John Chapter 6

John Chapter 6

After this JC went over the sea of Galilee which is also known as the sea of Tiberias. (That’s an interesting little historical geography lesson). Another huge throng of people followed them because they saw JC’s miracles, particularly with regard to curing the sick.

JC went up to the mountains with his disciples when the Passover feast was coming. Jesus looked up and saw a huge crowd was going to see him and he asked Philip where they should buy bread so everyone could eat. (Turns out, the author tells us, this is just a test for Phil because JC already knows exactly what he’s going to do).

Philip tells him that even two hundred pennyworth of bread isn’t enough, even if everyone only takes a little. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother said that there was a kid with five barley loaves and two small fishes, but he worried that this meant nothing in such a crowd.

Jesus had them direct the crowd of men to sit of the grass and it turned out that there were five thousand (I know, I know, we’ve heard this one a few times before, but we’re still going to go through it. Sorry).

JC gives thanks for the loaves and fishes and hands them to his disciples who eat first. After they are full they gather up the crumbs and filled twelve baskets with the fragments and passed them out to the crowd and everyone was satiated. Wooooo! Amazing.

The men in the crowd were oh so impressed and knew that he must be a true prophet. Jesus then grew afraid that they would take him by force and make him a king so he departed to a different mountain all alone.

In the evening his disciples when back to the sea and headed over to Capernaum (fickle jerks, they couldn’t even wait for the guy they’re supposed to be following). The sea rose up from a mighty wind. When they had rowed about 25-30 furlongs out into the water they saw JC just sauntering across the sea and they got all types of scared.

You remember how this goes… He tells them not be afraid because it’s only him, who they know. Well they happily receive him on their ship and the ship is magically transported to land (that’s a new piece of the puzzle).

The next day, the people stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except the one that disciples entered onto without Jesus, but they knew the disciples had gone. Other boats from Tiberias had come to the place where they ate bread. (If you’re confused so am I, I have no idea where they boats are, or where the disciples and Jesus are, or why it matters that other boats were there, but I’m just going to keep plugging away).

When they saw that Jesus wasn’t there and neither were the disciples, the crowd also sailed to Capernaum to look for old JC. (I guess JC sent the boat back to the mountain empty???) When they found him, they asked him when he had arrived.

He tells them that they are not seeking him because they saw miracles but because they ate and were filled. He tells them that they should not work for the meat the perishes, but for meat that endures in everlasting life which the Son of man will give them and God has sealed. (He’s really really into this everlasting life thing... I don’t think it’s supposed to be as terrifying to me as it really really really is).

These folks ask him what they should do so that they can do God’s work.

He tells them that they really need to believe in him (that’s what all the cult leaders say).

They ask him for a sign so they can believe.

He tells them that their ancestors ate manna from heaven (a fabulous scene from the old testament), and as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. He then sort of amends this by saying that Moses didn’t give bread from heaven, but his dad gives the true bread from heaven. This bread… well, what do you think it does… it gives eternal life.

Then the crowds tells him to give them this special bread.

Jesus says that he is the bread and whoever comes to him will never hunger or thirst. Holy Pete and repeat! It goes on for a few more verse about how he’s giving everlasting life to believers, anyone who doesn’t believe will be damned, he’s doing his dad’s will, not his own, if you give him something, or give up something for him you’ll get it back in the “last day”.

Well, the Jews get to murmuring with each other, did this guy just say he is bread from heaven? Isn’t he Jesus, Joseph’s son? Don’t we know his mom and dad, so how can he come from heaven then?

Jesus tells them to stop murmuring. He goes on another long rant about being saved if you believe in him. Then he gets a little nasty and says that their fathers ate manna in the wilderness and are dead, now. Then there’s more about eating his special bread which is actually his flesh (ahhh, that’s where Catholics got that idea, after Matthew and Mark I was wondering, it seemed so clearly figurative) and getting everlasting life.

The Jews ask each other how he can give them his flesh to eat.

He goes on a really gruesome tirade about the wonderful meat that his flesh is and the amazing drink that his blood is, of course coming back to the point that what happens… you get everlasting life if you eat and drink and believe in all of it.

He said these things in the synagogue just as he had taught them in Capernaum. His disciples were a little put off by this talk and said, “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?”

JC asked them if they were offended. He tells them they should wait and see when he ascends to heaven, where he used to live. It’s the spirit that rises, he lets them know, not the flesh (really, then where does his body go?). The words he speaks are spirit and life.

JC tells them that there are some amongst them who don’t believe, because he knew right from the beginning who believed and who would betray him (He’s talking to you Judas Iscariot). He tells them that this is why he told them that no man should come to him unless God had told them to. From that time a lot of the disciples quite following him. But, guess how many remained? Did you guess twelve? You’re right!

He asks them if any of them want to go too. Simon Peter answers that there is no one else to go to because only JC has the words of eternal life and they believe and are sure that JC is Christ.

Jesus tells them that he chose the twelve but one of them is a devil! He was talking about Judas because he was the one that would betray him. Thanks for the preview. Boy, they like to give that little tidbit away up front.