JOHN Disciplers Bible Studies LESSON 9 The Bread of Life John 6:1-71 Introduction Outline of John 6:1-71 A. Christ’s Public Following (John 2-5) I. Fourth Sign: Feeding of the Five Thousand (6:1-15) In the last lesson (John 5), we saw a foreboding II. Fifth Sign: Crossing of the Sea (6:16-24) turn-around in Jesus’ public ministry. Previously, III. The Source of the Bread of Life (6:25-34) in John 2-4, His following had increased in Gali- IV. The Nature of the Bread of Life (6:35-50) lee and Samaria because of His awesome presence, V. The Eating of the Passover Lamb (6:51-71) divine words and miraculous signs. Then, in John VI. Memory Verse 5, His healing of the lame man on the Sabbath in Jerusalem, along with His claim to be equal with God, caused great consternation among the Phari- A. Geographic Setting sees. Their flaming anger and threatening influence continued to arouse Jerusalem and Judea. The au- Because of His severe opposition in Judea, Jesus thorities wanted to kill Him. withdrew to northern Galilee where He and His disciples ministered for several months. Then, af- B. Opposition to Christ (John 5) ter Jesus heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, the group crossed the Sea of Galilee to get Jesus had cited many witnesses to the Jerusalem some rest. Jewish leaders concerning His claim as the divine Messiah. In Chapter 5 He pointed specifically to It was Passover season when many Jewish males the testimony of God the Father, John the Baptist, and sometimes their families traveled to the capital His own miraculous works and the Old Testament city of Jerusalem. Perhaps many of these Galileans writings of Moses. But the Jews were so blinded by were on the eastern route to avoid going through their own self-righteousness and man-made Sab- Samaria. They had heard that Jesus and His dis- bath rules that they could not comprehend His ciples were in the area northeast of the lake. They supernatural signs and spiritual words. In spite of were eager to hear Him and benefit from His healing Old Testament prophecy, they could not in any way powers. Five thousand men and probably several recognize this Divine Being as their Messiah. They hundred additional women and children gathered still wanted to put Jesus to death. on the mountainside. C. Summary of John 6 B. Jesus’ Compassion for the Multitude In John 6, we see Jesus’ fourth and fifth miraculous Jesus ministered to many of the sick, then sat with signs; the feeding of the five thousand and walk- His disciples and looked upon the great crowd with ing on water. Coupled with these miracles is His compassion. He thought of the Passover meal and great discourse on the Bread of Life. These events embraced the opportunity to provide food and spiri- brought forth both the high point and the low point tual teaching to these needy people. It was almost in Jesus’ popularity. His reputation soared after He as if the Lord was saying to His disciples, “We, too, fed the multitude and they clamored for Him to be will celebrate the Passover feast which My Father King in order to continue feeding their stomachs will provide.” Jesus would show His disciples how physically. they could work with Him in the same way that He worked with His Father – in perfect oneness of love Later, after His “eat-my-flesh, drink-my-blood” dis- and cooperation. course, the multitude and many of His disciples could not understand the deep, spiritual meaning of His words. They left Him and walked with Him no more. His twelve original disciples, however, stayed with Him. © Harle Damon, 2008, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274, all rights reserved Disciplers Bible Studies - 2 - John Lesson 9 C. The Source of the Physical Food with. Jesus had met their physical needs and had some remaining. 1. The Hopelessness of Feeding the Multitude 2. Significance of the Miracle Jesus asked Philip where they could buy food, The importance of the feeding miracle is clearly em- not because He needed to know, but in order phasized in the Bible by the fact that all four Gos- to train Philip to trust Him in a situation that pels include it (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; seemed hopeless. Philip’s response was in ef- Luke 9:11-17.) The miracle provides indisputable fect, “Master, it can’t be done with the money evidence of Jesus Christ’s creative power, supreme we have, humanly speaking.” All of the disciples sovereignty and divine glory. must have recognized and appreciated the im- possibility of resolving this situation apart