Observations on John 6
By Jonathan Mitchell
1. After these things (= Sometime later), Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea (or: Lake) of Galilee, the [area] pertaining to Tiberias.
John records another "sign" incident that happened at another time, and another place. The narrative, not the historical sequence, is what is important to this Gospel.
2. Now a large crowd kept following Him, because they had been attentively viewing the signs which He had been doing (making; constructing; creating; performing; producing) upon those who were sick (without strength; infirm; ill).
Observe that the crowd followed Him "because they had been attentively viewing the signs." It was not because of His teachings. But we will see, in vs. 15, that they were beginning to have thoughts about what He could do for them.
3. So Jesus went back up into the mountain, and was continuing sitting there with His disciples.
This calls to mind the scene in Mat. 5:1, where Jesus does the same thing: after seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain, sits down. But that was the beginning of "the Sermon on the Mount." Here, John says nothing of His teaching (if He did at this time), and instead reports about another "sign" which was feeding the multitude. At the wedding He created wine; note here that it is bread and fish.
4. - Now the Passover, the Feast (or: festival) of the Judeans (from the Jewish culture and religion), was drawing near -
Why does John insert this information at this point? Is he preparing his readers for Jesus' teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood (vss. 32-58, below) - a reference to the original Passover, when Israel was being delivered from Egypt? John does not record "the last supper" where Jesus refers to the bread as His body and the wine as His blood (Mat. 26:26-28). But what follows, here, is table fellowship for a large crowd (a figure of humanity) - a precursor to the Passover Feast; a parable lived out, but celebrated in the Gentile territory of Galilee. And so we return to Jesus sitting, "observing that a large crowd was progressively coming toward Him"...
5. Then, lifting up His eyes and observing that a large crowd was progressively coming toward Him, Jesus then says to Philip, "From what place may we purchase loaves of bread so that these folks may eat?"
Jesus sees the need of the people ("I was hungry and you gave Me food..." Mat. 25:35). Jesus' question to Philip was framed around a natural means of supplying their need: "From what place may we purchase loaves...?" Now Philip is alerted to the problem that Jesus had foreseen.
6. - Now he was saying this in process of testing him (putting him to the proof; [note: the verb can also mean: to attempt; to try something. Was Jesus perhaps here "teasing" Philip?]), for He had seen, and thus knew what He was being about to progressively do -
John gives his readers a clue: In seeing the problem, Jesus also saw the answer to the problem. If we read the verb of the first clause as "testing," Jesus may be wondering if Philip remembers His words to Nathanael, that he would see "greater things" (Jn. 1:50). Or, He may want to see if Philip will remember how Jesus solved the lack of wine at the wedding in Cana. But we also wonder if John is revealing to us the sense of humor that Jesus had - "teasing" Philip about what appeared to be an insurmountable problem, to which Jesus already knew the answer. John's Gospel always shows Jesus in control: He is the Logos incarnated - the Creator is within Him.
7. Philip considered and answered Him, "Two hundred denarii [note: a denarius = a day's pay for a laborer, thus = about eight months' wages] worth of loaves are not continuing adequate (enough; sufficient) so that each one might receive (get; take) a little (a short piece)."
Philip has done the math. There is no way to feed what John tells us is 5000 men (plus women and children, most likely).
8. One of His disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, then says to Him,
9. "There is a young lad (little boy; young fellow; or: servant; or: lass; young woman) here who presently has five loaves of barley bread, and two small cooked (or: dried) fishes, but what are these unto (or: for) so many?"
Andrew reports the little that they had. Do you notice that neither Jesus nor His disciples brought lunch for this time on the mountain? Only a little boy, or a young lass, had the foresight to bring a lunch for himself/herself, and more to share: 5 loaves! He or she knew that folks would be hungry, but no one else had thought ahead. Of such little ones is the reign of God! (Mat. 19:14). But Andrew came to the same conclusion as Philip - humanly speaking, there was no way to meet the need.
Does this story allude to Israel getting tired of manna, in the wilderness journey, and asking for flesh to eat (Nu. 11:4b)? Moses complained to Yahweh, "Where should I have flesh to give to all the people?" (vs. 13). When Yahweh tells Moses that He will supply flesh for the multitude, Moses was like Philip and Andrew and asks Yahweh, "Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them to suffice them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?" (Num. 11:22). Yahweh sent quail to them.
10. Jesus says, "You guys make the people recline back, as at a meal." - Now there was a lot of grass and plants in the area (or: the place) - Therefore the adult men reclined back, about five thousand in number.
Observe John's detail: everyone had a comfortable place to recline for lunch. God considers the details of our needs. Reclining was their normal posture for eating a meal. By having the people "recline back," it was a signal to them that they were going to have a meal. Also, they had entered into His rest.
11. Then Jesus took the loaves and, expressing gratitude (while giving thanks; or: in speaking well-being, favor and grace), He distributes [it] to those presently lying back. Likewise, also from out of the small cooked fishes - as much as they wanted.
What was available was given to Jesus, and He received it. The subordinate participle, "speaking well-being, favor and grace," shows that He was "expressing" this gratitude as He distributes the food (presumably to the disciples, to then give to the people). He was "giving thanks" while He was distributing the food. This small detail is a pattern for us. Giving thanks while we provide for folks, or expressing gratitude while we do any work. He was thanking the Father for what He was seeing the Father doing. And this was not just a snack: they got "as much as they wanted."
12. Now as they are being filled within and satisfied, He then says to His disciples, "Gather together (or: Collect) the excessive abundance of broken pieces (fragments; or: crumbs), to the end that nothing may be lost."
Take note, for His Logos to them is also a Sign: "that nothing may be lost." They were to gather and collect all "the excessive abundance of broken pieces [a figure of broken people] (the fragments and crumbs [of society])." But of course, on a natural reading of the text, the next verse affirms that there was not only "as much as the people wanted to eat," but also an excess of supply for them. John gives us "signs" on more than one level of interpretation. God cares about crumbs, the hairs on our heads, and sparrows. Yes, because EVERYTHING came out of Him (Rom. 11:36). He also wants us to consider, and thus learn from, the lilies of the field (Mat. 6:28-29).
13. Therefore, they gathered (or: collected) [them] together and filled twelve wicker baskets of broken pieces (fragments; or: crumbs) from out of the five loaves of barley bread which were over-abounded to the folks having eaten.
John's attention to numbers is instructive: 12 baskets of broken pieces (one for each of the 12 disciples; one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel). These were a figure of "the remnant of Israel" that were lost sheep, but were also an allusion to the manna for Israel, in the wilderness.
14. Then the people, seeing the signs which Jesus did, began to say (or: kept on saying), "This One is truly (or: really) The Prophet - the One periodically (or: presently) coming into the organized system (or: the world of culture, religion and government; or: the aggregate of humanity)."
The people probably thought of the prophet Elijah, providing meal and oil for the widow (1 Ki. 17:9-16). And The Prophet was another designation for the coming Messiah (cf Jn. 1:21).
The participle "coming" is in the present tense, which means it is speaking of repeated action, or these folks may have, because of John the immerser's preaching, thought that (together with all these signs by Jesus) this Prophet was progressively and presently coming. But with the priests and Levites asking the immerser if he was Elijah, perhaps their worldview was that of the spirit of the Prophet periodically coming to Israel to bring correction to the People. Elijah prophesied during a period when Israel had a worthless king (as did the people during the period of Jesus' ministry). Whatever their case was, they interpreted Jesus' signs as God sending the One for whom they had been waiting.
15. Jesus, therefore - experientially and intimately knowing (or: coming to perceive) that they are presently about to be coming and to proceed snatching Him away (seizing and forcefully taking Him away) to the end that they may make [Him] king - withdrew Himself, alone, back up (or: retires; leaves the area and goes back up) again into the mountain (or: hill country).
Jesus, again being in control of the situation, perceives what they are up to, and He withdraws back into the hill country, or into the mountain where He had been. His purpose was not to be the kind of king that they wanted to have. His kingdom was not a part of their system of life.
16. Now as it came to be evening, His disciples walked down (or: descended) upon the sea [shore],
17. and then, stepping within a boat (or: boarding a small fishing craft), they began going and continued coming to the other side of the sea (or: lake), unto Capernaum. Now it had come to be dim with darkness already (= it had grown dark) - and Jesus had still not (or: not yet) gone toward them -
18. and now the sea (or: lake) was being progressively roused and stirred up from a great wind continuously (or: progressively) blowing.
John does not inform us of the details (apparently unimportant to him, with regard to his narrative) of why the disciples left the area without waiting for their Master to come out of the hills. However, Mat. 14 explains the reason:
22. And then, without delay, He compelled His disciples to board (step into) the little boat and to be progressively preceding (going ahead of) Him unto the other side - while He would be dismissing and dispersing the crowds.
23. And so, upon dismissing and dispersing the crowds, He went back up into the mountain (or: hill country) - in accord with what was His own (or: corresponding to His own [thoughts and feelings]; or: privately) - to be praying (speaking or thinking toward having ease, goodness and well-being). So then, it coming to be late in the evening, He was there alone.
Jesus apparently just wanted to be alone, and this would give Him opportunity to display another "sign" to them, revealing to them another aspect of Himself so as to increase their faith and trust in Him...
19. Then, having been rowing forward about twenty-five or thirty stadia (= three or four miles), they noticed and kept on intently watching Jesus continuously walking around upon the sea (or: lake; or, perhaps: = along the shore) and progressively coming to be near the boat, and they became afraid (or: were made to be terrified)!
In vs. 17 we were instructed that,
"it had come to be dim with darkness already (= it had grown dark)."
