The Bread Given

In my last post, I showed how the crowd went from asking Jesus about what they were obligated to do to gain the bread that endures to eternal life, to the next step of asking to see the work that Jesus would do. The purpose of the work is to bring the crowd to faith in Jesus. We stopped in verse 33 where Jesus said that the bread is to give life to the world. Did the crowd understand that they too were a part of the world to whom the bread was given? This post will take apart John 6:34-36.

The request of the crowd

The crowd asked Jesus for the bread which was being offered. There was no sign that the crowd viewed Jesus’ words as exempting them from receiving what He was giving. Their words were clear. Let’s look carefully at the words of the crowd. The crowd said:

John 6:34 (NASB) Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

Why did the crowd say give “us” this bread? They said these words because they knew what the term “world” meant as Jesus used it in that context. Jesus said that the bread was for “the life of the world.” The use of the term “world” by Jesus was not said in a limited context, and the crowd believed that they could ask for this special bread… so they asked.

John 6:34 (NASB) Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

By using the term “give” and not “pay”, the crowd understood Jesus to be saying that the bread was something to be granted.
The crowd also said:

John 6:34 (NASB) Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

The term “always” is a temporal adverb. According to Dr. Daniel Wallace in his Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, the temporal adverb is an adverb which modifies the modifié with reference to time or timing. Thus the crowd thought The Giving, was to be a constant giving, over and over again.

Jesus’ answer

Now let’s look carefully at Jesus’ words as well as John’s comment.

John 6:35 (NASB) Jesus said to them, …

John does not leave out that Jesus’ words were a reply to the crowd. John then quotes Jesus.

John 6:35 (NASB) … “I am the bread …

Jesus claims to BE the bread that is given. The crowd is wanting to be given something that will give them life. Jesus said He is that something. He is the bread that they are asking for. Jesus also claimed, as the bread that endures to eternal life, to be the source of life.

John 6:35 (NASB) … “I am the bread of life; …

Jesus continues speaking to the crowd.

John 6:35 (NASB) … he who comes to Me…

The term for “he who” is the article “the.

John 6:35 (NASB) … he who comes to Me…

“Comes” is present nominative, which means the verb renames the subject, thus “he who comes” is in the Greek grammar “the coming one.” The present tense means that the action is in process and continues with no assessment of its completion. Thus “the coming one” is the one continuing to come.

John 6:35 (NASB) … he who comes to Me will not hunger, …

According to Jesus, the “coming one,” the one who continually comes to Jesus, is the one who will not hunger.

John 6:35 (NASB) …and he who believes in Me…

“He who believes” is the same grammar as “He who comes.”  It is “the believing one” (present, active, nominative), the one who continues to believe.

Jesus used “coming” and “believing” interchangeably. The coming ones are the believing ones.

 John 6:35 (NASB) …and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

Just as those who continue to come to Jesus will never hunger, so those who continue to believe, will never thirst. But at this point,Jesus now presents the problem.

The problem

Jesus promised to give to the crowd the bread that gives life to the world, yet they were not experiencing life.

John 6:36 (NASB) “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.

The crowd experienced Jesus miraculous works, but they placed no trust in Him. Why? The next article will carry on with verse 37 of John 6 to find the answer.