THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS, THE CHRIST AND THE SON OF GOD, ACCORDING TO JOHN

Chapter 6

After Jesus’ multiplication of the five loaves of bread and two fish for about 5,000 men (cf. 6:1–15) and His walking on the water (cf. vv. 16–21) as His (marvelous) deeds, the main topic of Jesus’ dialogical⁴⁶⁴ discourse of “the Bread of Life” (cf. vv. 25b–58) as a homily⁴⁶⁵ respectively as “a deeper lesson”⁴⁶⁶ with several quotations⁴⁶⁷ of the Hebrew Bible that we Christians called “Old Testament”, centres on verse 31c: “He gave them bread from Heaven to eat” and “I am the Bread of Life” (v. 35b). Chapter 6 focuses on the topic of Jesus as “the Bread of Life”.

The story of the multiplication of the bread and His feeding of 5,000 is like an overture of the sixth chapter. The multiplication of the loaves is structured with the help of the phrase “after this” in verse 1a and the preposition “then” in verses 5a, 11a, 13a, 14a, 15a.

The reflection about Jesus’ saying in verse 31 which is in the form of a dialogue between the Jew Jesus and “the Jewish people” is structured with the help of both

- “I am the Bread of Life” in verses 35b and 48;

- the introductory phrase “amen, amen I said to them” in verses 26b, 32b, 47a, 53b.

In the midst of the (Eucharistic) discourse, somebody – “the Jews” (vv. 41a, 52a) and some disciples of Jesus (cf. vv. 60–61, 64, 66) – intervene and contradict Jesus’ self-revelation⁴⁶⁸. Step by step, the Fourth Evangelist meditates the sense of this sentence of Jesus as “the Bread of Life” and “the giver of the bread” like a new Moses in six steps⁴⁶⁹:

- First dialogue between the crowd and Jesus (vv. 25b–27)

- Second dialogue between the crowd and Jesus (vv. 28–29)

- Third dialogue between the crowd and Jesus (vv. 30–33)

- Fourth dialogue between the crowd and Jesus (vv. 34–40)

- Fifth dialogue between “the Jews” and Jesus (vv. 41–51)

- Jesus’ Eucharistic Discourse (6^th) as a monologue⁴⁷⁰ (vv. 52–58/59)

After the discourse about Jesus as the (sacramental) “Bread of (eternal) Life” (cf. vv. 25b–58/59) and as the divine “Son of Man”, the verses 60–71 resume the murmuring criticism of verses 41a, 43b and 52a to describe a mounting crisis of faith of His disciples. His Eucharistic discourse is the source of division and disbelief of His disciples.

“HERE is a passage … with tragedy, for in it is the beginning of the end. There was a time when men came to Jesus in large numbers” (cf. 2:23; 4:1–3, 39, 45). “Already John launches us on the last act of the tragedy. It is circumstances like these which reveal men’s hearts and show them in their true colours. In these circumstances there were three different attitudes to Jesus:

(i) There was defection. Some turned back and walked with him no more. They drifted away for various reasons. […]

(ii) There was deterioration. It is in Judas above all that we see this. Jesus must have seen in him a man whom he could use for his purposes.” […] (cf. vv. 70–71)

(iii) “There was determination. This is John’s version of Peter’s great confession at Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8: 27; Matthew 16: 13; Luke 9: 18”⁴⁷¹; John 6:68–69)

2.3.3 Jesus’ Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish and the Feeding of 5,000 (vv. 1–15⁴⁷²)

The stories of the feeding in the Gospels are identical in construction and content (cf. Mark 6:32–44; Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15 and Mark 8:1–10; Matthew 15:32–39 – the second story in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew only differ in the setting of the dialogues, the task of Jesus’ disciples, and the number of the loaves):

Further the texts in the Gospels correspond with the story of the multiplication by the prophet Elisha (cf. 2 Kings 4:42–44⁴⁷³):

- The Setting (vv. 1–4)

Who: Jesus, the crowds (vv. 2a, 5, 22, 24), His disciples (vv. 3, 8, 12b, 16, 22, 24, 60, 61, 66), Philip (vv. 5, 7), Andrew (v. 8), the boy (v. 9)

