João 6
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 6
Cole - We must yield what we have, not what we don’t have. That sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But so often we make up excuses about what we don’t have and we fail to offer to Jesus what we do have. “If I just had more money, I’d give regularly to the church!” “If I just had the gift of evangelism, I’d witness more!” “If I just had the ability that others have, I’d serve the Lord.” “If I just ...”! But Jesus didn’t use all the bread in Bethsaida, which the disciples didn’t have. He used the five loaves and two fish that they did have. Jesus doesn’t ask you to give Him what you don’t have. He asks you to give Him what you do have. (ILLUSTRATION) A country preacher went to a farmer in his church and asked, “If you had two farms, would you be willing to give one farm to God?” “Yes,” replied the farmer. “I only wish I were in a position to do it.” The preacher persisted, “If you had $20,000, would you give $10,000 to the Lord’s work?” The farmer replied, “Yes, I’d love to have that kind of money! I’d gladly give $10,000 to the Lord’s work.” Then the preacher sprung his trap: “If you had two pigs, would you give one to the Lord’s work?” The farmer blurted out, “That’s not fair! You know I’ve got two pigs!” The Lord doesn’t use what you don’t have. He uses the inadequate things you have when you yield them to Him. (Our Inadequacy, Christ's Adequacy) The use of little things. Judges 3:31, Ex 4:2; 1Ki 17:12-16; Jn 6:9; 1Co 1:25 -31 Adrian Rogers gives 3 propositions from this story about feeding of the 5000 - I. There Is No Problem Too Big for Jesus to Solve II. There Is No Person Too Small for God to Use III. There Is No Hunger Too Deep for Jesus to Satisfy A. Jesus Is Spiritual Bread B. Jesus Is Supernatural Bread C. Jesus Is Satisfying Bread (Rogers concludes) Let me tell you again, folks. Look beyond the miracle. Look beyond the physical bread, and on to Jesus! What your heart yearns for, what you need, what you want, the only way you'll ever find satisfaction, is to find satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is God's answer to your deepest hunger. Jesus alone can take the pain out of life, the sting out of sin, the gloom out of the grave, and give a hope that is steadfast and sure (Click here for full exposition of this wonderful message - go to page 396 in the pdf) Vance Havner - When Little Is Much "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" John 6:9 That boy set out from home with enough to feed five thousand and didn't know it! What a stare he would have given you if you had told him he carried such a dinner! There is no telling what can be done with what you have until Jesus has taken and sanctified it. There was neither quantity nor quality in this lad's meager meal: a scanty fare for even a growing boy! And only bread and fishes at that! There were men a generation ago who carried most imposing assortments of gifts and graces but God passed by them all and took the coarse lunch of Dwight L. Moody and fed the world. Much becomes little when we consume it ourselves but little becomes much when Christ gets it all. Do not berate yourself because you have so little to offer him. He can do nothing with the most until he has blessed it and it is the multiplied little with which he feeds the multitude, lest flesh should glory in his presence. This boy was obscure and his lunch contemptible but Jesus made him never to be forgotten. There is no telling which boy or girl in your home or church is the one whose paltry provision for self, once surrendered to the Lord, shall become ample provision for multitudes with baskets left over. Adrian Rogers in another message (page 413) said: Now, what was the recipe for this banquet? All right. Remember, there’s no problem too big for God to solve. Remember, there’s no person too small for God to use. Here’s a little boy’s lunch, and he gives it to Jesus. Let me give you some words that start with the letter “T” so you can remember them. Here’s the recipe for a miracle. 1. It Was Transferred to Christ First of all, it was transferred to Christ. He gave everything to Christ. Joyce and I have done this. Early in our ministry, we gave everything to Jesus. Now, we hold title to it, but we’ve said, “Lord, anything you want is yours. We just give it to you. It belongs to you. It’s not ours. We’re stewards.” Number one: It was transferred to Christ. 2. It Was Taken by Christ Number two: It was taken by Christ. You give it; Jesus receives it. This little lad gave up his lunch. Now, you’ve got to be a pretty good little boy to give your lunch to Jesus. But, he just turned it over. It was transferred to Christ. It was taken by Christ. 3. It Was Touched by Christ It was touched by Christ. Jesus took it, touched it, and blessed it with His magnificent hands. 4. It Was Transformed by Christ And, therefore, it was transformed by Christ—transferred, taken, touched, and transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ. And, that’s the recipe for a miracle. You take your little; transfer it to Jesus. Jesus will receive it. He will touch it. He will multiply it and feed multitudes with it. Now, let me tell you some good news: I have seen, in my ministry, people who are too big for God to use, but I’ve never seen anybody too small for God to use. Think about it now. God enjoys taking insignificant things and persons and using them for His glory: the widow’s mite, David and his sling, Dorcas’s needle. Here’s a little lad and his lunch. You know how He does that? He takes ordinary people, does extraordinary things with ordinary people, and then God gets the glory. You see, this could not be explained apart from God. Now, don’t you insult God by saying God cannot use you. There’s no person too small for God to use. ILLUSTRATION - I read a story a long time ago about a violinist who was in New Jersey. He was going to play a concert, and people were talking about the violin as much as they were the violinist, though he was a great, magnificent concert violinist. He stood up and began to play that violin. And, you could hear the birds singing in the trees. You could hear laughter of little children. You could hear babbling brooks. You could hear the wind going through the