John 6:66-71 ESV

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

66 Dahil dito, marami sa kanyang mga alagad ay tumalikod at hindi na sumama sa kanya. 67 Kaya't sinabi ni Jesus sa labindalawa, “Ibig din ba ninyong umalis?” 68 Sumagot sa kanya si Simon Pedro, “Panginoon, kanino kami pupunta? Ikaw ang may mga salita ng buhay na walang hanggan. 69 Kami'y sumasampalataya at nalalaman namin na ikaw ang Banal ng Diyos.” 70 Sumagot sa kanila si Jesus, “Hindi ba pinili ko kayo, ang labindalawa, at ang isa sa inyo ay diyablo?” 71 Siya nga ay nagsasalita tungkol kay Judas na anak ni Simon Iscariote, sapagkat siya na isa sa labindalawa ang magkakanulo sa kanya.

LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO?

It was so costly to be a disciple of Jesus. Commitment to follow Jesus must not be ambigous but a clear. Jesus demanded that “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” [Luke 9:23,24] For this, many turned back and walked away from Christ.[see v.66]

It is easy to follow Jesus when it’s convenient and comfortable, is it not? A bandwagon towards the easy route is expected. Thus, Jesus said, “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”[Matt 7:13;14]

Thus Jesus did challenge them whether they would also go away. Peter, however had made an irrevocable commitment or choice, saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” [v.68,69] Why we do what we do is what matters. Jesus is our life and satisfaction.[John 14:6, Col 2;10] Nothing else. Peter had chosen Jesus. But, Jesus had chosen them first except Judas. Judas was following Him but he did not choose Jesus.

Hence Paul like Peter said, “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”[Phil 1:20,21] Jesus isn’t one among the good pursuits of life. He is the only rightful pursuit of life.

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John 6:60-65 ESV

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE

The Jews described Jesus teachings here as ‘hard sayings’. For them what Jesus claim means "offensive or intolerable." To these people, Jesus' words were not merely "difficult," they were "unacceptable." Truth couldn’t be neutral. Either we accept it or not. For the Jews, what they can accept as the truth is one that won’t violate but promote their tradition.

Unbeknownst to them, His words are spirit and life. For the Spirit, who is the giver of life, does use His words, as a sword is to a soldier. They won’t know because they didn’t believe. Somehow, man is incapacitated by the bondage of sin so that he lived according to the flesh. However, he is still conscious and responsible to his act of rejection to Him and His words.

There is a demonstration about the roles of the three persons of the trinity here, namely: Jesus speaks the word, the Spirit gives life and the Father draws the sinner to Jesus. However, it should be noted that man is responsible to His choice of rejection. This should encourage us to pray fervently to our unsaved loved ones and friends. For unless the Lord will draw them unto Himself, man by His depravity will continue to love sin rather than reject it.

The Lord Jesus knows who the Father has drawn towards Him. And the Spirit brings conviction. Hence, we can rest that God is on top of everything. In other words, we could know God because He initiates us to know Him. However, rejection of the gospel by some should we expect and we not be alarmed.

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John 6:47-59 ESV

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

MY FLESH IS THE TRUE FOOD

Jesus knew the reason why the Jews were seeking for Him. Their sole reason was that they were fed physically by Jesus. Thus, they missed by the mile why Jesus had performed the miracle. This just shows the propensity of man to value the temporal over the spiritual. Thus, Jesus had challenged them to seek the bread of heaven, referring Himself, who they needed to receive in their lives.

Receiving him as the messiah is just as in eating the manna that satisfied the Jews. Hence, they needed to ‘eat His flesh’ in order to be filled as well. Definitely, this doesn’t refer to the literal eating of His flesh. What did Jesus mean then? Far from promoting cannibalism, He was explaining their need to let Him become part of their lives by receiving Him. [see John 1:11,12]. Can a person be filled by just staring the bread without eating it? Similarly, could a person who knows about Jesus yet does refuse to receive Him be filled? Definitely not! The fact that they slighted Jesus as ‘just the son of Joseph and Mary’ revealed either their blindness or callousness to the truth. Hence, they won’t accept Him.

