Obtuse
John 6:22-40
22On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And 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. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus now speaks with the people who are doggedly determined that He should provide their meals from now on. After miraculously receiving the meal the day before they realize this is a pretty good deal. This guy is like Moses who provided the manna in the wilderness thousands of years earlier. They don't get it so Jesus tries to help them understand.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and it sounded like you were talking about the same thing only to discover you were not? They heard something that in no way mirrors what you were talking about and the confusion ensues. I think that is where Jesus stands in this passage. The people are talking about getting another meal and Jesus is talking about eternal life. I marvel at His patience. They even try to bait Jesus with the whole "Moses fed his people" comment not even recognizing that it wasn't Moses who produced the food but the Father. Jesus tries to help them see that it was the Father who produced their meal the day before just as He did for Moses and the Children of Israel - same God both times.
Jesus deals graciously with the people's stubborn hearts, just as He deals patiently with ours. I know there are days when I am hearing what I want to hear rather than what Jesus is saying because I want what I want. I pray that I would be more attuned to His will and voice rather than the wanderings of my own heart. It's a tough go most of the time, but His Spirit makes me at least want to try.
22On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And 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. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus now speaks with the people who are doggedly determined that He should provide their meals from now on. After miraculously receiving the meal the day before they realize this is a pretty good deal. This guy is like Moses who provided the manna in the wilderness thousands of years earlier. They don't get it so Jesus tries to help them understand.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and it sounded like you were talking about the same thing only to discover you were not? They heard something that in no way mirrors what you were talking about and the confusion ensues. I think that is where Jesus stands in this passage. The people are talking about getting another meal and Jesus is talking about eternal life. I marvel at His patience. They even try to bait Jesus with the whole "Moses fed his people" comment not even recognizing that it wasn't Moses who produced the food but the Father. Jesus tries to help them see that it was the Father who produced their meal the day before just as He did for Moses and the Children of Israel - same God both times.
Jesus deals graciously with the people's stubborn hearts, just as He deals patiently with ours. I know there are days when I am hearing what I want to hear rather than what Jesus is saying because I want what I want. I pray that I would be more attuned to His will and voice rather than the wanderings of my own heart. It's a tough go most of the time, but His Spirit makes me at least want to try.
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