Where: Sea of Galilee/Tiberias (v. 1a), mountainside (v. 3a)

When: “near the Passover” (v. 4)

v. 1: After the typical Johannine phrase “after this”⁴⁷⁴ the Evangelist names the place of the feeding of 5,000 with the help of an “itinerary”⁴⁷⁵ “the far shore of the Sea of Galilee” (cf. vv. 16–19, 22, 25) also called “Sea of Tiberias” (cf. v. 23 and John 21:1). The traditional site of the feeding of the loaves and fish is Tabgha. The name Tabgha is a distortion of the Greek word “Heptapegon”, that means “Seven Springs”. In the past, seven springs met at this point and flowed into the “Sea of Galilee”.

v. 2: Because of His healings (cf. 4:46; 5:3, 7) as “miraculous sign” (cf. v. 2b–c and 2:18, 23; 4:45 – note also the critical view in v. 26 and in 4:48; 12:37) – the Fourth Evangelist relates seven “signs” (cf. 2:1–11; 4:43–54; 5:1–18; 6:1–15, 16–21; 9:1–7/41; 11:1–44) in the so-called “Book of signs” (cf. 1:19–12:50) – the “crowd” “followed”⁴⁷⁶ Him. He, the “Good Shepherd” (cf. 10:4–5, 27), was their “light … in darkness” (8:12).

v. 3: On the one hand Jesus and His disciples, who “went up” the hillside (in Greek “óros” in vv. 3a, 15d and in Mark 6:46; Matthew 5:1; 14:23; Luke 6:12), are at the centre of this scene. The disciples “sat down” around Jesus as their rabbi and Master.

v. 4: On the other hand take note of the time: “the Passover” (in Greek “Páscha” in John 2:13, 23 [in Jerusalem]; 11:55 [in Jerusalem]; 12:1; 13:1; 18:28, 39; 19:14 – note in the ritual context of the bread the Law according to Leviticus 23:11–15⁴⁷⁷), “the Jewish Feast” (cf. John 2:13; 5:1; 7:2, 10), “was … near” (cf. 2:13; 7:2; 11:55).

- The Crisis/Problem because of the Hungry People (vv. 5–9⁴⁷⁸)

+ The Dialogue between Jesus and Philip (vv. 5–7)

v. 5: Because of His “seeing” (in Greek “theáomaɩ”) the “large crowd”, Jesus asked: “Where shall we” (cf. Numbers 11:13 [LXX] “buy bread⁴⁷⁹ that (these) /may/ eat ( )?” He asked Philip because they were about twelve kilometres respectively nine miles away (cf. John 1:44) from Bethsaida a town where one could buy (cf. 4:8) a great amount of bread.

v. 6: According to a remark by the Evangelist, Jesus, the donor/giver of wine (cf. 2:8–9) and the giver of the living water (cf. 4:11⁴⁸⁰), wanted to “test” (in Greek “peɩrázo” in v. 6b and in 8:6) especially “Philip”⁴⁸¹ (in Greek “Phílɩppos”) to see his reaction and his idea/crisis management. This introduces a dialogue between Him and Philip (cf. vv. 5–7) and afterwards with Andrew (cf. vv. 8–9) in terms of crisis management.

v. 7: The problem/crisis is analysed: Bread is scarce. Usually the problem is solved by “buying bread for this crowd” (v. 5e–f) of people so that they would have enough pieces of bread to be satisfied. Philip started assessing the probable cost and calculated more than “200 denarii”⁴⁸² (cf. John 12:5 and Matthew 20:1–16) – that was eight months’ salary. The financial result was/is: It was more a logistic and less a financial challenge to do it⁴⁸³.

+ The Dialogue between Andrew and Jesus (vv. 8–9)

v. 8: The Galilean fisherman “Andrew”⁴⁸⁴ from Capernaum (cf. Mark 1:29) or from Bethsaida (cf. John 1:44), “the brother of Simon Peter” (cf. 1:40), was pragmatic and suggested an alternative.

v. 9: A “boy” (respectively a “slave” – in Greek “paɩdárɩon”⁴⁸⁵) brought what all that he had: “five” (small) barley “loaves” (vv. 9b, 11a, 13b) and “two” small (dried⁴⁸⁶) “fish”⁴⁸⁷ (cf. vv. 9b, 11d and 21:9–10, 13). The comment is like Philip’s statement in verse 5e–f: “a drop in the ocean” in the sense of a losing venture/undertaking – that is not enough for these people. He will take what little they have and turn it into a great, wonderful feeding of “5,000” (v. 10d₂ and Mark 6:44; Matthew 14:21) men.

