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In this lesson:
Those Jesus fed in lesson 176 follow Him across The Sea of Galilee (6:22-24). How to satisfy your hunger. Who is the bread of life? Study Tip: Put difficult passages in your own words. This helps you understand the verse and to retain it longer. |
Palestine in Jesus' day.
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The Gospel According to St. John
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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John 6:22-40
Bread from heaven 22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; 23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. |
Margin notes:
"The people which stood on the other side of the sea." (6:22) - Remember, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee during the night. The people Jesus miraculously fed yesterday are still there, hoping to see Him again. "Save that one whereinto his disciples were entered." (6:22) - Means "except the one (boat) His disciples entered." "Howbeit there came other boats." (6:23) - "However, other boats came." "Tiberias." (6:23) - City built by King Herod Antipas on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was named for the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar, who ruled for twenty-three years (AD 14-37). Tiberias was a hot-water bath resort and Galilee's capital until King Herod Agrippa 11 moved it to Sepphoris. Many of Tiberias' citizens were Romans and Greeks whose customs and religions offended strict Jews. After Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army in AD 70, Tiberias became a Jewish city and the center of Rabbinic teaching. The Sanhedrin made the city their home and it is believed that the Talmud and Masorah were written in one of Tiberias' rabbinical schools. There is no record that Jesus ever visited the city. Tiberias still exists today. "They also took shipping." (6:24) - "They also got into boats." "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves." (6:26) - Means some followed Jesus for the free food. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth." (6:27) - "Don't work for food that rots." "For him hath God the Father sealed." (6:27) - "For I have God's seal of approval" (Mathew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22). "What shall we do?" (6:28) - Apparently, the people didn't understand what Jesus meant in verse 6:27, seek everlasting life through the Messiah. "Believe on him." (6:29) - Believe, because we are saved through faith. "What sign shewest thou." (6:30) - "What miracle will you show us." "Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written." (6:31) - As written in Exodus 16:12-15, 16:35, Numbers 11:7-9, and Psalm 78:24. "Evermore give us this bread." (6:34) - "Give us this bread, forever." "I am the bread of life." (6:35) - Jesus is proclaiming His deity. This message is so important, Jesus will repeat it in verse 6:48 and again in 6:58. "He that cometh to me shall never hunger." (6:35) - A promise from Jesus. "He that believeth on me shall never thirst." (6:35) - Another promise. "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (6:37) - Jesus is repeating this promise from John 5:24. "Not to do my own will." (6:38) - Jesus' task was to do the will of God. This is so important to understanding Jesus' mission; He is reinforcing it from John 4:34 and 5:30. As we will see in verse 17:4, Jesus will see His mission through to the end. "Him that sent me." (6:40) - "Him" is God, the Father. "Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life" (6:40) - This one verse sums up the entire passage. It is such a critical teaching, it is repeated in verses 3:18, 6:47, and again in 20:31. "I will raise him up at the last day." (6:40) - Christians will be resurrected, as promised in 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Lazarus' sister Martha believed this and told Jesus so (11:24). |
New Living Translation
John 6:22-40
Jesus, the Bread of Life
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them.
23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.
24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
27 But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."
28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?"
29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."
30 They answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?
31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day."
35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
36 But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.
40 For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Jesus, the Bread of Life
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them.
23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.
24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
27 But don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval."
28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?"
29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."
30 They answered, "Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?
31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
32 Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven.
33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day."
35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
36 But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.
40 For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day."
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus." (6:23)
"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." (6:27)
"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. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." (6:32-33)
"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." (6:35)
"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." (6:40)
"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." (6:27)
"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. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." (6:32-33)
"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." (6:35)
"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." (6:40)
Today's Question:
1. Why does Jesus call Himself "the bread of Life?" (6:35)
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1. Why does Jesus call Himself "the bread of Life?" (6:35)
You may receive these lessons two to five times per week.
Let us know if you'd like to change how often you're receiving them.
Answer: (Do you agree?)
1. Just as bread satisfies our physical hunger, Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger. When we fulfill our biological need for nourishment by eating, we are hungry again tomorrow. But, when we partake of the "bread of life," our spiritual hunger is appeased forever.
In this lesson, we see people follow Jesus across the Sea of Galilee for the free food (6:26 and 6:34). But our Lord wanted them to look past their stomachs and to think about their souls (6:27). Although God is more than capable of fulfilling our physical needs, He can do so much more for us.
Just as you plan to eat each day, develop a daily routine of prayer and Bible study to nourish your spirit.
Application thought for the day:
Are you trying to feed yourself on something besides "true bread?" (6:32)
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies; " "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2026 evolke
© 2026 evolke