Studies in John 6

Drawn By the Father

Studies in John 6:1-51, Part 1

The feeding of the 5,000 was just one more occasion where God testified to the Jews that Jesus is the one “of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote.” As a result of this testimony the people said: (John 6:14) “This is truly the Prophet which is to come into the world.”

The Jews were already fiercely nationalistic. With the preaching of John and Jesus that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:14-15) these nationalistic aspirations were inflamed. “Doubtless many of the people who saw the miracle felt that here was a divinely accredited leader, who was just the person to lead them against the Romans” (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, 346). The people were prepared to “take Him by force to make Him king” (vs. 15). “Like many others since, they wanted to use Him to further their own needs. But to Jesus the prospect of an earthly kingdom was nothing else than a temptation of the devil,” (Morris, 346) which he resisted on this occasion by dismissing the multitude and withdrawing into the mountain until he was alone (John 6:15; cf., Matthew 14:23-24).

But the multitudes would not be put off so easily! On the next day, after discovering he was no longer on their side of the lake they came to Capernaum seeking him (John 6:24). Finding him they asked: (vs. 25) “Rabbi, when did You get here?” Jesus ignores the question and challenges their motives for following him: (vs. 26) “… you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Of course these people recognized miracles had taken place, but they had not reflected upon the significance of them.

Miracles were not meant to satisfy the physical needs of the recipients. Of course they did this, but their primary purpose was to testify of Jesus. They were the Father’s testimony that he is that Prophet predicted by Moses. Of this Prophet Moses said: (Deuteronomy 18:15) “you shall listen to him.” Of this Prophet God also said: (vss. 19) “… whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” The people were not seeking him because the signs testified that he is this Prophet like Moses who would speak the words of God. They followed him for what they thought he could give them – food, health and even salvation from Rome. These “seekers” were materialists, being interested primarily in the things relating to this earthly life. They must raise their sights. So Jesus tells them: (vs. 27a) “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you….”

It is not wrong to labor for “food which perishes” (cf., 1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12) but we are making a huge mistake when this becomes our primary concern in life. The food grown in our gardens or purchased in grocery stores is perishable not only because it perishes when we use it but it perishes when we don’t use it. Furthermore, it cannot keep our physical bodies from perishing. Though it sustains us for a time, each one of us will die and our bodies will return to the dust from which is was taken.

There is another food, however, a “food which endures to eternal life.” It is food that does not perish with the using and it does not perish through neglect. It remains edible throughout all generations; but more significantly, it has the effect of producing a life that lasts forever to those who eat it. (Morris, 359) The vegetables and meat that we eat sustains our physical life, but only for a short time; but those who eat the food Jesus gives will “not die” (vs. 50).

Jesus offered this bread to men who would soon turn away from him: “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you….” This bread is a gift – a gift from Jesus. Jesus makes it clear, however, that it is not a gift without conditions. They must “work” for this food. Many find this strange for they have been told that men cannot co-operate with God in obtaining eternal life: It is ALL a work of God, there is nothing that you and I are required to do; in fact, there is nothing that we can do. Theologically, this doctrine is called monergism. But it was Jesus who said: “work ... for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of man will give you.” Evidently, Jesus does not hold to monergism.

But why would his audience or anyone else have confidence that he could provide such wonderful food? In anticipation of such a question Jesus says: (vs. 27b) “… for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” This “seal” is a seal of authentication, like a hallmark. In ancient England those who thought they had articles of gold or silver would take them to the Goldsmith’s Hall in London to have them assayed. If they were proven to be genuine these articles would be given an official mark attesting to their genuineness and purity. God had sealed Jesus with a mark of authentication – a hallmark. What was this seal? It was the miracles he worked. Jesus said: (John 5:36) “… the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish – the very works that I do – testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.” On the day of Pentecost, while making his case that Jesus is “both Lord and Christ” Peter told his audience: (Acts 2:22) “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God (a man approved of God unto you, ASV) with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” These miracles are Father’s seal - the Father’s hallmark - guaranteeing the truthfulness of Jesus’ words and promises. Had Jesus come without this seal, men would have an excuse for their disobedience, but they have no excuse. For as Jesus said: (John 15:24b) “… they have seen and hated Me and My Father as well.”

