NIV Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition - Flipbook - Page 35
page 1811
6:19
xJob 9:8
6:20
14:27
yMt
6:22
zver 2
aver 1521
6:23
bver 1
cver 11
6:25
23:7
dMt
6:26
ever 24
fver 30; Jn 2:11
6:27
gIsa 55:2
hver 54; Mt 25:46;
Jn 4:14
iMt 8:20
jRo 4:11; 1Co 9:2;
2Co 1:22; Eph 1:13;
4:30; 2Ti 2:19;
Rev 7:3
6:29
k1Jn
lJn
3:23
3:17
6:30
2:11
12:38
mJn
nMt
6:31
oNu 11:7-9
pEx 16:4,15; Ne 9:15;
Ps 78:24; 105:40
6:33
qver 50
6:34
rJn 4:15
6:35
48,51
4:14
sver
tJn
6:37
uver
39;
Jn 17:2,6,9,24
•
J ohn
6:38
Jesus Walks on Water (97/Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52 )
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a
boat and set off a
cross the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and J esus had not
yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew r ough. 19When they
had rowed about three or four miles, a they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on
the water; x and they were frightened. 20But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be a
fraid.” y
21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached
the shore where they were heading.
Jesus Is the True Bread from Heaven (99 )
22 The next day the c
rowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake z realized
that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples,
but that they had gone away alone. a 23Then some boats from Tiberias b landed near the
place w
here the people had eaten the b
read after the Lord had given t hanks. c 24Once
the c rowd realized that neither J esus nor his disciples were t here, they got into the b
oats
and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they a
sked him, “Rabbi, d when
did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, e not because you saw
the signs f I performed but because you ate the l oaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for
food that spoils, but for food that endures g to eternal life, h which the Son of Man i will
give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal j of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe k in the one he has sent.” l
30 So they asked him, “What sign m then will you give that we may see it and believe
you? n What will you do? 31Our ancestors ate the manna o in the wilderness; as it is writ
ten: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ b ” p
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread
from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the
bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven q and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” r
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. s Whoever comes to me will never go
hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. t 36But as I told you, you have
seen me and still you do not believe. 37All those the Father gives me u will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven
a
19 Or about 5 or 6 kilometers b 31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
6:18-19 The disciples, terrified, probably thought they were seeing
a ghost or apparition (Mark 6:49). But if they had thought about all
they had already seen Jesus do, they should not have been surprised
by this miracle. They were frightened—they didn’t expect Jesus to
come this way, and they weren’t prepared for his help. Jesus said to
his disciples, “It is I” (John 6:20). His words are possibly an allusion
to the name for God that God gave to Moses (Exodus 3:14). Jesus was
revealing his identity to the disciples again. When we believe, we have
a mind-set that expects God to act. When we act on this expectation,
we can overcome our fears.
6:18 The Sea of Galilee is 690 feet below sea level, 150 feet deep,
and surrounded by hills. These physical features make it subject to
sudden windstorms that cause extremely high waves. Such storms
would have been expected on this lake, but they were nevertheless
frightening. When Jesus came to the disciples during a storm, walking
on the water (three and a half miles from shore), he told them not to
be afraid. We often face spiritual and emotional gales and rough waves
and feel tossed about like a small boat on a big lake. Despite terrifying
circumstances, if we trust our lives to Jesus for his safekeeping, he will
give us peace in any storm.
6:26 Jesus criticized some of the people who followed him because
they were only interested in the physical and temporal benefits he offered and not the satisfying of their spiritual hunger. Many people today
still use religion for the wrong reasons—to feel better about themselves,
gain prestige, or even garner political votes. But those are s elf-centered
motives. True believers follow Jesus simply because they know he has
the truth and the key to life’s ultimate purpose and meaning.
6:28-29 Many people would sincerely love to know what God wants
them to do. The religions of the world stem from people’s attempts
to answer this question. But Jesus’ reply is brief and simple: We must
believe in him whom God has sent. Pleasing God does not come from
the work we do but from whom we believe. We have plenty to do to
serve him, but the first step involves accepting that Jesus’ claims are
true. Then we can build our spiritual lives on this foundational affirmation. Declare to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”
(Matthew 16:16), and embark on a life of belief that is satisfying to your
creator and incredibly fulfilling to you.
6:35 People eat bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical
life. We can satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life only with
a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the
Bread of Life. But bread must be eaten to sustain life, and Jesus must
be invited into our daily lives to satisfy our hungry souls.
6:37-38 Jesus did not work independently of God the Father but
in union with him. This should give us even more assurance of being
welcomed into God’s presence and being protected by him. Jesus’
purpose was to do the will of God, not to satisfy his own human desires.
When we follow Jesus, we should have the same purpose.