John 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

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

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

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

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

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

Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

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

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

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

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

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

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

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

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

I am that bread of life.

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

This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

What does John 6:66 mean?

Explanation

John 6:66 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible that narrates a turning point in the ministry of Jesus Christ.

The verse reads, "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." This passage follows a series of teachings by Jesus that many of his followers found difficult to accept or understand, particularly the discourse on being the "bread of life" and the need for his followers to eat his flesh and drink his blood in a metaphorical sense, symbolizing the acceptance of Jesus and his teachings into one's life.

The literal meaning of the verse indicates that several of his disciples chose to abandon Jesus, no longer accompanying him or adhering to his teachings.

On a deeper level, this verse illustrates a critical point where belief is tested, and the challenge of discipleship is underscored, following Jesus requires acceptance of challenging doctrines and a commitment that goes beyond surface-level understanding.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of John was written somewhere between 90-100 A.D., at a time when the early church was under persecution and the followers of Jesus were sorting through theological complexities.

At the time of this verse, Jesus' audience comprised both his twelve apostles and a larger group of disciples who followed him due to his miracles and teachings.

The discourse that led to this moment happened near the Sea of Galilee following the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.

It was an era of Jewish tradition, where people were familiar with the Passover and the significance of manna from heaven.

Jesus' teaching that he was the true bread from heaven was radical and controversial, confronting the expectations of the Messiah and what it meant to be a follower of the Christ.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse is important for several reasons:

Free Will: It illustrates the concept of free will in Christian belief.

Jesus' disciples were free to choose whether to continue following him, just as individuals are free to accept or reject the Christian teachings.

Testing of Faith: For many Christian theologians, this verse highlights the testing nature of Jesus' teachings, which require a deep faith and understanding.

It separates the genuine believers, who are willing to embrace the hard teachings, from those who are fair-weather followers.

Eucharistic Reference: This verse is often used as an allusion to the Eucharist, a fundamental sacrament in Christianity, foreshadowing Jesus' sacrifice and the significance of the Last Supper.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, John 6:66 can serve as a reminder to individuals about the importance of perseverance in one's faith journey.

It encourages believers to delve deeper into understanding the difficult aspects of their faith and not abandon it when faced with challenges or teachings that are hard to comprehend.

Cross-References

John 6:60: "Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"
John 6:67-68: "Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."
Luke 9:62: "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Matthew 24:10-12: "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the term διὰ τοῦτο ("dia touto") translated as "from that time" indicates a direct consequence or a result of something that has happened prior.

The word ἀπῆλθον ("apolēthon") means "they went away" or "departed," and πλεῖον ("pleion") "any longer" or "no more." These words convey a finality and deliberate action taken by the disciples who could not align themselves with Jesus' teachings.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this event to other ancient myths and religious interpretations, a common theme emerges across different cultures where followers or disciples abandon a leader or deity due to a lack of understanding or willingness to fully commit.

This can be seen in Greek mythology where followers of Orpheus deserted him after he lost the ability to charm all living things with his music.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, this verse does not directly intersect with scientific theories or principles.

However, the psychological aspect of group behavior and decision-making could be considered in understanding why certain disciples deserted Jesus. The cognitive dissonance they may have experienced when confronted with complex teachings could have triggered the departure.

Commentaries

Commentators and scholars have a variety of perspectives on John 6:66.

Some suggest that the departure of disciples signifies a natural sifting process, where true commitment is tested.

Others focus on the idea of 'scandalon,' the Greek term for stumbling block, used earlier in the chapter, meaning that Jesus' teachings became a stumbling block to those who could not accept them.

Commentators like William Barclay note the sadness in this event but also the opportunity it presented for deeper commitment from those who remained.

Some, like D.A. Carson, emphasize the sovereignty of Jesus in the face of rejection, while Matthew Henry comments on the sorrow of the defection but points to the strength and faith of those who stay with Christ.

John 6

John 6

What does John 6:66 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 6:66 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?