John Chapter 6

From The Open Bible Project

6:1 After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

• (a) Not that he cut across the lake of Tiberias, but by sailing across the large creeks he made his journey shorter: therefore he is said to have gone over the sea, when in reality he passed over from one side of the creek to the other.

6:2 A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he did on those who were sick.

6:3 Jesus went up into the mountain, and he sat there with his disciples.

6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

6:5 Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?"

• (1) They that follow Christ sometimes hunger, but they are never without help.

6:6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

6:7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that everyone of them may receive a little."

6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

6:9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?"

6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

6:11 Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.

6:12 When they were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost."

6:13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.

6:14 When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, "This is truly the prophet who comes into the world."

6:15 Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

• (2) Not only is Christ not delighted by a preposterous worship, but he is greatly offended by it.

6:16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

• (3) The godly are often in peril and danger, but Christ comes to them in time, even in the midst of the tempests, and brings them to the haven.

6:17 and they entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

• (b) In (Mark 6:45) they are told to go ahead to Bethsaida, for Bethsaida was along the way to Capernaum.

6:18 The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.

6:19 When therefore they had rowed about [13] twenty-five or thirty stadia, [See John Footnotes 13] they saw Jesus walking on the sea,[14] and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.

6:20 But he said to them, "[15] It is I [See John Footnotes 15]. Don't be afraid."

6:21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

• (c) They were afraid at first, but when they recognized his voice they became new men and took him willingly into the ship, the very one whom they had shunned and fled from before.

6:22 On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn't entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.

6:23 However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

6:24 When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

6:25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

6:26 Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

• (4) They that seek the kingdom of heaven lack nothing: nevertheless, the gospel is not the food of the stomach but rather of the mind.

6:27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him."

• (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 to God, and bring us to everlasting life, which office belongs only to Christ.

6:28 They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"

• (f) Which please God: for they think that everlasting life depends upon the condition of fulfilling the law: therefore Christ calls them back to faith.

6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

• (5) Men torment themselves in vain when they try to please God without faith.
• (g) That is, this is the work that God requires, that you believe in me, and therefore he calls them back to faith.

6:30 They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?

• (6) The spiritual virtue of Christ is condemned by those that desire earthly miracles.

6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, 'He gave them bread out of [16] heaven [See John Footnotes 16] to eat.'"[17]

6:32 Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven.

• (7) Christ, who is the true and only author and giver of eternal life, was represented unto those in the Old Testament by the manna.
• (h) He denies that manna was the true heavenly bread, and says that he himself is the true bread, because he feeds the true and everlasting life. And as for (1 Corinthians 10:1-5), where Paul calls manna spiritual food, it does not contradict what is said here, for Paul joins the thing signified with the sign: but in this whole disputation, Christ deals with the Jews after their own opinion and conceit of the matter, who thought of the manna only in terms of physical food.

6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

6:34 They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

• (i) Which has life and gives life.

6:36 But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don't believe.

6:37 All those who the Father gives me will come to me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out.

• (8) The gift of faith proceeds from the free election of the Father in Christ, after which everlasting life necessarily follows: therefore faith in Christ Jesus is a sure witness of our election, and therefore of our glorification, which is to come.

6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

• (k) See above in (John 5:22).

6:39 This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.

6:40 This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

• (l) Seeing and believing are joined together: for there is another type of seeing which is general, which the demons have, for they see: but here he speaks about that type of seeing which properly belongs to the elect.

6:41 The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven."

• (9) Flesh cannot perceive spiritual things, and therefore the beginning of our salvation comes from God, who changes our nature, so that we, being inspired by him, may remain to be instructed and saved by Christ.

6:42 They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, 'I have come down out of heaven?'"

6:43 Therefore Jesus answered them, "Don't murmur among yourselves.

6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.

6:45 It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.'[18] Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.

• (m) In the book of the prophets, for the Old Testament was divided by them into three general parts: into the law, the prophets, and the holy writings.
• (n) That is, they will be children of the Church, for so the prophet Isaiah expounds it in (54:13); that is to say, ordained to life, See Geneva, and therefore the knowledge of the heavenly truth is the gift and work of God, and does not rest in any power of man.

6:46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father.

• (o) If only the Son has seen the Father, then it is only he that can truly teach us and instruct us.

6:47 Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.

6:48 I am the bread of life.

• (10) The true use of sacraments is to ascend from them to the thing itself, that is, to Christ: and by the partaking of him alone we get everlasting life.

6:49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

6:50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.

• (p) He refers to himself when he speaks these words.

6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

• (11) Christ being sent from the Father is the selfsame unto us for the getting and keeping of everlasting life, as bread and flesh, yea, meat and drink, are to the use of this transitory life.
• (q) Which gives life to the world.
• (r) That is to say, whoever is truly a partaker of Christ, who is our food.

6:52 The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

• (12) Flesh cannot make a difference between fleshly eating, which is done by the help of the teeth, and spiritual eating, which consists in faith: and therefore it condemns that which it does not understand: yet nonetheless, the truth must be preached and taught.

6:53 Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves.

• (s) If Christ is present, life is present, but when Christ is absent, then death is present.

6:54 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

6:55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

6:56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.

6:57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.

• (t) In that Christ is man, he receives that power which quickens and gives life to those that are his, from his Father: and he adds this word "the" to make a distinction between his Father and all other fathers.
• (u) Christ means that although he is man, yet his flesh can give life, not by its own nature, but because his flesh lives by the Father, that is to say, sucks and draws out of the Father that power which it has to give life.

6:58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven--not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever."

6:59 He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

6:60 Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"

• (13) The reason of man cannot comprehend the uniting of Christ and his members: therefore let it worship and revere that which is better than itself.

6:61 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?

6:62 Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

• (14) The flesh of Christ therefore quickens us, because he that is man is God: and this mystery is only comprehended by faith, which is the gift of God, found only in the elect.
• (x) Spirit, that is, that power which flows from the Godhead causes the flesh of Christ (which is otherwise nothing but flesh) both to live in itself and to give life to us.

6:64 But there are some of you who don't believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn't believe, and who it was who would betray him.

6:65 He said, "For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father."

6:66 At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

• (15) Such is the malice of men, that they bring about their own destruction, even in hearing the very doctrine of salvation, but there are a few who believe through the singular gift of God.

6:67 Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You don't also want to go away, do you?"

6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

6:69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

6:70 Jesus answered them, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

• (16) The number of the professors of Christ is very small, and among them also there are some hypocrites, and those worse than all others.

6:71 Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.