So their perception of what they were looking-at would not have been clear. Mat. 14:26 tells us that they thought that they might be seeing "a ghost (or: a phantom; or: an apparition; or: the effect of something being made visible)." With it being dark, and with a great wind rousing the waves, the combined elements of this situation leave us easily understanding why "they became afraid," likely each one of them to varying degrees. Matthew tells us that they even "cried out from fear."
In this storm, they were likely hugging the shore as they rowed on. So at their first sight of Jesus, He may have still been "walking along the shore" (a possible reading of the text). Now Mat. 14:25 informs us that this happened somewhere around 3:00 AM, and amidst this storm we see, here, that "they noticed and kept on intently watching Jesus continuously walking around upon the sea." Not only this, but He was "progressively coming to be near the boat." But they still did not know that it was Him. And so...
20. Yet He then says to them, "I am! (or: It is I.) Stop fearing! (or: Don't continue being afraid.)"
He revealed His identity to them (possibly on two different levels, as the translation indicates). The Logos has spoken to them; It (He) imparts a directive that changes their response to the situation.
This incident is loaded with practical life-lessons. Storms can bring an experience of the Lord into our lives. These incidents can dispel our fears and give us new understandings about the Lord. We can come to realize that God is within the storm, and that He surmounts the dangerous waves that come against us. The Lord is in control, we need not fear. As David said, long ago,
"You see, even if I may (or: should; would; could) be caused to journey (travel; pass from place to place) within the midst of a shadow of death (or: death's shadow; a shadow, from death; a shadow which is death), I will continue not being caused to fear bad [times] (will not be repeatedly frightened by worthless [situations or people]; will not be habitually afraid of misfortunes, harmful [experiences] or base [schemes]), because You are, and continue being, with me..." (Ps. 23:4, LXX, JM)
21. Then they began to be willing and proceeded purposing to receive (or: take) Him into the boat. And immediately (or: instantly; all at once) the boat came to be upon the land (perhaps: = ran aground) into which they had been proceeding under way.
So when you recognize Him, within the storm, welcome Him into your boat.
John does not mention the incident of Peter walking on the water (Mat. 14:28-31). Also, Mat. 14:32 tells us that when He came into the boat, "the wind grew weary and died down." Here in John, we see a different "sign": "And immediately (or: instantly; all at once) the boat came to be upon the land (perhaps: = ran aground) into which they had been proceeding under way."
Now of course, these might have been separate incidents, in the two Gospels. Mat. 14:33 records the disciples' acknowledgement that, "Truly, You are God's Son," and describes the scene, that they "paid Him homage by kneeling down and with obeisance kissing toward Him - some reverently kissing His feet." John sidesteps the disciples' reactions, keeping the focus on the "sign." Also, Matthew's account describes the rest of the boat trip thusly: "upon cutting right through [the waters] and traversing across [the lake], they came upon land, [entering] into Gennesaret." Verse 17, above, has their intended destiny as being Capernaum, and this is where John's narrative picks up (vs. 24, below). Again, we must keep in mind that John's apparent intent is not to give us "history," but report the signs that He performed (referenced in vs. 26, below) as a setting for His lifting their thinking to a higher level (vs. 27) and to present his readers with a revelation of who Jesus was, and of His relationship to the Father, as we will see...
22. The next day (or: On the morrow) the crowd - the one having stood, and still standing, on the other side of the sea (or: lake) - saw that there was no other little boat there, except one, and that Jesus did not enter in together with His disciples, but rather His disciples went (or: came) away alone.
23. And further, boats from out of Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread, from the Lord giving thanks (or: upon expressing gratitude, they ate the bread of the Master [or: = Yahweh]).
24. Therefore, when the crowd saw that Jesus is not there, nor His disciples, they stepped within - into the little boats - and went into Capernaum, progressively seeking Jesus.
It is important to John to show how crowds followed after Jesus. In vss. 2-24 he lays out details of how the crowd concluded where He had gone, in order to follow Him. Here we have portrayed two kinds of followers of Jesus. There were His disciples, and then there were the crowds that wanted to track His behavior (vs. 25), and yet, as Jesus explains (vss. 26-27)...
25. And later, upon finding Him - on the other side of the sea (or: lake) - they said to Him, "Rabbi, when (or: at what time) have you come to be here (or: in this place)?"
26. Jesus decidedly answered them, and says, "It is certainly true (Amen, amen), I am saying to you folks, you people continue seeking Me not because you saw signs, but rather because you ate from out of the loaves, and you were fed until satisfied.
Jesus exposed to them their "earth-bound" motives: food! Here "the loaves" are a symbol of the daily needs and desires of the natural life. Nothing wrong with that, but this misses the point of Jesus being the incarnation of the Logos. Jesus covered this topic, in Mat. 6:
31. "Therefore, you folks should not fret, be anxious, be full of care or be worrying, constantly saying, 'What can we eat?' or, 'What can we drink?' or, 'What can we put on ourselves to wear?'
32. "You see, the ethnic multitudes (the nations; the Gentile people groups) are habitually in eager pursuit of these things - spending all of their energy in seeking them! After all, your heavenly Father (or: your Father Who inhabits, and can be compared to, the atmosphere) has seen and knows that you folks repeatedly have need for all of these things.
33. "So you people be habitually and constantly seeking God's reign (or: sovereign activity and influence; kingdom) and the eschatological deliverance of fairness and equity from Him, as well as His justice and rightwised behavior in the Way, which He has pointed out in covenant participation that has been set right - and all these things will be added to you!
34. "Therefore, you folks should not fret, be anxious, be full of care or be worrying [with a fixation] into the next day, for the next day will be concerned about itself (or: will have anxiety of its own). Sufficient and adequate for (or: to; in) the day [is] its own situation as it ought not to be (bad quality and worthless condition).
Here in John, we have Jesus speaking of "God's reign and eschatological deliverance" in a way more in line with how John is presenting Jesus' ministry and goals for Israel, and humanity...
27. "Stop continuously working or doing business for the food which is continuously disintegrating of itself (loosing itself away; destroying itself), but rather [for] the Food continuously remaining (abiding; dwelling) on into eonian Life (or: unto life originating from, existing in, having the characteristics and qualities of, the Age [of Messiah]; age-enduring and eon-lasting life) which the Son of the Man (of Humanity; of the human; of [Adam]; or: = the Human Being; or: = the eschatological messianic figure) will continue giving to you (or: in you; for you) folks, for This One (or: This Man) Father God seals (or: for God, the Father, put [His] seal [showing ownership and/or approval and/or authority] upon a person [doing] this; or: you see, this One the Father sealed: God)."
The contrast that Jesus presents in this verse, via the metaphor of the two kinds of foods, is also presented by Paul, via two kinds of mindsets and focuses:
"For the result of the thinking (mind-set; effect of the way of thinking; disposition; result of understanding and inclination; the minding; the opinion; the thought; the outlook) of the flesh (= from the human condition or the System of culture and cultus; or: = Torah keeping) [is; brings] death, yet the result of the thinking (mind-set; disposition; thought and way of thinking; outlook) of the spirit (or: from the Spirit; which is the Breath-effect) [is; brings] Life and Peace (joining)" (Rom. 8:6).
This is a beautiful promise: "the Son of the Man will continue giving to you the Food continuously remaining (abiding; dwelling) on into eonian Life." Jesus will explain this in more detail, later in this chapter.
The final clause has at least the three renderings that are on offer, here:
a) for This One (or: This Man) Father God seals. This says that the Father, God, seals "the Son of the Man."
b) for God, the Father, put [His] seal [showing ownership and/or approval and/or authority] upon a person [doing] this. Here, "this one" refers to and means "a person working or doing business for the Food continuously remaining," and so it is this person that God "put [His] seal upon."
c) you see, this One the Father sealed: God. This rendering follows the exact order of the Greek. It seems awkward, but the terms "the Father" and "God" are separated by the verb, "sealed." My reason for presenting this odd rendering is that Jesus seldom uses the phrase "Father God." Is it saying that the Father sealed "the Son of Man," who is "God"? Is this a subtle "I AM" statement? Or, is it simply saying that the Father, i.e., God, is the One who does the sealing? And what is Jesus inferring by using the verb "seals/sealed (the aorist tense)"? The bracketed expansion offers possible inferences: "showing ownership and/or approval and/or authority." Ponder all of this, and let the Spirit give you a Breath-effect for the possibilities of what Jesus meant by this.
28. Then they said to Him, "What should we be habitually doing, so that we would be habitually working God's works (or: actions or labors having the character of, or pertaining to, God; or: the deeds from God; or: = the things God wants us to do)?"
The Logos has been effective: they are no longer focused on getting a meal, but have lifted their thoughts to the topic of "working God's works (etc.)."
29. Jesus considered and answered, saying to them, "This is God's Work (the Action which is God; the Deed from God), so that you folks would continuously trust and progressively believe into (or: the work of God: that you can remain faithful unto) Him whom That One sends (or: sent) forth with a mission."
Jesus presents them with a simple explanation. This is parallel to what Jesus would later tell His disciples,
"I, Myself, AM (or: exist being) the true (genuine; real) Grapevine, and My Father is (continues being) the One who tends the soil.... The person continuously remaining (dwelling; abiding) within the midst of Me - and I within the midst of and in union with him - this one is repeatedly bearing (bringing forth; = producing) much fruit. [It is the case] that apart from (or: Because separated from) Me you folks continue having ability and power to do (make; construct; create; form; perform; produce) nothing!" (Jn. 15:1, 5)
It is the Vine, and its internal sap (the Spirit), that gives the life and ability to "continuously trust and progressively believe into [Christ]."
