Jesus teaches us a very important truth in the 6th chapter of the gospel of John concerning the mysteries of God using a parable. In this study we will examine key passages from this chapter and discover the truth, as Jesus meant for it to be understood. We will first take a close look at the passages where Jesus reveals that He is the bread of God. Jesus is using an analogy indicating that He and the bread are similar, or comparable to each other.
– Live Forever –
John 6:32-33 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.
Jesus reveals that He is the true bread, the bread of God, the bread which descends from heaven and gives life to the world. I know there is much debate over the proper meaning of the word “world”, but this is out of the scope of this study; however, I hope that by the end of this study you will agree that it can only be that of a particular group of people. For now, let us focus on the fact that Jesus is the bread that gives life. Note: We will be repeating the same thing several times. So, do not loose patience. The same thing will be repeated only because Jesus repeated them. The fact that He repeated them several times must be very significant. He must have considered these things to be very important.
John 6:48 I am that bread of life.
Again Jesus proclaims Himself to be the bread of life.
John 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Having established that Jesus Christ is the bread, we are now taught that whoever eats this bread will not die. Take note of this simple statement by Jesus, because we will revisit this fact a few more times.
John 6:51 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.
Jesus states once again, He is the bread and that by eating this bread a person will live for ever. Nothing else is needed. In this verse Jesus introduces another analogy between the bread and His flesh. We find that the bread spoken of previously, and now His flesh, is that which He gave for the life of the world. Is it starting to become evident that the bread, His flesh, or His body, is that which was offered as sacrifice on the cross, the lamb slain?
John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Just as the Father appointed Christ to be the lamb slain, yet His life is endless by the power of God, those who partake of His flesh will also live forever, because He was slain. They will live forever, in eternity, by partaking of the bread.
John 6:58 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.
Again Jesus says that He is the bread from heaven and that a person needs only to eat the bread to live forever.
John 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
This passage may not seem relevant, but it is a key to understanding. His flesh, or body, is food and food is for satisfying hunger. His blood is drink, or liquid, and liquids are for satisfying thirst. Each of these satisfy a different need of the body.
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger…
Now we have another key piece of information regarding how one comes to eat of the bread. The person that “cometh” to Him will never hunger because his hunger is satisfied. This person has eaten of the bread, His flesh. The word “cometh” in Greek typically means to come from one place to another. If we compare this to Colossians 1:13 we see that Jesus could be referring to a person being translated into His dominion. Keep in mind that for one to come from one place to another it can be by their own means or by being transported by another means. We must be careful to properly understand these passages in order to rightly divide them. We must be able to determine if the eating of the bread is an analogy for regeneration or conversion. If this is an analogy for regeneration this passage could read “he that comes to be established in me”, “he that is transported to me”, “he that comes to exist in me”, or “he that comes to belong to me”.
John 6:44 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.
Another important key to proper understanding is revealed in this passage. Jesus states that no man can come unless the Father draws him. The word “draw” simply means to draw or drag, or metaphorically to draw by inward power, lead, impel. We have a word which requires much consideration before we decide on which definition to use so that we do not err. To draw, as used here, means to bring, take, or pull out, such as drawing water from a well. By examining other passages that reference the Fathers intervention we find support for this definition.
Matthew 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father…
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In Matthew 11:27 the word “delivered” means to give into the hands of another. Thus we come into Christ’s possession by being delivered into His care by the Father and not by our own means. In Colossians 1:13 the phrase “hath delivered” means to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver; and the phrase “hath translated” means to transpose, transfer, or remove from one place to another. Thus we are drawn by God when He delivers us from the power of darkness and places us into the possession of Christ and His care. So, we can conclude that Jesus was in fact stating that no man can come to Him unless the Father first delivers him into Christ’s care by rescuing him from the power of darkness. This further provides us with the method by which a man eats or partakes of the bread. It is the Father that gives us the true bread from heaven. This bread that God gives us is Christ that descends from heaven and gives life unto the world. Jesus Christ is the bread of life, that if a man eats thereof he will not die. Christ is also described as the living bread. If any man eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that is given is Jesus’ flesh, His body that He gave for the life of the world. Anyone that partakes of Him will live by Him; it cannot be stressed enough that whoever eats of this bread will live forever. Those who are delivered into His care will never hunger. Yet no man can come to Him unless the Father first draws him and all that the Father gives Him will be delivered to Him. Take special note that Jesus saidthat if a man eats the bread he will not die (v50), and that if a man eats the bread he will live for ever (v51 & 58). Jesus never says that a person has eternal life in reference to the bread, but only that the person will live forever or will never die. Yes there is a significant difference. Eating, a method of consuming solids, which is how one obtains the bread, is different from that of drinking, a method of consuming liquids, which one must do to take hold of everlasting life. Also take note that Jesus has never mentioned belief when referring to the bread and clearly states that all one has to do to live forever is eat the bread. I hope at this point you have seen the relationship between the eating of the bread and the crucifixion of Christ. I also hope that it has become evident that one can only partake of the bread when it is fed to us by the Father and that Jesus is speaking of regeneration when He speaks of the eating of the bread. Therefore, if one has been regenerated he will live forever just as Jesus has said repeatedly in these passages.