Today, malnutrition occurs even in develop countries. Why? It’s not because of the lack of food definitely. It is in the excessive eating of junk foods, isn’t it? Should a person hunger and receive the rudiments of this world, he may feel his soul is full and satisfied. But, he is impoverished in reality. As somebody aptly said, “Christianity today is a mile long but an inch deep.” Only the ‘bread coming from heaven’ can satisfy. Hence, Jesus has said, “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” [v.58]

Let us examine our hearts today. Do we fill our hunger with the things of God or the things of the world? Let us ask God to soften our hearts to hunger and thirst for Him alone today.

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John 6:41-46 ESV

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.

41 Kaya't ang mga Judio ay nagbulung-bulungan tungkol sa kanya sapagkat kanyang sinabi, “Ako ang tinapay na bumabang galing sa langit.” 42 Kanilang sinabi, “Hindi ba ito'y si Jesus, ang anak ni Jose, na kilala natin ang kanyang ama at ina? Paano niya nasasabi, ‘Ako'y bumabang galing sa langit?’” 43 Sumagot si Jesus sa kanila, “Huwag kayong magbulung-bulungan. 44 Walang taong makakalapit sa akin malibang ilapit siya ng Ama na nagsugo sa akin; at siya'y muli kong bubuhayin sa huling araw. 45 Nasusulat sa mga propeta, ‘At tuturuan silang lahat ng Diyos.’ Ang bawat nakarinig at natuto sa Ama ay lumalapit sa akin. 46 Hindi dahil sa mayroong nakakita sa Ama maliban sa kanya na mula sa Diyos. Siya ang nakakita sa Ama.

I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.

Apparently, Jesus looked very ordinary to the Jews. Physically, there was nothing so special in and about Him. Thus, they grumbled upon His claim that He is the bread coming from heaven. They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

Born in a manger, raised in Nazareth with unknown earthly parents and like his father a carpenter by trade had made His claim doubtful to many.

Even isaiah had described Him as one who;

“had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not “[Isa 53:2b,3]

Blindness was the fundamental problem of the Jews. That, unless they are drawn or taught by the Father, they won’t come, learn and know Him. Paul had attributed Satan as the culprit. He said, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” [2 Cor 4:4]

The devil may veil the truth but for a while. However, the truth will prevail. Jesus is the light and He will shine through. For ‘God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’[1 John 1:5]. Thus today, for all of us who know Christ, we may say, ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’[2 Cor 4:6]

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John 6:35-40 ESV

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.”

35 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanila, “Ako ang tinapay ng buhay. Ang lumalapit sa akin ay hindi magugutom, at ang sumasampalataya sa akin ay hindi kailanman mauuhaw. 36 Subalit sinabi ko sa inyo na nakita ninyo ako subalit hindi kayo sumasampalataya. 37 Ang lahat ng ibinibigay sa akin ng Ama ay lalapit sa akin; at ang lumalapit sa akin kailanman ay hindi ko itataboy. 38 Sapagkat ako'y bumaba mula sa langit hindi upang gawin ko ang aking sariling kalooban, kundi ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin. 39 At ito ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin na sa lahat ng ibinigay niya sa akin ay huwag kong iwala ang anuman, kundi muli kong bubuhayin sa huling araw. 40 Sapagkat ito ang kalooban ng aking Ama, na ang bawat nakakakita sa Anak at sa kanya'y sumampalataya ay magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan, at muli ko siyang bubuhayin sa huling araw.”

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

Jesus had expressed His first “I am.” Jesus has used the phrase "I AM" in reference to Himself, providing perspective on His mission and His ministry. This is the same reference used by God Himself when he was speaking to Moses from the burning bush in Ex 3:13–14.

Just was the manna from heaven that provided life for the Jews at the wilderness, so did Jesus offer Himself to the spiritually impoverished soul today. He came down from heaven, sent by the Father, so that all that the Father has willed through Him might obtain life. He has explicitly declared that He, Himself, is the One sent by God. That is, eternal life is found only through belief in Him (John 14:6; John 3:36; Acts 4:12).