Another picture of this is seen in Ps. 1:
1. Happy [is] the adult male who does not journey within counsel from profane and irreverent folks who lack awe and respect for God, and does not stand in a road having the character and qualities of folks who miss the target, and further does not sit upon a seat belonging to troublemakers (or: Blessed [is] the man who has not traveled from one place to another in union with [the] deliberated purpose, design or determination of folks who lack a relationship with God, and did not take a stand in union with [the] way pertaining to those in failure or error, nor make [his] place within the midst of a path of people who deviate, as well as did not take a seat on a chair having the character and qualities of folks who are pests).
2. But to the contrary, his will, intent and purpose is in union with the Law of [the] Lord (or: resides within the custom belonging to [Yahweh]; is within the midst of the law which is [Yahweh]), and within His Law (or: dispensed and established principle) will he habitually meditate and give careful thought, day and night.
3. And thus, he will continue existing, being like the tree [that] has been planted beside the divided-out paths of the waters (or: outlets of water through [the orchard]; or: rivulets of the waters that pass through), which will give (yield; = produce) its fruit in its season (or: fitting situation) and whose leaf will not proceed in falling off. And so, everything that he should continue doing (or: all things - however much he can make or produce) will proceed to be thoroughly prospered (continuously led down an easy path, or along a good road)! (LXX, JM)
"He will be like the Tree [of Life]... or a Vine..."
The Creator of the Tree makes the Tree produce fruit. Jesus could only do the works that He saw the Creator doing. Life produces the works of God, and we trust in that Life.
30. So then they say to Him, "Then what sign are you yourself doing (making; performing; producing), so that we can see and believe in (or: trust and have faith by; be loyal to) you? What are you, yourself, presently accomplishing (or: actively working; habitually practicing)?
31. "Our fathers ate manna within the wilderness (in the desolate place of the desert), according as it stands written, 'He gave to them bread from out of the atmosphere (or: the sky; heaven) to habitually eat.'" [Ps. 78:24]
Had they not seen the signs that He had done, and it was because of these (especially the multiplication of food) that they were following after Him? They had wanted to be "working God's works" (vs. 28), and Jesus told them what God's work is (vs. 29): "continuously trust and progressively believe into [the Son]." Now they ask for a sign, "so that we can see and believe in (or: trust and have faith by; be loyal to) [Him]." To this they add: "What are you, yourself, presently accomplishing (or: actively working; habitually practicing)?" They wanted to "see" so that they could duplicate what He was doing. They were not asking to be His disciples, but they wanted His secret (as they assumed that He had), so that they could produce and multiply bread "from out of the atmosphere."
32. Therefore Jesus says to them, "Count on this (Amen, amen): I am now [emphatically] saying to you folks, Moses did NOT give the bread from out of the atmosphere (or: the sky; heaven) to YOU folks! But rather, My Father is presently (or: continually; progressively) giving the true, real, genuine Bread from out of the heaven (or: the atmosphere) to, for and among YOU people.
Jesus brings the conversation away from Israel's history, and focuses on THEM, and the present situation. He is reminding them that, first of all God brought the manna to their fathers, but that ended when they entered the Promised Land, with Joshua. The manna was only for Israel's time in the wilderness, and so it did not come to the rest of their ancestors, nor to THOSE folks who were talking with Jesus. However, the Father was then, and thereafter, "giving the true, real, genuine Bread from out of the heaven (or: the atmosphere) to, for and among YOU people." THEY now had the opportunity to have the true, real and genuine Bread of heaven, that is, from the atmosphere which they were at that present time breathing. And so He goes on to explain what this Bread is...
33. "For God's Bread is (or: You see the bread which is God, and comes from God, exists being) the One repeatedly descending (continually or habitually stepping down) from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: heaven) and constantly (or: habitually and progressively) giving Life to the world (or: in the organized system and secular society; or: for the aggregate of humanity and in the universe)."
First of all, take note that the verbs "descending" and "giving" are in the present tense, and so we have on offer the modifying adverbs: repeatedly; continually; habitually; progressively; constantly. It may be easier to receive this information about "giving Life," but what about "descending"? In Jn. 1 we came to understand that Christ Jesus was the incarnated Logos (Jn. 1:14). In the Greek translation of the OT (the LXX), the Logos is frequently active, and repeatedly comes in messages from, or of, God to the prophets, etc. Was the manna perhaps a manifestation, a kind of embodiment, of the Logos? In 1 Cor. 10:4, Paul interprets the Rock that gave them water as being "Christ." To the disciples Jesus will later say of the bread, "this is My body."
Jesus' words, here, remind us of what He said to Nicodemus, in Jn. 3:13,
"Furthermore, no one has ascended (or: stepped up) into the heaven (or: atmosphere) except the One descending (or: stepping down) from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: heaven): the Son of Mankind (the Son of the human [= Adam]; Humanity's Son; the Son of man) - Who is continuously being (or: constantly existing) within the midst of the heaven (or: atmosphere)."
Let us not miss the universal statement that we read in the second clause: "constantly (or: habitually and progressively) giving Life to the world (or: in the organized system and secular society; or: for the aggregate of humanity and in the universe)." The Greek word kosmos has a wide semantic range, as is on offer, here. This was the same word that John used in Jn. 3:16. God's intent is for Life to be given to all humanity, as well as to the "organized system" within which humanity lives. Jesus gives Life to the entire universe. What a future he brought to us, almost 2000 years ago. Christ is our "life-support" system, on all levels of existence. He both constantly, and progressively (in both quality and abundance) gives Life to us all.
34. Therefore they exclaimed to Him, "O Master (or: Sir; Lord), always and ever give this bread to us!"
Does this remind us of the Samaritan woman's response to Jesus, so that she would not have to repeatedly come to that well for physical water? They were still thinking physically, missing the point that this Bread was a Person.
35. Jesus said to them, "I, Myself, am (or: exist being) the Bread of 'the Life' (or: the bread which is the Life, and which imparts the Life). The person progressively coming toward (or: to; or: face to face with) Me may by no means at any point hunger (or: would under no circumstances be hungry), and the one constantly trusting and believing into (or being habitually allegiant and loyal unto) Me will by no means continue thirsting (under no circumstances be repeatedly thirsty) at any time.
So now He speaks plainly to them, identifying Himself as both "the Bread of 'the Life'," and at the same time, "the One repeatedly descending from out of the midst of the atmosphere." Take note of the definite article before the word "Life." He is "THE Bread of THE Life." He is speaking of the Christ Life, which is Resurrection Life. Also observe the optional functions of the genitive case: the bread WHICH IS the Life, and which IMPARTS the Life. He is the Source, the Logos.
Just as with the Water of which Jesus said,
"whoever may (or: would) drink from out of the water which I, Myself, will be continuously giving to him will not repeatedly become thirsty, on into the Age" (Jn. 4:14), so with this Bread, "The person progressively coming toward (or: to; or: face to face with) Me may by no means at any point hunger."
These folks had not been at the well with Jesus, in Samaria, so He adds that this person
"will by no means continue thirsting."
Now notice the qualifying condition for this to be so:
"the one constantly trusting and believing into (or being habitually allegiant and loyal unto) Me."
He was the necessary ingredient - not some magic formula or religious ritual.
36. "But further, I say to you that you folks have also seen Me, and yet you continue not trusting or believing [Concordant Greek Text adds: Me].
Yes, they had seen the "signs," but their hearts and spirits were not joined unto Him.
37. "All, which (may = whom [so, D.B. Hart]) the Father is progressively giving to Me, will progressively move toward (will one-after-another keep on coming face-to-face with) Me to finally arrive here, and the person progressively coming toward Me I may under no circumstances (or: would by no means) throw forth from out of the midst (eject; cast out) [so that he will be] outside,
If we temporarily remove the subordinate clause from the first main clause, we have:
"All will progressively move toward (will one-after-another keep on coming face-to-face with) Me to finally arrive here."
We can also read this subordinate clause, "which...," in this way:
"ALL, whom (or: which in fact is what) the Father is, [in fact,] progressively giving to Me..."
This, rather than limiting the number, or size of the group, is simply stating that the Father is giving everything and everyone to Christ.
This is why Jesus can make the bold statement about All: they
"will progressively move toward Me."
This is the Plan. Trust the Plan. If Jesus meant "whoever the Father has given to Me," He would have said that. He moves from the general, and inclusive, All to the particular, and individual, "the person," in the second half of the verse. And when they arrive at the judgment seat of Christ, He
"may under no circumstances (or: would by no means) throw [them] forth from out of the midst (eject; cast out) [so that he will be] outside."
Paul affirms this in 1 Cor. 15:22-23a,
"For just as within Adam all humans keep on (or: everyone continues) dying, in the same way, also, within the Christ, all humans will keep on being made alive (or: in union with the Anointed One, everyone will one-after-another be created and produced with Life) - yet each person within the result of his or her own set position [in line]..."