from E. Misinterpretation of the Miracle a miraculous work from the hand of God . The multitude became excited and wanted to 2. The Lad With Bread and Fish force Jesus to be king. They had misinterpreted the miraculous sign which was given to reveal Then Peter’s brother, Andrew, told Jesus about a God’s loving compassion for human need and to lad present with five barley loaves and two fish. The reveal the divine authority of His Son. Instead, fact that Andrew brought this to Jesus’ attention their thoughts were on material comfort and se- seemed to imply that he thought maybe Jesus could curity. They wanted Jesus to serve their ends. do something with this totally inadequate amount But He departed from them to be alone on the of food. Andrew’s positive attitude, however, was mountain and told His disciples to leave by boat mixed with doubts and unbelief. without Him. The lad willingly gave what he had to Jesus, not II. Fifth Sign: Crossing of the Sea (6:16-24) knowing whether he would go without food, or whether to trust Jesus that everything would be A. Jesus Walked on Water and Calmed the Sea all right. The loving, compassionate face of Jesus “told” him this was the right thing to do. Jesus fed 1. The Raging Storm more than 5000 people with only five barley loaves and two fish. The disciples departed that evening in a boat to cross the sea for Capernaum. It was a dark, stormy Application: night and the sea was raging fiercely. Dr. Adam Clarke suggests that Satan, the prince of the power This is an example of what God does with the sac- of the air (Ephesians 2:2), may have provoked this rificial giving of our resources and time. He mul- treacherous sea-storm. tiplies our giving to meet the needs of others and satisfies our needs at the same time. When you or 2. Jesus Calmed the Sea someone around you has a need that seems im- possible to handle on a human level, do you, like From His mountain site, Jesus surveyed the situ- Andrew, bring it to Jesus with whatever is avail- ation and knew that His disciples did not have the able, recognizing that He can multiply it and use it needed strength to battle against these uncontrol- beyond your greatest imagination? lable elements and reach the shore safely. So, He timed His deliverance perfectly and walked upon D. The Sign Miracle the water to find them. He calmed their fears with His presence and brought the wind and sea under 1. Food for All With Fragments Left Over control at once (Psalm 107:29.) The miracle itself took place after Jesus gave thanks 3, Was There a Second Miracle? to His Father and blessed the food (Luke 9:16). The disciples then distributed the bread and fish to the John then wrote, “Immediately the boat was at great multitude. They were so busy passing out food the land where they were going.” John seemed to that, for a time, they didn’t realize what an incred- speak of their sudden arrival there as extraordi- ible, supernatural event was taking place. Everyone nary and miraculous. However, there is nothing in this large, hungry multitude was filled and there in the text to substantiate that this was a sec- were more fragments left over than they had started ond sign from His walking-on-water miracle. Disciplers Bible Studies - 3 - John Lesson 9 4. The People Searched for Jesus that it was perishable bread given to keep their bodies going. God now provided the true Bread When the people saw that Jesus had left the moun- of Life for the spiritual needs of the soul. “The tain, they got into boats and crossed the sea to Ca- bread of God is He who comes down from heaven.” pernaum looking for Him. This is the bread that gives life and preserves from death. The crowd, however, still dwelt on Application: the level of material food. Do you sometimes feel that uncontrollable forces IV. The Nature of the Bread of Life (6:35-50) are raging against you? You seem to be in the dark, carried along by a strong current, fearful of the A. The Only Bread That Satisfies and Sustains outcome? The promises of God come to you, but you are discouraged and unable to claim them with Next, Jesus expanded His explanation. He said, confidence. This lesson teaches us to believe in our “I am the Bread of Life.” Jesus is the food that hearts that Jesus knows all about our situations, is sustains and satisfies your spiritual hunger and praying for us and will deliver us in His perfect tim- thirst completely. Being nourished by and abid- ing. Fix your eyes on Jesus in every trial and tribu- ing in Him is the only answer for mankind – for lation.