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Sunday School Lesson Outline – Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church – 3317 Toledano Street – New Orleans, La.

January 17, 2021 --- Jesus: the Bread of Life --- John 6:25-40

Unit II – Getting To Know Jesus

Introduction: “Someone recently posted on social media that bread is like the sun: it rises in the yeast and sets in the waist! Bread is said to be the most widely eaten food in the world and has been a staple all the way back to ancient days. There apparently is extensive evidence of bread making in ancient Egypt, for example. We read of a baker in the record of Joseph (cf. Gen. 40:1), so we know this profession extends back thousands of years. Several years ago, an elderly gentleman was discussing his experience as a guest in someone’s home for dinner. His main comment was an exasperated complaint: ‘They didn’t even have any bread on the table!’ Apparently, in his mind, no meal was complete without bread; even the poorest of hosts ought never to have guests over without offering bread at the meal. While bread might not seem quite so essential to many of us, it tends to be a staple in many cuisines. Scripture is replete with instances of eating bread, not the least of which was Jesus feeding a large crowd with it on two separate occasions.” – BE&I (See Work on Page 7.)

I. INQUIRIES – John 6:25-29

John 6:25-27 25 And when they had 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 the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour 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.

A. Seeking bread (John 6:25-27).

1. “Following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus had sent the disciples away in a boat while He went up on a mountain to pray. (During the night, a fierce storm had arisen on the Sea of Galilee.)”

a. “At the height of the storm, Jesus came walking on the water to the disciples’ rescue.”

b. “After He entered the boat, they immediately found themselves on shore where they were headed.”

c. “The next morning the crowds back on the other side of the lake were unable to find Jesus.”

2. “The people, therefore, got into boats that had just arrived from Tiberias (vs. 23) and sailed to Capernaum in hopes of finding Him (vs. 24).”

a. “Upon their arrival and seeing Jesus there, they were puzzled.”

b. “They knew He had not sailed with the disciples, and they knew there had been no other boats available (vs. 22).”

c. “They expressed their confusion by asking Jesus when He got there. (They were mystified by His presence in Capernaum when there seemed no means for Him to have traveled there.)”

3. “Jesus responded by ignoring their actual question, speaking instead directly to what He knew was the motive for their search.”

a. “They were not seeking Him to benefit spiritually from His teachings.”

b. “Rather, they were just hoping to get more bread to eat.”

Practical Point 1: “God knows when we are truly seeking Him and when we have an ulterior motive.”

4. “Instead of chasing physical bread, they needed to focus their energies on gaining the eternal bread that is Jesus Himself. (Eating physical food might sustain them for another day, but eternal life would allow them to live forever.)” 2

Practical Point 2: “Our focus must be on the eternal things in life, not the temporal.”

John 6:28-29 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might 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.

B. The work of God (John 6:28-29).

1. “Since God had set His seal of approval on Jesus (vs. 27), they asked what works they could do that would likewise gain God’s approval.”

a. “They had misunderstood what Jesus had said.”

b. “He was able to give them eternal life, and there was nothing in His statement that indicated they needed to work for it.”

c. “Their question implies that whatever God might require of them, they would do it to earn His favor.”

2. “Jesus explained that the work of God was genuine trust in the One He had sent, referring to Himself.”

a. “Salvation has never required works and still does not. (It is a matter of believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.)”

b. “Paul said to the Philippian jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:31).”

c. “All in his family who believed in Christ would be saved, and that is the requirement for us as well.”

3. “Paul emphasized the importance of faith to the Romans when he wrote, But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe (Rom. 3:21-22).”

a. “He also wrote: Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith (vs. 27).”

b. “Are you trying to live a certain kind of life you think will get you into heaven? (We cannot live that kind of life without the power of the Holy Spirit, and He comes to us only through our genuine faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.)”

Practical Point 3: “We can do nothing to earn God’s favor; rather, we receive it through Jesus Christ.”