38. "because I have stepped down to this level, away from the atmosphere (or: descended, separating off from the heaven), not to the end that I should continue doing My will (purpose; intent), but to the contrary, the will (intent; purpose) of the One sending Me.This verse gives the reason for what He just said in vs. 37. Now what did He mean, that He had "stepped down to this level, away from the atmosphere (or: descended, separating off from the heaven)"? He left the realm of spirit (Jn. 1:1) and became Flesh (Jn. 1:14). He left the realm of being in the midst of God in order to become the Second Human Being - the Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45-49). Paul gives us a short history of Jesus Christ, in Phil. 2:
6. Who, starting and continuing as inherently existing (or: beginning under; subsisting) within God's form (or: in an outward mold which is God), He does not consider the [situation] to be equals in and by God a plunder (or: a pillaging; a robbery; a snatching; or: a thing or situation seized and held), (or: Who, [although] constantly humbly and supportively ruling in union with an external shape and an outward appearance from God, did not give consideration to a seizure: the [situation] to continuously exist being the same things with God, even on the same levels in God, or equal [things; aspects] to God,)
7. but to the contrary, He empties Himself (or: removed the contents of Himself; made Himself empty), receiving (or: taking; accepting) a slave's form (external shape; outward mold), coming to be (or: birthing Himself) within an effect of humanity's (mankind's; people's) likeness.
8. And so, being found in an outward fashion, mode of circumstance, condition, form-appearance (or: character, role, phase, configuration, manner) as a human (a person; a man), He lowers Himself (or: humbled Himself; made Himself low; degrades Himself; levels Himself off), coming to be (or: birthing Himself) a submissive, obedient One (one who gives the ear and listens) as far as (or: to the point of; until) death - but death of a cross (torture stake)!
As Israel's Messiah, and "federal Head," He was obedient to the Voice of Yahweh (Jer. 7:23), as Israel, and also, as the Last Adam: Paul explains how this works, in Rom. 5:
17. For since (or: if) by the effect of the fall to the side (or: in the result of the stumbling aside; with the effect of the offense) of the one The Death reigned (or: reigns; rules as king) through that one, much more, rather, will the peoples (= the masses of humanity) - in continuously receiving and seizing upon (taking in hand) the surrounding superabundance (encircling, extraordinary surplus and excess) of the Grace and of, from and which is the gratuitous gift of the liberated Rightwisedness (of the solidarity in fair and equitable treatment; from the placement in right [covenant]-relationship in the Way; of the justification and freedom from guilt while being turned in the right direction and made right) - continue reigning (or: ruling as kings) within and in union with Life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18. Consequently, then, as [it was] through the effect of one fall to the side (or: the result of one offense) [coming] into all mankind ([permeating] into all humanity; = [extending] into the whole race) [bringing them] into a commensurate effect of a decision (a corresponding result of a negative evaluation which fell in line with the decision and followed the pattern which divided [us] down), THUS ALSO and in the same way, through one just-effect and the result of one right act which set [all humanity] right and in accord with the Way pointed out (through the result of one act of justice, equity and solidarity; through a single decree creating rightwised relationships; through one effect of rightwising which turns [people] in the right direction) [it comes] into ALL MANKIND (all humanity; all people; = the whole race) [bringing them] into a setting right of Life and a liberating rightwising from Life [including them in covenant community]
19. For you see, JUST AS through the unwillingness to listen, or to pay attention, resulting in disobedience (or: the erroneous hearing leading to disobedience) of the one person THE MANY (= the mass of humanity; note: cf Weymouth NT in Modern Speech, 1909 Edition) were rendered (established; constituted; placed down and made to be) sinners (failures; ones who diverge and miss the target), THUS - in the same way - ALSO through the submissive listening and paying attention resulting in obedience of the One, THE MANY (= the mass of humanity) will continue being rendered "set-right folks" (placed down and established [to be] just ones; constituted folks who have been rightwised to be people in the Way pointed out; made righteous ones who are guilt-free, fair, equitable, and rightly-turned in the solidarity of covenant relationships).
What was "the will (intent; purpose) of the One sending [Him]"? Jn. 3:16 gave us the answer:
"that all humanity, which (or: everyone, who) - when progressively trusting and successively believing into Him and thus being constantly faithful to Him - would not lose or destroy itself, or cause itself to fall into ruin, but rather can continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life."
39. "Now this is the purpose (intent; will) of the One sending Me: that all, that (or: everything, which) He has given to Me, so that it is now Mine, I will proceed to (or, as an aorist subjunctive: may; can; should; would) lose nothing from out of it, but further, I will proceed to (or: should; would) raise it up to, in and with This Last Day (or: by the Last Day; for the final Day).
This verse directly gives the explanation of vs. 38b. The inclusive statements of vss. 37 and 39 simply repeat the message of Jn. 3:35,
"The Father continuously loves and fully gives Himself to the Son, and He has given all humanity (or, as a neuter: all things) [to Him] so that He has it (or: them) as a gift within His hand."
We find this echoed in Mat. 11:27,
"All humanity was transferred, given over (or: All things were delivered and committed) to Me by, and under, My Father..."
Eph. 1:22-23 gives another witness:
"and then placed and aligned all people in humbleness under His feet [Ps. 8:6b; LXX] (or: and arranges everyone in a supportive position by His feet; or: then by the feet - which are Him - He subjects all things), and yet gives (or: gave) Him, [as] a Head (or: Source; origin and beginning of a series; or: extreme and top part) over all humanity and all things, for the called-out community (or: and as a Head over all humanity, gave Him to the summoned and gathered assembly; or: and then by the called-forth congregation He gives Him [to be the] Source over [the situation] of, and for, all humanity), which [community] is His body, the result of the filling from, and which is, the One Who is constantly filling all things within all humanity (or: humans)."
But here in John we will find yet another inclusive witness, as Jesus addresses the Father:
"Correspondingly as You give (or: gave) to Him right, privilege and authority from out of Being concerning ALL flesh (= people) to the end that ALL, which You have given to Him and that He now possesses, to THEM He will continue (or: one-after-another be) giving [other MSS: would at some point give] eonian Life (life having its origin in, and the characteristics and qualities of, the Age [of Messiah]; or: age-enduring life; life of, for and in the ages)" (Jn. 17:2).
That He will "lose nothing" echoes what He said about the bread fragments, in vs. 12, above. This reveals the scope and character of His work, and of the Father's purposes. What is temporarily lost, or destroyed, He "will proceed to raise it up to, in and with This Last Day." The form of the verb in this clause functions either as a future tense, or as an aorist subjunctive (on offer in the parenthetical alternative). The bold character of the whole verse leans toward the positive, future reading, but either is possible.
I offer the demonstrative function of the definite article (This) modifying "Last Day," reading this term as a reference to Himself, and an echo of Jn. 5:21, 24-25, 28-29. Jesus was that Last Day (just as He was the Last Adam), and He brought the last days of the Mosaic covenant, which ended in AD 70. He uses the same phrase in the next verse, as He gives further explanation of His meaning. But the renderings "the Last Day; final Day" are also parenthetically on offer. The entire phrase is in the dative case, so observe its potential functions: "to; in; with; by; for." Meditate on the differences each preposition offers to our understanding of Jesus' words.
40. "You see, this is the purpose (will; intent) of My Father, to the end and intent that all mankind - which, in continuously watching (or: the one repeatedly gazing at) the Son, in contemplative discernment, and then progressively trusting (believing) into Him - would possess (or: can have; may hold) Life, Whose source is the Age (or: eonian life; life having the qualities and characteristics of the Age [of Messiah]; an age-enduring and eon-lasting life), and I will proceed to (or: can; should; would) be raising him up to and for this Last Day (or: in the Last Day; by and with the final day)."
The compound, dependent participial clause that is set off in brackets ("which, in continuously watching {or: the one repeatedly gazing at} the Son, in contemplative discernment, and then progressively trusting {believing} into Him") is attributive, modifying "all mankind." This compound clause explains how "all mankind... would possess (or: can have; may hold) Life..." As an analogy, in the natural, a person only has life by continuously breathing. In the realm of the Spirit, or in the sphere of kingdom Life, a person is only alive in this Life by "continuously watching (or: repeatedly gazing at) the Son," which in turn creates "progressively trusting (believing) into Him." Compare this to Jesus telling us that we must "abide in the Vine" (Jn. 15:1ff). Furthermore, in the watching and gazing, the Greek term implies that John meant that this needed to be done "in contemplative discernment." Paul put it this way, in 2 Cor. 3:18,
"we all, ourselves - having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled - being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's glory (or: being those who progressively reflect - from ourselves as by a mirror - the assumed appearance and repute of, and from, [our] Owner), are presently being continuously and progressively transformed into the very same image and form, from glory unto glory - in accord with and exactly as - from [the] Lord's Breath-effect."
The author of Heb. 12:1b-2a gave us this description:
"we can and should through persistent remaining-under (or: relentless patient endurance and giving of support) keep on running the racecourse [Gal. 5:7] continuously lying before us (or: lying in the forefront within us; or: lying ahead, among us), turning [our] eyes away from other things and fixing them (or: looking away) into Jesus, the Inaugurator (First Leader; Prime Author) and Perfecter (Finisher; the Bringer-to-maturity and fruition; He who purposes and accomplishes the destiny) of the faith, trust, confidence and loyal allegiance."
You see, this Life is a life that we actually live, and it involves all of that which these three authors have laid out for us. John gives a further description of the Life that the Father intends for us to possess: it is the "Life, Whose source is the Age (or: eonian life; life having the qualities and characteristics of the Age [of Messiah]; an age-enduring and eon-lasting life)." This is more than just physically being alive.
Now this is the first part of what John describes as, "the purpose (will; intent) of My Father, but it is not the entirety of His "end and intent." The second half of the verse tells us what Jesus will DO with this Life: "I will proceed to (or: can; should; would) be raising him up to and for this last Day (or: in the Last Day; by and with the final day)." This is the same Last Day to which He had just referred, in the previous verse. It is resurrection Life that He gives to us now, while at the same time "raising [us] up" together with Him (Eph. 2:6). To get another picture of this, let us visit three verses in Rom. 6:
5. For since (or: You see, if) we have been birthed (have become; have come to be) folks engrafted and produced together (or: planted and made to grow together; brought forth together; congenital) in, by, to and with the result of the likeness of (or: the effect of the similar manner from) His death, then certainly we will also continue existing [in and with the effects of the likeness] of The Resurrection (or: which IS the resurrection; or: from, and with qualities of, the resurrection)....
