Day 306: John 4-6

(The previous post covered the events that occurred at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry up to Jesus' disciples baptizing people near John the Baptist and his disciples.)

John 4
¹ When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John
² (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples),

(Jesus did not baptize people, His disciples did. Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit, not water.)

³ he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.

(Jesus went back to Galilee when the Pharisees realized Jesus was becoming more popular than John the Baptist. In the other Gospel Accounts, Herod had John the Baptist imprisoned within days of Jesus leaving for Galilee. This was going to be the first time Jesus was in His hometown since He began His public ministry. Also, the five or six disciples that were following Him were from Galilee.)

⁴ And he must needs pass through Samaria.

(Samaria was between Jerusalem and Galilee, so Jesus had to pass through Samaria.)

⁵ So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph:
⁶ and Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
⁷ There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(Jesus told the Samaritan woman to give Him a drink.)

⁸ For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food.
⁹ The Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

(She wanted to know why Jesus was dealing with her since Jews did not associate with the Samaritans because they considered Samaritans to be the enemy and looked down on them. Also, Rabbi's did not interact with women in public. Notice, John put his own comment here stating that the Jews did not interact with the Samaritans, something he often did to give context to a situation.)

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

(Jesus began the conversation with this woman on a physical level: water. Then Jesus transitioned to a spiritual topic by telling her that she could have asked Jesus for "living water." Living water is "the gift of God"...grace: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.)

¹¹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water?
¹² Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?
¹³ Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
¹⁴ but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life.

(The "living water" Jesus spoke of is grace/Holy Spirit. This water is in believers and it springs up into eternal life. Salvation is by grace through faith: Ephesians 2:8.)

¹⁵ The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw.

(This woman essentially asked to be saved. Would Jesus respond by converting her?)

¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
¹⁷ The woman answered and said unto him, I have no husband. Jesus saith unto her, Thou saidst well, I have no husband:
¹⁸ for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: this hast thou said truly.
¹⁹ The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

(Jesus did not convert her. He responded by broaching a subject that could have humiliated the woman and driven her away! The woman perceived Jesus to be a prophet because He told her things He should not have known. Notice, this woman was in adultery. She was with a man who was not her husband.)

²⁰ Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

(The woman challenged Jesus with a theological question: our ancestors said we ought to worship God in this mountain, but today's religious leaders say we ought to worship God in Jerusalem. If you are a prophet, what is the correct answer?)

²¹ Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father.
²² Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.

(Jesus said the physical location of the worship was not important because it could be anywhere. The key to worshipping God was to know who God was and to worship Him in spirit, which means you could worship Him in this mountain, in Jerusalem, in a foreign country, etc.)

²³ But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers.

(Doctrine: True worshippers worship God the Father in Spirit and in truth. They worship God with a right how/why. They know who God is and they focus on the spiritual.)

²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

(Doctrine: God is a Spirit. God is intangible. God is principles (foundational truths). God is Holy: Right and Just.)

²⁵ The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things.
²⁶ Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

(Jesus claimed to be the Messiah by only answering yes to her statement. He did not directly state "I am the Messiah." Notice, Jesus' answer meant nothing without her statement. All Jesus directly stated was: "I that speak unto thee am he.")

²⁷ And upon this came his disciples; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why speakest thou with her?

(The disciples marvelled that Jesus was speaking directly to a woman (Rabbis did not speak to women in public), who was also a Samaritan, and also in adultery.)

²⁸ So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people,
²⁹ Come, see a man, who told me all things that ever I did: can this be the Christ?
³⁰ They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

(Notice, Jesus did not convert this woman and it resulted in her bringing more people to Jesus!)

³¹ In the mean while the disciples prayed him, saying, Rabbi, eat.
³² But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not.
³³ The disciples therefore said one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat?
³⁴ Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.

(Doctrine: Doing God's Will was what gave Jesus energy. Jesus' meat was to do the Will of the Father and to finish the Father's work. Notice, Jesus spoke about spiritual water to the woman and she asked Jesus more questions. Jesus spoke about spiritual meat to His disciples and they did not ask Jesus any questions, they asked each other. The spiritual water was Salvation. The spiritual meat was the Will of God.)

³⁵ Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest.