Jesus used the analogy of food here, depicting the reality of spiritual hunger (Matt 4:4) and spiritual thirst (John 4:13–14) in every man. Saving faith is seen as in partaking food and drink for our physical sustenance. Hence, a person must receive Him volitionally and personally. A mere mental assent or recognition of Christ has no help to a dying soul, has it? Somebody will continue to suffer hunger if he just keep looking at the food without eating it. Acceptance of Christ is an indispensable requisite for these blessings to have any effect, is it not?

Thus Jesus has said, “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.” As the ‘bread of life’, Jesus is sufficient. To those who are in Christ, Paul said, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him.” [Col 2:9,10]

You and I need to recognize our hunger and thirst today. Thus, there is blessedness in feeling hungry and thirsty for Jesus has promised us to be filled.[Matt 5:6] Should you and I crave for food when we’re not hungry? Definitely not! O may we feel our spiritual hunger today and find our satisfaction in Christ alone.

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-John 6:28-34 ESV

28 Then 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.”

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28 Sinabi nila sa kanya, “Ano ang kailangan naming gawin upang aming magawa ang mga gawa ng Diyos?”29 Sumagot si Jesus sa kanila, “Ito ang gawa ng Diyos na inyong sampalatayanan ang kanyang sinugo.” 30 Sinabi naman nila sa kanya, “Ano ngayon ang tanda na iyong ginagawa na aming makikita upang sumampalataya kami sa iyo? Ano ang iyong ginagawa? 31 Ang aming mga ninuno ay kumain ng manna sa ilang, gaya ng nasusulat, ‘Kanyang binigyan sila ng tinapay na galing sa langit upang kanilang makain.’” 32 Kaya't sinabi sa kanila ni Jesus, “Katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo, hindi si Moises ang nagbigay sa inyo ng tinapay na galing sa langit kundi ang aking Ama ang nagbibigay sa inyo ng tunay na tinapay na galing sa langit. 33 Sapagkat ang tinapay ng Diyos ay ang bumababang mula sa langit at nagbibigay ng buhay sa sanlibutan. 34 Sinabi nila sa kanila, “Panginoon, lagi mo kaming bigyan ng tinapay na ito.”

THE TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN

After being told to work for the imperishable food, the people ask a question, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” This echoes their preoccupation with rituals, works, and traditions (Rom 10:2–4). Man has the propensity to believe that there is no merit a person could receive without his efforts. But, to work for our salvation is a fallacy.

But, salvation is not earned by any particular good deed. Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” "The work of God," in this context, is merely a restating what the crowd has said. Instead of works, Jesus says, salvation is based on belief, in the ‘One whom God has sent’, that is Himself.

They refused to believe but had asked for more signs indignantly. They challenged Him by asking, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” This was ridiculous for them to demand a miraculous proof—when it was Jesus' miracles which led them to follow Him in the first place!

Most skeptics today are of the same mindset. He who says, "I will believe if God shows me this or that miracle" is, actually, fooling himself not God (Matt 16:4). He who does not wish to believe, prior to a miracle, will not believe, even after a miracle. Saving faith is based on acceptance of God's truth alone, not on any spectacle or emotion. Those who demand a miracle, when they've already been shown ample truth, prove only that they're not really interested in truth, at all (John 6:36).

Moreover, they invoke the provision of bread, in the form of manna, when Israel was in the wilderness under Moses, who they thought was the giver of bread. He was not but God. Their challenge was that Jesus ought to do something more spectacular than Moses if He is to claim to have more authority than the great law giver.

John 6:22-27 ESV

22 On 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.”

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22 Kinabukasan ay nakita ng mga taong nakatayo sa kabilang pampang ng dagat na doo'y walang ibang bangka maliban sa isa. Nakita rin nila na hindi sumakay sa bangka si Jesus na kasama ng kanyang mga alagad, kundi ang kanyang mga alagad lamang ang umalis. 23 Gayunman, may mga bangkang dumating mula sa Tiberias malapit sa pook na kanilang kinainan ng tinapay, pagkatapos na makapagpasalamat ang Panginoon. 24 Nang makita ng mga tao na wala roon si Jesus, o ang kanyang mga alagad man, sumakay sila sa mga bangka at dumating sa Capernaum na hinahanap si Jesus.