8. Now since we died together with Christ, we are continuously believing (relying; trusting) that we will also continue living together in Him (by Him; for Him; to Him; with Him)....
11. Thus you folks, also, be logically considering (reckoning, accounting and concluding) yourselves to exist being... ones continuously living by God (in God; for God; to God; with God), within Christ Jesus, our Owner (or: in union with [the] Anointed Jesus, our Lord and Master).
Now, on the idea of, "watching/gazing at," see Rev. 14:10, where it speaks of beholding the little Lamb, in His presence. Also read the story of how the Israelites were healed by just "looking at" the serpent on the pole, in Nu. 21:8-9.
41. Therefore the Judeans (= religious authorities of the Jews) began a buzz of discontented complaining and critical comments, and were progressively murmuring like a swarm of bees concerning Him, because He said, "I, Myself, am (or: exist being) the Bread - the One stepping down (or: descending) from out of the midst of the heaven (or: the atmosphere),"
Here, John is referencing vss. 33 and 35a, above. It could be that their "swarming" discontent about what He had said in those verses made them completely miss what He proceeded to say in vss. 35b-40. They continue on in this way in the next verse...
42. and they kept on saying, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we have seen and know? How [other MSS: How then] is he now presently saying that 'I have stepped down (or: descended) from out of the midst of the heaven (or: the sky)'?"
There was no spiritual understanding in them. All that they could see was this human being standing before them - and they knew who His parents were - and so Jesus interrupts them...
43. Jesus decidedly answered, and says to them, "Stop the grumbling buzz of murmuring (under-toned mutterings of critical and discontented comments like a swarm of bees) with one another!
He first has to silence their buzz of murmuring, and refocus them to what He would now say...
44. "No one is able (or: is presently having power) to come toward Me unless the Father - the One sending Me - should drag him [as with a net] (or: draw him [as drawing water in a bucket or a sword from its sheath]), and I Myself will progressively raise him up (proceed to resurrect him; continue standing him back up again) within (or: in union with) This Last (the eschatos) Day.
What graphic speech! Consider this picture: "drag him [as with a net] (or: draw him [as drawing water in a bucket or a sword from its sheath])!" There can be little doubt from this that Jesus is saying that for a person to "come toward [Him]" the Father must do all the action, all the work, and in fact the entire deed of a person "coming to Jesus." There is no "making a decision to accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior," which, of course, He is. But there is, in what Jesus just said, no involvement of the human will in a person coming to Christ - any more than there is in a person being born again, from above (i.e., by first the Father/Spirit implanting the Seed of Christ into the person). The Father casts the net, and then drags folks to Christ - while they are yet dead. In the sphere of the Spirit, in the realm of the Life of Christ, and in the kingdom of God, a dead person has no free will - in fact he has no will at all.
And THEN, Christ "will progressively raise him up (proceed to resurrect him; continue standing him back up again) within (or: in union with) This Last (the eschatos) Day" - the Day which is Christ Himself. In vs. 65, below, Jesus says this same thing, in a different way. Instead of "dragging," He describes it as "giving; granting":
"Because of this I have told you folks that no one is presently able (or: continues having power) to come toward (or: face-to-face with) Me, unless [the situation] may be existing of it having been granted or given to him from out of the Father (or: unless he or she should be a person having been given in Him, forth from the Father)."
Life, deliverance, salvation, resurrection - they are all the work and involvement of the Father.
45. "It exists having been written within the Prophets: 'And all humans (all people) will continue existing being God's taught-ones (or: folks having had instruction from God).' [Isa. 54:13] All humanity - which, in hearing from the Father (or: the person listening at the Father's side), and learning [D and others read: progressively learning] - is progressively coming toward Me!
Once again, John uses a dependent participial clause, attributively, to describe the means of people coming to Jesus. And take note that it is through the work and action of the FATHER! Now it is not dragging, or giving, but "in hearing from the Father." The Father must speak the LOGOS into them, and as they are listening "and learning," then, "being God's taught-ones," "All humanity is progressively coming toward Me."
This was promised through the prophet Isa., "All humans (all people) will continue existing being God's taught-ones." Wow! What good news. So how does this happen? In their "hearing from the Father." God speaks to them. But Jesus does now explain, or LIMIT, how the Father does this. He leaves it open-ended. It is like His creation: God speaks, and life is created (e.g., in Gen. 1). Now we know that Jesus calls folks to go and do this very thing, but He does not limit the ways or means. Think of Saul, on the road to Damascus...
Observe that Jesus uses the word "ALL" twice in this verse: "All humans," "All humanity." There is no ambiguity here.
46. "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the person continuously being at God's side (or: existing from God) - this person (or: One) has seen the Father.
Jesus may be speaking generally, "anyone; the person; this person," or, specifically, "this One," referring to Himself, with the final clause, "this person (or: One) has seen the Father." Jesus was "continuously being at God's side," observing what He was doing. From Jn. 14:9, we suggest that the disciples were seeing the Father, but were not aware of it. They were standing at God's side when they stood alongside Jesus and were being "God's taught-ones." In Jn. 14:9, Jesus' question to Philip seems to indicate surprise when he asked Him to show them the Father. Jesus responded to him:
"I continue being (I am) with you folks so much time, and you have not come to intimately and experientially be aware of, know and recognize Me, Philip? The person having discerned and seen Me has seen, and now perceives, the Father!"
It took time for His disciples to spiritually mature. We read about mature followers of Christ in Heb. 5:14-6:1a,
"But solid food belongs to perfected ones (complete and mature ones; ones who are fully developed and have reached the goal of their destiny) - those, because of habit, having organs of perception trained as in gymnastic exercise and thus being skilled, because of practice, and disciplined with a view to a discerning both good and evil (both that which is excellent, ideal, of good quality, profitable and beautiful, as well as that which is of bad quality, worthless, ugly or of bad form), through which [practice and exercise], in at some point leaving behind (or: letting flow away) the word from the beginning, in regard to the Christ (or: the message pertaining to the origin of, and Beginning which is, the Christ; or: the primary thought about the Anointed One [= the Messiah]) [they] can be continuously and progressively brought upon (or: carried on [to]) the realization of the end in view (or: the accomplished goal of maturity; completion of the destined, inished product)..."
Take note of what this says: "those, because of habit, having organs of perception trained as in gymnastic exercise and thus being skilled, because of practice, and disciplined with a view to a discerning." This describes a condition of maturity in which we can discern the Father in people, and see Him continuously working in our world. This is what it means to be "joined to the Lord," and thus, to be "One Spirit (or, spirit)" (1 Cor. 6:17). We are also reminded, here, of Mat. 5:8,
"Those who are clean (clear of admixture; pure; consistent) in the heart [are] happy and blessed, because they, themselves, will progressively see God! (or: = The folks that have had the core of their beings made clean [are] happy people, in that they will continue to see the Ground of Being [in everything]!)."
It takes the work of Christ, through His Spirit, within us to make us clean, clear of admixture, pure and consistent.
47. "It is certainly true (or: Amen, amen), I am saying to you folks, the person presently and continuously trusting (or: constantly believing; progressively faithing-it; continuing loyal) presently and continuously has and holds eonian Life (life having its source, qualities and characteristics from the Age [of the Messiah]; age-enduring and eon-lasting life; or: = the life of the coming Age)!
Might we conclude that by saying this, immediately following what He had just said, that Jesus is equating having and holding "eonian Life (etc.)" with "continuously being at God's side" and "[seeing] the Father"? We think so. Now also observe that He did NOT say that you must trust and believe in order to have eonian Life. No, He is instead identifying the person who presently possesses eonian Life: it is the one "presently and continuously trusting (etc.)." One must already have and hold eonian Life in order to trust, believe, faith-it and be loyal. Life is the gift of God. Having Life enables everything else that flows from this Life.
48. "I, Myself, am (or: continuously exist being) the 'Bread of the Life' (or: the bread which is life and which gives and imparts life),
"The Life," to which Jesus is referring, is the "eonian Life" of which He spoke, in the previous verse. He has not changed the subject, but is expanding it and taking his listeners to a different realm of thinking. He is the Food of this Life, in contrast to what Israel ate in their wilderness wanderings, and in contrast to the bread with which He fed the 5000, in vss.2-13, above.
49. "- your fathers ate the manna within the wilderness (desert; desolate place), and they died.
Therefore, their fathers did not eat "the 'Bread of the Life'." There is a different "manna" that is promised to the "overcomer," in Rev. 2:17
"By and in the one (or: To the person) habitually overcoming (repeatedly conquering), by and in him (or: to him; for him) I will continue giving manna having been hidden..."
Here the "hidden manna" may be an allusion to the pot of manna which was laid up in the ark, in the holy of holies. We are informed of this in Heb. 9:3-4,
"But after the second veil, a tabernacle being called the set-apart of the set-apart ones (the Holy of Holies; the separated one of the separated ones; = the most set-apart), having the ark of the arrangement (or: chest pertaining to the covenant), having been covered round about by gold, in which [was] a golden pot (or: urn) continuously holding (or: having) the manna, and Aaron's rod - the one sprouting (budding) - and the tablets of the arrangement (disposition; covenant)."