– Hath Everlasting Life –
Now we will look at another analogy that Jesus uses in this same parable.
John 6:35 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.
In this passage that we looked at earlier, Jesus introduces another analogy stating that those who believe shall never thirst. As we have already seen in previous passages, Jesus says that this is the second of two criteria that must be met in order to possess eternal life. One must first eat the bread and then drink of His blood.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
In this passage Jesus reveals that those who believe “hath” everlasting life. In this chapter there are several passages which clearly and repeatedly state that belief is required before one “hath” everlasting life. The word “hath”, “echo” in Greek means simply – to have – as in to hold something in ones hand or to possess something. Further study of this word reveals that it also could be defined as – having the opportunities, benefits, advantages, and conveniences, which one enjoys or makes use of. Therefore, if one has in his possession eternal life, this could be to imply that he is enjoying the benefits of his eternal inheritance. Some undoubtedly will argue that because this belief brings with it, or indicates possession of eternal life, this belief is implanted by God at regeneration. But this would be a grave error and is the very reason for much confusion today. Jesus has clearly established that eating guarantees that one will live forever and that the bread eaten is His flesh, His body, which He gave for the life of the world. Scripture says that the believer can lay hold on eternal life. This means to take hold of it and to benefit from its power and glory. This is what Jesus is referring to; only in this passage it has already been taken hold of and is in the person’s possession. Eternal life in the present is our reward for righteousness; it is the gift of God for obedience.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
1Timothy 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We do not earn our salvation, which as established above, was accomplished by the work of Christ on the cross. Christ secured our place in heaven. According to scripture, we became heirs to eternal life and eternal salvation, because it was bequeathed to us by the Father. We obtained it at adoption, which was made possible by the cross of Christ. This inheritance is laid up in heaven, reserved for us. But of what benefit is it to us now in the present? Scripture teaches that by obedience we are given access to the inheritance in the form of an earnest derived from the whole.
Revelation 22:14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
James 1:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
John 6:53 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.
This passage reveals yet another key to properly understanding this parable taught by Jesus. In this passage He reveals that to drink is to drink of His blood. In verse 35 we find that when one believes the thirst is satisfied. Therefore by believing the thirst is satisfied and His blood is consumed. But it should be clear at this point, that this not referring to His shed blood, since that was the point that He gave His flesh for the life of the world. This can only be referring to the sprinkled blood of sanctification and justification that comes through obedience. This then can only be referring to conversion.
Hebrews 9:13-15 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Also revealed is the fact that one must both eat the flesh and drink the blood or else they have no life in them. Unless they meet both conditions they cannot possess everlasting life. One must first be born again by regeneration, and then they must believe in Christ, converting from living after the old man to the new man in order to have life.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Galatians 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.
John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Again Jesus makes it very clear that one must both, eat His flesh and drink His blood, to possess eternal life. Keep in mind that in the passages reviewed above Jesus said that one need only eat the bread to live forever. But now to possess the life bequeathed to us by the Father we must also drink.
John 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
This passage brings to mind one found in Leviticus when the Lord is reiterating the promises made to Abraham.
Leviticus 26:3 & 11 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them… I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you
The Lord only dwells among the obedient and walks contrary to those who walk contrary to Him. He that is fed the bread by the Father dwells in Christ because he has been translated into His care, but Christ only dwells within those who are obedient.
