John

6:22-34

The signs of the Messiah, 2:1-12:50

3. Jesus the bread life, 6:1-71

ii] Bread from heaven

John the evangelist places this discourse in the synagogue at Capernaum. Although often interpreted as either a pro, or anti, theological exposition of the Lord's Supper, we are on far safer ground if we see it as an evangelistic presentation (discourse); in its original context, probably a presentation to Hellenistic Jews (Jews of the dispersion). Following Dodd, some commentators hold that each discourse is evangelistic in nature and is shaped by a sign, cf. Morris. It is certainly evident that the discourse on the bread of life builds on the feeding of the 5,000, which, inturn, rests on the imagery of Israel's divine feeding with manna during the wilderness wanderings. In our passage for study we are told that God in Christ (the Son of Man) provides a food that endures forever, a food that enlivens those who feed on it. Feeding is believing, the food is the Word and life is the result.

th/ epaurion "the next day" - on the morrow. Often these little statements are used to introduce a new episode rather than detail an exact time sequence.

eidon aor. "realized" - saw. The verse is a single sentence controlled by this verb. The tense doesn't make sense so the word is best translated as a pluperfect, "they had seen / observed / realized", cf. NEB.

ploiarion "boat" - little boat. The diminutive form, "little", is not used when the/a boat is referred to later in the verse. Presumably the same boat is intended.

ek TiberiadoV egguV tou topou "[some boats] from Tiberias [landed] near the place" - Tiberias near the place. The meaning is obscure. Had the boats come from Tiberias to near the place where the feeding took place, or was Tiberias near the place?

ton arton (oV) "the bread" - It is no longer loaves, but "bread". This could be taken as a eucharistic allusion, but that is unlikely.

eucaristhsantoV aor. part. "[the Lord] had given thanks" - having given thanks. The participle is probably adverbial, temporal, "after the Lord's thanksgiving", Moffatt. Again, another possible eucharistic allusion, but not found in a number of manuscripts and so probably an addition. Left out by NJB. The clause may go with the verb "came [from Tiberias]" but most translators opt for the verb "they ate". "When the Lord gave thanks", NAB.

oJte "once" - when.

eiden (oJraw) aor. "realized" - saw. Usually translated with coordinate objects, "Jesus" and "disciples."

enebhsan (embainw) "got into the boats" - embarked. "Embarked in the boats which came from Tiberias."

euJronteV (euJriskw) aor. part. "when they found" - having found. The Participle forms a temporal clause, as NIV.

peran thV qalasshV "on the other side of the lake" - across the sea. Capernaum is on the North Western shore of lake Galilee and Tiberias on the Western shore, and therefore "across the sea" doesn't really fit. It is unclear where the feeding took place, but most opt for the Eastern shore. "Across the sea" also serves to underline the miracle of walking on water. Jesus didn't just walk around the edge.

rabbi "Rabbi" - teacher. A title of respect

pote wJde gegonaV "when did you get here?" - when have you been here? The question combines "when" and "how". "How long have you been here", Morris.

shmeia (on) "miraculous signs" - signs. "Not because you saw my signs", Phillips.

ecortasqhte (cortazw) aor. pas. "had your fill" - were satisfied (resulting in a state of being satisfied*), eaten your fill, had enough. The word was originally used of the gross feeding of animals. Jesus implies that the crowd is just after the food, yet they are aware that the feeding is miraculous 6:14. Of course, not all those present on this occasion were present at the feeding. Many had heard of the miracle, but had not participated in it, so most of the crowd may well have just wanted full bellies. None-the-less, the real problem is that the crowd fails to see the significance of the miracle and so fails to identify the true nature of the person performing it. "Because you had all the bread you wanted to eat", NJB.

ergazesqe (ergazomai) mh pres. imp. "do not work for" - do not work. Here in the sense of "do not strive after." With this particular negative the imperative serves as a command to stop an action already commenced; "stop trying to earn", Barrett.

brwsin thn apollumenhn (apollumi) "food that spoils" - perishable food. This is the food that is produced by working, and is a food that does not last.

thn menousan (menw) "[the food] that endures [to eternal life]" - the abiding, remaining [food]. "That lasting food which means eternal life", Moffatt.

hJn oJ uiJoV tou anqrwpou uJmin dwsei "which the son of man will give you" - Jesus again uses his favoured messianic title (Daniel's mysterious Son of Man), a tile unrecognized by the crowd (the phrase can just mean "man"). Jesus "will give" this bread, since it is a future giving of an imperishable bread.

esfragisen (sfragizw) aor. "set his seal of approval" - certified. Possibly meaning to demonstrate by authentic proof the truth or validity of something, but more likely meaning to put a mark on something, to indicate ownership but possibly also to mark group identity*. Westcott suggests that the Son of Man is consecrated to the divine office of sacrifice. So, rather than sealed with God's approval, the sense here may be consecrated to God's service. Probably, certified, or authorized, is better. Jesus is divinely authorized to give the bread of life. "God the Father has given him the right to do so", CEV.

ti poiwmen (poiew) pres. subj. "what must we do" - what action do we need to take? Deliberative subjunctive. "What is to be our regular course of action", Morris.

iJna + subj. "to" - that. Introducing a purpose clause. "In order to do."

ergazwmeqa (ergazomai) aor. subj. "do [the works]" - may do, work [the works]. Bultman suggests that the crowd has no understanding of what Jesus is talking about, yet their question does imply some understanding. Their stress is likely on "perform" the works rather than on Jesus' sense of "strive after" a gift. The crowd would certainly not understand that God performs the work in that he provides the food for eternal life, a food that they need only eat now (receive, believe Jesus, or more specifically, believe Jesus' words). "In order that we may perform the works willed by God."

