Summary of passage: The crowd, realizing Jesus and the disciples had departed, followed to Capernaum. When the found Jesus, asked when he got there. Jesus answered they are looking for the wrong reasons: he is the food that endures to internal life.
Questions:
3) “Rabbi, when did you get here?” “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, no because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” “I tell you the truth.”
4) Part personal Question. My answer: The people are following Jesus because he fulfills their immediate and physical needs. They need to know he fulfills their eternal and spiritual needs. Reverent.
5a) Work for food that endures to eternal life. Helping others. Worshipping God. Doing God’s work for you here on earth. Evangelizing. Do not work for food that spoils. Work with no purpose. Work that leads to sin. Everyday food. Earthly treasures and power.
b) God the Father, by the miracles which had been performed by Jesus (water into wine, healing the official’s son and the paralyzed man, feeding the 5000, walking on water), had shown that he had sent him, that he approved his doctrines, and ratified his works. The miracles were to his doctrine what a seal is to a written instrument. We learned last year that those who are saved through faith in Jesus receive God’s seal (Revelation 7:2-3; Revelation 13:16-17). It is God’s mark of approval.
Conclusions: Thought the personal side of question 4 was out of place. Not sure how studying the Bible correlates to Jesus telling the people to do heavenly works. Question 3 was straight copying. I love how people think they know what to ask Jesus and what’s important in their lives and Jesus just completely ignores them and points out what actually matters: him and nothing else. Awesome!
End Notes: This is the day after the feeding of the 5000 and the walking on water. This is the same crowd who were there and the same crowd who wanted to crown Jesus as king. Some people got into boats. Others had to have walked.
Jesus, again, does not answer their question. It would have been: Well, I walked across the Sea of Galilee. Not exactly something Jesus wants to promote.
Later in this chapter, John tells us that this took place at the synagogue in Capernaum at a Sabbath service (John 6:59). Also, according to Matthew 15, Jewish leaders from Jerusalem came to Capernaum to question Jesus. They were also part of this crowd.
Instead, Jesus tells the people why they themselves came. This is a lesson to us: ask ourselves why are we asking God for something.
This is classic: material needs versus spiritual needs. Which one do we work for?
Jesus uses the title “Son of Man” because it was unknown at the time. It wasn’t “Messiah” which would convey to the people he was here to conquer Rome. He wanted to emphasize why he was here: for their soul not their country.
A seal was a mark of ownership and a guarantee of contents. God the Father has sealed Jesus for us–by his testimony, his baptism, his miracles.
