25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that whichg comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
41Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; 55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” 59He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”
66Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”h 70Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” 71He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot,i for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
next chapter
* * *
a Gk of Galilee of Tiberias
b Gk Two hundred denarii; the denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer
c Gk the men
d Gk about twenty-five or thirty stadia
e Gk I am
f Other ancient authorities lack after the Lord had given thanks
g Or he who
h Other ancient authorities read the Christ, the Son of the living God
i Other ancient authorities read Judas Iscariot son of Simon; others, Judas son of Simon from Karyot (Kerioth)
6.1–71 On the order of the chapters, see note on 5.1–7.52.
6.1–15 Cf. this story with the feeding of the five thousand in Mt 14.13–21; Mk 6.32–44; Lk 9.10–17; and the four thousand in Mt 15.32–39; Mk 8.1–10. John’s version has some features that seem to come from a tradition independent of the other Gospels.
6.2 These signs may include those in 4.43–54 and others not narrated by John; see note on 2.11; cf. Mt 14.13; Lk 9.11.
6.3 Mountain, perhaps a particular unnamed mountain or “the hill country” more generally.
6.4 Passover (see also 2.13) is associated with unleavened bread and with the exodus, and thus with manna (vv. 31–35). Since Jesus’ Last Supper was at or near Passover, the Christian Lord’s Supper is also associated with Passover (see v. 11; “Jewish Festivals in the Gospel of John, p. 1820).
6.5 Philip. See note on 1.43. Where are we to buy bread? Cf. Num 11.13.
6.6 He himself knew. Cf. 11.42.
6.8 Andrew. See notes on 1.40; 1.43.
6.9 Barley loaves. Cf. 2 Kings 4.42–44.
6.11 Given thanks translates the Greek word that is also the source of the term “Eucharist” (the Lord’s Supper); cf. Jesus’ actions here with those in Lk 22.19; 1 Cor 11.23–24. See also vv. 52–58; 21.13.
6.14–15 In the first century CE, a number of leaders who claimed to be the prophet (see note on 1.21) or the messianic king promised to do signs to prove that God had sent them to bring about the liberation of Israel from Roman control; see also 7.31; 9.17; 11.47–48; Acts 5.36–37; 21.38.
6.16–21 Jesus’ walking on the sea is also connected with the feeding miracle in Mt 14.22–33; Mk 6.45–52.
6.18 Sudden violent storms are not uncommon on the Sea of Galilee.
6.20 It is I translates the same Greek words as I am he elsewhere in John; see note on 8.24.
6.22–24 A transitional passage.
6.23–24 Tiberias was on the southwest shore and Capernaum near the northern end of the Sea of Galilee.
6.25–34 From the very beginning of the discourse on the Bread of Life, Jesus seems critical of his audience.
6.26 Not because you saw signs. Cf. vv. 2, 14, 30, 36; see note on 2.11.
6.27–29 On food and work, see 4.32–34.
6.27 Do not work for the food that perishes. Cf. Mt 6.19–20. His seal, i.e., a mark of approval that sets the Son apart.
6.30–35 See the similar dialogue in 4.11–15 contrasting what Jesus gives with what the ancestors had.
6.31 Manna. See Ex 16. Bread from heaven. See Ex 16.4; Ps 78.23–25. Jesus’ comments in what follows offer an interpretation of the scriptural verse applied to himself.
6.35–40 The ideas of coming to Jesus, seeing him and believing in him, and being given to him by God are closely associated in this passage. They are related to the situation of the ear
ly Christian community within the synagogue, where only some were coming to join those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah (see Introduction).
6.35 Bread of life, like the living water (cf. 4.10, 14; 7.37–39), here symbolizes Jesus as the object of belief.
6.36 I said to you, perhaps a reference to v. 26; see also 3.12. On seeing and believing, see also vv. 30, 40.
6.37 Everything…the Father gives me. Cf. vv. 44–45; 10.28–29; 17.2, 6, 9.
6.38 Not…my own will. See 4.34; 5.30; 12.27; Lk 22.42.
6.39 Raise it up on the last day. Cf. 5.21–29; 11.23–26.
6.41–47 As in 3.1–15; 9.24–34, people resist the idea that God may act in an unexpected way (cf. v. 29); hence, as in vv. 35–40, it is those who are willing to hear and learn who are drawn by God.
6.41 The OT story of the manna (vv. 31, 49) is surrounded by incidents in which the people complain (Ex 15.22–17.7).
6.42 For the family of Jesus, see Mk 6.1–6; cf. Jn 7.27–28.
6.44 Drawn. See note on 6.35–40; cf. 12.32.
6.45 For the quotation, see Isa 54.13; see also Jer 31.34. The citation is part of the explication Ps 78 in v. 31, making clear that “eating” the bread from heaven is a metaphor for being taught.