The concept of "manna from on high" being available "when the effect of the filling of the time came (or: that which was filled up by time reached full term)" - Gal. 4:4a - was, among some Jewish groups of this era, understood as an eschatological gift from God at the time of the "consummation." We read in the Syriac Apocalypse of 2 Baruch 29:3, 6-8 (written in the early 2nd cent. AD) the following:
"And it will happen that when all that which should come to pass in these parts has been accomplished, the Anointed One will begin to be revealed.... And those who are hungry will enjoy themselves... For winds will go out in front of me every morning to bring the fragrance of aromatic fruits and clouds at the end of the day to distill the dew of health. And it will happen at that time that the treasury of manna will come down again from on high, and they will eat of it in those years because these are they who will have arrived at the consummation of time" (translated by A.F.J. Klijn, The OT Pseudepigrapha, Vol. 2, ibid pp 630-31).
But Jesus continues in this teaching...
50. "This is (or: continuously exists being) the Bread which is repeatedly (or: constantly) stepping down from out of the atmosphere (or: progressively descending from heaven) to the end that ANYONE may eat from out of It and not die (or: he can, or would, not die; [B reads: and he can continue not dying]).
In this verse, and in the next, Jesus again emphasizes where it is that He came from: the atmosphere, or, heaven. Was this Jesus' opaque way of saying that He was born from above? He repeats it in vs. 58, below. Whereas the fathers, in Israel's history, had died - even though they ate manna from the atmosphere (vs. 31, above) - ANYONE may eat from out of [this new Manna], and NOT die." This passage, from vs. 32-51, is Jesus teaching the people about the new Exodus, and about Provision that is available in this new arrangement. In this new creation, Jesus is the 'Bread of the Life.' HE is "the Bread which is repeatedly (or: constantly) stepping down from out of the atmosphere (or: progressively descending from heaven)."
No longer is it just Israel who will have access to this new Manna, but ANYONE may eat from out of it (or, Him). Those who do so do not die. The new covenant is not a covenant of death, but a Covenant of Life - the Life of the Age of the Messiah. Recall Jesus' words in Jn. 11:25-26, where there He said that He is "the Resurrection and the Life" and those trusting and believing into Him will continue Living.
51. "I, Myself, am (or: continuously exist being) the continuously living Bread - the One stepping down (or: descending) from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: heaven). If anyone should eat from out of this Bread, he will continue living on into the Age. Now also, the Bread which I, Myself, will continue giving, over (or: for the sake of; on behalf of) the life of the world (the ordered system; or: = 'the totality of human social existence' - Walter Wink; or: the aggregate of humanity), is (or: continuously exists being) My flesh!"
From Jesus' statement in vs. 50, His listeners may have still been thinking in terms of "manna" - but perhaps a new kind of manna, where, unlike their ancestors in the wilderness, if they ate from this Bread then they would not physically die - according to what Jesus had just told them. But from this next statement, He removes any such erroneous thinking and tells them plainly that He was referring to Himself as being "the continuously living Bread," and that therefore He, Himself, is "the One stepping down (or: descending) from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: heaven)."
Take note of the durative (ongoing) aspect of the verb, "will continue living on into the Age." This is another way of saying that "ANYONE may eat from out of It and not die" (vs. 50). The last statement of this verse takes His audience to the logical conclusion: if He is the living Bread, and "If anyone should eat from out of this Bread," then they would have to eat His "flesh." Now the natural mind finds it hard to wrap itself around this saying. But notice the enigmatic qualification which Jesus offers in this last pronouncement: the Bread which He, Himself, is, He "will continue giving, over (or: for the sake of; on behalf of) the life of the world." Now this is sacrificial language, and His audience would have understood that it was. In effect, He was saying that He was going to be the Passover Lamb, which would give Life to the People on their new exodus journey from out of their existence of slavery. He both repeated and expanded this, in vss. 53-58, below. He was joining an allusion to the original Passover meal to an allusion to God's provision for Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness.
Notice that He did NOT say "over the life of Israel." This was the New Age. Now He was giving Himself as Bread for the sake of "the aggregate of humanity," and this can also be read as, "on behalf of the ordered system" - which could refer to the nation of Israel, or to even the entire Roman Empire, and beyond. His whole BEING was going to feed, and give Life to, EVERYONE!
So, how are we to understand what He meant by, "My flesh"? Jesus explained this to His disciples during their private meal before the final Passover:
"Now during the progression of their eating [the meal], upon taking the loaf of [unleavened?] bread and saying words of ease and well-being (or: speaking blessing [to them?]), Jesus broke [it in pieces]. And then at giving [them] to the disciples, He said, 'You folks take [it] (or: receive [this]). Eat [it] at once. This is My body (or: This is the body which is Me)'" (Mat. 26:26).
Luke's version of this adds,
"...the one presently and continuously being given over you folks (or: that which is customarily given on your behalf and over your [situation])" (Lu. 22:19b).
Paul cited this event, in 1 Cor. 11:
24. and then, with gratitude and expressing the ease of grace, broke it in pieces and said, "[some MSS add: You folks take {it}; eat {it}.] This is My body, being now broken over [the situation and condition of] you folks (or: for you people; on your behalf). Keep doing this, into the calling up of the memory pertaining to Me (or: with a view to remembering Me; or: unto a remembering of what is Mine)."
Paul is referencing the tradition that was passed along to him and which he had then passed along to those in Corinth. But let us look at another level of interpretation. Recall 1 Cor. 10:17,
"Because we, The Many, are (exist being) One Bread (one loaf of bread), One Body..."
As followers and imitators of Christ, THEY should be "broken" for those in need among and around them. He gave Himself for others; they (and we) are to do the same! His followers are called to do the works that He did:
"It is certainly true, I am saying to you folks, the person habitually trusting and progressively believing into Me, the works (actions; deeds) which I Myself am constantly doing (habitually performing; progressively making, constructing, creating, forming) that person also will proceed doing..." (Jn. 14:12).
Dan Kaplan points us to Jesus' definition of "bread" (literally: food) in Jn. 4:34,
"My food is (or: exists being) that I should do (can perform; would produce; [other MSS: can continuously be doing; or: habitually do]) the will, intent and purpose of the One sending Me, and that I should and would bring His work to its purposed goal and destiny (or: can complete His act; may finish and perfect His deed)."
He also took us back to the tabernacle/temple setting, where in the holy place (a figure of the called-out community {Rev. 1:20b} and the realm of the ministry of the priests) there was the Table of the "Bread of the Presence" (Ex. 25:30 that was food for the priests. There were twelve loaves put on that Table, daily (their "daily bread" - Mat. 6:11), each loaf representing one of the twelve tribes, a figure of the universal Body of Christ. As Christ's priests, we are to partake of Him (the Bread of Life) daily. While our thoughts are on this setting, let us share more of Dan's insights:
In the holy place, there was also the Lampstand (Ex. 25:31-37), which had 7 branches (alluded to in the 7 communities in Rev. 2-3). Dan sees the center one, as Christ (the Vine; the Head/Source of the Lampstand), and the remaining 6 branches as a figure of the humanity of this Lampstand. He also noted that this Lampstand was the only article of furniture in the holy place that had no measurements given to it (which calls to mind the Spirit being given "without measure" - Jn. 3:34), and as Dan says, "The Holy Spirit cannot be measured."
The Lampstand burned olive oil (a figure of God's Spirit, the Source of the Anointing, and of Light, within the holy place) - a figure of God consuming Himself (Fire burning the Oil of the Spirit) to give us the Light. Dan posits that the oil was the "blood" of the Lampstand, and was a picture of the blood of Christ giving Life and Light to the communities. Without His Fire, there was no Light in the holy place. Dan pointed out that the Lamp "illuminates our hearts," while the Bread "feeds us." Dan also pointed out that the sacrificial Lamb represented Adam, and all the blood had to be drained from it (the life of the old Adam had to be drained out). The soul was in the blood, and in this sacrifice (figure of the cross), the old man of the heart (the soul of the old Adam) was destroyed (Mat. 16:25), in order to "find" the new soul (Mat. 16:25) of the Second Humanity (1 Cor. 15:45-49). [excerpt from soon to be published, Paul to Corinth, Comments on 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians]
52. Therefore, the Jews (= religious authorities of Judea) began violently arguing (disputing; warring [with words]) toward one another, constantly saying, "How is this one presently able to give us his flesh to eat?"
These particular Judeans were still thinking in terms of the material world, and of the literal flesh of the man in front of them. This is like Nicodemus' response to Jesus telling him that he needed to be born from above. Nic responded in terms of his mother's womb. Jesus' words, here, incited "violently arguing." Now observe, they were not arguing directly with Jesus, but "toward one another." Does this suggest that some of them might have been perceiving Jesus as having spoken metaphorically? John does not tell us. However, the text does not say that they immediately rejected what He said, but were "disputing" about "How is this one presently able" to do this. Keep in mind that this discussion was happening in a synagogue (vs. 59, below). They were familiar with the sacrificial system. The priests ate some of the meat of the burnt offerings and sin-offerings (Lev. 6:25-26). It is possible that Paul was alluding to this passage in John, when in 2 Cor. 5:21 he said:
"for you see, He made (or: formed) the One not at any point knowing failure (sin; error; mistake) by intimate experience [to take the place of; to be] failure over us and our [situation] (or: He constructed and produced a sin [offering], for our sake, the Person who was not having an experiential knowledge of missing the target or making a mistake)..."