25 Nang siya'y kanilang makita sa kabilang pampang ng dagat, kanilang sinabi sa kanya, “Rabi, kailan ka dumating dito?” 26 Sinagot sila ni Jesus, “Katotohanang sinasabi ko sa inyo, ako'y inyong hinahanap hindi dahil sa nakakita kayo ng mga tanda, kundi dahil sa kayo'y kumain ng tinapay, at kayo'y nabusog. 27 Huwag kayong magsumikap nang dahil sa pagkaing nasisira, kundi dahil sa pagkaing tumatagal para sa buhay na walang hanggan na ibibigay sa inyo ng Anak ng Tao, sapagkat sa kanya inilagay ng Diyos Ama ang kanyang tatak.”

WORK NOT FOR THE FOOD THAT PERISHES.

The crowds who witnessed Jesus miraculously provide food for them the day before have pursued Him to Capernaum. This was commendable because Jesus had done these miracles in order to encourage them to seek for God.

But sadly, this throng of people wasn’t really seeking God. The people are seeking free food, not spiritual truth. [see John 6:26] But, mere popularity is not what Christ is seeking As soon as Jesus begins to explain that His miracles are only meant to teach them the truth, they lose interest.

Christ will describe how material things fade away, but His real purpose is to give people eternal life. Instead of watering down His message to make people happy, Jesus will thoroughly declare the truth, even though it may costs following of the crowd. This message not only had stalled the crowd, it made them angry, and as a result almost all of them will turn their backs on Jesus.

Christ's dealings here also send an important reminder to us today. We should not attempt to "keep" attendees” with entertainment and hand-outs. Rather, we should use such things as a platform to proclaim the gospel, and then let the Spirit brings conviction. As Paul had said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”[Rom 1:16]

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John 6:16-21 ESV

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

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16 Pagsapit ng gabi, lumusong ang kanyang mga alagad sa dagat. 17 Sumakay sila sa isang bangka at pinasimulan nilang tawirin ang dagat hanggang sa Capernaum. Madilim na noon at hindi pa dumarating sa kanila si Jesus. 18 Lumalaki ang mga alon sa dagat dahil sa malakas na hanging humihihip. 19 Nang sila'y makasagwan na ng may lima hanggang anim na kilometro ay kanilang nakita si Jesus na lumalakad sa ibabaw ng dagat at papalapit sa bangka. Sila'y natakot, 20 subalit sinabi niya sa kanila, “Ako ito; huwag kayong matakot.” 21 Kaya't malugod siyang tinanggap nila sa bangka at kaagad na dumating ang bangka sa lupang kanilang patutunguhan.

WALKING ON THE WAVES

It was Jesus’ who commanded them to get into the boat and sail to the other side of the lake. And the storm came. While Jonah met a storm because of his disobedience, they had experienced the storm because of their obedience. Jonah had a storm of correction while the disciples had the storm of perfection. Obedience does not always produce comfort, does it? In fact, there are times when following God's will could mean experiencing direct opposition from the world (Acts 5:27–33). Surely, there is a purpose to trials. But, we can always rest assured that God is watching over His own all the time (Psa 146:9).

Certainly, the storm was so strong for them to handle. And if not for Jesus’ intervention, they would had been despaired of life. According to the account of Mark, Christ is watching them during their struggle (Mark 6:45–48) God wants us to be weaned from our confidence to our own abilities, power and experience. What dishonors God the most is our pride and self confidence. He does resist the proud, doesn’t He? [1 Pet 5:6]

As Jesus walked on water, they thought He was a ghost. Interestingly, they fear most of the image than the waves. And, they feared the very person who they needed for the simple reason of ignorance. Had they known it was Jesus, they shouldn’t had feared. Faith and fear depend upon our knowledge of God or not.

It should be noted that the ‘waves’ that intimidate them were Christ footstool. Today, we may not be intimidated by the challenges of our lives like since we know Jesus can utilize it for His glory.

