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.”
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. 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 for ever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Not Dying
I am going to see a neurologist today and I am a bit afraid. My vision has been off for a couple of weeks and my head feels thick. Today I felt really disoriented at times. I think that I managed to have sensible conversations with a local school, but as I go out to the doctor in the suburbs, I wonder what they will find. Am I okay?
The truth is that I am always okay and I have been reminding myself of this as the day progresses. This body fails and even my mind might fail, but the bread of life does not fail me. I have the eternal hope of living forever, and through the death and the resurrection of Jesus he is with me to give me a quality of life which is free from isolation and loneliness now and in eternity all things are made new.
Prayer
When we feel anxious or hard-pressed, help us to remember that you are always with us. Help us to look to the future hope with the assurance that no matter what occurs you are faithful and our future is secured.
Questions
- Why do the Jews grumble?
- How does Jesus respond?
- What hope does Jesus bring?
- In what way is your hope challenged?
- In what way will you move forward?
Plymothian 
1. The Jews grumble because they don’t understand Jesus’ teaching and are suspicious of His claim to be from heaven.
2. Jesus calls them to believe in Him!
3. Jesus promises that those who believe in Him will be guaranteed eternal life – and that Jesus will “raise them up on the last day.”
4. Sometimes I lose sight of my eternal destiny and get frustrated and worried about the here and now.
5. I need to continually renew my mind – when my thoughts turn to worry and wondering how everything will get done or how I can handle one more conversation with an annoying person. In those situations, I need to remind myself that Jesus can and will satisfy me, that He is faithful, and that my eternal destiny is secure – I don’t need to worry!
Praise God for the hope of eternal life Jesus brings! My hope is challenged whenever I forget that God is in control. This happens often when I get caught up in a busy schedule and lose sight of Christ as my central focus. I will move forward with hope and trust in Christ knowing that He is faithful and has the best future for me.
1) They are grumbling because they know He is the son of Joseph and Mary, but they are now confused with Jesus’ claim to have come from heaven.
2) He responds by telling them that whoever believes will have eternal life!
3) He brings the hope of new life and eternal life!
4) My hope of eternal life is sometime challenged by having doubts and questions. I can easily be distracted by earthly situations and circumstances when my focus should be on eternity!
5) I can move forward by continually being reminded that my life on earth is so temporary. Everything I do should be with the focus of living for Christ and spending eternity with Him.
1. Because they thought He was making Himself out to be better than He was, He just seemed to them still somebody younger than them, from Nazareth, whose family they knew… Though Jesus had already revealed much of His identity, they still didn’t get it
2. He is not surprised
3. To know Him and have the Bread of life
4. I want to desire time in His word and with Him as much as I do physical bread/food
5. See this blog as a way to spend extra time in God’s word, not as just an assignment
It’s insane how many things are here! So many amazing truths and quotes and reactions. People grumble because of the things Jesus says. It’s like the whole “Finding the historical Jesus” idea only in the context of Jesus’ life. How can he say these things? I know! Let’s inquire about who he really is and deduce that he has no authority here. That is the thought process they have. Jesus says some great claims and it knocks your socks off! Jesus says who he is! Why do people not listen to him?
Jesus and I are unified. He can never “lose” me. I am forever his. Today I received a note in my CPO with 1 Peter 1:3-4 on it; “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is IMPERISHABLE, UNDEFILED, UNFADING, kept in heaven for you.” My hope is challenged when I forget God’s faithfulness or when I do not recognize him answering my prayers. Just like the Israelites, I forget what he has done. My mind needs to constantly be brought back to the Lord and his promises.
Jesus brings the hope of eternal nourishment in the best possible way. He offers complete sustenance through his body and his life. My hope is challenged when circumstances in this life cause me to question if Christ is really all that I could want or need. I will move forward acknowledging that I am held eternally in Christ and resting secure in his presence.
1. The Jews grumbled because Jesus said he was “the bread come down from heaven” implying that he was the son of God.
2. Jesus responds by shifting the focus off himself and giving the glory back to God. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them.
3. Jesus brings the hope of eternal life.
4. My hope is challenged by doubts and my sin which usually leads to doubting.
5. I will move forward by giving more time to God through reading his word. Also, in prayer so I can deepen my relationship with Him.
I think the Jews grumble because they don’t see and believe. Jesus responds with truth–He is God, and He is all we need.
This devotional is very applicable. I am currently pretty tired and almost discouraged although I don’t know if that’s the right word. Not motivated is a better one. But I know that through Christ I can persevere and find joy and strength and everything I need to have the abundant life Jesus promises. I agree with what you wrote–it is a matter of reminding ourselves of the truth of Scripture. Sometimes it seems like even this takes effort, but I know that God can help me to even want to remind myself of the truth.
The Jews grumble because they are confused about who Jesus is. Jesus responds by pointing them to the Father and eternal life. Jesus is our hope and security. He provides eternal life. His blood covers our sin. My hope can turn to doubt when I look at the world around me. I begin to question what God is doing in the lives of those I love. Why doesn’t he intervene? I know God’s timing is best and that I need to trust Him with every area of my life. I will move forward with my eyes on Christ and my strength found in Him.