Jesus says: I have bread to give to those who work for it – bread that endures to eternal life. We have confidence that he is able to supply such bread “for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” In response to the Jew asked: (vss. 28-29) “‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”

Faith is a “work of God.” By itself the expression “work of God” can mean either a work that God does or a work that God has commanded. Without dispute God gives faith, but He gives faith through the word of God: (Romans 10:17) “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” God gives faith, but He gives it indirectly – through the word of truth, the gospel. Those who contend that He gives it directly or through some other way are obliged to prove it.[1]

Having said this, however, I would like to point out that in John 6:29 – “the work of God” is not the work God does; instead, it is the work He commands. God commands men to believe “in Him who He has sent.” Furthermore, the faith commanded is not a once-for-all decision. For Greek word translated “believe” is in the present tense, denoting a continuing belief, an ongoing faith. So what is the work that God commands men who desire to receive the bread that Jesus gives? It is FAITH - an ongoing faith “in Him who He has sent.”

Jesus demanded a work from them, now they demand one from him; they even identify the kind of work they want him to perform. “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You. What work do You perform? Our fathers at the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” (vs. 30) “In a way this is a strange choice, for the multiplication of the loaves … seems to be a sign of exactly the same type. But [as these opponents of the Lord saw it, KM] it took place on one occasion: Moses gave the manna for forty years. Jesus gave bread to five thousand: Moses supplied manna to a whole nation. Jesus gave them ordinary bread, bread such as they ate every day: Moses gave ‘bread out of heaven…” (Morris, 362-363).

The Jews had already seen Jesus perform several “signs” (cf., vs. 26), yet they wanted more! Like thousands in every age they deceived themselves with the idea that if they had just a little more evidence – just one more sign – they would believe. In reality, Jesus could work no sign that would satisfy their desire for just one more sign. If there was ever an illustration of Paul’s words – (1 Corinthians 1:22) “Jews ask for signs” – this is it.

In response to their request Jesus said: (John 6:32-33) “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” The gift of manna was not a gift from Moses, but of the Father Himself. Secondly, the Father was even then giving “the true bread out of heaven,” bread that “gives life” not to Israel alone, but to the “the world.”

Jesus has made this bread seem desirable and so the Jews say: (vs. 34) “Lord, always give us this bread,” to which Jesus replied: (John 6:35) “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” Jesus is not only the giver of bread “which endures to eternal life” (vs. 27), but he himself is that bread. How does one eat this bread? Jesus said: “… he who comes to Me will not hunger … he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

Coming and believing refer to the same thing. These are not physical actions but spiritual. Furthermore these actions are not something that men do only once, but they are ongoing. To slightly paraphrase the Calvinist James White:

When Jesus describes the one who comes to Him and who believes in Him, He uses the present tenses to describe this coming, believing, or, in other passages, hearing or seeing. The present tense refers to a continuous, ongoing action. … The wonderful promises that are provided by Christ are not for those who do not … continually believe. The faith that saves is a living faith, a faith that always looks to Christ as Lord and Savior. …

Many in our world today want us to believe that we can accept Christ simply as a Savior from sin, but not as Lord of our lives. They teach essentially that a person can perform an act of believing on Christ once, and after this they can fall away even into total unbelief and yet still supposedly be ‘saved.’ Christ does not call men in this way. Christ does not save men in this way. The … [one who has eternal life, KM][2] is the one continually coming, always believing in Christ. … [Justifying][3] faith is an ongoing faith, not a one-time act. If one wishes to be eternally satiated, one meal is not enough. If we wish to feast on the bread of heaven, we must do so all our lives. We will never hunger or thirst if we are always coming and always believing in Christ. He is our sufficiency. Christ is the bread from heaven, We must feed on all of Christ, not just the parts that we happen to like. Christ is not the Savior of anyone unless He is their Lord as well.” (James White, Drawn By The Father, 19-20)

The Jews declared that they wanted “the true bread out of heaven” Jesus said: “… he who comes to Me will not hunger … he who believes in Me will never thirst.” But why did the people remain hungry? Why did they continue to thirst? It was as Jesus said: (vs. 36) “… you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.”

The people demanded a sign so that they could “see” and “believe” (vs. 30), but they had already seen him and they were still seeing him and yet they did not believe. They ask for another sign, but as McGarvey wrote: “If one refused to believe in the sun when he sees its light, feels its heat and witnesses its life-giving power, by what sign will you demonstrate to him the existence of the sun?” (J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel, vs. 36) When a man rejects the signs that the Father gave Jesus to perform – the signs that were meant to authenticate his claims, his teachings and his promises – what sign can Jesus perform to bring him to the point of faith?

To be continued.

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[1] It is through faith in Jesus that we are given life (cf., John 20:30-31) – that we are born into the family of God (cf., Galatians 3:26; John 1:12). Thus one should not be surprised to read that God regenerates men – causes them to be born again – through the “word of faith” – the gospel (1 Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philemon 10). Those who contend that one is born again without the gospel are also obliged to prove it.

[2] The original words are: “The true Christian is the one ….”

[3] The original words are: “Real Christian faith is ….”