II. DEMANDS – John 6:30-34

John 6:30-31 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

A. Demanding a sign (John 6:30-31).

1. “In a blatant manifestation of spiritual dullness, the crowd asked, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? (See Sign on page 7.)”

a. “They had just seen Jesus abundantly multiply five loaves of bread and two small fish to feed over five thousand people and had found Him across the sea with no conventional means of transportation available, yet they asked for an additional miracle to prove who He was!”

b. “Jesus was claiming to be the Authorized Representative of God Himself, so they were still asking for something visible beyond what they had already seen.” 3

2. “They even quoted Scripture as proof of their sincerity: As it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat (John 6:31; cf. Ps. 78:24). (They were trying to sound spiritual when all they really wanted was another free meal.)”

a. “But their request betrayed the spiritual blindness of their thinking.”

b. “They thought God’s order is see and believe but the divine order is believe and see (cf. John 11:40).”

c. “’They did not have faith or spiritual perception, but they understood that Jesus was proclaiming something new’ (Walvoord).”

3. “The question and statement from this crowd reveals the hardness of their hearts. (They seemed to esteem the bread Jesus had provided for the five thousand as a very minor miracle compared to what Moses had done; so in their estimation He needed to do something bigger.)”

John 6:32-34 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

B. True bread from heaven (John 6:32-34).

1. “Jesus explained that it was not Moses who had accomplished the provision of bread for the Israelites.”

a. “The real giver of bread had been His Father in heaven.”

b. “In saying this, Jesus was subtly letting them know that they were wrong to think that any human could provide their necessary bread.”

c. “They needed to look to God for their needs to be met and not focus on whatever merely human agent God might choose to use.”

2. “Jesus then made reference to the true bread from heaven that God was offering; something distinct and greater than the food provided through Moses.”

a. “Physical bread gives temporary satisfaction; now God was offering something spiritual and eternal.”

b. “He was offering them a new type of bread from heaven, and it was provision enough for giving life unto the world.”

c. “The difference was that physical bread provided only for physical life, but what was needed was provision for spiritual life, and God was now making provision for that life.”

3. “’Jesus also turned the conversation away from the request for a physical sign back to the subject of the bread that satisfies…. Jesus described it as coming down from heaven and providing life for the entire world, not just Israel.”

a. “With this response Jesus effectively took Moses and his sign, which the people had put in a superior place over Himself, and placed them in an inferior position under Himself’ (Constable).”

b. “Jesus had now set the scene for revealing specifically that He Himself was the true bread sent from heaven. (He had accomplished His purpose; the people were now eager to have the kind of bread He had just described.)”

Practical Point 4: “God’s spiritual gift of Jesus Christ is greater than any physical blessing we can receive.”

III. EXPLANATIONS – John 6:35-40

John 6:35-36 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

A. The bread of life (John 6:35-36). 4

1. “As soon as the people asked for the bread He had described, He identified Himself as that bread from heaven.”

a. “He called Himself the bread of life and claimed that he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

b. “In a carefully worded statement, Jesus claimed to be the bread, not merely that He had that bread.”

2. “We must understand that Jesus was offering spiritual fulfillment in the ultimate sense.”

a. “He was not promising that a believer would no longer suffer disappointments or trials; He was offering Himself as the supreme source of help in every situation.”

b. “It is only through having a right relationship with Him that we can find everything we need to triumph over the difficulties and trials of life.”

3. “Many of God’s children in this world face literal hunger, and many more face intense persecution. (In spite of such physical circumstances, Jesus remains their only true hope in the midst of such tremendous hardships.)”

a. “Those standing before Jesus that day could see Him, but they were not responding to Him in faith.”

b. “We must seek Jesus for the spiritual, eternal contentment He provides, not present comforts.”

Practical Point 5: “Our greatest spiritual need can be met only by Jesus Christ, for only He can save us.”

John 6:37-40 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

B. Assurance of salvation (John 6:37-40).

1. “Jesus had just made the first of seven I am statements recorded by John (vs. 35).”

a. “Although many of the people were not responding in faith toward Him, God’s plan was not failing.”

b. “There nevertheless were some few who were coming to Him in true faith. He spoke of them as gifts from His Father, and assured them that He’d never lose anyone the Father gave Him.” (See Reassurance on page 8.)

2. “It is the definite will of the Father that everyone He has given to the Son will remain His forever.”

a. “Jesus put a great deal of emphasis on the importance and work of His Father in this enterprise.”

b. “He had been sent by the Father, believers are given to Him by the Father, and it is the Father’s will that every believer have eternal life and be raised to new life on the last day.”

3. “Once we have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, we possess eternal life.”

a. “Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

b. “The present tense is also used when He said that anyone who believeth on him, may have everlasting life (6:40). (Jesus said this is the will of His Father.)”

