The first 13 verses of
John 6 describe the feeding of the multitude, and in vss. 14 & 15
we saw the effect that that miracle had on the crowd. Then in vss.
22-25 we saw how Jesus began to teach them about the importance of
the Bread of Life, and how the crowds began to respond with some
interest. But starting with vs. 41 we run into the Jews, and we
clearly see from vs. 59 that Jesus is now in the synagogue.
Now we know that, in the
New Testament, and particularly in the Gospel of John, "the
Jews", as stated here represent the religious elite in Israel,
and we'll soon see that they are the very ones who eventually plotted
to have Jesus put to death, and in the passage we have before us now,
we see them "murmering" because Jesus had identified
Himself as..."the Bread which came down from heaven" (vs.
41). Whether they had actually heard Jesus preach this sermaon or
whether it had only been reported in the synagogue, doesn't really
matter. What does matter is that the power of Jesus is seen to be at
work as He argues with nthese naysayers.
1. The murmuring, vss.
41-42
Now in order to see the
significance of the discussion that takes place in this passage, we
must remember that the word "murmuring" is rarely used in
the New Testament; but it is used in the Old Testament to reflect
Israel's doubt in the power of God. In those cases, it implied
unbelief and disobedience to the word and the commands of the Lord.
What a sad state to be in...unbelieving and disobedient! We might
have a lot of gripes against human beings and human doings, but we
need to be careful about our attitude toward the Creator and
Sustainer of life!
In the case of these Jews,
they knew for a fact that Jesus had come from His mother, and not
form heaven, as He had declared. They were completely blind to
Jesus' divine glory, and they were completely fooled by Jesus' humble
beginning, there in the carpenter shop. To them, they were so high,
and He was so low; they were so self-righteous and so self-satisfied
that they refused to believe that they had any need for someone
heaven-sent, much less a Someone to die on a cross for them. Their
state wasn't nearly as desparate as that...or so they thought. But
remember, Jesus knows the heart of man! The truth is, they had no
hunger for the Bread which came down from heaven. How like the state
of the world today! Pride is the very cause of unbelief; people are
perfectly happy feeding on the husks intended for the swine. So when
Jesus offered Bread, they murmured!
I guess that these truths
fly in the face of human understanding, don't they?! There are
things that just can't be explained by this world's logic, so when
Jesus speaks His truth, there is no argument...just a murmur through
the synagogue.
2. The man, vss. 43-47
Note vs. 46(b)...who is
"the man" who has seen "the Father"?
Back in Jn. 3.31 we read
that..."He that cometh from above is above all", and He is
"above all" because the first man and all after Him, are of
the earth, as the scripture says, while "the second Man is the
Lord from heaven", Paul tells us in First Corinthians 15.47.
But then, there is another man that is referred-to in this passage
from John, and that is...you and me...the "no man" of vs.
44 and the "every man" of vs. 45!
Take a look at vs.
47...that is a very solemn word...not a warning, but a simple
statement of the facts...and it describes Jesus to a "T".
Jesus was reminding them, and us too, that He had opened the door to
eternity to them; He had pointed out the direction in which their
hope (everlasting life, vss. 44 and 47) could be found. Instead of
being a stumblingblock to them, He was offering them the opportunity
of receiving Him. But that's where man's problem is found...in our
failure to submit to the authority and the righteousness of God.
The fact is, not many men
are drawn to Jesus; in fact, we will learn in ch. 7.5 that His own
brothers rejected Him, until the day that they were "drawn by
the Father". That describes the depth of our lostness; the
words of Jesus identify the depths of our lostness, and the
stubborness of the human will, to resist the drawing power of Holy
Spirit! You see, salvation is precisely suited to the need of man;
but it is not at all suited to our natural inclinations. The fact
is, the Gospel is too spiritual for our carnal minds, and it is too
humble for our pride, and too precise for our rebellious wills. But
thank-you Jesus, the Gospel has a universal appeal! As we read in
vs. 45..."every man who hears and learns of the Father"
will come to Him.
3. The manna, vss.
48-51
Just as He had stated back
in vs. 35, Jesus is the Bread of life (vs. 48)! How precious are
those words?! We can take corn, or wheat, and grind it into flour
and make it into bread, and we'll be able to feed ourselves for
another day, but when we partake of Jesus, we live for the rest of
eternity! He says..."I am That which every man needs, and
without which every man will perish". Sobering words, when you
think on it.