On offer in the parenthetical rendering is the idea of Christ as a sacrifice. You will note that, with the more common rendering of what I first give as "failure," we see that God "constructed and produced a sin [offering], for our sake..." I have followed the Concordant Literal NT, by supplying (here in brackets) the word "offering." Now the rationale and basis for this addition is that the OT reference to a "sin offering" was sometimes indicated by simply using the word "sin." Due to this precedence, I have also offered this potential understanding of Paul's meaning here. We find a similar picture in the vision of Christ as "a little Lamb standing, as one having been slaughtered" (Rev. 5:7).
53. Then Jesus said to them, "Most truly (Amen, amen) I am now laying out the arrangement for (or: saying to) you people: unless you folks should at some point eat the flesh of the Son of the Human (the Son of man; = the eschatological messianic figure), and then would drink His blood (or: since you would not eat the flesh which is the Human Being, and further, drink His blood), you are continuing not holding (or: habitually having or presently possessing) Life within yourselves!
This verse, and on through vs. 58, must be taken metaphorically, in the sense that we discussed above (on vs. 51) in reference to Mat. 26:26-29, and Lu. 22:19-20, where Luke's version gives, in vs. 20,
"This, The Cup - [being; representing] the new arrangement (or: the covenant which is new in character and quality) in union with, centered in, and within the midst of, My blood (or: the blood which is Me) - [is] the one presently and continuously being poured out over you folks (or: that which is customarily being poured out on your behalf)."
In Lev. 17:11, Israel was instructed that
"the life (literally: soul) of the flesh [is] in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls..."
This was why they were instructed, in Lev. 17:10, that they were not to eat any kind of blood. With Jesus and His audience knowing this, was His meaning that they were to drink in His soul, His inner life and character? Whether bread, flesh, water or wine (used in Jesus' last supper), the idea was to receive the nourishment in order to have Life. Jesus used the Vine metaphor in Jn. 15, where the branches would "suck up" the sap of the Vine in order to produce fruit.
54. "The person habitually eating (continuously chewing or masticating) My flesh and drinking My blood is continuously possessing (habitually holding; progressively having) eonian Life (life derived from and having the qualities of the Age; age-enduring and eon-lasting life), and I Myself will proceed raising, resurrecting and standing him back up again in this Last Day (or: for and by the last Day),
Jesus uses the rhetorical teaching device of restatement to drive-home His message. Partaking of Him, by listening, trusting and believing into Him, brought eonian Life. You see, He was not speaking of anything physical - He was speaking of Kingdom Life; the Life of the Spirit. And He ends this verse by tying "eonian Life" to resurrection, and the last Day (repeating vss. 39b and 40b) - both of which He was.
55. "for My flesh is (or: constantly exists being) true (real; genuine) food, and My blood is (or: continuously exists being) true (real; genuine) drink.
Christ is the Messianic Banquet Meal. Christ was the Rock that gave Israel spiritual drink in the wilderness. Paul understood this metaphor, and shared it with the folks in Corinth:
"and they all ate the same spiritual food, and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they kept on drinking from out of a spiritual bedrock (or: cliff rock; rock mass) - one continually following along behind (or: progressively accompanying [them]). Now the bedrock (or: cliff rock) was the Christ (or: the rock mass was existing being the Anointing)" (1 Cor. 10:3-4).
What Jesus calls "true food and true drink," Paul referred to as "spiritual food and spiritual drink."
56. "The person habitually eating (constantly chewing [on]) My flesh and repeatedly drinking My blood is continuously remaining (abiding; dwelling) within the midst of, and in union with, Me - and I Myself within the midst of, and in union with, him.
Where Jesus instructs them about
"is continuously remaining (abiding; dwelling) within the midst of, and in union with, Me,"
He explains, in Jn. 15:1ff, about folks being branches that needed to remain (abide; dwell) in the Vine (Jesus), in order to have the Life of the Vine. Here, He is speaking about taking a meal. In Ps. 34:8a we read,
"O taste and see, that Yahweh [is] good!"
Then in 8b David associates this with "trusting Him."
But notice the locative (location) force of the preposition en: within the midst of, and in union with. To feed upon Him is to DWELL within the midst of Him. But also, it means that HE also DWELLS within the midst of US! This is amazing! The idea of "union" is also precious, for the metaphor draws upon the concept of copulation, which, as in Jn. 15, signifies being such a "part of" that one can produce Christ's (or, the Spirit's) fruit. I did not include the rendering of en as, "centered in" (although that is completely viable), because of its more abstract nature - being both less intimate and less located - but it certainly fits, as well. In an article that he shared with me, Paul Cruice points us to this same concept that expresses the relationship between the Father and the Son, in Jn. 10:38b,
"that you may come to experientially know and habitually trust that (or: because) the Father [is] within Me, and I [am] within the Father." Cf Jn. 14:10-11; 1 Jn. 3:24
57. "Just as (or: In corresponding accordance as) the continuously-living Father sent Me off (or: forth) as an Emissary (or: commissions Me as a Representative and sends Me on a mission), and I Myself am continuously living through (or: because of) the Father, likewise the person who is habitually eating (repeatedly chewing and feeding [on]) Me, that person will also continue living, through (or: because of; by means of) Me.
Here, Jesus connects living with eating. How was Jesus "continuously living through (or: because of) the Father"? It was via the Spirit of God that Anointed Him, and also because of the Logos of God that inhabited Him. It is the same with Jesus and us. We "continue living, through (or: because of; by means of) [Him]." Below, in vs. 63 we will read a key that will unlock our understanding of all this passage:
"The Spirit (or: Breath-effect; or: spirit; Breath; Attitude) is (or: continues being) the One continuously creating Life (or: repeatedly making alive; habitually forming life). The flesh continues being of no help or benefit to anything (furthers or augments not one thing). The declarations (gush-effects; spoken words; sayings; results of the Flow) which I, Myself, have spoken to you folks are (or: continue to be) Spirit (or: spirit; Breath-effect; attitude) and they are (or: continue being) Life."
You see, Jesus was not speaking about His literal flesh.
58. "This is (or: continuously exists being) the Bread: the One stepping down (or: descending) from out of the midst of heaven (or: [the] sky and atmosphere) - not according as the fathers ate and died. The person habitually eating (continually chewing and feeding [on]) this Bread will continue living [p66 & others read middle: will in (or: of) himself continue living; D reads present: is continuously living] on into the Age."
Once more, repetition, to drive-home His teaching. We all need to hear things more than once, and the truth of this passage contains multiple witnesses within it. The Bread is a Person: Christ. We must habitually eat Him in order to "continue living." It is not a one-time thing, or even a once-a-week thing. We need to continually chew this Bread. Paul gave us important instruction in 2 Cor. 5:16,
"we, from the present moment (or: from now) [on], have seen and thus know (or: perceive; or: are acquainted [with]) no one on the level of flesh (= in the sphere of the estranged human nature; = in correspondence to the self that is enslaved to the System; = according to the old covenant), if even we have intimately, by experience, known Christ ([the] Anointed One) on the level of flesh (or: = in the sphere of estranged humanity; or: = in correspondence to a self that is oriented to the System; = according to the old covenant), nevertheless we now (in the present moment) no longer continue [thus] knowing [Him or anyone]."
This is why Jesus kept on referring to Himself as the One descending from heaven. We see another one descending from heaven, in Rev. 21:2 - a corporate Bride, New Jerusalem. She has been joined to the Lord, and is one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17).
59. He said these things, while repeatedly teaching within a synagogue in Capernaum.
60. Therefore, many from out of His students (the learners following His teachings), upon hearing [this], said, "This word (message; saying; thought; idea; communicated information) is hard and rough - who is able to continue hearing from it (or: listening to its [message])?"
Notice that it is not the scribes or Pharisees that say this: it was MANY from among His students that said this. We will see that these folks no longer continued to be His students (vs. 66, below).
61. Now Jesus, knowing from having seen within Himself that His students (disciples) are continuing to buzz in discontented complaint (murmur; grumble; hold puzzled conversations) about this (or: around this [subject]), says to them, "Is this continuing to trip you folks up (or: Is this now snaring or trapping you; or: = Is this a problem for you)?
Jesus confronted them about their discontented complaint and puzzled conversations. Knowing that it was "tripping" and "trapping" them, He gives them something more to contemplate...
62. "Suppose, then, you could continuously watch (contemplatively gaze at) the Son of Mankind (the Son of the Human; = the Human Being; messianic figure) progressively stepping back up again (or: presently ascending) to where He was being before (or: continued existing formerly)!
Notice that He speaks in the third person, using the eschatological title "the Son of Mankind" of whom Daniel said that He would be "coming with the clouds (i.e., in the atmosphere)" (Dan. 7:13). Jesus was forcing them to really think about the extreme situation that had come to them, and to realize that He was not just another prophet or an ordinary rabbi. He had come from the realm of spirit, and would later step back up to that realm, once again (after His death on the cross).
63. "The Spirit (or: Breath-effect; or: spirit; Breath; Attitude) is (or: continues being) the One continuously creating Life (or: repeatedly making alive; habitually forming life). The flesh continues being of no help or benefit to anything (furthers or augments not one thing). The declarations (gush-effects; spoken words; sayings; results of the Flow) which I, Myself, have spoken to you folks are (or: continue to be) Spirit (or: spirit; Breath-effect; attitude) and they are (or: continue being) Life.
They were still thinking in terms of the physical, material world, and so for those of them whom the Father had given to Him (vs. 65), He gave a more straight-forward explanation. He was speaking about the realm of the Spirit, in contrast to the flesh (i.e., both the physical flesh, and the flesh-level cultus of the old covenant). Eonian Life (vs. 54, above) is the Life created by the Spirit. Material flesh, and figurative flesh (the realm of the Mosaic covenant, with its flesh sacrifices and physical purity codes, etc.), "continues being of no help or benefit to anything."