Practical Point 6: “When we turn to Jesus for salvation, we are kept for eternity.”

Compiler: Rev. Kenneth E. Thompson From: Bible Expositor and Illuminator, Union Gospel Press, Cleveland, OH: Standard Lesson Commentary NIV, Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, OH; Power Bible CD, Online Publishing Co., Wordsearch 9 Basic Edition, Wordsearch Bible Software, Austin, TX.

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Sunday School Lesson Text With NIV And Interlinear

January 17, 2021 --- Jesus: the Bread of Life --- John 6:25-40

Joh 6:25 And (kai) when they had found (heurisko) him (autos) on the other side (peran) of the sea, (thalassa) they said (epo) unto him, (autos) Rabbi, (rhabbi) when (pote) camest thou (ginomai) hither (hode)?

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" (NIV)

26 Jesus (Iesous) answered (apokrinomai) them (autos) and (kai) said, (epo) Verily, (amen) verily, (amen) I say (lego) unto you, (humin) Ye seek (zeteo) me, (me) not (ou) because (hoti) ye saw (eido) the miracles, (semeion) but (alla) because (hoti) ye did eat (phago) of (ek) the loaves, (artos) and (kai) were filled. (chortazo)

26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. (NIV)

27 Labour (ergazomai) not (me) for the meat (brosis) which (ho) perisheth, (apollumi) but (alla) for that meat (brosis) which (ho) endureth (meno) unto (eis) everlasting (aionios) life, (zoe) which (hos) the Son (huios) of man (anthropos) shall give (didomi) unto you: (humin) for (gar) him (touton) hath (sphragizo) God (theos) the Father (pater) sealed. (sphragizo)

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (NIV)

28 ¶ Then (oun) said they (epo) unto (pros) him, (autos) What (tis) shall we do (poieo), (poieo) that (hina) we might work (ergazomai) the works (ergon) of God (theos)?

28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" (NIV)

29 Jesus (Iesous) answered (apokrinomai) and (kai) said (epo) unto them, (autos) This (touto) is (esti) the work (ergon) of God, (theos) that (hina) ye believe (pisteuo) on (eis) him (hos) whom (ekeinos) he hath sent. (apostello)

29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (NIV)

30 They said (epo) therefore (oun) unto him, (autos) What (tis) sign (semeion) shewest (poieo) thou (su) then, (oun) that (hina) we may see, (eido) and (kai) believe (pisteuo) thee (soi)? what (tis) dost thou work (ergazomai)?

30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? (NIV)

31 Our (hemon) fathers (pater) did eat (phago) manna (manna) in (en) the desert; (eremos) as (kathos) it is (esti) written, (grapho) He gave (didomi) them (autos) bread (artos) from (ek) heaven (ouranos) to eat. (phago)

31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" (NIV)

32 Then (oun) Jesus (Iesous) said (epo) unto them, (autos) Verily, (amen) verily, (amen) I say (lego) unto you, (humin) Moses (Moseus) gave (didomi) you (humin) not (ou) that bread (artos) from (ek) heaven; (ouranos) but (alla) my (mou) Father (pater) giveth (didomi) you (humin) the true (alethinos) bread (artos) from (ek) heaven. (ouranos) 6

32 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. (NIV)

33 For (gar) the bread (artos) of God (theos) is he (esti) which (ho) cometh down (katabaino) from (ek) heaven, (ouranos) and (kai) giveth (didomi) life (zoe) unto the world. (kosmos)

33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." (NIV)

34 Then (oun) said they (epo) unto (pros) him, (autos) Lord, (kurios) evermore (pantote) give (didomi) us (hemin) this (touton) bread. (artos)

34 "Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread." (NIV)

35 And (de) Jesus (Iesous) said (epo) unto them, (autos) I (ego) am (eimi) the bread (artos) of life: (zoe) he that cometh (erchomai) to (pros) me (me) shall never (ou me) hunger; (peinao) and (kai) he that believeth (pisteuo) on (eis) me (eme) shall (dipsao) never (ou me) (popote) thirst. (dipsao)

35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. (NIV)

36 But (alla) I said (epo) unto you, (humin) That (hoti) ye (horao) also (kai) have seen (horao) me, (me) and (kai) believe (pisteuo) not. (ou)

36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. (NIV)