- Jesus’ Crisis Management (vv. 10–11)

+ Jesus’ Order (v. 10)

Five loaves for “5,000” men (1 : 1000 = 1‰), not counting the women and children⁴⁸⁸ – in other words: A small quantity of food for a large crowd⁴⁸⁹. In the meantime He directed the crowds to “sit/lay down”⁴⁹⁰ (cf. John 13:12, 25; 21:20) on the “grass”⁴⁹¹ (cf. Psalm 23:2). The Evangelists Matthew and “John” omitted the instruction to form groups of 50 or 100 people set out in Mark 6:40, referring to Exodus 18:21, 25.

+ Jesus’ Blessing of the Loaves and Fish (v. 11)

Analogue to Luke 22:19, like a Jewish housefather during the ritual of the daily Jewish meal, Jesus “took” the (five) loaves, “gave thanks” (in Greek “eucharɩstéo”⁴⁹² in vv. 11b, 23c) in the sense of a blessing⁴⁹³, “distributed”⁴⁹⁴ the “bread” (vv. 5e, 7b, 9b, 11a, 13b) and fish (vv. 9b, 11d and John 21:9, 10, 13) to the hungry people. The Fourth Evangelist remarks that they could eat as “much as they wanted”.

The word was Jesus’ blessing – for God’s help – note the divine, sacramental, Eucharistic aspect;

the deed – with the help of His disciples – was to feed the hungry people – note also the social-ethical⁴⁹⁵ viewpoint. Everything came to the crowds from Jesus through His disciples as His co-workers. On behalf of Jesus, the disciples (“missio”) had to share out the blessed bread to the “community” (“communio”) of people as the “Holy communion”, then and now. The historical, social, and (ecclesiological) theological background (the “Sitz im Leben”) of the feeding stories is the Eucharist of the Early Church because in the first centuries of the Church, the Eucharist was always both “Holy communion” and food. In the Early Church there was always a meal as well (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:17–34).

- The Verification of the End of the Crisis (vv. 12–13)

v. 12: Five loaves to feed no less than 5,000 men plus the women and children. In our eyes, it is impossible, but for God and Jesus, it is not impossible. The outcome of the sharing of both loaves and fish is clear and brief. After the dinner, the crowd who had been hungry was “satisfied”⁴⁹⁶, and there was plenty left over. Therefore Jesus gave the order – note the imperative! – to His disciples to “gather up⁴⁹⁷” (vv. 12c, 13a) “the leftover⁴⁹⁸” (vv. 12c, 13c and Matthew 14:20; Luke 9:17) “pieces/fragments⁴⁹⁹” (vv. 12c, 13b and Mark 6:43; Matthew 14:20; Luke 9:17), “that nothing /may be/ waste/lost”.

v. 13: So they implemented Jesus’ instruction. The result was: “twelve baskets⁵⁰⁰” of “leftovers” (cf. Matthew 14:20; Luke 9:17). These “twelve baskets” represent the “twelve” tribes⁵⁰¹ under the “twelve” disciples, and the crowd represents all of Israel gathered by Jesus.

What had happened? An anonymous member of the crowd brought his own food with him and gave it to the disciples. Someone was not selfish and unwilling to share his five loaves of bread and two fish. After Jesus’ blessing of both and sharing of the meal by His disciples, the outcome of the feeding of the crowds was the wonderful multiplication of the food which was plenty. The feeding consisted of changing selfish people into generous people: With God’s help (Jesus’ blessing) and the sharing of the people’s provisions – “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) – everyone had enough to eat.