forest. You could hear it all as he played the violin. And, the people gave round after round of applause. And then, he took the violin and broke it over his knee—smashed it. They gave a gasp. He said, “Don’t worry. It was only a little fiddle. It was just cheap.” He said, “I just wanted to show you it’s not so much the instrument as it is the man who holds the instrument.” And, so it is with you; so it is with Adrian. God can take our lives, and we just transfer it to our Lord. It’ll be touched by our Lord; it’ll be transformed by our Lord. The Touch of the Master's Hand Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as caroling angel sings. The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low, said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow. A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch of a master's hand." And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin, Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand. Myra 'Brooks' Welch (Play the song version by Wayne Watson) THOUGHT - Dear reader, you may feel like an old violin today, but when you are touched by the Master's hand, your life becomes a sweet song to the glory of the Master Who touched your life. Will You Give Jesus Your Lunch? By Paul Borthwick Scripture: John 6:1–13, especially verse 9: “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” Introduction: People are overwhelmed in the face of vast opportunity and need. All it takes is to pick up a Sunday newspaper, or tune in to CNN to find out the latest tragedies. It is easy to feel helpless in the face of such need and opportunity, not knowing how to respond. Remember this question, “Will you give Jesus your lunch?” 1. The Story. Where does this question come from? Jesus was in the midst of five thousand hungry men, not counting women and children. It could have been twenty thousand hungry people! The custom in the Middle East was, if people came to you, you fed them. Phillip was practical; he knew they couldn’t do it financially. Andrew said in effect, “Here is a small man with five small loaves and two small fish.”. If this displayed Andrew’s faith, it was small; he added, “What are they among so many?” After the miracle, however, the disciples collected twelve full baskets, one basket for each disciple. When we give everything to Jesus, He will meet our needs. Will you give Jesus your lunch? 2. Our Response. This passage is a foundation for five things we can give to Jesus to make a global difference this week. A. Availability. Our first loaf to offer is availability. Isaiah 6:1–8 is a wonderful model for how we should respond to God’s holiness. In the context of worship, Isaiah experienced the forgiveness of God, and responded appropriately, “Here am I! Send me.” In the midst of our worship, we should respond in the same way. In many cultures, the people worship with their hands in the air, with their palms up towards heaven conveying availability to the Lord. Are we available? B. Experiences. Our second loaf to offer is our experiences. God wants to redeem our past. Jesus called four of His disciples saying, “I will make you fishers of men.” In effect, “Your patience as a fisherman, the ability to strategize the seas and the weather for fishing, and all the skills you’ve learned, I will use for the kingdom’s sake.” If you’ve spent your lifetime in financial management, domestic chores, or whatever it may be, give it to the Lord and He will use it. C. Prayers. The third loaf in our lunch basket is our prayers. If we watch the news too long we wonder who is in charge, but I can tell you God is. Prayer is God’s gift to remind us He is in charge. That’s why Jesus says, to pray to the Lord of the harvest (Luke 10:2). Let me encourage you to have a global prayer list. Choose one foreign country and leader to pray for. Get a prayer list from your church. God works globally through your prayers. D. Pain. This is the most difficult of our loaves to give. We all have some kind of emotional or physical pains. Sometimes God does not take them away. We should respond, “Lord, here it is. I give my pain to you.” Paul wrote to the Corinthians that God’s comfort in his affliction helped to convey God’s comfort to others (2 Cor. 1:4). Christopher Reeve is a source of hope to many handicapped and paralyzed people, not because he was healed, but because of his pain. God used Jesus’ pain for our redemption; we should allow God to use ours. E. Faith. The last loaf is our faith. God uses us when we allow Him to take us where we don’t necessarily have confidence. Many of us want peace and security far more than we want to be used by God. If you want God to use your life, it will require a step of faith. It is ok to be afraid, but fear should not dictate your life; faith should dictate your life. Mary Slessor (borrow bio), a famous missionary to Nigeria, said, “Courage is the conquering of fear by faith.” Conclusion: This week, will you give Jesus your lunch? Respond to Him, “Lord in the light of all these vast needs, I will go. I give myself to You. Use my past, use my prayers, even my pain. Give me courage to take a step of faith.” What Good Am I? - Sir Michael Costa was conducting a rehearsal in which the orchestra was joined by a great chorus. About halfway through the session, with trumpets blaring, drums rolling and violins singing their rich melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself, “What good am I doing? I might just as well not be playing. Nobody can hear me anyway.” So he kept the instrument to his mouth, but he made no sound. Within moments, the conductor cried, “Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo?” It was missed by the ear of the most important person of all. It’s much the same way with the Christian and his use of his talents for the Lord. If in the great “Orchestra of life” the cry ever goes out, “Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo?” let’s make sure the Divine Conductor isn’t missing you or me! Whether our talent is great or small, the performance isn’t complete until we do our best with what we have. A Boy’s Lunch I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger. — John 6:35 Today's Scripture: John 6:5-14 Once I made the mistake of thinking I could single-handedly finish a 28-ounce