37 All (pas) that (hos) the Father (pater) giveth (didomi) me (moi) shall come (heko) to (pros) me; (eme) and (kai) him that cometh (erchomai) to (pros) me (me) I will (ekballo) in no wise (ou me) cast (ekballo) out. (exo)

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (NIV)

38 For (hoti) I came down (katabaino) from (ek) heaven, (ouranos) not (ou) to (hina) do (poieo) mine own (emos) will, (thelema) but (alla) the will (thelema) of him that sent (pempo) me. (me)

38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. (NIV)

39 And (de) this (touto) is (esti) the Father's (pater) will (thelema) which (ho) hath sent (pempo) me, (me) that (hina) of all (pas) which (hos) he hath given (didomi) me (moi) I should lose (apollumi) nothing (me) (ek), (autos) but (alla) should raise (anistemi) it (autos) up again (anistemi) at (en) the last (eschatos) day. (hemera)

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. (NIV)

40 And (de) this (touto) is (esti) the will (thelema) of him that sent (pempo) me, (me) that (hina) every one (pas) which (ho) seeth (theoreo) the Son, (huios) and (kai) believeth (pisteuo) on (eis) him, (autos) may have (echo) everlasting (aionios) life: (zoe) and (kai) I (ego) will raise (anistemi) him (autos) up (anistemi) at the last (eschatos) day. (hemera)

40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (NIV)

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The Only True Work

When Jesus spoke about the works of God, the Jews immediately thought in terms of "good" works. It was their conviction that a man by living a good life could earn the favour of God. They held that men could be divided into three classes—those who were good, those who were bad and those who were in between, who, by doing one more good work, could be transferred to the category of the good. So when the Jews asked Jesus about the work of God they expected him to lay down lists of things to do. But that is not what Jesus says at all.

His answer is extremely compressed and we must expand it and see what lies behind it. He said that God's work was to believe in him whom he had sent. Paul would have put it this way—the one work that God desires from man is faith. Now what does faith mean? It means being in such a relationship with God that we are his friends, not terrified of him any more but knowing him as our Father and our friend and giving him the trust and the obedience and the submission which naturally arise from this new relationship. How does believing in Jesus tie up with that? It is only because Jesus came to tell us that God is our Father and loves us and wants nothing more than to forgive, that the old distance and enmity are taken away and the new relationship with him made possible.

But that new relationship issues in a certain kind of life. Now we know what God is like, our lives must answer to that knowledge. That answer will be in three directions, each of which corresponds to what Jesus told us of God.

(i) God is love. Therefore in our lives there must be love and service of others corresponding to the love and the service of God, and forgiveness of others corresponding to his forgiveness of God.

(ii) God is holiness. Therefore in our lives there must be purity corresponding to the holiness of God.

(iii) God is wisdom. Therefore in our lives there must be complete submission and trust corresponding to the wisdom of God.

The essence of the Christian life is a new relationship to God, a relationship offered by him and made possible by the revelation which Jesus gave us of him, a relationship which issues in that service, purity and trust which are the reflection of God. This is the work which God wishes us and enables us to perform.

-- Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT).

Sign

The crowd used the same word John uses throughout his Gospel to refer to the miracles of Jesus: sēmeion. It was the word indicating that His miracles were not just extraordinary phenomena, but signs that pointed to His divine mission and deity. They then slyly asked Him to provide miraculous bread as Moses had done when the Israelites were in the wilderness. How could Jesus deny such an evident display of spiritual interest?

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Reassurance

What a reassurance it is for us to be able to offer salvation through faith in Jesus to anyone. We can be certain that they will always be received by Jesus. The ability to genuinely trust in Jesus Christ comes from the divine enabling of the Father accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit. We cannot take credit for our salvation because even our faith is a gift from Him (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). But all who believe are accepted.

“Verse 37 is one of the key verses in Scripture on the issue of election. It demonstrates both election and free-will in the same verse. The Father literally gives certain believers to the Son. On the other hand, the gospel always proclaims, ‘Whosoever will may come.’ Does God choose us or do we choose Him? The only possible answer is, ‘Yes.’ These two strands run side by side like two lanes of a super highway throughout the Scriptures” (Gangel and Anders, eds., Holman

Old Testament Commentary, Holman).

Once again, Jesus claimed to have come down from heaven. This time He explicitly added that it was in order to accomplish His Father’s will. He had not come to do His own will, only that of the Father. – BE&I