Year 2, Week 33, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations
Year 2, Week 33, Day 3
I have a brief observation for today’s reading of John 6.
Today’s reading shares some parallels with readings from the recent previous day’s readings. John 6 records the feeding of the five thousand as the other Gospel accounts do, but adds what they people wanted to do in regard to Jesus as a result of the miracle He performed: "Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (John 6:15). John 6 adds that Jesus escaped their attempts by withdrawing to a private place in the mountains. But the crowds were persistent to locate Jesus: “On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus” (John 6:22-24). As they locate Jesus, what ensues is a lengthy and, at times, conflictive discussion between Jesus and the crowds.
One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was Jesus’ statement to them, as they found Him: “When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (John 6:25-26). Jesus knew they sought him because of the feeding miracle. He warned them not to be so concerned about working for physical food that they failed to receive eternal life: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal” (John 6:27). The crowd picked up on the word work: “Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (John 6:28). Jesus states the one work God requires of them: “Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). In response to Jesus, they wanted proof.
What follows is a discussion in which the crowd completely does not understand what Jesus is saying about Himself: “Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). The crowd thinks Jesus is discussing how they might receive daily bread like Israel obtained through Moses; but Jesus is pointing them to Himself: “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). This is the first of seven “I am” statements recorded in John’s Gospel account. It is interesting that the first “I am” statement appears in the context of a discussion around Moses for the LORD’s first statement to Moses: “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus’ use of “I am” would have caused the crowd to think of God’s name. Jesus, links the Divine name to Himself promising to satisfy their deepest hunger and thirst if they would come to him. But even though they have seen what He had done, they refused to believe in Him, even after He adds: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).
Not only did they not believe in Jesus, they disputed His claims: “So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” (John 6:41-42). With another connection to Moses and the Israelites and bread, the crowd grumbled against Jesus. Therefore, Jesus responded to their grumblings with a strong warning: “Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:43-44). Jesus adds: “It is written in the Prophets, And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me” (John 6:45). Jesus’ usage of Isaiah 54:13 underscores that God must take the initiative to teach or convince them that Jesus truly is who He says He is: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:47-51).
Tragically, the crowd demonstrated that they continued to miss the point of Jesus’ words: “The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52). However, the disciples, while also struggling with Jesus’ statements, reveal by their confession, that they were being instructed by the Father: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?
Pastor Joe