Ephesians 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
This passage is too often taken out of context and misunderstood. One must consider what Jesus has said prior to this, and especially what He says in verse 65 in order to rightly divide. Jesus is not referring to regeneration in this passage, as most would wrongly argue. When we consider what He has already said in verse 44, to which He refers, and in verse 65, we find that He was in fact saying, “It is the Spirit that gives you life, the natural man is not able to come to me, the gospel I preach is spiritual, and it is life… That is why I told you that no man can come to me unless the Spirit is first given to him by my Father”. Without having been washed by the washing of regeneration we cannot obtain this life. It is the Spirit that enables us to perceive with understanding and to comprehend in our minds those spiritual things spoken of in the word of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
John 6:64 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.
Not all of those who are adopted as God’s children will be obedient and believe. And this is the point that Jesus is making. Jesus sets forth an interesting observation at the very beginning of this lesson in verse 26 as follows.
John 6:26 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.
This is the first reference Jesus makes concerning the eating of bread. It is in this passage that Jesus distinguishes these who have gone to great lengths to follow Him across the sea. He is actually stating that they are regenerate and that this is the true reason that they have followed Him unlike the others who had previously followed Him only because of the miracles. Now looking at verse 64, we see that all those to whom Jesus spoke were regenerate, but not all believed.
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
As I stated above in my comments on verse 63, in this passage Jesus is referring back to verse 44. No man is able to come from the death that he is in to the life found in Christ, referring to conversion, unless he is first washed by the washing of regeneration by the Father. No man can turn to Christ unless he has first been enabled by the Father.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth (didomi – to give one to some one) me shall come (heko – be delivered) to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
We find that it is the Father who “giveth”, making Jesus the recipient of that which is given. The phrase “shall come” uses the Greek word “heko” which means to be delivered. That which the Father gives to Christ will be delivered to Him; it will be placed directly into His possession. Jesus makes it very clear that it will not be given and then later received, but instead it will be received at the same time it is given. The phrase “that cometh” means to come from one place to another. Some time ago when I first broke this passage down in this manner to better understand it, I assumed that this coming from one place to another was accomplished by the giving of the Father. Since we are transferred from one person of the trinity to another, this understanding made sense. But while conducting another study I came across several passages that gave me a better understanding of what Jesus was referring to. In Leviticus and Deuteronomy it is revealed that the children of God walked contrary to Him and for this they were scattered among their enemies in foreign lands. The promise made to Abraham was that if at any time they would confess their sin and turn to Him for help in a sincere manner He would not forsake them.
Leviticus 26:41 And [that] I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Leviticus 26:42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Leviticus 26:44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I [am] the LORD their God.
Deuteronomy 4:26-31 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong [your] days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, [even] in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God [is] a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So when Jesus continues, saying that the one “that cometh” to Him will by no means be cast out, He is referring to the promise made to Abraham. All of those who the Father gives to Christ will be delivered to Him. These are those who are translated into the kingdom of Christ at regeneration. Then of those who have been delivered, or regenerated, who turn to Him, who come out of the desolate places and enter into the kingdom of God, will receive that which was according to the promises made to Abraham and not a single one who converts will by any means be cast out.
Matthew 11:27-29 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him]. Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
I had not fully understood what Jesus said in this passage from the gospel of Matthew until I had completed this study. I hope that you too will be able to see this passage in a new light as I have. A man shall not live by regeneration alone; that is not enough. He can only find life if he lives by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
At regeneration we have been changed. No one knows exactly in what manner we have changed, except that the natural man has been loosed from control over over us. But, despite this change, it is up to the individual to subdue the old natural man and to put on the new spiritual man that he has received. So long as the old man remains in control, so does the individual remain in death. By faith, we are able to subdue the old man, and as we grow in faith, so also does the Spirit of God within us. The more we allow the Spirit to grow the greater the presence of God within us, and the more alive we become. The most significant thing that Jesus teaches in this parable is that those who only eat will live forever. He never teaches that they possess everlasting life, unless they also believe, satisfying their thirst by drinking. The difference is that by eating the bread, being translated into the dominion of Christ, a person lives forever. They will live in eternity with Christ. Then by drinking, they take hold of and possess everlasting life in the present. Just as there is one God, so also is there one salvation and one life. The salvation and life we have in the present is eternal salvation and eternal life. Although we may not possess them in their full power, splendor, or glory, they are nonetheless, the earnest of eternal things. I hope you have found this study to be enlightening and that you have grown in the knowledge of our Lord.
Most surely and truly, I tell you, that He who believes on me holds in his hands the benefits of everlasting life, and I am that which he possesses.