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The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (34/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.30-33

“Therefore they said to Him [Jesus], ‘What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’” (John 6.30-33).

The Jews who were questioning Jesus on this occasion seemed to be comparing the miracle connected with manna with the miracle that Jesus performed by multiplying the loaves and fish. By contrast, the miracle of the manna was a repetitive event while the feeding of the five thousand was a one time happening. Perhaps they saw Jesus as inferior to Moses as the miracles were of different proportions. Robertson says that the “…rabbis quoted Psalm 72:16 [“There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, On the top of the mountains; Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.”] to prove that the Messiah, when he comes, will outdo Moses with manna from heaven.”

There was a basic flaw in the thinking of the Jews. Truth was not confirmed by the size of the miracle that accompanied it; it was confirmed by the miraculous regardless of the “size” of the miracle! After all, there are no minor miracles and major miracles; all true miracles are simply miracles. God can do one miracle just as easily as He can perform another. It took no more effort for God to create the universe than it did for Him to part the waters of the Red Sea when Israel escaped Egyptian bondage. So, the thinking of the Jews was flawed in at least this manner.

However, there was an even more fundamental flaw in their thinking. They were literally being offered a choice between two types of blessings; one was material (the loaves and fish) while the other was “…the true bread from heaven.” Jesus went on to explain, “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” The difference in the two types of blessings was fundamental then and it is fundamental now. If one wonders about the relationship of God’s material blessings and one’s acceptability to God, all it would take to understand this is to see that God rained down manna for forty years upon a generation “…with whom was He angry forty years.” (Hebrews 3.17). A sign from God then (such as manna from heaven) is not an indication that God approves of those who benefit from the sign; it is simply confirmation of a messenger!

The materialistic mind of the multitude was thoroughly revealed by their question. They wanted Jesus, but they wanted Him for what He could do for them materially. They were “prosperity gospel” disciples of Jesus’ day – and He turned them away! Life’s greatest blessings are not material any more than material blessings are a sign of one’s acceptability to God. When we look to Jesus, we find signs that attest to His truthfulness and that is all that matters. Had this multitude had this attitude, they would not have asked for another sign; they would have been thankful for their meager food supply while rejoicing that they stood in the presence of the Bread of God.”

Questions:

1. How long did the miraculous feeding of the children of Israel last? How long did it take Jesus to feed the five thousand?

2. Considering the two miracles mentioned just previously (question # 1) which of these two miracles was the greater? Why?

3. Why doesn’t the abundance of material blessings prove that one is pleasing to God?

4. What was the fundamental problem with those who wanted Jesus to do another sign?

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One