Their fathers had died in
the wilderness, we're told, even after eating the manna. As we know,
that manna had only ministered to a physical need...it nourished
their bodies; it had not been able to sustain them for eternity. But
Jesus says in vss. 50-51, that those who eat "the Living
Bread"...the "Bread that came down from heaven", will
live on...and on...and on...
To the Jews, strange words
indeed, from a strange Character from Gallilee. But believe me, it
gets even stranger!
4. The Messiah, vss.
52-59
Jesus was not, and
is not, one to tiptoe around the truth, because He is the
Truth! He refuses to be put on the defensive, or to become a victim
of the religious elite. What He does here in the last few vss. of
this section of scripture is introduce brand new doctrine to those
Capernaum Jews; what He did was draw out the contrast between His
eternal Self, and the temporary manna, and there was no
comparison.
So many today eat the
bread this world has to offer, and they always come back
empty....those who eat of the bread of fame or fortune or of fashion,
always end up lacking. As First John 2.16-17 warns..."...for
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes
and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world. And
the world passes away, and the lust thereof, but He that doeth the
will of God abides forever."
Jesus has delivered; He
has delivered Himself, and He has delivered on His promises, and He
has delivered us salvation, and He could not make it any plainer! He
is delivered up for us, right from the very heart of God! This isn't
one of God's best kept secrets, but rather, the basis for our own
human responsibility to "...taste and see that the Lord is good"
(Psalms 34.8).
Now what Jesus says in
these last few vss. is very unusual, even for Him, so it is best to
take a minute to consider it more carefully. Let's read vss. 53-58
again...paints a pretty graphic picture, doesn't it? Well let's try
to answer the questions that were sure to be on the minds of those in
that Capernaum crowd that day.
First of all, what can be
said about "eating"? Well, in the first place, it's a
necessary function, if we are to receive nourishment. I can admire
my wife's brown bread, and I do! I can squeeze a loaf of it, and I
can brag about it and I can put it in the bread box and save it, but
none of that is going to nourish me...only if I eat it. And the same
thing is true of Jesus. We can brag about Him and teach about Him
and testify of Him, but until He becomes a living part of the cycle
of our lives, He can do us no good.
In the second place,
eating is the response to a physical hunger, and when I am really
hungry I ask no questions, I offer no arguments and I waste no
time...I have dinner! And so it is again, spiritually. Once we
become aware of our spiritual hunger, we can't wait to invite Jesus
to fill us! At that point, whatever was holding us back before...our
questions, our arguments or our doubts, all disappear when we make
our claim on Jesus.
Thirdly, eating is a very
personal function. I really enjoy my food, and I'm sorry, but I
don't take the time that I should to savour it. And I'm not fussy
about what I eat, either, just so long as there's plenty of it! But
others are picky, and they're slow, and they don't dare smack their
lips or wipe their mouth with their sleeve for fear of being scolded.
But not me! I dig right in, and I go back for seconds, too, if I
feel like it; and I don't miss dessert either! But do you know...?
You can't eat by proxy.
You perhaps have heard someone say..."well, have one for me,
will you?" But it doesn't work that way; you need to pile your
plate up with all it will hold, and then, dig in! If you don't feed
yourself at my house, then you go away hungry! Isn't that just the
way spiritually, as well? I can't feed you this Sunday School lesson
if you just can't bring yourself to swallow it, and I can't force
you to swallow it either. I might attempt to spoon-feed Jesus to
you, but if you don't want Him, you'll keep your spiritual mouth
clamped shut! The preacher can't force you and the deacon can't
force you and even Holy Spirit can't force you; you have to want to
eat, and if you don't eat the Bread of Life for yourself, it can do
you no earthly, or heavenly good whatsoever. If you don't personally
partake of Jesus, He cannot fill your hungry soul!
He told those Jews in vs.
51, "... the Bread that I will give, is My flesh"; He
offered Himself as a Sacrifice for us. And He goes on to say that,
just as He was born to bring light into the world, He died to bring
life to the world! But the Jews "...strove among themselves".
Jesus had taught the ultimate truth...that it's Him, in all His
fullness, or nothing at all. No menu to choose from, no smorgasboard
of second choices and none of the sweet taste of glory, without the
meat and potatoes of faith! That's putting it crudely, but Jesus put
it crudely too, in vs. 56..."He that eateth My flesh and
drinketh My blood...", and that's exactly what it takes for Him
to become Bread for us, for eternity.
...and that's the Truth!
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