- The Reaction of the Crowd (vv. 14–15)

v. 14: Because of the “seeing” (in Greek “horáo”) of Jesus’ “doing /of/ signs” (cf. John 2:1–11; 4:43–54; 5:1–18; 6:1–13) the crowd confesses that He is “indeed the prophet” Elijah (cf. 1:21: 4:19; 7:40; 9:17 and especially Deuteronomy 18:15, 18) who “is to come into the world” (cf. John 1:9; 12:46 [“the light”]; 11:27 [“Messiah”, “Son of God”]; 16:28; 18:37 and Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 59:20; Daniel 7:13 etc.). The Samaritans say that He “is Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah/Christ will enter Jerusalem through the so-called “Golden Gate” of the walls of the old city of Jerusalem in front of the Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives.

v. 15: The reaction in the eyes of the Fourth Evangelist was that they would “try ( )” to “make (Him)” their messianic “king” (in Greek “basɩleús” in v. 15c and 1:49; 12:13, 15; 18:33, 37, 39; 19:3, 12, 14–15, 19, 21) – like David or his son Solomon – by force. To avoid this He withdrew to the hills/“mountains” – note “óros” in verse 3a –, “went”⁵⁰² into hiding to be by “Himself” – to pray (cf. Mark 6:46; Matthew 14:23). He needed a “time-out” from all activities and a time for His relationship with God, the Father, for Himself as a silent personal prayer – actio(n) (fifth step of the “Lectio Divina” and contemplation(n) (the fourth step of it), ora et labora (= pray and work/do). Jesus’ prayer as His intimacy with God is the wellspring of His power.

2.3.4 Jesus’ Walking on the Water (vv. 16–21⁵⁰³)

- The Setting (vv. 16–18)

Who: Jesus, His disciples

Where: on the Sea of Galilee/Tiberias (vv. 1, 16b–17b), Capernaum (vv. 17b, 21c)

When: in the “evening” (v. 16a)/“darkness” (v. 17c)

vv. 16–17: As Jesus has a “time-out” in the mountain (v. 15d–e), “(His) disciples ( )” moved to the east side of the “‘Sea’ of Galilee/Tiberias” (v. 1a) by “boat” (in Greek “ploῖon”⁵⁰⁴ in vv. 17a, 19c, 21a, b, 22d, e and in John 21:3, 6) with the destination “Capernaum” (in contrast to “Bethsaida” in Mark 6:45 and “Gennesaret” in Matthew 14:34) on the west side of the “sea” in the “evening” (v. 16a). That is the point of departure in the form of an itinerary⁵⁰⁵ (cf. vv. 16a–17b). The comment by the Fourth Evangelist emphasizes that “(Jesus) had not /yet/ come to them ( )” (v. 17d) after the sunset/“darkness”⁵⁰⁶

(1) in contrast to Jesus as “the Light⁵⁰⁷ of the world” (8:12).

+ The Crisis/Problem/Case

v. 18: The verses 16a–19a situate the disciples alone at sea. As in Mark 4:37/Matthew 8:24, the “sea”/water grew “rough”⁵⁰⁸ (cf. Psalm 107:23–32 or Jonah 1:4–5)

(3) because of the “blowing”⁵⁰⁹ “(strong) wind ( )” (in Greek “ánemos”⁵¹⁰ in v. 18b and in Mark 6:48, 51; Matthew 14:24, 30, 32 – note the genitivus absolutus “anémou megálou pnéontos”)

(2). The (collective) crisis of His disciples on the boat was that they had not found their feet – a German proverb says: “Water has no beams”. The apologetic as a “second point of view” of the biblical text interprets the boat as a symbol of the church⁵¹¹ and in the same way, the state of the sea could represent the hostile forces of the world as persecution, tribulation, torture, sickness, crisis, and other emergency situations, especially of the Early Church in the context of the Roman Empire which pulled the rug out from under it. The three elements (1–3) are symbols of an essential⁵¹² crisis, sickness, threat, fear, death⁵¹³ … – individual or collective.

