Verse by Verse

1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him.

2 Now the Jew’s feast of tabernacles was at hand.

3 His brethren therefore said unto Him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that Thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doest.

4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If Thou do these things, shew Thyself to the world.

5 For neither did His brethren believe in Him.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

7 The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for My time is not yet full come.

9 When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee.

Jesus walked (v.1) — manifesting Himself publicly (1:36; 6:19; 10:23; 11:54).

Tabernacles (v.2) — celebration of harvest, in the month of Tishri (our mid-September to mid-October). In Leviticus 23, Tabernacles is listed with the feasts of Jehovah. Now it is just called a feast of the Jews. The true meaning of it had been lost, so the Lord didn’t associate His name with it.

Brethren (v.3) — blood relations, probably sons of Mary and Joseph after Jesus was born (Matthew 13:55). At this time, they did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, but by Acts 1:14, they did.

They urged Him, perhaps sarcastically, to show Himself (v.3).

His brothers said “No one who wants to be known acts in secret” (v.4). Were they challenging Him to prove Himself?

Jesus knew the Jews sought to kill Him, so He didn’t go up, not out of fear but because it wasn’t time for Him to die (v.6).

The world did not hate them (v.7) because they were still of the world.

From here on in John, Jesus is seen as the suffering Messiah. Here He suffers the unbelief of His own brothers.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray Him, being one of the twelve.

Christ knew what they would do. Why ask? To test them? To hear them state their faith? In Greek, this question expects a negative answer. Jesus knew their hearts.

Peter was always the first to speak out, sometimes in rashness and ignorance, but sometimes, like here, in earnestness and faith.

We believe and we are sure (v.69) — In Greek, the tense indicates an ongoing, abiding faith.

The crowd had been attracted by Christ’s miracles, but Peter speaks of His words (v.68) See verse 63.

Son of the living God (v.69) — literally, “the Holy One of God”

John knew of Judas’ betrayal when he wrote this (v.71), but not at the time Christ said it..

devil (v.70) — sold out to Satan (John 13:2, 27).

So why did Christ choose Judas? Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me (Psalm 41:9). While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled (John 17:12).

Judas, who spent three years with Christ and never believed still couldn’t find any flaws in Him. I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood (Matthew 27:4).

60 Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him.

65 And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.

His disciples (v.60) — not the 12. Others, probably, who followed Jesus hoping He would establish the kingdom as in John 2:23-25.

hard (v.60) = harsh, rough

Does this offend you? (v.61) = Does this cause you to stumble? Offend (skandalizo) is often used in the New Testament to indicate falling away into unbelief.

ascend (v.62) — referring to His ascension after the resurrection.

Spirit (v.63) — Holy Spirit. He gives spiritual life through the words Christ speaks.

The flesh profiteth nothing (v.63) — When He said “eat my flesh” He wasn’t referring to His physical body.

When men resist the truth, Jesus makes it even harder to understand. In essence, you think it’s hard to grasp that I came as a man (v.41) and will die as a man (v.52, 55)? What will you say when I ascend to heaven as a man? (v.62). Would they believe then? No (v.64).

All may come if they will, but none would come apart from the drawing of the Father. (v.65)

To receive His words is to receive life.

Went back (v.66) = went to the things behind. Their former unbelief.

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59 These things said He in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum.

Jesus is not talking of the Lord’s supper. If He was, everyone who has never eaten it is in hell. Also, it would mean that salvation comes by the work of eating bread and drinking wine and not by faith alone.

The “flesh” and “blood” is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Eating and drinking are the faith that enables us to take part in His sacrifice.

Christ goes further than salvation (verse 53) to speak of the believer’s life in Him (verses 54-58). I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).

The law forbade drinking blood (Leviticus 3:17; 7:26-27; 17:10-14).

Jesus refers to His blood apart from His body because His blood was shed, a clear indication of death.

Eat (verse 53) esthio — simple eating

Eat (verse 54) trogo — munching and crunching, feeding on over time. The tense also changes from one-time event to continuous action.

Verse 55 points to the importance of the object of faith, not the mere existence of faith.

John’s first mention of the mutual indwelling of the believer and Christ (v.56) . A relationship of intimacy and dependency, as is the case with the Father and Son (verse 57).

As the Son lived, while on earth, in humble dependence on the Father, so do believers live in humble dependence on the Son (v.57) .

Verse 58 — Summary of what has gone before. When referring to manna, esthio is used, when referring to the true blood, trogo.

Humanity died spiritually by eating (Genesis 3:6) but can be made alive spiritually by eating.

The believer eats once as an act of faith for salvation, then eats continually and characteristically for a life of faith.

Passover example — The Israelites applied the blood of the lamb, then fed on the lamb.

in the synagogue (v.59) — literally “in synagogue” during an assembly for worship.

47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.

48 I am that bread of life.

49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Manna kept the Jews fed in the wilderness, but those who ate it eventually died. The bread of life enables men to live forever. Manna didn’t even get the fathers into the promised land because they would not believe.

Bread that I will give (v.51) — referring to Jesus’ death. It is His flesh, His body. The bread is not Jesus’ teaching or His example.

hath eternal life (v.47) — present tense — not a future event

eat (v.50) — assimilate it, make it part of one’s life.

dead (v.49) — physically

die (v.50) — spiritually

“I am that bread of life” (6:48). This is the first of the seven “I am” titles of Christ found in this Gospel, and found nowhere else. The others are, “I am the light of the world” (8:12); “I am the door” (10:9); “I am the good shepherd” (10:11); “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25); “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6); “I am the true vine” (15:1). They all look back to that memorable occasion when God appeared to Moses at the burning bush, and bade him go down into Egypt, communicate with His people, interview Pharaoh, and command him to let the children of God go forth into the wilderness to worship Jehovah. And when Moses asked, Who shall I say hath sent me?, the answer was, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14). Here in John, we have a sevenfold filling out of the “I am” — I am the bread of life, etc. Christ’s employment of these titles at once identifies Him with the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and unequivocally demonstrates His absolute Deity. — Pink, page 341.