1. The Jews grumble because Jesus said that he came down from heaven, but they know his parents! They don’t believe what he is saying. They do not understand.
2. Jesus responds by explaining that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them.
3. Jesus brings the hope of eternal life.
4. My hope is in Jesus! I trust Him- or at least desire to trust Him- in every area of my life.
5. I will move forward in faith and confidence and trust in Christ.
The Jews grumbled because Jesus said that he was the bread from heaven, however they know him to be of earthly parents. Jesus responds by telling them that no one can come to him except if the Father sends them. Jesus offers the hope of eternal life to all those that follow him. Unlike the manna in the wilderness that did not save the wanderers from death, the bread that Jesus offers brings eternal life.
The Jews grumble because they are frustrated Jesus is claiming He is from Heaven. Jesus then claims his authority as God over them, telling them that the only way to come to God and have eternal life is to have the bread of life, Jesus, enter their lives. Jesus brings them/us, the hope of eternal life. They/We are to receive this eternal life not through works we can do, but rather through the grace that is offered through Jesus’ death. My hope is challenged in the sense that I don’t have control of my life, as I so often think. If I live my life in a way that reflects the hope that I hold on to, my life will be changed.
Observation:
There is so much in this short passage: Jesus is stating that he is God and that he is the nourishment that we need to have abundant life and that he gives eternal life; the Father pursues us and draws us to himself (because we are unable to come to him otherwise – Jn. 6:44; Eph. 2:1-10; Col. 2:13-15); it is because Jesus has power over death that we too will be raised from the dead; and he gave his earthly life in exchange for ours, both in living a wholly blameless life and by sacrificing his life on the cross as the payment for our sins.
Interpretation:
I am so blessed to be called a child of God, not because of anything that I have done, but only because of what Christ has done for me. I love the hymn Victory in Jesus that says, “he sought me and he bought me with his redeeming blood”. In looking up the lyrics now, I am so impressed by the order of emphasis: I heard about how the savior gave his life for me and I repented of my sins, then I heard about the miracles he did and asked for healing of my brokenness, and lastly I heard about a mansion that he has prepared for me that I will someday rejoice with him in. What a proper perspective, that Heaven is not the prized possession in this song, but is just the icing on the cake. Our savior, and his love and atonement for our sins, is the prize!
Application:
Thank you Father for seeking me and pulling me out of my wretched sinful life, when I was unable to seek you myself. Thank you Jesus for leaving the Father’s side to endure the hardship and persecution and ultimate sacrifice of your life for me. Holy Spirit fill me and mold me ever into the likeness of Christ, help me be obedient to the Word, steadfast in prayer, loving toward others, and keeping God the #1 priority in my life. Help me to be a living sanctuary where you are pleased to dwell. Amen.
1. The Jews grumbled about him because he claimed to be the bread from heaven.
2. Jesus tells them not to complain.
3. Jesus gives hope by speaking of life in his name and talking about eternal life.
4. My hope is challenged because sometimes get discouraged and wonder what the point of life is if Jesus is coming back. What difference does it make if he comes back today or in the future? But life is a gift, and I am thankful that God has chosen this place and time for me to live and hopefully worship him with all that I am.
Having heard Jesus’ self identification as the bread of life, the Jews balk, arguing that they know He is “just Jesus,” the carpenter son of Joseph. Jesus responds to this by re-affirming His statement, emphasizing the vital connection between Himself and God.
Jesus brings hope of eternal life, not through back-bending adherence to the law, but rather through relationship with Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God. I sometimes find it challenging to hold salvation by grace alone as my hope. I often fall into the mindset of wanting to maintain and even bolster my salvation and my status with God through hard work and law-abiding. I still frequently think back to the time in Foundations of Christian Education when Mr. Worrall taught grace experientially through giving us full marks for homework that we had consistently not done. And not only that (this was the part that really killed me), but he would not even accept late or partial work that we had completed, which would have made me feel like I had earned my grade at least a little. That was one of the most powerful and tangible demonstrations of grace that I have ever experienced, and I return to it often when I find myself working hard to earn at least a small amount of God’s grace, because I know that there is nothing I can do to accomplish that.
It’s interesting that Jesus says he will never turn away those that come to him, yet we also see Jesus saying that one day he will tell those that come to him to depart because he never knew them. Therefore, in this passage, Jesus must be talking about those that truly come to Jesus, because the Father has drawn them in.
1. they grumble because they do not understand, and they are not getting what they want.
2. He calls them to believe in Him
3. eternal life with him in heaven
4. when doubt comes into my mind that the devil puts there. When others say things that they shouldn’t to tear people down. That is when my hope starts to falter
5. I need to know that no matter what God loves me and has brought me through this far, and he will not fail me, that others opinions of me should not affect me or tear me down