- The Solution of the Crisis by Jesus (vv. 19–21)

+ Jesus’ Initiative (v. 19)

The Fourth Evangelist remarks that Jesus’ disciples had “rowed⁵¹⁴” (cf. Mark 6:48) “about 25 or 30” – that is about 4:8–5:76 kilometres/3–4 miles – “stadions⁵¹⁵” (cf. Matthew 14:24). In allusion to the theophany tradition in Exodus 33:19, 22; 34:6 and 1 Kings 19:11, they “saw” (in Greek “theoréo”) “Jesus” who was “walking⁵¹⁶” (cf. Mark 6:48–49; Matthew 14:25–26, 29 and Job 9:8) “on the sea” (in Greek “epì tèn/tēs thálassan/thalásses” in vv. 16b, 19b) and coming “near the boat”. The Fourth Evangelist comments their “re-action”⁵¹⁷ as a being “frightened”⁵¹⁸ (vv. 19d, 20c).

+ Jesus’ Saving in Word and Deed (vv. 20–21)

v. 20: As in John 4:26; 13:19; 18:5, 6, 8, Jesus identified⁵¹⁹ Himself to them firstly in the form of the self-proclamation⁵²⁰ using the Greek translation of God’s name YAHWEH in the Septuagint “I am”⁵²¹ (cf. Mark 6:50f; Matthew 14:27c) and secondly by means of an epiphany do “not /be/ afraid” (cf. Mark 6:50g; Matthew 14:27d and John 12:15 – cf., for example, Genesis 15:1; 26:24; Isaiah 41:10; 43:5; 46:3).

v. 21: His disciples were “willing to take” Jesus “into the boat” (vv. 17a, 21a). Just at this moment the crisis is brought to an end – a “happy end” in the sense: “All’s well that ends well”. He and His disciples were on board in a safe place and “immediately”⁵²² they “reached at the land” (cf. Psalm 106:30 [LXX]) at “Capernaum” (v. 17b).

2.3.5 Jesus’ Discourse about the “Bread of Life” from Heaven (vv. 22–59⁵²³)

- The Setting (vv. 22–25a⁵²⁴)

Who: Jesus, (His disciples), the people (5,000 men) who Jesus fed (vv. 22, 24)/“the Jews” (vv. 41, 52)/ “the world” (in Greek “kósmos” in vv. 33, 51), their fathers (vv. 31a, 49, 58c), God the FATHER (vv. 27, 32, 37, 39–40), Moses (v. 32), the prophets (v. 45)

Where: (the synagogue at) Capernaum (vv. 24, 59) – note also the place (properly “Tabgha”) where Jesus fed 5,000 (v. 22) and Tiberias (v. 23)

When: “on the next day” (v. 22a) in the context of verse 4 “near the Passover” – note this is also “near the … Sukkot” (John 7:2)

Verses 22–25 are transitional⁵²⁵ verses to bridge/link the scenic-dialogical⁵²⁶ stories of Jesus’ multiplication of five loaves and two fish and the feeding of 5,000 men in verses 1–15 and His walking on the water in verses 16–21 with His discourse about the “Bread of Life” in verses 25b–58/59.

v. 22: The Fourth Evangelist relates that “the crowd” who “had eaten the bread” (v. 23b) “looked for”⁵²⁷ (vv. 24e, 26c) “Jesus” and “(His) disciples ( )” “on the next day” (in Greek “tē epaúrɩon” in v. 22a and 1:29, 34, 43 and in 12:12). The people “saw” (in Greek “horáo” in vv. 22a, 24b)/realized that “His disciples” (v. 22c) “had gone away” by “boat” (in Greek “ploɩárɩon” in vv. 22b, 23a, 24c and “ploῖon” in vv. 17a, 19c, 21a, b, 22c) and “Jesus” and the “disciples” were “not there” (v. 24b) “near the place” (v. 23a₂) of their feeding.

Verse 23 sums up the multiplication of 5,000 and their feeding in the words as follows: “They had eaten the bread” (vv. 5f, 11c–12a, 13c, 23b) “( ) /after/ the Lord” (cf. 20:2, 13, 18, 20, 28[; 21:7, 12]) “(had given thanks)” (vv. 11b, 23c and Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23⁵²⁸).

v. 24: In this way, the people crossed from the east “seaside” (in Greek “péran” in vv. 1a, 17b, 22a, 25a) to the west side by “boats” (vv. 23a; 24c) and they also came to “Capernaum” (in Greek “Kapharnaoúm” in vv. 17b, 24d, 59 and in John 2:12; 4:46) and

v. 25a: “found” – note the pair of the verbs “seek/look for” in verses 24e, 26c and “find” in verse 25a or, for example, John 7:34–36⁵²⁹; Matthew 7:7–8; Luke 11:9–10; 15:8 – Jesus (cf. Mark 1:37) there – not by boat.