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John 6:8-14 ESV

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

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8 Si Andres, na kapatid ni Simon Pedro, isa sa kanyang mga alagad ay nagsabi sa kanya, 9 “May isang batang lalaki rito na mayroong limang tinapay na sebada at dalawang isda, subalit gaano na ang mga ito sa ganito karaming mga tao?” 10 Sinabi ni Jesus, “Paupuin ninyo ang mga tao.” Madamo sa dakong iyon, kaya't umupo ang mga lalaki na may limang libo ang bilang. 11 Kinuha ni Jesus ang mga tinapay at nang makapagpasalamat ay ipinamahagi niya sa mga nakaupo. Binigyan din sila ng mga isda hanggang gusto nila. 12 Nang sila'y mabusog ay sinabi niya sa kanyang mga alagad, “Tipunin ninyo ang mga pinagputul-putol na lumabis upang walang anumang masayang.” 13 Kaya't kanilang tinipon ang mga ito at nakapuno ng labindalawang kaing ng mga pinagputul-putol na limang tinapay na sebada na lumabis sa mga kumain. 14 Nang makita ng mga tao ang tandang ginawa niya ay kanilang sinabi, “Totoong ito nga ang propeta na darating sa sanlibutan.”

THE LEFTOVER FRAGMENTS

It was Andrew who spotted a boy having five barley loaves and two fishes among the multitude. Again, he became a blessing by introducing the unnamed boy to Jesus just as he introduced Peter to Jesus.

Our God is inexhaustible. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now, this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified. [John 7:37-39]

Christ knows what He was doing. He had not just met barely enough their needs. Each person was given as much as he wanted so that everyone had eaten their fill. Moreover, there were 12 baskets leftover fragments. Jesus made a statement of what He could do. From nothing, Jesus made their situation into a place of overflowing. In Christ is life’s spiritual abundance.[see John 10:10]

Our God is inexhaustible. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. [John 7:37-39]

Paul has declared, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.”[Eph 3:20] In Christ, there is fullness indeed.

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John 6:1-7 ESV

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”

Pagkatapos ng mga bagay na ito, pumunta si Jesus sa kabilang pampang ng dagat ng Galilea, na siya ring Dagat ng Tiberias. 2 Sumusunod sa kanya ang napakaraming tao sapagkat nakita nila ang mga tanda na ginagawa niya sa mga maysakit. 3 Umakyat si Jesus sa bundok at doo'y naupo siya na kasama ng kanyang mga alagad. 4 Malapit na noon ang Paskuwa na pista ng mga Judio. 5 Itinanaw ni Jesus ang kanyang mga mata, at nang makita niya ang napakaraming taong lumalapit sa kanya ay sinabi niya kay Felipe, “Saan tayo makakabili ng tinapay, upang makakain ang mga taong ito?” 6 Ito'y sinabi niya upang siya'y subukin sapagkat nalalaman niya sa kanyang sarili kung ano ang gagawin niya. 7 Sumagot sa kanya si Felipe, “Hindi magkakasiya sa kanila ang dalawang daang denariong tinapay, upang makakain ng kaunti ang bawat isa.”

WHERE ARE WE TO BUY BREAD?

For the miracles He did, Jesus became popular and had gained more curious followers. Multitudes were coming to Him at the other side of the Sea of Galilee. As He saw them late afternoon at this deserted place, Jesus asked His disciple Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

Definitely, the compassion of Christ was in display. Instead of driving them away, He thought of how to feed them. He took responsibility in how to meet their needs. Do we look at people as burdens to bear or bundles of joy to bless? Do we look at them as sheep to shepherd or scare away?

Certainly, Jesus did not ask the question because He did not know what to do. This was meant as a test of their faith (John 6:6). At the other Gospels , the initial reaction of the disciples was to attempt to ignore the problem entirely (Mark 6:36). Jesus' response, as expressed later (John 6:11), has confronted their common error of considering first the human effort, rather than appealing to God to handle the results.

Philip had focused on a financial solution towards the problem. If one denarius is a day's labor, two hundred denarii, then is a common man's pay for 200 days. For this amount, the crowd, numbering five thousand men, excluding the women and children were there—would pathetically just buy bread to give each one a taste. Sarcastic or not, his calculations in attempting to feed so many people is impractical, even impossible, since it would require a huge amount of money.

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