24So when the
crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into
the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25When they
found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you
come here?”
26Jesus 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. 27Do 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.”
28Then they said
to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”
29Jesus answered
them,
“This is the
work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
30So they said
to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work
do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is
written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32Jesus 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. 33For the bread of God is he who comes
down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34They said to
him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus 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
6:24-35
COMMENTARY
Jesus and his
disciples had just returned from feeding the 5000 thousand, back to the Western
shore of lake Galilee, to the shores of Capernaum.
The crowds slept
on the open field that night, and they were so impressed with the power of
Jesus, that when they realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there
any longer, they followed them back to the western coast of the lake.
When they
finally found Jesus, our Lord told them straight and clear that the reason they
searched for him with that urgency was not because they have come to accept him
as the Messiah (‘Nor because you saw signs”, meaning signs that revealed to
them that he was indeed the promised Savior); but that they followed for his
miracles, his earthly benefit, based on the miracle of the feeding of the 5000.
Not everyone who
was there that day believed in Jesus as they should. Some accepted him as the promised
Messiah, others as a common prophet, others followed him because of his power,
not caring exactly for who he was, and finally others out of curiosity. In this
case, these people obviously belonged to the third group, those who followed
Jesus for his power, without paying much attention to his message.
As if they had forgotten
the miracle of the feeding od the crowd, they requested a ‘sign’ to believe in
Jesus’ words. Not because they ignored or denied the reality of the feeding of
the 5000, but they had taken that miracle only as a benefit from a magician or
miracle worker. Now that Jesus proclaimed speaking in the Name of God with a
message of eternal life, they wanted a new miracle to confirm that.
JESUS was clear.
God gave him as the true food from Heaven. No material food as literal bread or
water. To ‘eat’ him was to come to him in submission and repentance, and to ‘drink’
him was to believe in him and accept him as Lord and Savior (John 6:35).
Spiritual
sustenance that if you remain faithful to him, salvation would be guaranteed.
They will not hunger anymore, meaning they will not be in need of acquiring God’s
forgiveness and grace again and again as under the Law, but forgiveness and the
grace of God will be guaranteed and permanent on them ever after they surrender
in submission to Christ in repentance and faith. This grace cannot be broken by
anyone or anything, except by us abandoning the faith and trust in Jesus
(Hebrews 3:17).
Sadly, many
stopped following him from that day onwards, thinking he was referring to cannibalism
(John 6:66) but the twelve and the real believers, even they did not understand
what he was referring to, remained faithful to him (John 6:67-69).
But Jesus knew the
heart of every one of them.
(John 6:63-64).
Omar Flores.
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