- Part I: The Crowd and Jesus (vv. 25b–40⁵³⁰)

The first part of the discourse is a discussion in the form of questions by the Jewish people (cf. vv. 25c, 28b–c, 30b–31c, 34b) and the answers of Jesus (cf. vv. 26b–27d, 29b–d, 32b–33b, 35b–40d).

+ First Dialogue between the Crowd and Jesus (vv. 25b–27)

v. 25b–c: The CROWD from the east side of the sea and some from Tiberias asked Him: “Rabbi, when⁵³¹ ( ) /did/ You come/get (here)?” The title “rabbi”⁵³² emphasizes the introductory circumstantial question; their questions (cf. vv. 28b–c, 30b–31c) express their expectation (cf. v. 34b) in the dialogue in verses 25–40 about the eating of bread during His feeding of 5,000 (cf. vv. 1–15) as a physical nourishment and His viewpoint of “the Bread of Life” as the spiritual, sacramental nourishment between Jesus and the people who look for Him.

v. 26: Jesus introduces the topic of the multiplication and of the bread and the feeding of the 5,000 a day later with the typical introductory phrase “amen, amen, I tell you” (vv. 26b, 32b, 47a, 53b and Numbers 5:22; Nehemiah 8:6) of self-revelation/manifestation. Jesus criticized the people who followed Him only for the physical “signs” respectively temporal benefits. He is against performance/show/event catchers (cf. vv. 2b, 14a–b, 30b–c and John 2:18; 3:2; 7:31; 11:47; 12:18, 37). The Fourth Evangelist informed about seven “signs” in the so-called “Book of signs”⁵³³ (cf. 1:19–12:50). The two keywords “to eat”⁵³⁴ and “bread”⁵³⁵ are the terms of Chapter 6.

v. 27: JESUS introduces an alternative in the form of a correction⁵³⁶ (“not … but” in v. 27a, b₁): Perishable, spoilt food in a literal sense (cf., for example, Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 6:25–26; Luke 12:22–24) versus⁵³⁷ enduring, lasting and His real “food” (in Greek “brõsɩs” in vv. 27a, 55a and in John 4:32) which gives “eternal life” (in Greek “zoè aɩónɩos”⁵³⁸ in vv. 40c, 47b, 54b, 68c and in 4:14) in the metaphorical level⁵³⁹. The “giver”⁵⁴⁰ (cf. v. 35b–c) of this food is the “Son of Man”⁵⁴¹ (cf., for example, vv. 27c, 53c, 62a) through “God”.

+ Second Dialogue between the Crowd and Jesus (vv. 28–29)

v. 28: Jesus makes statements which are misunderstood by the (Jewish) people and then further clarified by Him (cf. vv. 28b–c, 30b–d, 41a–d, 52a–b). So, for example, the verb and catchword “work” (in Greek “ergázomaɩ” in v. 27a) is the aim of their second question in regard to “works of God” (in Greek “tà érga toũ theoũ” [plural] in v. 28c and 5:36; 9:3 – “tò érgon toũ theoũ” [singular] in v. 29b) in the sense of the – more qualitative and less quantitative – doing of human beings in God’s mind (cf. 1 John 3:23⁵⁴²).

v. 29: The Fourth Gospel is a book for our faith in Jesus Christ (cf. John 20:30–31) “whom (God) has sent” (cf. vv. 29d, 57a and John 3:34; 5:36, 38; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21; 1 John 4:9–10, 14). Therefore everyone has to decide for or against saying YES (cf. vv. 35d, 47b, 68–69) or NO to Him (cf. v. 36c). This decision is especially described in the Fourth Gospel in a positive way⁵⁴³ or in a negative way⁵⁴⁴. “Faith” (in Greek “pɩsteúo” [= to believe] in vv. 29c, 30c, 35d, 36c, 40b, 47b, 64b, d, 69a) is basically believing in the person of Jesus as the Christ and as the Saviour/Redeemer (cf. John 3:17; 4:42; 1 John 4:14).