steak at a restaurant. I had the remainder boxed up to take home. I thought, At least it will give me another feast to look forward to. As I left the restaurant, a homeless man approached me, asking for money. At first I refused. But struck by sudden guilt, I called him back, gave him $5, and blessed him in Jesus’ name. Having done my Christian duty, I was happy to go on my way, boxed-up steak in hand, until he asked, “What about the box?” I have to admit, I had a hard time parting with my steak. One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is about the little boy who brown-bagged it to a revival service (John 6:1-14). If he was like most boys, his lunch was a very important commodity. Yet he was willing to give his lunch of five barley loaves and two small fish to the Lord. I think he may have known that by putting his lunch in the hands of Jesus, He could do something extraordinary with it. And He did. He fed thousands of hungry people. Let me give of myself, dear Lord, Always ready to sacrifice, Willing to share what I hold dear, Never deterred by the price. —Hess Let Jesus share with others what you want to keep for yourself. 'Where's The Piccolo?' There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many? —John 6:9 Today's Scripture: John 6:1-14 At certain times in life we may feel insignificant and useless. Surrounded by people with greater talent than ours, we are tempted in our weak moments just to settle back and let somebody else do the work. We reason that what we have to offer won’t make much difference anyway. We forget the truth suggested by our Lord’s use of five loaves and two small fish to feed a multitude (John 6:1-14). Each of us has something important to offer in His service. Sir Michael Costa was conducting a rehearsal in which the orchestra was joined by a great chorus. About halfway through the session, with trumpets blaring, drums rolling, and violins singing their rich melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself, “What good am I doing? I might just as well not be playing. Nobody can hear me anyway.” So he kept the instrument to his mouth, but he made no sound. Within moments, the conductor cried, “Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo?” It was missed by the ear of the most important person of all. The Master needs what you have to offer, No matter if you think it's small; His work on earth is done through His children, So give Him your best, give your all. —Hess In God's eyes it is a great thing to do a little thing well. John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. BGT John 6:10 εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ποιήσατε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀναπεσεῖν. ἦν δὲ χόρτος πολὺς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ. ἀνέπεσαν οὖν οἱ ἄνδρες τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὡς πεντακισχίλιοι. KJV John 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. NET John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. CSB John 6:10 Then Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. The men numbered about 5,000. ESV John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. NIV John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. NLT John 6:10 "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered 5,000.) Have the people sit down: Mt 14:18,19 15:35,36 Mk 6:39-41 8:6,7 Lu 9:14-16 John 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Jesus said, "Have the people sit down" - Literally, “fall back,” lie down, recline. The miracle begins by having the people sit down. Notice Jesus does not tell everyone to sit down, but He involves His disciples in the beginning of this great miracle (See MacDonald's note below). From the other gospels we learn the disciples organized the people into groups of fifty (Mk 6:39–40; Lk 9:14). Now keep in mind the disciples are telling the groups of 50 to recline but they had not seen a bread truck pull up to the side of the hill! Are they not acting on faith in obedience to the Lord Jesus? I think they were! And yet imagine the thoughts in the disciples' minds as Jesus gave thanks to His Father for the small quantities of food before Him! Can you see the disciples sneaking a glance at one another! Blum - As the Good Shepherd, Jesus made the “sheep” (Mark 6:34+) sit down in green pastures (cf. Ps. 23:2+). According to Mark 6:40+, the people were seated in groups of 50 and 100. This made the crowd easy to count and the food easy to distribute. (See Bible Knowledge Commentary) Ryle on sit down - This arrangement prevented confusion and preserved order, points of vast importance when any large assembly of people is gathered together. Moreover, it made it less easy to practise any imposition or deceit in the feeding of the multitude. When every man was sitting steadily in his appointed place, no one could be passed over in the distribution of food, without it being observed. (John 6 Commentary) Now there was much grass in the place. - Recall Passover is near so this is springtime which accounts for the grass. And while it is a desolate place, it is not a desert place. Do not miss Jesus' compassion for the people seeking to comfort them (recline, grassy location)
João 6
Cole writes "Jesus does not want followers who have misconceptions about who He is, who use Him for their own purposes (Jn 6:14-15)." (See below for his full sermon Growing to Know the Lord for Who He Is) Charles Ryrie - THE ALL-SUFFICIENT SAVIOR - CHRIST WALKING ON THE WATER All three accounts of this miracle place it immediately after the feeding of the more than five thousand people by the lake of Galilee. Certainly more than ten thousand people (perhaps as many as fifteen thousand) had been fully satisfied by that miracle, for there were baskets of leftovers that were carefully gathered. By this spectacular miracle the Lord had proved himself to be all-sufficient for the multitude’s physical needs on that occasion. But before the next day dawned, he would show himself sufficient for other needs that his disciples had. 1. THE SAVIOR PROTECTING Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts begin with a note of urgency; John explains why. Immediately, the Lord sent the disciples across the lake to Bethsaida, which was near Capernaum. One