Bread of Life (John 6:22-71)

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The passage John 6:22-71 in the Bible is a complex and theologically rich text that encompasses several key events and teachings of Jesus. It begins with the crowd, having witnessed the miracle of feeding 5000, searching for Jesus and finding him across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus seizes this opportunity to teach about the true bread from heaven, declaring himself the "bread of life." This teaching, where he emphasizes that his body and blood are spiritual sustenance leading to eternal life, is a pivotal moment in the narrative. However, this metaphorical language proves difficult for many to accept, resulting in a significant number of his followers abandoning him. In contrast, Peter, speaking for the Twelve, makes a profound declaration of faith, recognizing Jesus as the Holy One of God, even as Jesus alludes to Judas Iscariot's impending betrayal.

This passage is significant for several reasons. Firstly, the Bread of Life Discourse, where Jesus identifies himself as essential for spiritual life and salvation, foreshadows the Last Supper. Secondly, it underscores the themes of faith and commitment, contrasting the crowd's inability to grasp Jesus' teachings with the disciples' steadfast belief. This dichotomy highlights the challenge and cost of true discipleship. Moreover, Jesus' focus on spiritual nourishment over physical needs underlines a key Christian teaching: spiritual fulfillment is found in him. The references to Jesus' flesh and blood also hint at his upcoming sacrifice, symbolizing his crucifixion and the redemption of humanity's sins. Lastly, the varying responses to Jesus' teachings illustrate the nature of belief, ranging from misunderstanding and skepticism to deep faith and acceptance. Overall, John 6:22-71 is crucial in Christian theology, emphasizing the importance of faith in Jesus for eternal life and the complexities of discipleship.

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
ὄχλος, ου, ὁ a crowd; horde
πέραν on the other side
θάλασσα, ης, ἡ lake; sea
ἄλλος, η, ο other
ἐκεῖ there
εἰ if
ὅπου where
Καφαρναούμ, ἡ Capernaum
ζητέω seek
σημεῖον, ου, τό sign
ἀπόλλυμι ruin; perish
μένω remain, stay
ἔργον, ου, τό deed
ἀποστέλλω send
y6PO8TKqB3woDnU9XE4HM0uG1cxZWhagSCrQ3996 μάννα, τό manna
ἔρημος, ον desert
γράφω write
κόσμος, ου, ὁ order; the world
θεωρέω perceive, observe
Ἰουδαῖος, ία, ον Judean
περί about, concerning; for, because (with G); around; about (with A)
πῶς how?
μετά with (with G); after (with A)
ἀλλήλων one another
παρά from (with G); beside (with D); near, against (with A)
αἰών, ῶνος, ὁ age
ἑαυτοῦ, ῆς, οῦ self; his, her
ἀληθής, ές truthful, righteous
πολύς, πολλή, πολύ many
πνεῦμα, τος, τό spirit; breath
ῥῆμα, τος, τό word, saying
παραδίδωμι deliver, hand over
Σίμων, ωνος, ὁ Simon
ἐπαύριον on the next day
ἵστημι set; stand
συνεισέρχομαι enter with

