John 6 Bible study: The bread of life

"After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias" (6:1). "A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he did on those who were sick" (6:2) (tap signs). "Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand" (6:4). Seeing the multitude coming, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" (6:5) (tap bread), and John adds, "He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do" (6:6). "Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may receive a little.”" (6:7). Andrew said, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?" (6:9). "Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down, likewise also of the fish as much as they desired" (6:11) (tap given thanks). Here is what almost everyone misses: when they were filled, Jesus gave a word about what was left, with a reason: "Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost" (6:12) (tap lost). "So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten" (6:13). Then "When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, “This is truly the prophet who comes into the world.”" (6:14), and Jesus, "perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself" (6:15).

Exodus 16:4→leads toJohn 6:35

The LORD said, "I will rain bread from the sky for you" (16:4), and "The children of Israel ate the manna forty years" (16:35). In John 6 a crowd reminded Jesus, "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness" (John 6:31). Jesus answered, "it wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven" (John 6:32), and "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). He set himself beside the manna: "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die" (John 6:49-50). "I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (John 6:51).

ἄρτοςartossay AR-tos

Thayer: "food composed of flour mixed with water and baked". It is the word behind bread all through this chapter: Jesus asks Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" (6:5); they say, "As it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’" (6:31); and Jesus says, "I am the bread of life" (6:35, 6:48). It is also the word the WEB gives as loaves: "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish" (6:9). John's Greek has the word 24 times, counted in RP2018, the Byzantine text the WEB translates, and 21 of them are in this chapter.