Bethsaida was the site of the feeding of the five thousand on the east bank of the upper Jordan just above where it flows into the lake of Galilee, but the disciples were sent to another town by the same name, northwest of the lake, near Capernaum. The distance between the two towns was only four or five miles. Meanwhile the Lord had retreated to a mountain to pray. After seeing the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, the multitude had wanted to make Christ king. Doubtless they saw in him a leader who might successfully overthrow the Roman hold on Palestine, and their nationalistic spirit caused them to seize on what they saw as their moment of opportunity. But the disciples’ departure and the Lord’s withdrawal quickly put an end to the little effort to make him king. As God, Jesus is king, and his kingdom relates to earth, but not at that time in history. Many commentators miss the point, declaring that Jesus did not want to be an earthly king. Not only did he want to be when he came the first time offering the promised messianic kingdom, but he will, when he comes the second time, rule over this present earth. When the people rejected his offer to be king, he began to teach them of the mysteries of the kingdom that characterize this present time between his first and second comings (see Matthew 13). It was not their desire to make him an earthly king that was wrong; it was the timing of it. They had spurned his condition of personal repentance for entering the kingdom; they wanted only a political leader against Rome. The disciples might have been caught in the middle of this tug of war had the Lord not sent them away. The crowd would naturally have expected them to rally with them; Christ would have expected them to reject the crowd’s actions. To protect them from possible harm, the Savior sent them away. In this action the Lord was protecting them. But soon they faced another problem: a bad storm on the lake. How often during that night they must have wished for the calm of the shore! But the Lord sent them to contend with the waves to protect them from having to contend with the crowd. Adversity is not always chastisement. Often our Lord offers a way of escape, which though difficult in itself protects us from a more serious danger that we know nothing about. When afflictions come, we naturally ask why, and that is not wrong. It might be wrong, however, if we attempted to answer the question, for we only see a part of the plan and we cannot know what might have been. But our Lord can and does know, so we obey him and trust him in the problem, remembering that it may be his way of protecting us from something worse. Sometimes the storm is the best will of God. (Compare this with the delay in John 11:5–6.) 2. THE SAVIOR PREPARING - click here for the rest of this paragraph 3. THE SAVIOR PRAYING - click here for the rest of this paragraph 4. THE SAVIOR PROVIDING - click here for the rest of this paragraph A. Providing His Presence - click here for the rest of this paragraph B. Providing His Power John 6:15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. NET John 6:15 Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone. NLT John 6:15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. ESV John 6:15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. NIV John 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. GNT John 6:15 Ἰησοῦς οὖν γνοὺς ὅτι μέλλουσιν ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ἁρπάζειν αὐτὸν ἵνα ποιήσωσιν βασιλέα, ἀνεχώρησεν πάλιν εἰς τὸ ὄρος αὐτὸς μόνος. KJV John 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. YLT John 6:15 Jesus, therefore, having known that they are about to come, and to take him by force that they may make him king, retired again to the mountain himself alone. perceiving: John 2:24-25 Heb 4:13 take: John 7:3,4 12:12,13 Mk 11:9 Lu 19:38 withdrew again: John 5:41 18:36 Mt 14:22 Mk 6:46-52 John 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 2:23-25+ Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed (pisteuo) in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting (pisteuo) Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. (Comment - These Jews believed in Jesus, but He did not believe in them! They were oxymoronic for they were “unsaved believers”! It was one thing to respond to a miracle but quite another to fully commit oneself to Jesus Christ and continue in His Word -- John 8:30, 31+) Hebrews 4:13+ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. John 18:36+ Jesus answered (PILATE), “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” ATTEMPT TO CROWN JESUS KING! So (for this reason - term of conclusion) Jesus, perceiving (ginosko) - This implies His divine knowledge of the intentions of the crowd.
João 6
Cole - A. W. Pink (Christ Walking in the Sea John 6:14-27) points out that these people proclaimed Jesus as their prophet and were willing to make Him their king (SEE JESUS - PROPHET, PRIEST, KING). But they were omitting the other office that must come before He is crowned as king: He is the priest, who offered Himself as the final sacrifice for our sins. The disciples did not learn that lesson until after the cross and resurrection. But this miracle was one of the many times that Jesus had to repeat this lesson before it finally sank in. Kenneth Gangel observes that the crowd was "ready to offer him worship, but it was false worship. This was one of the things Satan had promised during the temptation in the wilderness—Jesus' own people wanting to make him king." (See Holman New Testament Commentary scroll up and down for more text) J C
João 6
Cole - A Lesson in Witnessing to Skeptics)
João 6
Cole - God’s providence means that nothing happens to us apart from His sovereign, loving will. Jesus isn’t asleep in heaven; He is there praying for us, even as He was praying for the disciples while they were fighting against this storm. In His perfect time, He will come to us. But we’ve got to trust Him when we can’t see Him or figure out any reason for why we’re in the storm. Johann Bengel on the approximation of about three or four miles - “The Holy Spirit knew, and could have told John precisely how many furlongs there were. But in Scripture he imitates popular modes of expression.”
