John Farley
Pastor Teacher
Sunday,
August 1, 2021
The food
which endures
to eternal life
Joh 6:22-29
Jesus will now give an extended discourse to the people and leaders in Capernaum.
The failure of the people to understand the meaning behind the miracle of feeding the 5,000 men.
That Jesus is the bread of life, who gives His life for the life of the world.
Whoever believes in Him (“eats this bread”) receives eternal life.
From physical bread
To heavenly bread
To bread for eternal life
To Christ as the bread of life
To the offering of the flesh of Jesus for the life of the world
To the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood
All the while confronting the people with the challenge to believe in Him,
even as He ratchets up the audacity and scandal of his words.
Joh 6:22-25
Tiberias was the capital of Galilee at the time.
Capernaum was now the hometown of Jesus and His family (see 2:12).
It was also the hub for His ministry in Galilee.
Their question was the springboard for the great discourse that Jesus gave on the bread from heaven.
Joh 6:26
They were all about “what I want”, rather than “Who He is”.
However, they completely missed the significance of what they had witnessed.
A Biblical sign is a miracle with a greater meaning.
They saw the miraculous act but failed to grasp what it signified about Jesus.
It stimulated their desires– but not their worship!
Joh 6:27
The contrast here between perishable and eternal food
is just like
the contrast between natural and spiritual water
in Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4.
Joh 4:10-15
Neither the natural water in Jacob’s well nor the natural food of loaves and fish can provide eternal life.
Jesus is the Giver of the water that springs up to eternal life (4:14).
Jesus is also the One who gives the food that endures to eternal life (6:27).
Jesus will identify that food ever more closely with His person and work.
Joh 6:28-29
Here we go again – another complete misunderstanding!
But they ignored His message and instead went straight for the word “work”.
What did they need to do to purchase the food which endures to eternal life?
They ignored Jesus when He said it was a GIFT! (verse 27)
The only necessary thing is to believe in the Giver of the gift!
Joh 6:29
What God requires is FAITH! Believing in the One God sent.
The Father sent the Son into the world to save the world.
Joh 3:16-17
And the Son’s “food” was to do the will of the One who sent Him.
Joh 4:34
Joh 6:29
The work of God is diametrically opposed to what Paul calls “the works of the law”.
Rom 3:28
To see that, in Jesus’ coming and work, God has brought salvation to all.
2Co 5:18-19