(Remember, Jesus left Jerusalem after Passover, which is in the spring when planting was done. Jesus used another physical example to convey a spiritual truth. Jesus asked the disciples if they were familiar with the concept that there was four months between the current sowing and the future reaping. Then Jesus told the disciples to look up at the people coming from the town towards them to be "reaped." Jesus had sown the seed in the woman and rather than harvest her to conversion, He allowed time for her to produce more and with all the people following her back to Jesus, Jesus was making the disciples aware it was time to convert the people. Remember, this chapter began with Jesus' disciples performing water baptisms, cleansing new converts. Jesus had already trained His disciples how to convert people, so they ought to be able to handle this opportunity.)

³⁶ He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

(Doctrine: Both the one who sows and the one who reaps receive Reward for converting people. In fact, the sower ought to rejoice because of the reaper because it is only then that the sower receives a Reward.)

³⁷ For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
³⁸ I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are entered into their labor.

(Jesus pointed out the disciples would now reap from what Jesus had sown.)

³⁹ And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that ever I did.

(Many of the Samaritans believed on Jesus because of the woman's testimony, because of her words. Just like Jesus explained: the woman sowed and the disciples reaped.)

⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days.

(Jesus stayed with the Samaritans for two days. Notice, Jesus did not impose His will on these people, they asked Him to stay.)

⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word;
⁴² and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.

(After Jesus stayed, the Samaritans believed because of Jesus' own words.)

⁴³ And after the two days he went forth from thence into Galilee.
⁴⁴ For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.
⁴⁵ So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

(Verses 46-54: Jesus' healing of the nobleman's son.)

⁴⁶ He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.
⁴⁸ Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe.
⁴⁹ The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
⁵⁰ Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way.

(The nobleman acted in faith by leaving when Jesus told him to.)

⁵¹ And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived.
⁵² So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
⁵³ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
⁵⁴ This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judaea into Galilee.

(Jesus only said the word and the nobleman's son was healed. The father checked on when the son was healed and it was around the time Jesus spoke healing. This caused the father to believe in Jesus along with his whole house. John stated this was the second sign Jesus did in Galilee, with the first being turning water into wine. All of the accounts of healings and miracles from the other Gospel Accounts had to have occurred after this time.

Chronologically, the account from Luke 4 occurred at this point. Luke 4:23 stated Jesus was in the synagogue in Nazareth (His hometown) when He referenced that the people would ask Him to the do miracles like the one they heard was done in Capernaum. The miracle Jesus referenced was the one we just read that involved the nobleman's son. John's narrative jumped ahead almost a year, to the Passover that began Jesus' second year of public ministry. Also, in the other Gospel Accounts, Jesus called twelve of the disciples to be His Disciples, even though many people chose to continue to follow Jesus as disciples. From this point on, we will refer to the twelve as Disciples and all other followers as disciples.)




John 5
¹ After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

(This was the Passover feast that marked the end of Jesus' first year of public ministry also known as His Year of Introduction. This second year of Jesus' public ministry was known as His Year of Popularity.)

² Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.

(The Greek word Bethesda (from an Aramaic origin) meant "house of mercy" or "flowing water.")

³ In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
⁴ for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the waters stepped in was made whole, with whatsoever disease he was holden.

(Verse 4 proved that there was an angel going to this "pool." This was something the people of this time were aware of and were convinced. Angels are not mythological.)

⁵ And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.
⁶ When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wouldest thou be made whole?
⁷ The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
⁸ Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.

(Jesus spoke a statement where the object of the healing was the subject of the statement.)

⁹ And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. Now it was the sabbath on that day.

(The man immediately was made whole, took his bed, and walked (on the Sabbath). He did not know who Jesus was and did not make a confession of Jesus to be the Messiah. He just did what Jesus said and he was healed. Doing what Jesus said was a statement of faith, however, notice this man had no Doctrine. Having no Doctrine meant he also did not have any bad Doctrine that would have hindered his faith and his healing.)

¹⁰ So the Jews said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.

(The man was accused of working on the Sabbath. The Law did not say for a person to take up their bed and walk on the Sabbath.)

¹¹ But he answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

(The man "blamed" Jesus for taking up his bed and walking. The fact the man was healed was being ignored.)

¹² They asked him, Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
¹³ But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place.

(They wanted to know who said to "take your bed and walk," but he did not know who Jesus was.)