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Cole summarizes this next profound teaching writing "Christ offers eternal life to all (Jn 6:35), but not all believe (Jn 6:36). All those whom God has given to Jesus will come to Him (Jn 6:37a). He will save them and keep them for all eternity (Jn 6:37b-40)." (For full discussion dealing with God's sovereignty and man's responsibility see The Certain Success of Jesus’ Mission. Jesus said to them, "I am (ego eimi) the bread (artos) of life (zoe) - Jesus had the crowd where He wanted them -- wanting the Bread of God, crying "Lord, always give us this bread." And so now He directly and clearly explains that He Himself is the Bread He has been describing in the previous passages (much like He explained to the Samaritan woman that He was the Messiah). Regarding life (zoe) He is referring not to physical life but to spiritual life, eternal life, found only in Christ and attained only by belief in Him. In using the phrase ego eimi Jesus is making another claim that He is God, this same phrase being found in the Septuagint of Exodus 3:14 - "God said to Moses, “I AM (ego eimi) WHO I AM’” This is the first of seven great "I am" (ego eimi) statement in John's Gospel and is actually recorded 3 times in this chapter (Jn 6:35, Jn 6:48, Jn 6:51). Jesus clearly wants to make sure that these questioning Jews hear His claim that He is God. John Heading - At this stage of the conversation, the Lord now identified His Person with the bread, although He knew that this revelation would cause the people to cease in their desire to receive the bread and to partake of it. (What the Bible Teaches - John) D L Moody - Bread—the commonest article of food on our tables—is a type of Christ. It was through eating that Eve died. It is through eating that we may live. R Kent
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Cole writes "To understand John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him,” we have to view it in its context: Jesus is talking with unbelieving skeptics." (See his full sermon A Lesson in Witnessing to Skeptics below) J C
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Cole addresses professors who are not possessors (those who do not truly come to Jesus) writing "If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you’ve known people who professed faith in Christ, who seemed to follow Him for some time, but then they fell away. In some cases, they have even served in the ministry. I’ve known pastors, including the pastor who baptized me, who have left the ministry, turned away from the Lord, and lived as unbelievers! Often, the cause of spiritual defection is moral failure, as it was with my former pastor. In other cases, the defection may be due to unresolved doubts or unanswered hard questions about the Bible, such as: How do you resolve the seeming contradictions in the Bible? How can you reconcile the creation account with modern science? How can a loving and powerful God permit all the evil that goes on in the world? If God loves everyone, why doesn’t He let them all hear the gospel? If God is sovereign, then aren’t we just a bunch of robots with no free will? We could go on and on with the difficult issues that cause some to defect from the faith. (For full message see The Antidote to Spiritual Defection Part 1) Written (1125) grapho from root graph- = primarily means to scratch on or engrave as on an ornament, reports, letters, etc; English = graph, graphic, etc) means to engrave or inscribe with a pen or stylus characters or letters on a surface which can be wood, wax, metal, leather, stone, parchment, dirt (John ), paper, etc. It is written occurs 76 times in the NAS. When we were children and our parents told us to do something and we questioned "Why?", the answer was usually "Because I said so!". Why are we commanded to be holy? Because God said so! A popular saying is "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." This sounds good but isn't accurate because God's Word is true, regardless of whether we believe it or not. A more accurate "saying" would be "God said it, that settles it!" It is written should put a stop to every complaint or excuse. Grapho in the Gospel of John - Jn. 1:45; Jn. 2:17; Jn. 5:46; Jn. 6:31; Jn. 6:45; Jn. 8:8; Jn. 8:17; Jn. 10:34; Jn. 12:14; Jn. 12:16; Jn. 15:25; Jn. 19:19; Jn. 19:20; Jn. 19:21; Jn. 19:22; Jn. 20:30; Jn. 20:31; Jn. 21:24; Jn. 21:25. In the epistle of John - 1 Jn. 1:4; 1 Jn. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:7; 1 Jn. 2:8; 1 Jn. 2:12; 1 Jn. 2:13; 1 Jn. 2:14; 1 Jn. 2:21; 1 Jn. 2:26; 1 Jn. 5:13; 2 Jn. 1:5; 2 Jn. 1:12; 3 Jn. 1:9; 3 Jn. 1:13. In the Revelation of John - Rev. 1:3; Rev. 1:11; Rev. 1:19; Rev. 2:1; Rev. 2:8; Rev. 2:12; Rev. 2:17; Rev. 2:18; Rev. 3:1; Rev. 3:7; Rev. 3:12; Rev. 3:14; Rev. 5:1; Rev. 10:4; Rev. 13:8; Rev. 14:1; Rev. 14:13; Rev. 17:5; Rev. 17:8; Rev. 19:9; Rev. 19:12; Rev. 19:16; Rev. 20:12; Rev. 20:15; Rev. 21:5; Rev. 21:27; Rev. 22:18; Rev. 22:19 Prophets (4396) prophetes from próphemi = literally to tell beforehand in turn from pró = before, in front of, forth, on behalf of + phemí = speak, tell) is primarily a forth-teller or one who speaks out God’s message, primarily to their own generation, usually always calling the people to God's truth for them at that moment, often using the phrase "Thus saith the Lord." The prophet is one who speaks before in the sense of proclaim, or the one who speaks for, i.e., in the Name of (God). "As distinct from the sacral figures of pagan antiquity the biblical prophet is not a magician. He does not force God. On the contrary, he is under divine constraint. It is God Who invites, summons, and impels him--e.g., Jer 20:7" (Lamorte and Hawthorne) Although we commonly think of the prophet as predicting future events (foretelling) generally this was secondary to his work of forth-telling. When they functioned as predictors or prognosticators, the Biblical prophets foretold the future with 100 percent accuracy. And so if they were correct on the first coming of Messiah, they will be correct on His second coming and on the coming of the antichrist. In sum, forth-telling dealt with current events and fore-telling with future events, but in both the goal is the same -- to call us to trust the Lord and submit to His will for our lives, living in conformity with His Word. Lexham Bible - Prophetes is someone who is specially endowed or enabled to receive and deliver direct revelation of God's will. See also Dictionary of Biblical Imagery discussion of imagery associated with PROPHET. Taught (1318) didaktos from didasko = to teach) has two basic nuances, first as referring to persons instructed (Jn 6:45) and secondly referring to words that are imparted or communicated (1Cor 2:13). One could translate 1Cor 2:13 this way - "in words imparted by human wisdom…in that which is imparted by the Spirit." Heard (191) akouo primarily means physical hearing of sounds and the apprehension of the sounds with one's mind. Akouo gives us our English acoustics which is the science of designs that helps one hear (We need "spiritual acoustics" to help us hear spiritual truth!). Akouo is a very common verb in the NT and the Septuagint (Over 1400 uses total) and has several important nuances - to hear sound (Mt 9:12; 11:5, Mk 10:41; 14:64; Lk 7:3, 9; Jn 3:8; Lxx = Ge 3:8, 10), to hear so as to obey (see note), to hear with understanding (see note), to hear with attention (to listen attentively so as to perceive what is being said), See full discussion on this page. Learned (3129) manthano related to the noun mathetes = disciple, literally a learner! The shut mind is the end of discipleship!) has the basic meaning of directing one’s mind to something and producing an external effect. Manthano refers to teaching, learning, instructing, and discipling. Manthano to genuinely understand and accept a teaching, to accept it as true and to apply it in one’s life. It was sometimes used of acquiring a life-long habit. Paul used manthano again in Php 4:11 explaining he had "learned to be content in whatever circumstances" he was. Roy Zuck writes that according to manthano "learning is a matter of a pupil acquiring knowledge of content through a teacher to the extent that such knowledge is experienced in the life." (Bibliotheca Sacra).
