Previous Chapter|Next Chapter


6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
6:3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
6:4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
6:5 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?
6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
6:10 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.
6:11 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.
6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
6:13 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.
6:14 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.
6:15 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.
6:16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
6:17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
6:19 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.
6:20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
6:21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
6:22 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;
6:23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
6:24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
6:26 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.
6:27 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.
6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
6:32 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.
6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
6:35 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.
6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
6:39 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.
6:40 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.
6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
6:42 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?
6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
6:44 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.
6:45 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.
6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
6:48 I am that bread of life.
6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
6:51 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.
6:52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
6:53 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.
6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
6:58 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.
6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
6:61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
6:64 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.
6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
6:71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Next Chapter

Everything King James Bible:John

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: John
Book: John
Chapter: 6

Overview:
Five thousand miraculously fed. (1-14) Jesus walks On The Sea.
(15-21) He directs to spiritual Food. (22-27) His discourse with
the multitude. (28-65) Many of disciples go back. (66-71)

1-14 John relates the Miracle of feeding the multitude, for its
reference to the following discourse. Observe the effect this
Miracle had upon the people. Even the common Jews expected the
Messiah to come into the world, and to be a great Prophet. The
Pharisees despised them as not knowing the Law; but they knew
most of Him who is the End of the Law. Yet men may acknowledge
Christ as that Prophet, and still turn a deaf Ear to him.

15-21 Here were Christ's disciples in the way of duty, and
Christ was praying for them; yet they were in distress. There
may be perils and Afflictions of this present time, where there
is an interest in Christ. Clouds and Darkness often surround the
children of the Light and of the Day. They see Jesus walking On
The Sea. Even the approaches of comfort and deliverance often
are So mistaken, as to become the occasions of fear. Nothing is
more powerful to convince sinners than that Word, "I am Jesus
whom thou persecutest;" nothing more powerful to comfort saints
than this, "I am Jesus whom thou lovest." If we have received
Christ Jesus the Lord, though the night be dark, and the wind
high, yet we may comfort ourselves, we shall be at the shore
before long.

22-27 Instead of answering the inquiry how he came there, Jesus
blamed their asking. The utmost earnestness should be employed
in seeking Salvation, in the use of appointed means; yet it is
to be sought only as the Gift of the Son of Man. Him the Father
has sealed, proved to be God. He declared the Son of Man to be
the Son of God with power.

28-35 Constant Exercise of Faith in Christ, is the most
important and difficult part of the obedience required from us,
as sinners seeking Salvation. When By his Grace we are enabled
to live a Life of Faith in the Son of God, holy tempers follow,
and acceptable services may be done. God, even his Father, who
gave their fathers that Food from Heaven to support their
natural lives, now gave them the true Bread for the Salvation of
their souls. Coming to Jesus, and believing On him, signify the
same. Christ shows that he is the true Bread; he is to the soul
what Bread is to the body, nourishes and supports the spiritual
Life. He is the Bread of God. Bread which the Father gives,
which he has made to be the Food of our souls. Bread nourishes
only By the powers of a living body; but Christ is himself
living Bread, and nourishes By his own power. The doctrine of
Christ crucified is now as strengthening and comforting to a
believer as ever it was. He is the Bread which came down from
Heaven. It denotes the Divinity of Christ's person and his
authority; also, the Divine origin of all the good which flows
to us through him. May we with understanding and earnestness
say, Lord, evermore give us this Bread.

36-46 The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, By the
teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come,
and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for
Salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were
given to the Son, should be rejected or lost By him. No one will
come, till Divine Grace has subdued, and in part changed his
Heart; therefore No one who comes will ever be cast out. The
Gospel finds none willing to be saved in the humbling, holy
manner, made known therein; but God draws with his Word and the
Holy Ghost; and Man's duty is to hear and learn; that is to say,
to receive the Grace offered, and consent to the promise. None
had seen the Father but his beloved Son; and the Jews must
expect to be taught By his inward power upon their minds, and By
his Word, and the ministers whom he sent among them.

47-51 The advantage of the Manna was small, it only referred to
this Life; but the living Bread is So excellent, that the Man
who feedeth On it shall never die. This Bread is Christ's human
nature, which he took to present to the Father, as a Sacrifice
for the sins of the world; to purchase all things pertaining to
Life and Godliness, for sinners of every nation, who repent and
believe in him.

52-59 The Flesh and Blood of the Son of Man, denote the
Redeemer in the nature of Man; Christ and him crucified, and the
Redemption wrought out By him, with all the precious benefits of
Redemption; Pardon of Sin, acceptance with God, the way to the
Throne of Grace, the promises of the Covenant, and eternal Life.
These are called the Flesh and Blood of Christ, because they are
purchased By the breaking his body, and the shedding of his
Blood. Also, because they are meat and Drink to our souls.
Eating this Flesh and drinking this Blood mean believing in
Christ. We partake of Christ and his benefits By Faith. The soul
that rightly knows its state and wants, finds whatever can calm
the Conscience, and promote true Holiness, in the Redeemer, God
manifest in the Flesh. Meditating upon the Cross of Christ gives
Life to our Repentance, Love, and gratitude. We live By him, as
our bodies live By our Food. We live By him, as the members By
the head, the branches By the root: because he lives we shall
live also.

60-65 The human nature of Christ had not before been in Heaven,
but being God and Man, that wondrous Person was truly said to
have come down from Heaven. The Messiah's kingdom was not of
this world; and they were to understand By Faith, what he had
said of a spiritual living upon him, and his Fulness. As without
the soul of Man the Flesh is of No value, So without the
quickening Spirit of God all forms of religion are dead and
worthless. He who made this provision for our souls, alone can
teach us these things, and draw us unto Christ, that we may live
By Faith in him. Let us apply to Christ, thankful that it is
declared that every one who is willing to come unto him shall be
made welcome.

66-71 When we admit into our minds hard thoughts of the words
and Works of Jesus, we enter into Temptation, which, if the Lord
in Mercy prevent not, will End in drawing back. The corrupt and
wicked Heart of Man often makes that an occasion for Offence,
which is matter of the greatest comfort. Our Lord had, in the
foregoing discourse, promised eternal Life to his followers; the
disciples fastened On that Plain saying, and resolved to cleave
to him, when others fastened On hard sayings, and forsook him.
Christ's doctrine is the Word of eternal Life, therefore we must
live and die By it. If we forsake Christ, we forsake our own
mercies. They believed that this Jesus was the Messiah promised
to their fathers, the Son of the living God. When we are tempted
to Backslide or turn away, it is good to remember first
principles, and to keep to them. And let us ever remember our
Lord's searching question; Shall we go away and forsake our
Redeemer? To whom can we go? He alone can give Salvation By the
forgiveness of sins. And this alone brings confidence, comfort,
and joy, and bids fear and despondency flee away. It gains the
only solid happiness in this world, and opens a way to the
happiness of the next.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.