6.46 Seen the Father. See 1.18; 3.13; 5.37; 1 Jn 4.12.
6.47 See v. 40; see also 3.16.
6.48–51 A summary of the discourse on the bread of life, emphasizing Jesus’ role as the true giver of life.
6.49 See v. 31. They died. See Num 11.33; 14.26–35; Ps 78.30–31.
6.51 My flesh, both Jesus’ sacrifice of his body on the cross, which is the heart of Jesus’ wisdom, and the Lord’s Supper, to which the language of “eating” will now refer.
6.52–58 John does not include Jesus’ establishment of the Lord’s Supper in ch. 13, where it would be expected. These verses, however, seem to refer to it and contain similarities to the words of Jesus at the Last Supper in chs. 14–17. Some scholars hold that the obvious sacramentalism of these verses contradicts the emphasis on belief in what preceded and v. 63 and therefore must be a later addition; others find the emphasis quite consistent with the Gospel’s basic claim that the Word became flesh (1.14).
6.52–53 Cf. the form of these verses with 3.4–5 and with the “misunderstandings” discussed in the note on 7.33–36.
6.53 Jesus’ flesh and blood are the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper.
6.54 Eat, here a more graphic verb (Greek trogo) than was used previously in the chapter. The last day. See vv. 39–40, 44.
6.55 True food. See also v. 27.
6.56 Abide in me introduces a key motif of the Last Supper discourses. See note on 14.20.
6.57 On living because of Jesus, see 14.19. On the parallel between God’s relationship to Jesus and Jesus’ relationship to the disciples, see 15.9; 17.18; 20.21.
6.58 See vv. 31, 49–50.
6.59 Capernaum. See note on 2.12.
6.61 Complaining. See note on 6.41.
6.62 Ascending. See 3.13; note on 1.51.
6.63 On worship in spirit, cf. 4.23. The flesh is useless. The verse stands in tension with vv. 51, 53, although the emphasis on Jesus’ words reinforces the importance of what he taught (cf. v. 45).
6.64 One that would betray him, i.e., Judas Iscariot; see note on 6.71.
6.65 See v. 44.
6.67–69 Cf. Mk 8.27–29.
6.71 Judas. See 12.4–6; 13.2, 11, 18, 21–30; 18.2–5.
John 7
The Unbelief of Jesus’ Brothers
1After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wisha to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. 2Now the Jewish festival of Boothsb was near. 3So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4for no one who wantsc to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5(For not even his brothers believed in him.) 6Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. 8Go to the festival yourselves. I am notd going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.” 9After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
Jesus at the Festival of Booths
10But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it weree in secret. 11The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, “Where is he?” 12And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, “He is a good man,” others were saying, “No, he is deceiving the crowd.” 13Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.
14About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15The Jews were astonished at it, saying, “How does this man have such learning,f when he has never been taught?” 16Then Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. 17Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.
19“Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?” 20The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?” 21Jesus answered them, “I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. 22Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. 23If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? 24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Is This the Christ?
25Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? 26And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah?g 27Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiahh comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. 29I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, “When the Messiahi comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?”j
Officers Are Sent to Arrest Jesus
32The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. 33Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36What does he mean by saying, ‘You will search for me and you will not find me’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
Rivers of Living Water
37On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38and let the one who believes in me drink. Ask the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heartl shall flow rivers of living water.’” 39Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit,m because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division among the People
40When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” 41Others said, “This is the Messiah.”n But some asked, “Surely the Messiaho does not come from Galilee, does he? 42Has not the scripture said that the Messiahp is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” 43So there w
as a division in the crowd because of him. 44Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
The Unbelief of Those in Authority
45Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” 46The police answered, “Never has anyone spoken like this!” 47Then the Pharisees replied, “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? 48Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” 50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesusq before, and who was one of them, asked, 51“Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” 52They replied, “Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.”
next chapter
* * *
a Other ancient authorities read was not at liberty
b Or Tabernacles
c Other ancient authorities read wants it
d Other ancient authorities add yet
e Other ancient authorities lack as it were
f Or this man know his letters
g Or the Christ
h Or the Christ
i Or the Christ
j Other ancient authorities read is doing
k Or come to me and drink. 38The one who believes in me, as
l Gk out of his belly
m Other ancient authorities read for as yet the Spirit (others, Holy Spirit) had not been given
HarperCollins Study Bible Page 479