The declarations, which Jesus had spoken to them, were Spirit and they are Life. His "gush-effects" and the "results of the Flow" from Him were the means by which the Spirit was "repeatedly making [folks] alive." Think about it: this is the Good News. His gush-effects (a literal rendering of the Greek) brought Grace and Truth (Jn. 1:17). Take note that this was true even before the cross and His resurrection. The Spirit is "the One habitually forming life." The results from His Flow (of Breath and Spirit) were the creations from the Logos.
"Within It [the Logos] Life was continuing and progressively existing" (Jn. 1:4).
The Spirit and the Logos are One and the same.
64. "But in contrast, there continue being some from among you folks who are not continuing faithful or habitually trusting (or: not presently believing)." For Jesus had seen, and thus knew from the beginning, which ones are those not habitually trusting or remaining faithful (or: not presently believing), and who is the one who will be proceeding to transfer, commend and commit Him (or: hand Him over).
Jesus had seen, and thus knew from the beginning which ones were continuing faithful, and were habitually trusting, and which ones were not so, at that point. John points ahead to the actions of Judah (or, Judas), the one who will be proceeding to transfer, commend and commit Him (or: hand Him over). This expanded phrase, in reference to Judah, is the Greek future participle of paradidomi. The common verb didomi has the basic idea of "to give." The preposition that is prefixed to this verb, in our present verse, is para, which has the basic meaning of "beside; at the side." So the basic thought in this participle is that of "giving something, or someone, to the side," or, "handing someone over" to another, as given in the parenthetical expansion. But from use in various contexts, the verb has a wide semantic range, and thus also, would its participle. As a religious technical term it can mean "passing along traditions" (e.g., Acts 16:4), as in "transmitting" teachings. It can mean "to commit or entrust," as in Mat. 11:27a,
"All humanity was transferred, given over (or: All things were delivered and committed) to Me by, and under, My Father..."
Now the common rendering, here in vs. 64, and elsewhere when it describes the action of Judah (Judas), is the word "betray" - which carries a pejorative, negative connotation that assumes a motivation by Judah of which we cannot be sure. Since it was the practice in old covenant Israel to bring a lamb to a priest in order to sacrifice the lamb, we see that the Israelite "transferred" the lamb, "commending" it as being without spot or blemish, and thus "committing" it into the hands of the priest. We have seen in our present context that Jesus was likely alluding to Himself as being a sacrificial lamb (metaphorically), so it seemed better to not use the word "betray" (which is freighted with negative emotions) and rather use more neutral, and covenant-related, words to describe the actions that Judah would soon take. In Peter's first public message, he uses a cognate of this word, in Acts 2:23a. This was an adjective, ekdotos, which is from the verb didomi, prefixed with the preposition ek-, instead of para-, but it carries the same nuance:
"This Man, given forth (or: lent out; provided out of the Midst [of God]; given out [in marriage]; given from the midst [of one's house]; issued forth [in birth]; or: surrendered; or: This Fully-given, Emerged and Emptied One) in and by the specific, determined, bounded (limited) plan (intended purpose, design and counsel) and foreknowledge (intimate knowledge which was experienced beforehand) of God..."
The examples of this adjective's use, given in brackets [in marriage; of one's house; in birth], demonstrate the particular nuances of the preposition ek, and lend us greater perception of what GOD was doing with Jesus. Within the parenthetic expansion, on offer are three other meanings of the adjective: Fully-given (rendering ek- as an intensifier); Emerged; and Emptied One. So this is what God was doing,
"in and by [His] specific, determined, bounded (limited) plan (intended purpose, design and counsel) and foreknowledge (intimate knowledge which was experienced beforehand)."
Does all of this present us with a different understanding of the action taken by Judah? Details, and the semantic ranges of the words of a text, can make a big difference.
65. So he went on saying, "Because of this I have told you folks that no one is presently able (or: continues having power) to come toward (or: face-to-face with) Me, unless [the situation] may be existing of it having been granted or given to him from out of the Father (or: unless he or she should be a person having been given in Him, forth from the Father)."
Returning to vs. 64, for the moment, notice that there are two categories of which Jesus spoke:
a) those not habitually trusting or remaining faithful
b) the one who will be proceeding to transfer Him.
So we suggest that what He said here, in vs. 65, applied mostly to the "many" of vs. 66.
But more than this, grasp the import and depth of this pronouncement: unless [the situation] may be existing of it having been granted or given to him from out of the Father, no one is presently able (or: continues having power) to come toward (or: face-to-face with) [Jesus].
This rather shut out the erroneous idea of people making a "free will" choice to come to Jesus. To be ABLE - to even HAVE POWER - to come toward Jesus is entirely dependent upon the Father granting, or giving, the power and ability to do so. Remember, Eph. 2:1 describes humanity's predicament (when not yet in Christ) as being DEAD, within the midst of trespasses and sins. Without the gift from the Father (called the Promise of, and from the Father, in Acts 1:4), which is His Spirit, there is no hope for humanity.
66. From out of this [saying, or, circumstance], therefore, many from out of His [group] of students went away into the things back behind (or: went off to the rear) and then were no longer continuing to walk about (or: travel around; = make a way of life) with Him.
We do not know whether this was a sudden, mass departure, or if folks just gradually wandered home. His teachings were just too much for them. The requirements for being a disciple (e.g., Mat. 16:24-25), as well as what would amount to a whole new worldview, could only be met by these being granted from out of the Father.
67. Then Jesus says to the twelve, "You men also are not wanting (or: intending) to be going away (or: to progressively withdraw), are you?"(or: "Don't you men want to leave, too?")
On offer are two possible forms of the question that Jesus asks the twelve. Apparently most everyone else that had been currently following Him (mostly for free food) went away, at that time. Here, Jesus allows them to count the cost and be sure of their commitments.
68. Then Simon Peter decidedly gave answer to Him, "O Lord (Master; Owner), toward whom shall we proceed to go away? You continue holding (or: constantly have; habitually hold [out]) gush-effects of eonian Life (sayings and declarations of life whose source and origin are the Age [of Messiah]; results of the flows of things spoken pertaining to life of, in and for the ages)!
Gush-effects of eonian Life had become the "ultimate concern" (Paul Tillich's term) for Peter, and history tells us that he spoke for the whole group. They may not have understood it all, yet (and do we, even now?), but they were given, from the Father, to perceive that His teachings were "sayings and declarations of life whose source and origin are the Age [of Messiah]," and they were "results of the flows of things spoken pertaining to life of, in and for the ages." They were receiving revelation, which (again as Paul Tillich maintained) was something that "grasps" a person. Paul pressed on,
"I am consistently pursuing (running swiftly in order to catch), since I can (or: if I would) take down by the hand (fully seize; forcefully grasp and gain possession of) even [that] upon which I also was (or: am) taken down by hand (fully seized; forcefully grasped and taken possession of) by, and under [the control of], Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:12)
This was happening to the twelve, and the power of the Spirit would bring them to the Goal.
69. - and we ourselves have trusted and are now convinced so as to now be believing, and we by personal, intimate experience have come to know that You, Yourself, ARE (or: continuously exist being) God's Holy One (or: the Sacred One from God; the Set-apart One which is God)."
Peter used the perfect tense in both verbs about himself and the others (notice the "we" - he is speaking for the whole group). The action of trusting, believing, becoming convinced and intimately (and experientially) knowing had already happened, and they now existed in the state and results of those past actions that had come upon them.
Notice that he did not say that they knew Him to be the Messiah (or: Christ0, but rather, he was affirming that they knew from whence He had come (from God), and that He was "God's Holy One," and (rendering the noun "God" as a genitive of apposition) that He was "the Set-apart One which is God." This is the kind of unveiling that MAKES a person faithful, and fills him or her with faith. If we really KNOW this, we can follow Him.
70. Jesus considered and gave answer to them, "Do I Myself not select and pick you out - the twelve - for Myself (or: Did I not choose you twelve Myself)? And one from among you men is a person who thrusts things through [situations, or, people] (or: is an adversary; is a devil)!"
Later on, Jesus will affirm another witness to His rhetorical question to them:
"You yourselves did not choose Me, but to the contrary I, Myself, selected and picked out (or: chose) you folks and placed (or: set) you..." (Jn. 15:16).
He chose; the Father granted; they followed.
"for the people (the humans; mankind) will continue being folks that are.... devils (adversarial slanderers; folks who throw or thrust something through people to hurt or cause divisions)" (2 Tim. 3:2, 3).
Writing to Titus, he said,
"Old (or: Aged; Older) women, similarly (or: likewise), [are to be] women in a state and resultant condition proper and fitting for being engaged in the sacred (suitable in demeanor for serving the temple; or: = living a life appropriate [for] a person [being] a temple), not folks who thrust-through or hurl [a weapon, or something hurtful] through [someone] (or: not DEVILS nor slanderous adversaries which bring division and hurt)..." (Tit. 2:3).
71. Now, He was speaking of Judah (or: Judas), [son] of Simon Iscariot, for you see, this person - one from among [other MSS: being a part of] the twelve - continued in being about to proceed in transferring, commending, and to keep on committing, Him (or: to continue in handing Him over).
John makes clear of whom Jesus just spoke, here, and in vs. 64, above. Jesus knew (vs. 64) that - by the Father's lead and direction (and He did only what He saw the Father doing) - He had chosen that one, from this select group, who would transfer Him to the final stage of His ministry among them.
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