¹⁴ Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee.
¹⁵ The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole.

(Jesus found the man so that He could encourage him to stay on the right path. The man found out it was Jesus and told the Jews.)

¹⁶ And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.

(The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him because they believed they were defending God's Law regarding the Sabbath.

Critical Event: Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and it became a public issue with the religious leaders in Jerusalem that set the tone for Jesus' final two years of public ministry.)

¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work.

(Jesus stated that God was His Father and they both work all the time. Remember, people were allowed to do whatever they wanted for six days as long as it did not violate the Law. On the Sabbath, people were only supposed to do what the Law told them to do. Jesus was doing what the Law said to do on the Sabbath: Good.)

¹⁸ For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

(Jesus said God was His Father, making Him equal with God. Notice, Jesus Himself did not say He was "equal with God." This was implied by Jesus stating that God was His Father. Jesus did not testify of Himself as God with His words. This statement and the rest of this chapter caused the religious leaders in Jerusalem to actively look for ways to kill Jesus, which caused Jesus to take His public ministry away from Jerusalem.)

¹⁹ Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.

(Doctrine: Jesus did nothing of Himself. Jesus was fully man and fully God. If Jesus did things on earth out of His God Nature (Right and Just), then we could not be expected to do the same things. However, Jesus allowed God to completely direct His actions, which is what we are also able to do through grace: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.)

²⁰ For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and greater works than these will he show him, that ye may marvel.
²¹ For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will.
²² For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son;

(Doctrine: Jesus will be judge, but not yet (Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10). Jesus is also the source of this eternal life.)

²³ that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.
²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.
²⁵ Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.
²⁶ For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:
²⁷ and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

(Doctrine: Jesus was fully God and fully man. While on earth, Jesus was always completely Right and always completely Just (His Nature) while having the ability to act apart from this Nature (free will). Jesus is no longer fully man but was and is Right and Just.)

²⁸ Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,
²⁹ and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.
³⁰ I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

(Jesus' judgment was Just because Jesus sought the Will of the Father who, as is Jesus, is always completely Just. Again, Jesus reiterated that God the Father was directing His actions, not His own God Nature.)

³¹ If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

(We know that if Jesus bore witness of Himself that He would state a fact: a right what. We have seen with John the Baptist that prophets could not facilitate their own purpose and progress, that would be a wrong how/why. If Jesus bore witness of Himself it would not be true! How would that be possible? Truth must be something more than stating a fact/right what. If truth was only reality/fact, then Jesus would have been saying that He wouldn't have stated a reality/fact if He bore witness of Himself. We know that Jesus wouldn't have stated a wrong fact about Himself, so truth must be something more than reality/fact.

If Jesus bore witness of Himself it would be a wrong how/why, which would be why it would not be truth. Jesus would have been stating a right what with a wrong how/why which would have made it not true! Truth is a right what with a right how/why. Deception is a right what with a wrong or no how/why. Jesus would have been a deceiver if He bore witness of Himself.)

³² It is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
³³ Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.

(Doctrine: Jesus stated that John the Baptist bore witness of Jesus.)

³⁴ But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.
³⁵ He was the lamp that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light.
³⁶ But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

(Doctrine: God bore witness of Jesus. Jesus' actions proved that He was the Son of God. The works Jesus did could only have come from God, which meant God bore witness of Him and that the Father sent Him.)

³⁷ And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

(Doctrine: The Father and John the Baptist were the two who bore witness of Jesus.)

³⁸ And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he sent, him ye believe not.

(We will have the Father's Word live in us if we believe in Jesus.)

³⁹ Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;
⁴⁰ and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.

(Doctrine: We need to know God's Word and have fellowship with Jesus, truth and Spirit. The "scriptures" Jesus was referring to was the Old Testament. The words in the Old Testament bear witness of Jesus, whom we ought to receive so we will have eternal life.)

⁴¹ I receive not glory from men.
⁴² But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in yourselves.
⁴³ I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
⁴⁴ How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?

(Jesus wondered why people followed those who were prideful and glorified themselves instead of following those who were humble and were glorified by God.)

⁴⁵ Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope.

(Doctrine: Jesus did not come to accuse. Moses accused the unbelieving Jews because Moses wrote of Jesus.)

⁴⁶ For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me; for he wrote of me.
⁴⁷ But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

(Doctrine: If you do not believe God's written Word, you will not believe Jesus' spoken word.)




