The Ministry Of Jesus. John’s Gospel

Feeding the Five Thousand.

After these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and, seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”

Then 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. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” Therefore they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” John 6 v 1-14.

Jesus Walks on the Sea

Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But Jesus said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. John 6 v 15-21.

The Bread from Heaven

On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples but His disciples had gone away alone. However, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks; when the people, therefore, saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” John 6 v 22-25.

Jesus the Bread of Life.

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek Me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat that perishes but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you, for God the Father has sealed Him. Then the people said unto Jesus,  What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom the Father has sent. They said therefore unto Jesus, What sign will You show that we may see, and believe you? What work will you do? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses did not give you that bread from heaven but it was My Father Who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He Who comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world. Then they said unto Jesus, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That you also have seen Me, and do not believe. John 6 vs 26-36.

All that the Father gives to Me shall come to Me, and they that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me. And this is the Father’s will Who has sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of the Father Who has sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and shall believes on Him may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Jews then murmured at Jesus, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He is saying, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to Me, except the Father Who has sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that has heard and has learned of the Father, comes unto Me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save He Who is of God, He has seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me has everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man shall eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. John 6 vs 37-51.

The Jews, therefore, strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever shall eat My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, dwell in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats Me, even he shall live by Me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever. These things Jesus said in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. John 6 vs52-59.

Many Disciples Turn Away.

Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them, Does this offend you? What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before? It is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. And Jesus said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it was given unto him of My Father. John 6 vs 60-65.

Peter’s Confession of Faith.

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Then Jesus said unto the twelve, Will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Jesus, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that You are that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was he that should betray Jesus, being one of the twelve. John 6 vs 66-71.