+ Third Dialogue between the Crowd and Jesus (vv. 30–33)

vv. 30–31: The CROWD focuses the discussion about the “seeing” (in Greek “horáo”) of His “doing” of a “sign” (vv. 2b, 14a–b, 30b and John 2:18; 7:31; 11:47; Matthew 12:38; Luke 23:8) in the end on the example of the shower of “manna” (in Greek “mánna” in vv. 31a, 49, 58c and Hebrews 9:4; Revelation 2:17) “in the desert⁵⁴⁵” according to Exodus 16,4, 15; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalms 78:24; 105:40: God gave the (Chosen) People “bread (which came down) from Heaven” – note in combination with the verbs “dídomɩ” (= to give) in verses 31c, 32c, d and “kata-baíno”⁵⁴⁶ (= to come down) in verses 33a, 41c₂–d, 50a₂–b, 51a₂–b, 58a₂–b) to “eat”.

v. 32: A second time Jesus corrects⁵⁴⁷ (“not … but” in v. 32c, d – cf. v. 27a, b) them: Not Moses⁵⁴⁸ had given (Perfect tense in Greek “dédoken” in v. 32c) the “bread from Heaven” but God, His heavenly Father, is (Present tense in Greek “dídosɩn” [= gives] in v. 32d) the source of it,

v. 33: of – eternal in verses 40c, 47b, 54b, 68c – “life”. It “comes down”⁵⁴⁹ (vv. 33a, 38a, 41d, 42e, 50b, 51b, 58b) like God’s gift/giving from Heaven on earth/world (in Greek “kósmos”). The receivers of this message are “all” of the “world” (vv. 33, 51g) in a universal⁵⁵⁰ sense.

+ Fourth Dialogue between the Crowd and Jesus (vv. 34–40)

v. 34: As the request of the Samaritan woman in John 4:15 “Lord, give me this water …”, the Jewish people also request: “Lord⁵⁵¹, [ ] give us (this) bread ( ) [ ]”.

v. 35: JESUS himself appears as “the giver of ‘bread’” with His self-revelation: “I am” (cf. Exodus 3:14 – note vv. 35b, 48 as the first of seven I-am-metaphors in John 8:12; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25–26; 14:6; 15:1, 5) the/this “Bread of” – note verse 40: “eternal, everlasting” – “Life” (vv. 35b, 41c, 48, 51c). Jesus is both the (personified⁵⁵²) “giver” (more: the “life-giver”!) with the help of a self-prediction and the “gift” itself in God’s name/order. According to (eschatological⁵⁵³) Jewish tradition/viewpoint, the Messiah/Christ will enter Jerusalem⁵⁵⁴ (cf. vv. 14, 44–45) like the new Elijah through the so-called “Golden Gate” of the old city of Jerusalem. In our context Jesus, the Christ, is the Messiah in the form of the “Bread of Life” which can satisfy both (cf. Isaiah 49:10; 55:1; Matthew 5:6) “physical” (cf. John 6:1–15) and “spiritual” “hunger” (in Greek “peɩnáo”) and “thirst” (in Greek “dɩpsáo” in 4:13–15; 7:37 [; 19:28]) – note the parallel structure of verse 35c, d. The prerequisite is to “come to” Him (vv. 35c, 37a, b – cf. Jesus Sirach 24:9, 19–21) respectively to “believe in” Him⁵⁵⁵ (vv. 35d, 36c, 40b). The receiver of this “Bread of Life” could be everyone⁵⁵⁶ – then and now.

v. 36: Jesus continues with the saying in a negative way: “You have seen” (in Greek “horáo”) and “/yet do/ not⁵⁵⁷ believe”⁵⁵⁸ (cf. vv. 30d, 64b and John 4:48; 15:24) in contrast to His sayings in verse 40b (“everyone who looks on” [in Greek “theoréo”] “the Son … believes in Him …”) and in 20:29: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.