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Cole - Eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood do not refer to partaking of the Lord’s Supper. A. W. Pink (Christ in the Capernaum Synagogue John 6:41-59) gives four reasons that John 6 does not refer to communion. First, communion had not yet been instituted. Jesus instituted it on the night He was betrayed. Second, Jesus was speaking here to unbelievers and communion is for believers. Third, the eating here is unto salvation or eternal life, while eating the Lord’s Supper is for those already saved and points to fellowship. Fourth, the Lord’s Supper does not produce the results that are here attributed to eating and drinking Christ. If Jesus’ words here refer to communion, then you gain eternal life by partaking, which contradicts many other Scriptures that show that salvation is through faith in Christ, not through participating in a ritual. So, as J. C.
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Cole adds "The Holy Spirit imparts life to dead sinners. Human religious effort will not get you into heaven. Apart from the new birth, you can never understand why it is necessary to eat My flesh and drink My blood.” Bruce Barton - This statement gives us the key to interpreting Jesus’ discourse. His hearers had not understood the spiritual intent of his message. A fleshly interpretation of his words would yield nothing; one must apply a spiritual interpretation to Spirit-inspired words. Human effort that begins with the desires and objectives of human wisdom accomplishes nothing. (Borrow John - Life Application Commentary) The words (rhema) that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life (zoe) - Jesus' words "are spirit-giving and life-producing." What does Jesus mean? He is simply but clearly stating to the unbelieving "disciples" who will soon depart from Him (Jn 6:66) that the words He has spoken to them, if received and believed, will result in them being born again (spiritual new birth) and obtaining genuine, eternal life. The Spirit would have taken the living words Jesus spoke and used those words to give them eternal life! In short, they would have become believing disciples (instead of oxymoronic unbelieving disciples)! To refuse His words that give eternal life leaves no other alternative except to hear His words "Depart from me" (Mt 7:23+) to eternal punishment! D A Carson on words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life - In this Gospel we have already been introduced to the Spirit's role in the new birth (Jn. 3); there the contrast between flesh and spirit is no less sharp. So here: The Spirit gives life. Strictly speaking, the Spirit does not come upon the disciples until after Jesus' ascension (Jn 7:37-39); but already Jesus himself is the bearer of the Spirit (Jn 1:32f.), the one to whom God gives the Spirit without limit and who therefore speaks the words of God (3:34). That is why Jesus can now say, The words I have spoken to you are spirit (i.e. they are the product of the life-giving Spirit) and they are life (i.e. Jesus' words, rightly understood and absorbed, generate life—cf. Jn 5:24). If the words of Jesus in this discourse are rightly grasped, then instead of rejecting Jesus people will see him as the bread from heaven, the one who gives his flesh for the life of the world, the one who alone provides eternal life, and they will receive him and believe in him, taste eternal life even now, and enjoy the promise that he will raise them up on the last day. (See The Gospel According to John - scroll up and down for more text) John MacArthur on words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life - Of course, no one can do that apart from hearing and obeying the words that Jesus has spoken, which, He declared, are spirit and are life. It is Jesus' words that reveal who He really is. As noted earlier, accepting or rejecting those words separates true and false disciples. True disciples continue in His Word (Jn 8:31), which abides in them (Jn 15:7; cf. Jer. 15:16; Col. 3:16; 1 John 2:14); false disciples ultimately reject His word (Jn 8:37, 43, 47). To embrace Jesus' words is to receive Him, for they reveal His person. Thus the Bible teaches that salvation comes through the agency of the Word of God (Luke 8:11, 15, Luke 8:21, James 1:18, James 1:21, 1 Peter 1:23) (See John Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Peter later alludes to the life giving power of Jesus words asking "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." (John 6:68)