41 The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven?

 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

 44 No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.

 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He which is of God, He hath seen the Father.

At some point, maybe here, some of the crowd followed Jesus into the synagogue.  Or, starting in verse 41, Jesus may have been speaking to a different audience who had not heard, but had heard of, what He said to the crowd in verses 26-40.

In John’s Gospel, the “Jews” are always antagonistic toward Jesus. The Jews were the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea.

They knew His words, “I am the bread which came down from heaven” meant He had a Divine origin (John 3:31).

The Jews did not know of the virgin birth at this time, although it had been prophesied (Isaiah 7:14).

In verses 37-40, the Father gives the Son those who come to Him. In verse 44, the Father draws them.

Draw (v.44) = exerting power to impel an object. The same word is used in John 18:10; 21:6. In this case, it’s the Holy Spirit’s convicting.

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

But if someone doesn’t believe, it is his own fault. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)

The quote in verse 45 is from Isaiah 54:13 — And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

Jeremiah 31:33-34 — But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

It is a very notable principle in connection with the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ with men that if a soul came to Him who was honestly, earnestly, seeking to know the truth, He undertook to make that truth just as simple as possible so that the wayfaring man could understand. On the other hand, if the Savior presented something which was difficult for the natural mind to receive, and men, instead of recognizing their need and coming to Him for explanation, assumed a haughty, unbelieving attitude, He invariably seemed to make the truth more difficult instead of making it simpler. That is to say, if men will not have the truth of God when it is presented to them but deliberately choose to follow the path of error, they will be blinded to the very truth itself — Ironside, page 255

Jesus says that no one could know His true identity unless the Father revealed it to him.

To come to Jesus, one must be drawn by, taught by, heard from, and learned from the Father. But even so, nobody has direct access to the Father.

34 Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35  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.

 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen Me, and believe not.

 37 All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.

38  For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.

 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

 40 And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Give us this bread — They wanted physical satisfaction, like the woman at the well (John 4:15).

Come and believe mean essentially the same thing — the soul trusts Christ. But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Come – heart: believe – head.

never hunger, never thirst (v.35) = “nowise” — in the sense of assurance of salvation. He is sufficient. We don’t always take advantage.

Jesus knew, however, that they didn’t believe. He goes on to explain who will believe.

In John 5:21, the Son quickens whom the Son wills. Here (6:38), the Son receives those the Father sends. So, our security doesn’t rest on anything in us or from us, but upon the Father’s choice and the Son’s love.

I will no wise cast out (v.37) — He will never expel anyone who has come. It’s true that Christ won’t reject any who trust Him, but this verse refers to His keeping all who have already come.

All (that the Father gives) (v.37) = everything. Not individuals (the tense is neutral). This refers to those who have believed. As a group, we are given to the Son by the Father. According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4).

All are invited and those who do come are received. Here (the second half of verse 37) it is referring to individuals.

“all that” and “it” (v.39) — neutral singular, again referring to a group.

“everyone,” “him” (v.40) — referring to the individual.

30 They said therefore unto Him, “What sign showest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? what dost thou work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

32 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.

33 For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.”

Jesus said “believe on Me,” but they weren’t ready even to simply believe Him (believe what He said). They demanded a sign — in spite of having seen Him feed the crowd the day before. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:22).

Their inference was that Jesus’ miracle of feeding 5,000 was not as great as Moses’ miracle of feeding manna to the entire nation of Israel.

Manna gives physical life temporarily, but the true bread from heaven (Jesus) gives spiritual and physical life forever.

Jesus explains that God, not Moses, brought the manna.

Their request for a sign and reference to Moses and manna sounds like they were just looking for another meal. “Feed us again, and then we will believe.” Moses provided manna for 40 years — they also wanted a lifetime supply.

Manna — Then said the LORD unto Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no” (Exodus 16:4). And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food: He sent them meat to the full (Psalm 78:24-25).

There was a tradition among the Jews that the Messiah would also cause manna to fall.

True bread from heaven (verse 32) — real, genuine, satisfying, spiritual

Bread of God (verse 33) — Divine, eternal

giveth life (v.33) — the tense indicates a continuous giving of life. He keeps on giving.

Bread of life (verse 35) — gives and sustains life

26 Jesus answered them and said, “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.

27 Labor 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.”

28 Then said they unto Him, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.”

The crowd looked for Jesus, not to believe on Him, or even to see His miracles, but because He gave them food — a selfish, carnal reason.

They had worked hard chasing Him for perishable food. He tells them to look for nonperishable food — eternal life — that comes without work.

God the Father sealed (v.27) — Jesus was accredited by God, sealed by the Spirit, and empowered to give eternal life.

seal (v.27) = sign of ownership and authenticity.

What shall we do? (v.28) — even though Jesus had just said He would give it to them.

that we might work (v.28) — They sought to satisfy God with their own efforts, to make themselves acceptable to God.

Jesus said, “believe on Me” (v.29)  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:4-5).

Jesus offers food that will last for eternity and then later reveals that He is that food.

22 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;

23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither His disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea, they said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest Thou hither?

Not everyone followed. He had sent most of them away (Matthew 14:22).

They saw Him send His disciples away and go up the mountain. Now, without a boat, He was across the sea.

They didn’t ask “how” did you arrive, but “when.” It didn’t occur to them that He’d done something supernatural. Jesus does not answer the question.