John 6

After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

And Jesus said, Make the men 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 to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

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;

(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

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.

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.

Then said they unto him, 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 ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

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 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.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

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.

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

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.

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.

The Jews then murmured at him, 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 saith, 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 which hath 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 hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I am that bread of life.

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

This is the bread which cometh 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 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.

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 ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath 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 eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth 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 eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

And we believe and are sure that thou art 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 spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

What does John 6:27 mean?

Explanation

John 6:27 focuses on the impermanence of physical sustenance and the importance of seeking spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life.

In this verse, Jesus is directing the attention of his listeners away from mere temporary needs, like food that satisfies hunger only for a short time, to a deeper, everlasting fulfillment that He, the "Son of man," can provide.

The term "Son of man" is a reference to Jesus's incarnation and humanity. By stating that God the Father has "sealed" the Son, it implies divine authority and authentication. Jesus is presented as the one whom God has sent and approved to bestow eternal life.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

This verse is part of the discourse that follows the feeding of the five thousand, an event where Jesus miraculously multiplied loaves and fishes to feed a large crowd.

This event is depicted in all four Gospels and establishes the context for Jesus's teaching about the "bread of life." The crowd, having seen Jesus perform this miracle, sought Him out for more miracles and physical sustenance.

However, Jesus redirects their attention to the spiritual sustenance that He offers, which leads to everlasting life.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse contains several key insights:

Impermanence of Material Needs: Jesus is emphasizing the temporary nature of our physical needs compared to the eternal nature of spiritual fulfillment.
The Concept of Eternal Life: Christianity teaches that spiritual nourishment through Christ leads to eternal life, whereas physical sustenance is temporal.
The Divinity of Christ: The statement that God has "sealed" the Son implies that Jesus has a special commission and authority from God, an acknowledgment of His divine status or mission.
The Role of Faith: Receiving the sustenance Jesus offers is tied to faith in Him, as portrayed by Him being the authorized source of eternal life.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse can serve as a reminder to prioritize spiritual development and relationships over material possessions and temporary pleasures.

It encourages believers to focus on actions and pursuits that have eternal significance, like community service, ethical conduct, and personal growth in faith, rather than being consumed by the pursuit of wealth, status, or indulgence.

Cross-References

Matthew 4:4 - "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
John 4:14 - "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
1 Corinthians 9:25 - "And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.

Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown; but we an imperishable."

Language Study

The Greek word for "labour" is "ergazesthe," which means to work or toil. This is not just physical labor but any kind of effort or pursuit.

The word "meat" refers to "bromah," meaning food in general.

The term "perisheth" comes from "apollymenon," suggesting destruction or waste.

The word "endureth" translates from "menei," meaning to remain or continue, often in perpetuity.

"Sealed" is translated from "esphragisen," which refers to having been marked with a seal for security or authentication.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient religions, there is the concept of seeking beyond the physical world for immortality or enlightenment. Similar to this verse, in Buddhism, there is the pursuit of spiritual wisdom over material attachment. In Egyptian mythology, the quest for an eternal afterlife was prevalent.

However, Christianity uniquely centers this pursuit on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Scientific Perspectives

Science differentiates between the needs of the physical body for sustenance and the psychological or social needs for meaning and purpose.

From a psychological standpoint, the verse aligns with the understanding that human beings require more than just physiological fulfillment to experience a complete and satisfying life.

commentaries

Commentators have offered various perspectives on John 6:27:

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that the nourishment of the soul is the most necessary work of a Christian, far more important than worldly gains.
The Pulpit Commentary explains that Jesus is making a claim to a unique gift, the gift of eternal life, and asserting His divine authority by pointing out the divine "seal."
William Barclay notes the contrast Jesus makes between the things that are seen and are temporary and the unseen and eternal spiritual realities.

John 6

John 6

What does John 6:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 6:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?