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Cole addresses the question of how are we to avoid defection from the faith. See his discussion The Antidote to Spiritual Defection, Part 2 Not...anymore (no longer, no more)(3765)(ouketi from ouk = absolutely not + eti = yet, still) is a negative adverb of time = complete and permanent change - no more, no longer, no further—1. literally of time negating an extension of time beyond a certain point (Mt 19:6; Mk 9:8; Lk 15:19, 21; J 4:42; 6:66; 14:19) never again (Ro 6:9a; Ac 20:25, 38; 2Cor 1:23, cf ouketi ou me in Am 9:15). ouketi ou me = never again (Mk 14:25; Rev 18:14) —2. in a nontemporal use, logically, to mark logical progression = then not, accordingly not (Ro 11:6; Ro 14:15; Gal 3:18. Likewise nuni ouketi (Ro 7:17) BDAG adds ouketi means "the extension of time up to a point but not beyond." Ouketi occurs with other negatives for strength = (1) ouk . . . oukéti = Ac 8:39 (2) oudé . . . oukéti = Mt 22:46 (3) oudeís . . . oukéti = Rev 18:11 (4) oukéti . . . oudeís = Mk 7:12 15:5 Lu 20:40; (5) Ouketi ou me as an intens. = Mk 14:25 Lu 22:16 Rev 18:14. Ouketi - 43 verses - Matt. 19:6; Matt. 22:46; Mk. 7:12; Mk. 9:8; Mk. 10:8; Mk. 12:34; Mk. 14:25; Mk. 15:5; Lk. 15:19; Lk. 15:21; Lk. 20:40; Lk. 22:16; Jn. 4:42; Jn. 6:66; Jn. 11:54; Jn. 14:19; Jn. 14:30; Jn. 15:15; Jn. 16:10; Jn. 16:21; Jn. 16:25; Jn. 17:11; Jn. 21:6; Acts 8:39; Acts 20:25; Acts 20:38; Rom. 6:9; Rom. 7:17; Rom. 7:20; Rom. 11:6; Rom. 14:15; 2 Co. 1:23; 2 Co. 5:16; Gal. 2:20; Gal. 3:18; Gal. 3:25; Gal. 4:7; Eph. 2:19; Phlm. 1:16; Heb. 10:18; Heb. 10:26; Rev. 18:11; Rev. 18:14 Ouketi in the Septuagint - Exod. 5:7; Exod. 5:10; Exod. 9:28; Exod. 10:29; Exod. 11:6; Lev. 27:20; Num. 11:25; Num. 32:19; Jos. 5:12; Jos. 8:20; 2 Sam. 7:10; Est. 2:1; Est. 2:14; Job 4:20; Job 7:7; Job 7:8; Job 7:9; Job 7:21; Job 14:10; Job 20:9; Job 23:8; Ps. 39:13; Isa. 1:14; Isa. 10:20; Isa. 17:3; Isa. 23:1; Isa. 23:10; Isa. 23:11; Isa. 23:12; Isa. 29:17; Isa. 30:20; Isa. 32:3; Isa. 32:5; Isa. 32:10; Isa. 38:11; Isa. 47:1; Isa. 47:3; Isa. 47:5; Isa. 52:1; Isa. 62:4; Isa. 65:19; Jer. 15:6; Jer. 22:11; Jer. 23:20; Jer. 31:40; Jer. 42:18; Jer. 50:39; Ezek. 7:13; Ezek. 12:23; Ezek. 12:28; Ezek. 13:21; Ezek. 16:41; Ezek. 16:42; Ezek. 20:39; Ezek. 21:5; Ezek. 23:27; Ezek. 24:27; Ezek. 27:36; Ezek. 28:24; Ezek. 29:16; Ezek. 34:28; Ezek. 34:29; Ezek. 36:14; Ezek. 36:15; Ezek. 37:22; Ezek. 39:7; Ezek. 39:29; Ezek. 43:7; Ezek. 45:8; Dan. 8:7; Hos. 2:17; Hos. 9:16; Hos. 14:3; Joel 2:19; Joel 2:27; Joel 3:17; Amos 5:2; Amos 6:10; Amos 7:8; Amos 7:13; Amos 8:2; Amos 9:15; Mic. 4:3; Mic. 5:13; Nah. 2:13; Zeph. 3:11; Zeph. 3:15; Zech. 9:8; Zech. 11:6; Zech. 13:2; Zech. 14:21 Oswald Chambers - Deserter or disciple? - Borrow My Utmost for His Highest From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. John 6:66. When God gives a vision by His Spirit through His word of what He wants, and your mind and soul thrill to it, if you do not walk in the light of that vision, you will sink into servitude to a point of view which Our Lord never had. Disobedience in mind to the heavenly vision will make you a slave to points of view that are alien to Jesus Christ. Do not look at someone else and say—‘Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why cannot I?’ You have to walk in the light of the vision that has been given to you and not compare yourself with others or judge them, that is between them and God. When you find that a point of view in which you have been delighting clashes with the heavenly vision and you debate, certain things will begin to develop in you—a sense of property and a sense of personal right, things of which Jesus Christ made nothing. He was always against these things as being the root of everything alien to Himself. “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth.” If we do not recognize this, it is because we are ignoring the undercurrent of Our Lord’s teaching. We are apt to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we have had. If there is one standard in the New Testament revealed by the light of God and you do not come up to it, and do not feel inclined to come up to it, that is the beginning of backsliding, because it means your conscience does not answer to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you for going on as a more true disciple of Jesus Christ, or for going back as a deserter. Small Is Beautiful Who has despised the day of small things? — Zechariah 4:10 Today's Scripture: John 6:53-71 Just the other day someone said of a friend, “This man is destined for a great ministry,” by which he meant he was headed for the big time—a high-profile church with a big budget. It made me wonder: Why do we think that God’s call is necessarily upwardly mobile? Why wouldn’t He send His best workers to labor for a lifetime in some small place? Aren’t there people in obscure places who need to be evangelized and taught? God is not willing that any perish. Jesus cared about the individual as well as the masses. He taught large crowds if they appeared, but it never bothered Him that His audience grew smaller every day. Many left Him, John said (John 6:66), a fickle attrition that would have thrown most of us into high panic. Yet Jesus pressed on with those the Father gave Him. We live in a culture where bigger is better, where size is the measure of success. It takes a strong person to resist that trend, especially if he or she is laboring in a small place. The Lord will give you help and strength For work He bids you do; To serve Him from a heart of love Is all He asks of you. —Fasick Little is much when God is in it. What Kind of Savior Is He? From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66 Today's Scripture & Insight: John 6:47–51, 60–66 Last year, friends and I prayed for healing for three women battling cancer. We knew God had the power to do this, and we asked Him to do so every day. We’d seen Him work in the past and believed He could do it again. There were days in each one’s battle where healing looked like it