount of people coming, he was very doubtful they had enough resources to feed all these people. Andrew, Peter's brother, saw a boy with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, but didn't think it would go very far. 

Jesus told the people to sit down, which sounds pretty understandable, until you realize there were 5,000 people. If I were the disciples I would have been wondering how Jesus planned to feed all these people with just 5 loaves and 2 fish. But Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed it to all who were seated. 

When the people had eaten their fill, Jesus told the disciples to put all of the leftovers barley loaves in baskets so as to not waste them. The people were amazed by this sign and remarked that Jesus must be the prophet God had sent into the world. Jesus knew they intended to take him by force, so he withdrew. 

John is the only one of the four Gospel writers who told us this took place near the time of the Passover. Perhaps this great multitude was made up of Galilean pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. - Guzik

Jesus Walks on the Water

After this happened, the disciples got into a boat and starting rowing toward Capernaum. A strong wind started blowing, and the waters got very rough. This was a common things for a storm to come up suddenly on the Sea of Galilee. They had rowed three or four miles, which is quite a long way, especially if they were rowing against the wind. 

Suddenly, Jesus came walking across the water. and the disciples were frightened not sure what was happening. Jesus let him know that it was him, so they needn't be afraid, and the disciples reached the other side of the lake. When the people looked for Jesus, they knew he had not gotten into the boat, but that he and his disciples were all gone. So they went to Capernaum in search of them. 

They were in this place of frustration at the will of Jesus, doing exactly what He told them to do. Additionally, Mark 6:48 says that Jesus watched the disciples as they rowed across the lake. His eye was on them all the time. They were in the will of Jesus and watched by Jesus, yet working hard in frustration all the time. - Guzik

Jesus the Bread of Life

They found Jesus on the other side of the lake and wondered how Jesus the "rabbi" got there. They considered Jesus their teacher. The people were looking for Jesus because of the signs he had done in multiplying the bread, but Jesus wanted to teach them that the sign pointed to the fact that the food he would offer them would never spoil like normal bread. 

The people wondered what they would need to do to get this food that never spoiled. Jesus told them it was to believe in the One the Father sent, which was Him. But rather than believing in Jesus, they wanted more proof. They wanted him to give them a miracle similar to the miracle God provided the Israelites in the wilderness, when he provided manna from heaven. 

Jesus acknowledged the bread Moses gave them in the wilderness was not from Moses, but from God. But he points to the true bread from heaven that gives life to the world. The people are interested in this kind of bread. Jesus then declares, 

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

Jesus is once again clearly pointing to his divinity. No human being would talk about the bread God gave the Israelites in the wilderness, and then say that he was the bread of life. If any human being said, "I am the bread of life", you would probably think there was something wrong with them. Perhaps they were delusional. 

But despite all that Jesus had done, the people still did not connect him as the bread of life, and as the Son of God. But those who God had called would come to Jesus and believe in His name. It was only God who could open their eyes to see he was the bread of life. The ones Jesus gave to him, he would never let go. He would raise them up on the last day. God's will was that everyone who looked upon the Son would have eternal life. 

 Jesus first and foremost commanded them (and us) not to do, but to trust. If we want to do the work of God, it begins with trusting Jesus. - Guzik

“The bread of God was he who came down from heaven and gave men not simply satisfaction from physical hunger, but life. Jesus was claiming that the only real satisfaction was in him.” (Barclay)

The Jews made the connection with what Jesus was saying. The wondered out loud, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" How could an average human being claim to be the bread from heaven that gives food to the world? The took him literally and wondered how they could eat this flesh? 

Jesus takes it one step further and says, "Unless someone eats my flesh and drinks my blood, they have no life in them." This seems a little odd. 

What does Jesus mean by this? 

Such radical statements offend many; in part this was Jesus’ intent. In response to those who twisted His words and meaning, He made the metaphors stronger, not weaker. He refused to back down from the truth: I am the bread of life, and the substance of that bread is His sacrifice on the cross, the giving of His flesh and blood. What He gave at the cross, we must receive. - Guzik

“The actual flesh and blood, the human life of Christ, was given for men; and men eat His flesh and drink His blood, when they use for their own advantage His sacrifice, when they assimilate to their own being all the virtue that was in Him.” (Dods)

Jesus uses these very literal and very graphic images of his body and blood to emphasize that it is only by being in an intimate relationship with him can someone come to eternal life. The Jews were used to a very external relationship with God. Jesus was said they needed to come to him and have life. They needed to rely on him, just as they relied on the manna in the wilderness. 

Ultimately he was pointing to his body being broken on the cross, and his blood being poured out, which we remember in the Holy Sacrament of Communion. Since Jesus had eternal life in himself, if they fed on him, they would have life forever. 

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

This language was offensive to some of the disciples. They had never heard a rabbi talk like this. In their defense, this language was pretty intense. If a pastor were to say these kinds of things to you, you would be pretty offended. Of course, we are not Jesus, but in their day they saw Jesus as their rabbi. 

Jesus asked them that if this offended them what would they think if Jesus ascended into heaven? Then what would they think? Jesus' words were full of the Spirit and life, but those who the Father had not called couldn't understand them. It was only those who the Father had called who could make sense out of what Jesus was saying. 

The same is true today. When we are preaching and teaching God's Word, some will wonder what we are saying. But those who are in Christ and full of the Spirit will be hunger for more. Sometimes people look for sermons that make them laugh or have lots of cute stories, but it is as we preach God's Word that people will be filled with the bread of life. 

I hope you go to church looking for a satisfying meal of the bread of life preached, and Jesus body and blood offered in the sacrament of communion, you will be spiritually satisfied. People often look to have certain foods in their diet and to take in certain vitamins, but are you getting the recommended daily allowance of God's Word on a daily basis you will be spiritually healthy!

Many of the disciples were put off by Jesus' words. It was probably too intense for them. When pastors start talking about what it really means to pick up your cross and follow Jesus, many walk away too. They came to hear how Jesus could meet their needs and make them happy, not about the life Jesus called them to live. We live in a very consumeristic society, and the church has taken on some of those characteristics by trying to keep it's parishioners (the consumer) happy. 

Jesus then turned to his 12 disciples and asked them if they wanted to desert him too. Peter said, 

“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.”

This is a very good answer Peter gave Jesus in that moment. I am sure it made Jesus very happy. But not all of the 12 would be so faithful. There is one in their midst who would betray Jesus when push came to shove!

Are you getting your daily bread? Are you feeding on Jesus' Word and His presence in Your life through the power of the Holy Spirit? Do you receive the sacrament of Holy Communion on a regular basis?