John 6

(Verses 1-13: the feeding of the 5000.)

¹ After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
² And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick.
³ And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
⁴ Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

(It had been two years since the beginning of Jesus' public Ministry. John's narrative jumped from Passover to Passover to Passover. Jesus was now staying away from Jerusalem because the religious leaders sought to kill Him for healing a man on the Sabbath. During this time away, His popularity grew. This third year would be known as Jesus' Year of Opposition. Notice, John covered Jesus' background and first two years of public ministry in five chapters. The rest of this Gospel Account focused on Jesus' third year of public ministry.)

⁵ Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?
⁶ And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

(Jesus created His own context. Jesus intentionally asked a question in order to set up a teaching.)

⁷ Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings' worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
⁹ There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many?
¹⁰ Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
¹¹ Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would.
¹² And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost.
¹³ So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten.

(Jesus did this miracle through giving.)

¹⁴ When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world.
¹⁵ Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone.

(This miracle caused a multitude to proclaim Jesus as Messiah. The people were determined to make Jesus a king so Jesus departed into a mountain by Himself. We will see that Jesus used the Sea of Galilee to prevent the formation of a "multi-city" multitude. Whenever too many people began following Jesus, He went across the Sea of Galilee so the multitude couldn't follow Him or He increased the tension so the multitude stopped following Him.)

¹⁶ And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea;
¹⁷ and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
¹⁸ And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew.
¹⁹ When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid.

(Jesus walked on the sea in response to a need: rejoining His Disciples who had already left in boats. The Disciples were going from the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee to the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. Halfway between these towns was Capernaum. Jesus met them halfway to their destination.)

²⁰ But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
²¹ They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going.
²² On the morrow the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus entered not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away alone
²³ (howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks):
²⁴ when the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

(The people noticed Jesus and His Disciples were not there, they got in their boats and sought Jesus in the next town over, which they also walked to.)

²⁵ And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled.
²⁷ Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.

(Apparently, Jesus went to the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee and then worked His way back east to Capernaum. Jesus now had a "multi-city" multitude: people from the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee and people from the northwest corner of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus began the process of dispersing this "multi-city" multitude by teaching relative to the miraculous feeding the 5000 had experienced. We ought to work for the meat that gives eternal life (John 4:32-34). This was the teaching Jesus wanted to help people understand: You are focused on the physical (eating bread) instead of the spiritual (signs). You need to focus on spiritual (eternal) life instead of physical life which will eventually end.)

²⁸ They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?
²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

(Doctrine: The work of God is to believe in Jesus whom the Father sent. The result (works) of believing in Jesus will be Righteousness from God.)

³⁰ They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou?
³¹ Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.
³² Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven.
³³ For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

(The people asked for a sign so they would believe. Jesus taught the multitude that even when God provided physical bread out of heaven, people credited it to Moses instead of God. Jesus transitioned to Him being the physical Bread from God that gives spiritual life to the world.)

³⁴ They said therefore unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
³⁵ Jesus said unto them. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

(Doctrine: Jesus is the spiritual bread of spiritual life. Jesus was also pointing to the Passover. During the Passover meal, the desert bread (Afikomen) represented Jesus.)

³⁶ But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not.
³⁷ All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
³⁸ For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

(Doctrine: Jesus will not reject anyone that comes to Him. Jesus came to do the Will of the Father.)

³⁹ And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
⁴¹ The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.

(The Jews ignored the talk about God's Will and murmured at Jesus' statements about being the bread from heaven.)

⁴² And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven?
⁴³ Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
⁴⁴ No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.

(Doctrine: No man can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him. The Father draws everyone.)

⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me.

(Jesus referenced Isaiah 54:13.)

⁴⁶ Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he that is from God, he hath seen the Father.
⁴⁷ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life.
⁴⁸ I am the bread of life.
⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
⁵⁰ This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

(Jesus reiterated His teaching: Jesus was the bread which God gave so that people would have eternal life. The bread which Jesus gave was His flesh which Jesus gave "for the life of the world.")

⁵² The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
⁵³ Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.

(The Jews continued to think physically instead of spiritually. Jesus made a statement that must have made people cringe, if they were focused on the physical, drink His blood and eat His flesh?!?!)