was a reality, and we rejoiced. But they all died that fall. Some said that was “the ultimate healing,” and in a way it was. Still the loss hurt us deeply. We wanted Him to heal them all—here and now—but for reasons we couldn’t understand, no miracle came. Some people followed Jesus for the miracles He performed and to get their needs met (John 6:2, 26). Some simply saw Him as the carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55–58), and others expected Him to be their political leader (Luke 19:37–38). Some thought of Him as a great teacher (Matthew 7:28–29), while others quit following Him because His teaching was hard to understand (John 6:66). Thank You, Jesus, that You are the kind of Savior we need. Wrap us in Your love and bring us confident rest in You. I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” Psalm 31:14 Popularity From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. —John 6:66 Today's Scripture: John 6:60-69 Popularity is fickle. Just ask a politician. Many of them watch their ratings to see how their constituents view their policies. They may start with a high rating, but then it steadily declines during their term. Jesus also experienced a sharp decline in popularity. His popularity reached its peak after He fed the 5,000 (John 6:14-15). It plummeted when He told His listeners that He had “come down from heaven” (v.38). Their response to His stupendous claim was, essentially, Who does this guy think He is?! (see v.41). Jesus’ popularity continued to dip when He explained how they could have Him as spiritual bread (vv.51-52). Perplexed by what they heard, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” (v.60). As a result, many left Him. The crowds followed Jesus conditionally. They were happy only as long as Jesus supplied their needs and met their wants. They balked when He asked for commitment. Those searching to know life’s true meaning Can find it in only one way: By serving the Lord with commitment, And living for Him day by day. —Branon Commitment to Christ is a daily calling that challenges us. Jesus’ Difficult Words From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. —John 6:66 Today's Scripture: John 6:44-58 Recently, a company advertised a “huggable, washable, and talking” Jesus doll that recites “actual Scripture verses to introduce children of all ages to the wisdom of the Bible.” Its sayings include, “I have an exciting plan for your life,” and “Your life matters so much to Me.” Who wouldn’t want to follow a Jesus like this? Jesus does offer a wonderful plan for our lives. But He doesn’t serve as a cosmic genie or cuddly doll to meet our every whim. John 6 gives us a picture of a Jesus who is not so cuddly—in fact, He’s often offensive. Instead of fulfilling the selfish desires of His followers, He disturbed their expectations. He offered Himself as spiritual bread from heaven and said, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life” (v.54). This message was offensive and difficult. The image of eating flesh and drinking blood did not give His hearers “warm fuzzies.” Many stopped following Him (v.66). He wasn’t the conquering Messiah-King they had expected. “We love You, Lord Jesus,” we often may say, But are we as ready His will to obey? Let’s heed what God’s Spirit would have us to do, For that’s how we show Him a love that is true. —DJD The way of Jesus is not always easy. John 6:67 So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" BGT John 6:67 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς δώδεκα· μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν; KJV John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? NET John 6:67 So Jesus said to the twelve, "You don't want to go away too, do you?" CSB John 6:67 Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, "You don't want to go away too, do you?" ESV John 6:67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" NIV John 6:67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. NLT John 6:67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?" NRS John 6:67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" NJB John 6:67 Then Jesus said to the Twelve, 'What about you, do you want to go away too?' NAB John 6:67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" YLT John 6:67 Jesus, therefore, said to the twelve, 'Do ye also wish to go away?' want: Jos 24:15-22 Ru 1:11-18 2Sa 15:19,20 Lu 14:25-33 John 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS TURNS TO THE REMAINING TWELVE So - For this reason. What reason? In context because many of the disciples who claimed to be Jesus' disciples departed forever. Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you - Here was His "64 Dollar Question" so to speak. It was a direct test of the loyalty and belief of the twelve (even the one who would betray Him). D A Carson - The question is not moody, glum, but a challenging 'Surely you don't want to go away too, do you?' The question is asked more for their sake than his. They need to articulate a response more than he needs to hear it. One might guess from the flow of the narrative that the defection has been so substantial on this occasion that not many more than the Twelve actually remain. (See The Gospel According to John scroll up and down for more text) A T