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More John commentaries
John 3:1-12
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John 3:13-21
What does it mean to believe?
John 3:22-36
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John 4:1-15
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John 5:16-23
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Blindness to the Truth of the Scriptures
John 6:1-15
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Jesus Calms Their Fears
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John 6:56-71
Confussion of the Body and Blood of Christ
John 7:1-14
The Advice of Jesus’ Brothers
John 7:25-36
Blinded to the Truth
John 7:37-53
Divided Opinions About Jesus
John 8:1-7
Pharisees Condemn the Adulterous Woman
John 8:8-11
Jesus Forgives the Adulterous Women
John 8:12-20
Jesus is the Light of the World
John 8:21-30
Jesus Predicts His Death
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Jesus’ Claims To His Identity
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Contentment in Any Circumstance
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What’s Your Motive for Following Jesus
John 6:30–44
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
The following advertisement once appeared in a London newspaper; “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.” This advertisement was signed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Antarctic expl … More
The sixth chapter of the Gospel of John is the setting for one of the great discourses of our Lord, on the “bread of life.” This discourse takes place in the synagogue at Capernaum. The people demanded that Jesus perform a greater sign than Moses (vv. 30-35). They must have felt that the feeding of the 5000 did not compare with the manna that fed the whole nation for 40 years. They did not realize that the Father, not Moses, gave the manna. Jesus tries to explain to them that the manna which Moses offered is different than the “Bread of Life” which is capable of giving eternal life. The crowd had the wrong motive as they wanted the bread so they would not have to work in order to maintain life. People today also want Jesus only for the benefits He will give them.
Jesus then rebukes the crowd for their lack of faith (v.36). They had the great privilege of seeing Him and yet they refused to believe. It is evident here that seeing does not necessarily lead to believing. He goes on to explain that salvation involves both divine sovereignty and human responsibility (vv. 37-40). The Jews supposed that by virtue of their national origin and religious works they were assured of a place in the Kingdom. Our Lord revealed their thought that they could manipulate the Messiah into adapting to their conception of the Kingdom. Quite the opposite was true, Entrance into the Kingdom is not ultimately a matter of our choice, but God’s. It is not we who bring God to us, but God Who draws us to Himself (vv. 41-44). He assures them that anyone who comes to Him will never be lost but will be raised at the last day (v. 39). In fact, those who put their trust in Christ will be resurrected from physical death to everlasting life with God when Christ comes again (v. 40).
Application
As stated above, many people in our churches today want the Lord for what benefits they can receive from Him. I need to ask myself - What was my motive in coming to the Lord and what are my motives now for following Him?
John 6:30-44 (English Standard Version)
So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 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." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 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. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." 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'?" 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."
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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