⁵⁴ He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

(Jesus was obviously speaking about the spiritual aspects. His body would be crucified for us and His blood would bring redemption. The Passover meal pointed to both of these facts with the Afikomen and the third cup of wine, which was drunk after the meal with the Afikomen and represented Redemption. This portion of the Passover became our communion.)

⁵⁵ For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
⁵⁶ He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.
⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.
⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever.

(This final verse blatantly showed Jesus was not talking about physical bread.)

⁵⁹ These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when the heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

(Verse 59 showed that Jesus was in Capernaum: the town between the northeast and northwest corners of the Sea of Galilee. Many of Jesus' disciples called Jesus' words "hard sayings." They wondered who could understand these words.)

⁶¹ But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble?

(Jesus asked if they were offended, if His words caused them to stumble.)

⁶² What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?
⁶³ It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.

(Doctrine: Words are spiritual. The words that Jesus spoke were spirit and life. Jesus said the physical flesh profited nothing from this discussion. The physical should not have been considered at all. The disciples must have been thinking about the physical.)

⁶⁴ But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him.

(Doctrine: Jesus knew who would not believe and who would betray Him. Notice, this did not say Jesus knew who would believe Him, that is up to the individual's free-will. However, Jesus knew each person's thought process. He could tell who was unable to overcome their faulty thought process and not be able to believe Jesus. Those who would not believe had a faulty thought process in the short term. They would never be able to believe in Jesus.

For example, the Pharisees were the religious leaders of this time and they were unable to believe in Jesus. In fact, the Pharisees became worse each time Jesus reached out to them to help them believe. Notice also, there is a big difference between those who are unable to believe and those who would betray. These are two separate groups of people because in order to betray you must first be able to believe. The people who could betray had to have a bad thought process that would be exposed in the long term. In the short term, the thought process would first result in belief, but as it got more information it would actually change toward resenting the object of belief resulting in betrayal. There were more people than just Judas who could have betrayed Jesus. Judas, in and of himself, was not predestined to betray Jesus. It was prophesied that someone would betray Jesus, because there would be plenty of people with a flawed enough thought process to do that, to first believe and then to resent enough to betray. Jesus selected Judas from all of the people who could have betrayed Him.)

⁶⁵ And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.

(Doctrine: It was not Jesus' fault if people did not follow Him. God called (and still calls) everyone and those with a flawed thought process would be unable to believe. None of this was Jesus' fault. Notice, this verse tends to be interpreted that everyone God calls will come to God. If that was the case, Jesus would have known who would believe and would not have to preach to everyone. However, in light of the previous verse, Jesus could also have been talking about those who would not believe in Him and those who would betray Him. Those could only come unto Jesus if the opportunity was given to those people by God.)

⁶⁶ Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

(Many of Jesus' disciples stopped following Him during Jesus' last year of public ministry. Jesus' words were causing division among the people who were not growth oriented. Here are some questions to think about:
-Did Jesus know that feeding these people would cause them to pursue Him?
-Did Jesus know that stating these "hard sayings" would cause people to turn away?
-Did Jesus make a mistake?
-Did Jesus encourage people to follow Him so that He could discourage them?

Remember, all of this ended up dispersing the "multi-city" multitude.)

⁶⁷ Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away?

(Jesus asked the twelve if they would also leave. Notice, Jesus had called the twelve Disciples by this time.)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
⁶⁹ And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God.

(Doctrine: The Disciples believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.)

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?

(Doctrine: Jesus chose (selected) these twelve as an effect of their belief in Him. None of the twelve was chosen against their will. None of the twelve were predestined to be a Disciple.)

⁷¹ Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

(Doctrine: Jesus was interested in quality, not quantity. Jesus intentionally drew a multitude towards Himself so that He could find out who was excellent: who would pursue the spiritual over the physical. Jesus was not interested in having 5000 physically-minded followers. He wanted twelve spiritually-minded followers, but He knew one of them would end up rejecting Him as he got more information. Jesus' final year of public ministry would be characterized by opposition. Jesus had initiated the confrontation that would characterize His public ministry during its final year.)

(This post covered Jesus' return to Galilee after the first Passover of His public ministry. Then, the narrative quickly covered the next two Passovers of His public ministry in order to focus on Jesus' final year of public ministry.)

Day 307