v. 37: However, He emphasizes in a positive way: “Whoever comes to” (vv. 35c, 37a, b, 44a, 65c) Jesus s/he “will never be cast out⁵⁵⁹” in the eschatological/soteriological sense because of His divine relationship with His “FATHER” (vv. 37a, 40a) who “gives” (present tense) Him “all” (vv. 37a, 39b, 65d and John 10:29; 17:2, 6–9, 12, 24; 18:9 – cf. Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:16–20).

v. 38: Jesus underlines with the help of a correction⁵⁶⁰ (“n o t … b u t”) that His earthly works in word and deed are not an end in itself so that He “has come down from Heaven” (cf. vv. 33a, 41d, 42e, 50b, 51b, 58b)

“n o t /to/ do (my) /own/ will⁵⁶¹ ( )

b u t the will of Him who sent me” (in Greek “pempo” in vv. 38c, 39a, 44b and in John 4:34; 5:30 – Mark 14:36; Matthew 26:39, 42; Luke 22:42).

v. 39: Verses 39–40 as quintessence of verses 26/34–40 have the parallels in words and in structure as follows:

“This … is the will /of/” (vv. 39a₁, 40a₁) “Him who sent me” (vv. 38c, 39a and John 5:23–24; 12:45)

“that all who has given me” (vv. 37a, 39b)

“/that/ ( ) I should lose (n o thing) of them

b u t⁵⁶² I raise [it] up [ ] on the last day” (vv. 39c, 40c, 44c, 54c).

v. 40: “This … is the will /of/” (vv. 39a₁, 40a₁) “(my) FATHER ( )

that all who looks on the Son and believes in Him” (vv. 30c, 36c, 40b)

“should have eternal life” (cf., for example, 5:24–25),

“and [I]” = (egó) “raise (them) up ( ) [ ]” (cf. 11:24) “on the last day” (vv. 39c, 40c, 44c, 54c and 12:48).

- Part II: “The Jews” and Jesus (vv. 41–59⁵⁶³)

+ The Dialogue between “the Jews” and Jesus (vv. 41–51⁵⁶⁴)

In the first part (cf. vv. 26–40) the dialogue between the crowd and Jesus was an open, positive discussion. Verses 32–51 give a development of the biblical quotation of verse 31 in the form of a Jewish “midrash”, a special homiletic technique. Therefore the atmosphere changed⁵⁶⁵ to a negative attitude because of their religious, biblical disagreement with regard to Jesus’ viewpoint: “I am the Bread from Heaven!” (vv. 38a, 41c). In the eyes of “the Jews”, only the heavenly God, the Creator of all can be a “life-giver”. The so-called “Jews” (vv. 41a–42e, 52a–b – the Torah-oriented Jewish people including their leadership) and also some disciples of Jesus (cf. vv. 60–61, 64, 66) interrupt⁵⁶⁶ and contradict Jesus’ self-revelation.

v. 41: The protest of the Jewish people in the form of murmuring⁵⁶⁷ (in Greek “goggúzo” in vv. 41a, 43b, 61b and 7:32 – note also the Jewish tradition in Exodus 15:24; 16:2, 7, 12; 17:3) as a result of His divine self-revelation (“I am …”) that He is “the Bread of Life” (v. 35b) which “came down from Heaven” (vv. 33a, 41d, 50b, 51b, 58b).

v. 42: In their eyes, Jesus, the Jew, is only an ordinary man⁵⁶⁸ (cf. John 3:4, 9) and a Galilean⁵⁶⁹ (cf. 7:27, 41, 52) carpenter’s son (cf. John 1:45; Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55), the “son of Joseph”⁵⁷⁰ (cf. John 1:45; [Matthew 1:16, 18–20, 24; 2:13, 19;] Luke [1:27; 2:4, 16, 33, 43;] 3:23; 4:22) and His “mother”⁵⁷¹ (v. 42c and Mark 3:31–32; Matthew 12:46–47; Luke 8:19–20) who grew up in Nazareth. Therefore they rejected Jesus, and also in rejecting Him, rejected eternal life. Before their discussion about His identity, the crowd (of 5,000) emphasizes that He “is indeed the ‘prophet’” (v. 14c).