John 6
Jesus went up into a mountain and sat with His disciples. The passover of the Jews was near. A great multitude, having seen the miracles, followed Jesus. Jesus asked Philip, Where shall we buy food so these may eat? This was to prove Philip; the Lord knew what He would do.
Philip estimated that two hundred pennies' worth of bread would not be enough for the people. Andrew said that there was a lad present, who had brought his lunch, but he remarked that the bread and fish he had were nothing compared with what was needed.
Could it be that Andrew, who had brought his brother Simon to Jesus, having seen the miracles that Jesus had already done, believed that the lad's lunch was enough in the hands of Jesus to feed the multitude? Were the disciples, as a whole, slower than we are to believe what Jesus can do? I think not! There were about five thousand men. Jesus asked them to sit on the grass. He gave thanks for the bread and fishes and, through the disciples, distributed to the men who sat on the grass. After the men were filled, twelve baskets of the food that remained were gathered up. On seeing this miracle, the men acknowledged that Jesus was the Prophet that should come.
Seeing that they would make Him King, Jesus departed to the mountain alone. This pictures Christ in heaven interceding as our High Priest.
Three titles have been noticed in this chapter-Prophet, King and Priest.
The evening having come, and Jesus not having returned, the disciples sought to return to Capernaum, on the other side of the sea of Galilee. It was dark and stormy, but when they saw Jesus walking on the sea towards them, they were afraid. But Jesus spoke to them, "It is I; be not afraid." Having received Jesus into their ship, immediately they arrived at their destination. The people, having crossed the sea, also found Jesus and asked, When did You come here? Jesus told them that they sought Him because of the miracles-the feeding of the five thousand and more. He said, "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."
They inquired what they might do to do the works of God. He answered, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."
Manna
Christ is the true Manna for the wilderness. Israel had manna in the wilderness, but Christ, the bread from heaven, was now come. The bread that Moses gave was not from heaven, but the true bread of heaven comes from the Father. Christ, coming down from heaven, is the life given unto the world. Jesus is the Bread of life, which means that He must die. One who receives this Bread of life shall never hunger or thirst.
You do not believe, He told the multitude, but those whom the Father shall give to Christ, come to Christ, and such will never be cast out. Jesus came to only do the will of the Father. In this passage Jesus is not seen as the quickener or the One who Judges and condemns, but as the Bread of life who gives His life for the world. The one who sees the Son and believes on Him shall have life eternal and shall be raised in the last day.
The Jews murmured and did not believe. Jesus told them that only those whom the Father has drawn can come to Him. The Scripture has said that all shall be taught of God. Those who have heard and been taught of the Father will come to Jesus. The one who believes in Jesus has everlasting life. Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is the living Bread, and one who eats of this bread-His flesh-lives forever. The Jews strove over the saying, but Jesus said, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." Those who eat and drink in this way have resurrection life.
The one who eats Christ's flesh and drinks His blood dwells in Christ, and Christ in him. This means that we should appropriate Christ for ourselves, to make Him, practically, our life down here, to live Christ. It does not mean literal flesh or blood, but to lay hold of what they signify.
Being offended, many said that this was a hard saying. Jesus asked, "Doth this offend you?" What if you should see the Son of man ascend to where He was before? Only the Spirit can quicken; the flesh does not profit.
Some disciples (not the twelve) went back and walked no more with Him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered them, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" He spoke of Judas Iscariot.