They wanted it easy. Kind of like God did for the Israelites in Egypt.
When Moses left Egypt, the Israelites were many. They were in very rough times and the desert alone would not provide the food they would need. So God provided manna from heaven. It was a bread/wafer that was like the dew every morning.
Now here comes Jesus. They believe he is a prophet, like Moses. He multiplies bread that goes to everyone. And they have flashbacks to the Exodus.
Is this a guy who can give us food miraculously like in the desert? And we don’t have to work anymore?
They wanted to make Jesus their king. Like Moses. Thinking he would lead them like Moses and the miraculous manna.
But Jesus tells them not to work for food that spoils, but for food that does not spoil. Work for food that endures to eternal life.
They had in mind the bread and fish. And not having to work. And being led like Moses once again.
But Jesus tells them to look beyond that. Work for food that does not spoil.
He is not saying don’t work. Almost the opposite. He is calling them to look towards heaven where the miracles both came from.
I’m sure they were wondering then what work he was talking about. So he made it more plain so they could not miss it.
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one He sent” (v. 29).
It’s plain. The work of God is to believe Jesus. Believe in Him as the giver of eternal life. Believe His words and live them. Know and believe Him.
They still didn’t get it. So they asked for a miraculous sign again. Telling him plainly that Moses provided the manna every day.
He said He was the bread of life. He was the One He was talking about. The problem was that they did not believe. They had Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms that all pointed to him, but they did not, would not believe.
He said His will is to do His Father’s will. Not his own. And His will is that those who look to Jesus will be saved and given eternal life.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40),
Jesus told them who he was. And they had the Scriptures to verify that he was who he was. The problem is that they did not believe.
It’s interesting the contrast. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that he was the living water. He says it again here
whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (v. 35)
And while the Samaritan woman believe as well as the whole village, Yet here was the whole crowd who had just seen the miraculous feeding of the 5000. They had not just heard about it but experienced it. Yet, they still would not believe.
They believed he was a prophet. That was easy. But they did not believe he came from heaven, that he was the Son of Man sent to bring them eternal life.
In just a moment He was going to give them a huge shock in making his point that He was the source of life. It was going to be something so strongly said that it is still causing shock waves and difficulties to this day. It is not an easy teaching.
But here he is building up to it. He is inviting the people to believe and they don’t. They just want more miracles and an easy life of provision.
Here’s the reality for us, too. How often are we pursuing Jesus verses pursuing what He can give us?
John 6:25-40
25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]”
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[d] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”