Biblical text

6:22Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὄχλος ἑστηκὼς πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἶδον ὅτι πλοιάριον ἄλλο οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖ εἰ μὴ ἕν, καὶ ὅτι οὐ συνεισῆλθεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἀλλὰ μόνοι οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον·23ἀλλὰ ἦλθεν πλοιάρια ἐκ Τιβεριάδος ἐγγὺς τοῦ τόπου ὅπου ἔφαγον τὸν ἄρτον εὐχαριστήσαντος τοῦ Κυρίου.24ὅτε οὖν εἶδεν ὄχλος ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐνέβησαν αὐτοὶ εἰς τὰ πλοιάρια καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ ζητοῦντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν.25καὶ εὑρόντες αὐτὸν πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἶπον αὐτῷ Ῥαββεί, πότε ὧδε γέγονας;26ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητεῖτέ με οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα, ἀλλ’ ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων καὶ ἐχορτάσθητε.27ἐργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἣν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑμῖν δώσει· τοῦτον γὰρ Πατὴρ ἐσφράγισεν Θεός.28εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν Τί ποιῶμεν ἵνα ἐργαζώμεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ;29ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύητε εἰς ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος.30εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ Τί οὖν ποιεῖς σὺ σημεῖον, ἵνα ἴδωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμέν σοι; τί ἐργάζῃ;31οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν τὸ μάννα ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, καθώς ἐστιν γεγραμμένον Ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς φαγεῖν.32εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ Μωϋσῆς δέδωκεν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλ’ Πατήρ μου δίδωσιν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸν ἀληθινόν·33 γὰρ ἄρτος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν καταβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ.34εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν Κύριε, πάντοτε δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον.35εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Ἐγώ εἰμι ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς· ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ, καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ διψήσει πώποτε.36ἀλλ’ εἶπον ὑμῖν ὅτι καὶ ἑωράκατέ με καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε.37Πᾶν δίδωσίν μοι Πατὴρ πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει, καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρός με οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω,38ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με.39τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν δέδωκέν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.40τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς θεωρῶν τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγὼ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.41Ἐγόγγυζον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι εἶπεν Ἐγώ εἰμι ἄρτος καταβὰς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,42καὶ ἔλεγον Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς υἱὸς Ἰωσήφ, οὗ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα; πῶς νῦν λέγει ὅτι Ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβέβηκα;43ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Μὴ γογγύζετε μετ’ ἀλλήλων.44οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός με ἐὰν μὴ Πατὴρ πέμψας με ἑλκύσῃ αὐτόν, κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.45ἔστιν γεγραμμένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις Καὶ ἔσονται πάντες διδακτοὶ Θεοῦ· πᾶς ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ μαθὼν ἔρχεται πρὸς ἐμέ.46οὐχ ὅτι τὸν Πατέρα ἑώρακέν τις, εἰ μὴ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὗτος ἑώρακεν τὸν Πατέρα.47ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, πιστεύων ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.48ἐγώ εἰμι ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς.49οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸ μάννα καὶ ἀπέθανον·50οὗτός ἐστιν ἄρτος ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνων, ἵνα τις ἐξ αὐτοῦ φάγῃ καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ.51ἐγώ εἰμι ἄρτος ζῶν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς· ἐάν τις φάγῃ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ ἄρτου, ζήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· καὶ ἄρτος δὲ ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω σάρξ μού ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς.52Ἐμάχοντο οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λέγοντες Πῶς δύναται οὗτος ἡμῖν δοῦναι τὴν σάρκα φαγεῖν;53εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, οὐκ ἔχετε ζωὴν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.54 τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.55 γὰρ σάρξ μου ἀληθής ἐστιν βρῶσις, καὶ τὸ αἷμά μου ἀληθής ἐστιν πόσις.56 τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μένει κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ.57καθὼς ἀπέστειλέν με ζῶν Πατὴρ κἀγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ τρώγων με κἀκεῖνος ζήσει δι’ ἐμέ.58οὗτός ἐστιν ἄρτος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, οὐ καθὼς ἔφαγον οἱ πατέρες καὶ ἀπέθανον· τρώγων τοῦτον τὸν ἄρτον ζήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.59Ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν συναγωγῇ διδάσκων ἐν Καφαρναούμ.60Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπαν Σκληρός ἐστιν λόγος οὗτος· τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν;61εἰδὼς δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὅτι γογγύζουσιν περὶ τούτου οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τοῦτο ὑμᾶς σκανδαλίζει;62ἐὰν οὖν θεωρῆτε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀναβαίνοντα ὅπου ἦν τὸ πρότερον;63τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ ζωοποιοῦν, σὰρξ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν· τὰ ῥήματα ἐγὼ λελάληκα ὑμῖν πνεῦμά ἐστιν καὶ ζωή ἐστιν.64ἀλλ’ εἰσὶν ἐξ ὑμῶν τινες οἳ οὐ πιστεύουσιν. ᾔδει γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς Ἰησοῦς τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ μὴ πιστεύοντες καὶ τίς ἐστιν παραδώσων αὐτόν.65καὶ ἔλεγεν Διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηκα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός με ἐὰν μὴ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός.66Ἐκ τούτου πολλοὶ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ οὐκέτι μετ’ αὐτοῦ περιεπάτουν.67εἶπεν οὖν Ἰησοῦς τοῖς δώδεκα Μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν;68ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος Κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα; ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις·69καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπιστεύκαμεν καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν ὅτι σὺ εἶ Ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ.70ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς Ἰησοῦς Οὐκ ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς δώδεκα ἐξελεξάμην; καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν εἷς διάβολός ἐστιν.71ἔλεγεν δὲ τὸν Ἰούδαν Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου· οὗτος γὰρ ἔμελλεν παραδιδόναι αὐτόν, εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα.