John 6:22-43

(John 6:22-43) The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)  When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.  And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.  The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

The people who filled the hungry stomach by the miracle of five barley loaves and two fish tried to make Jesus king. They thought that if they made Jesus king, they would solve the problem of eating and living for the people. Jesus, who knew their hearts, fled that place. They searched for Jesus and followed him by boat to Capernaum. Eating was a serious and real problem for them, so they approached Jesus carefully.

However, Jesus knew both their real problems and their inner intentions. 『Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 』Jesus made many miracles during his public life. He raised the dead, healed the sick, and cast out demons. He raised the squat, fed the hungry five thousand with two fish and five barley loaves and left twelve gwangjuri. Also, he walked on the water, calming the storm and the wind.

Jesus felt pity for their circumstances and circumstances, and was filled with compassion. He performed miracles with a heart of love and compassion to heal and set them free from suffering. However, if they see these miracles and, like people who live to eat, continue to be bound by the problems of this reality and seek eternal food in heaven, he will eventually miss the Lord while searching for the perishables of the world.

The ultimate reason Jesus performed many miracles was to make sure that Jesus was sent by God. This is to inform those who do not know the gospel of God and the kingdom in sin and live with fear and anxiety that He came to fulfill the will of the Father in order to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God.

Jesus looked at the people who had come to him and knew that they had come not because of signs, but because of the real problems of eating and being satisfied. They came again hoping for signs and miracles, not only once, but continually hoping to solve the problem of physical food. Jesus does not ignore the problem of food. The miracle of barley loaves and two fish was to give their flesh food. However, no matter how much people experience miracles, if they only care about the problems of the earth and want to obtain them, they cannot know that the Lord is the Messiah, the Sent of God, and the Giver of eternal life. Jesus tells us not to seek perishable food for the flesh, but to work for food that will lead to eternal life.

『 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed..』
At this word, the crowds ask Jesus again.『 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 』

Ask them how to do God's work to gain eternal life. Their question was that they thought it was God's job to keep the Mosaic Law, so they didn't know what else to do. God's work asked by the people was expressed in plural in the original text. 『They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?" However, Jesus said that God's job of bringing eternal life is not food that will perish, but that it is to believe in the one whom God sent. Jesus expressed the singular expression of believing in God's work, the one thing that encompasses all things. It is to believe in him.

We believe that Jesus Christ is God's sent from heaven, and that He alone delivers our spirits from sin and makes us reconciled to God. Believing doesn't just mean believing in what Jesus is to me, but it means becoming one with Jesus and entering into Christ. There are two kinds of faith. The existence of “I” is the belief that Jesus died for me. The other is the belief that I die with Jesus. Faith becomes faith obtained from heaven only when it goes second. The faith I believe in is a faith that will abandon Jesus, and is nothing more than a faith trapped in the law. Those who have faith from God are crucified with Jesus Christ.