📖 Passage

John 6:22–40 Read John 6 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

Following the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on the water, the crowd seeks Him out in Capernaum. They are motivated more by physical provision than spiritual truth. In this section, Jesus shifts the conversation from bread that perishes to the true bread from heaven — Himself. This teaching builds on Old Testament imagery of manna in the wilderness and God’s provision for His people, pointing to His mission to give eternal life to those the Father has given Him.

🌿 Key Themes

• True Provision — Jesus is the bread of life, meeting the deepest need of humanity.
• Eternal Life — The gift of salvation is everlasting, secured by the will of the Father.
• Divine Mission — Jesus came not to do His own will but the will of Him who sent Him.
• Faith vs. Works — The work God requires is belief in the One He has sent.
• Security in Christ — Those who come to Him will never be cast out.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

John 6:22–24

"They themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus." - Persistent Seeking — The crowd’s pursuit is driven by curiosity and temporal needs.
- Misguided Motivation — Their focus is on the miracle rather than the Messiah.
- Geographical Movement — Capernaum becomes a key teaching site for Jesus’ ministry.

John 6:25–27

"Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life." - Contrast of Values — Earthly needs are temporary; spiritual life is eternal.
- Messianic Authority — Jesus alone can give the food that endures, authenticated by the Father’s seal.
- Reorientation of Effort — The crowd is challenged to seek eternal realities.

John 6:28–29

"This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." - Faith as the Central Work — Belief is the primary response God requires.
- Christ as God’s Sent One — Affirmation of Jesus’ divine mission and identity.
- Dependence Over Merit — Salvation is not earned but received through faith.

John 6:30–33

"For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." - Demand for a Sign — The crowd seeks proof despite the miracles already seen.
- Typology of Manna — Jesus fulfills the pattern of God’s provision in the wilderness.
- Universal Offer — The bread gives life “to the world,” extending beyond Israel.

John 6:34–36

"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger." - First “I Am” Statement — Identifies Jesus as the sole source of spiritual sustenance.
- Invitation and Promise — Coming to Him satisfies hunger and thirst of the soul.
- Unbelief Despite Witness — The crowd’s rejection highlights the blindness of unbelief.

John 6:37–40

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." - Divine Sovereignty — Salvation rests in the Father’s gift of people to the Son.
- Perseverance of the Saints — Eternal security is rooted in Christ’s keeping power.
- Mission Accomplished — Jesus’ role is to lose none and raise them up on the last day.
- Resurrection Hope — Eternal life includes the sure promise of bodily resurrection.

🔍 Trusted Insight

D.A. Carson observes that the crowd’s fixation on physical bread mirrors humanity’s tendency to settle for lesser gifts instead of the Giver. Jesus redirects them to Himself as the true bread from heaven, the only source of eternal life.
Summary: Christ’s mission is to give eternal life to all whom the Father has given Him, securing them forever.

🧩 Review Questions

1. How does manna in the wilderness foreshadow Christ as the bread of life?
2. What does it mean to “labor for the food that endures to eternal life”?
3. How does this passage reveal both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility?
4. In what ways does Jesus challenge the crowd’s motives for seeking Him?

🔍 Definitions

• Manna — Bread-like food provided by God to Israel in the wilderness.
• Seal — A mark of authentication or authority, signifying divine approval.
• I Am — A self-identification linking Jesus to God’s covenant name in Exodus 3:14.

🙋 Application Questions

1. Are you seeking Jesus primarily for what He gives or for who He is?
2. How does knowing that Jesus will “never cast out” those who come to Him encourage you?
3. In what ways can you labor for the food that endures to eternal life in your daily life?

🔤 Greek Keywords

• Ergazomai (Labor) — To work or exert effort; here, redirected toward spiritual pursuit.
• Pisteuō (Believe) — To trust, rely on, or have faith in Christ as Savior.
• Zōē Aiōnios (Eternal Life) — Life of the age to come, beginning now through faith in Christ.
• Exapostellō (Send Out) — To commission with authority, describing the Father sending the Son.

📚 Cross References

• Exodus 16:4 — God provides manna from heaven for Israel.
• Deuteronomy 8:3 — Man lives by every word from the mouth of God.
• Isaiah 55:2 — An invitation to receive what truly satisfies.
• Matthew 11:28–29 — Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him.
• John 3:16 — Eternal life offered through belief in the Son.
• John 10:28 — Jesus gives His sheep eternal life, and no one can snatch them away.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → John 6:41–59