ta erga tou qeou "the works God requires" - the works of God. The genitive is surely adjectival, not possessive, belonging to God, done by God, but rather descriptive, "those works which God requires / desires / wills of us" So, "what work must we do in order to work the works of God?"

to ergon tou qeou "the work of God" - Note, the work is now singular. Often classed as an objective genitive, God receives the action, our "spiritual labor", Lindars, and sometimes a subjective genitive in that God produces the action, in the sense of "the work that God does", ie. accomplishes in Jesus such that those who believe in him (eat him [figuratively of course]) receive the gift of eternal life. It can be argued that it is plenary, ie. both objective and subjective. It may also be argued that not only is the possibility of life through faith a work of God, in the sense that he makes it possible, but that also the response of faith itself is God's work in that he gives the faith to those he calls ("no man comes to me, except the Father..... draw him"). Of course, a simple adjectival sense can explain the genitive, where the genitive "of God" limits "work", producing the type of work required by God, namely, reliance (faith, belief) in the reliant one. "God wants you to have faith in the one he sent", CEV.

iJna + subj. "to [believe]" - that [you may believe]. The hina clause is epexegetic/appositional in that it explains/defines "is this"; "the work of God is this, namely, that you believe ...." As "may believe" is a present continuous the intention may be "a life of faith/believing."

su "you" - [what sign then do] you [perform]. The "you" is emphatic.

iJna + subj. "that" - that [we may see and we may believe]. Introducing a purpose clause, "in order that."

pisteuswmen soi "believe you" - may believe you. The sense is probably "believe in you", Barclay, NJB, although a cursory "believe you", Moffatt, is possible.

ti ergazh/ pres. ind. "what will you do?" - As noted above, Jesus has already fed the 5,000, but that may not carry much weight with the makeup of the crowd as it is now. It is also clear that the "miraculous sign", in the minds of the crowd, is the provision of "heavenly food", namely, manna. Jesus can be trusted if he can perform a real sign rather than a conjuring trick. "You are telling others to perform, but what performance will you undertake to support your claim that we should trust you?"

oiJ patereV hJmwn "our forefathers" - the father of us. Our ancestors.

manna "Manna" - cf. Ex.16. A defining miracle in the eyes of the Jews. It was later spiritualized, becoming a symbol for God's heavenly word, particularly the law, spiritual teaching, and of the blessings of the age to come. "Divine and miraculous food."

kaqwV estin gegrammenon "as it is written" - as is the writings/scriptures. The reference is unclear, but probably either from Neh.9:15, or Ps.78:24.

fagein (esqiw) aor. inf. "to eat" - The infinitive probably expresses purpose, "in order to eat."

Jesus exegetes the quotation in typical Jewish fashion. He makes two points. i] Don't read "he" to mean Moses, but rather "my Father". ii] Don't read "gave" as a past tense, but rather as a present tense, "gives." The true, or probably better "real", bread from heaven is available now for the eating. The idea of eating heavenly bread in the present is developed in chapter 6. The eating is described figuratively as eating Christ, the bread from heaven. This inevitably involves eating his words which simply entails receiving/believing his words. It is doubtful whether John writes these words with an eye to the eucharist, but clearly this chapter has served as a source for liturgical images. For example, Bishop Cranmer in his construction of the Lord's Supper in the English Book of Common Prayer, and in particular, the words of administration, instructs the participants to "feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving." The idea of feeding by faith comes from this chapter, although John's sense of Jesus' words is that feeding is but a symbolic expression for believing. This, of course, was Zwingli's point, against Calvin. Cranmer followed Calvin's notion of a spiritual feeding on the body and blood of Christ by faith, which idea probably had little scriptural merit in the eyes of Zwingli and his followers. See Carson's short summary of the discourse for "sacramental" interpretations of the passage, p277.

oun "-" - therefore. Establishing a logical connection; "given that they had failed to understand the true nature of the bread from heaven, Jesus again addressed the issue."

ou dedwken (didwmi) perf. "[it is] not [Moses who] has given" - has not given. The Perfect tense expresses the continuity of the action, "Moses never ever gave you."

didwsin (didwmi) pres. "gives"- gives. The present tense, being durative, expresses ongoing action. "It is my Father who is giving you the real bread", Barclay.

alhqinon adj. "true" - true, genuine, real. The position is emphatic.

oJ katabainwn (katabainw) part. "he who comes down" - the one / that which is coming down. The substantive participle can be either personal, "he who comes down", or impersonal, "that which comes down." In v34 the crowd takes it as impersonal, possibly in a figurative sense - a spiritual bread that gives life, a real bread from heaven, a spiritual manna. John is probably happy to allow the participle to carry either a personal, or impersonal sense, although impersonal seems more likely, given the crowd's response, and this followed by Jesus' self disclosure in v35. It is in v35 where Jesus proclaims that he is this real bread from heaven, he is the life-giving bread, or more particularly, his words are this life-giving bread in that he is the Word from God. "For the bread of God which comes down from heaven gives life to the world", Phillips.

didouV (didwmi) pres. part. "gives" - giving. The participle functions as a substantive, "the bread of God is the one coming down from heaven and [the one] giving life to the world." The present tense indicating the ongoing action of life-giving. Christ is the one who comes down and gives.

tw/ kosmw/ (oV) "to the world" - "The world of human habitation."

pantote adv. "from now on" - always, constantly. The position is emphatic.

doV (didwmi) "give [us]" - give [to us]. Note the similarities with the Samaritan woman and the move that is about to take place from actual bread/water to a spiritual bread/water, of which Jesus is the source.

John Introduction

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