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 6:71 mean?

Explanation

John 6:71 refers to a comment Jesus made about Judas Iscariot, identifying him implicitly as the one who would eventually betray Him.

The verse occurs in the context of Jesus teaching about being the bread of life and the difficulty that many of His followers had with His teachings, leading some to desert Him.

Jesus acknowledges the disbelief among some of His disciples and emphasizes His knowledge of the forthcoming betrayal by one of the twelve apostles, singling out Judas Iscariot as that traitor.

The verse stresses Jesus' foreknowledge of the events that would lead to His crucifixion and the fulfillment of prophecy, as well as the grim reality of betrayal from within His own inner circle.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of John was written around the end of the 1st century AD, and it reflects the theological development of early Christianity.

At the time of its writing, the Christian community may have been facing questions about its continuity with the Jewish tradition, as well as issues of internal betrayal and conflict, making the story of Judas an important cautionary tale.

The identification of Judas as the betrayer would have been essential for early readers to understand how Jesus' death was both a fulfillment of prophecy and a result of human agency.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse contributes to the narrative of divine omniscience and predestination, as Jesus displays foreknowledge of Judas' betrayal.

It also highlights the theme of human free will and sin, raising questions about the nature of Judas' betrayal, was he destined to betray Jesus, or was it a choice that he made freely? Different denominations have varied perspectives on this.

For some, this verse emphasizes the necessity of betrayal for God's redemption plan, while for others it underlines the tragedy of betrayal and the importance of loyalty and faithfulness.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can be applied to the understanding of trust and betrayal in human relationships.

While betrayal is a painful reality, the response of Jesus to Judas offers a model of forebearance and fulfillment of duty even when difficult. It can also serve as a reminder to be discerning about those with whom we place our trust and invite into our inner circles.

Furthermore, it calls for introspection regarding one's own loyalty and commitment in relationships, communities, and to one's values.

Cross-References

Psalm 41:9: "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."
Matthew 26:21-25: "And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me."
Luke 22:21-22: "But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table."
John 13:18: "I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the term used for "He spake" is "ελέγει" (elegen), which is the imperfect tense, indicating a continued or repeated action in the past. This could imply that Jesus had spoken about the betrayal multiple times before this point.

"Iscariot" likely refers to Judas' place of origin, with some scholars believing it might come from "Ish-Kerioth," a man of the town Kerioth.

The word "betray" (παραδώσει, paradōsei) is a future tense, indicating the certainty of the event that has not yet occurred. Each of these linguistic elements adds depth to the understanding of the text.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of betrayal by a close companion is not unique to Christianity and can be found across various myths and religions.

For instance, in Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus was betrayed by his brother Epimetheus.

In Hindu texts, the Mahabharata includes the betrayal of the Pandavas by their cousins, the Kauravas.

These comparisons illustrate the omnipresent nature of betrayal in human narratives and the struggle with loyalty and deception in all cultures.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, studies in psychology and sociology could be invoked to understand the dynamics of betrayal and group cohesion.

The verse may prompt discussions on the psychological profile of a betrayer and the impact of stress and ideology on individuals' behaviors within tight-knit circles, like that of Jesus and His disciples.

However, scientific views do not necessarily provide insight into the supernatural aspect of Jesus' foreknowledge, as this enters the realm of faith and belief.

Commentaries

Commentaries on John 6:71 provide varied interpretations.

For example, some scholars, like those of the Matthew Henry Commentary, emphasize the sorrow in Jesus' foreknowledge of the betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

They discuss the complexity of Jesus' continued inclusion of Judas within the disciples despite His awareness of what Judas would do.

Others, such as the MacArthur Study Bible notes, delve into Judas' motivations, pointing out that the scene illustrates the diversity of responses to Jesus' teachings and the presence of genuine and false disciples among His followers.

They also discuss how this reinforces the idea of Jesus' sovereignty and fulfillment of prophecy.

John 6

John 6

What does John 6:71 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 6:71 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?