Why?
BECAUSE they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
Where was Jesus?
He was up on a mountain sitting with His disciples.
Jesus saw the crowd coming towards Him. He said to His disciples…
“Make the people sit down.”
There was 5,000 people not including women and children.
Jesus took five loaves and two fishes and gave thanks to God.
Suddenly, there was enough bread and fish to feed everyone and still had twelve large baskets of loaves left over.
The people remarked, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Jesus perceived that they were about to take Him by force to make Him king, so what He do?
He departed to a mountain by Himself alone. [1]
The crowd of people caught up with Jesus the next day, and asked Him…
“Rabbi, when did You come here?”
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Then, Jesus pointed them to the food that is most vital. He said…
“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” [2]
They seized upon the word “labor” more than on the word “give.” Jesus was telling them that He would GIVE them everlasting life.
They asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
Jesus answered them…
“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” [3]
“Everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” [4]
Jesus promised them eternal life if they partook of Him. They needed to believe that He was the Passover Lamb, God’s Messiah, which would save them from the angel of death. They were not ready to make this kind of commitment. Many left Him. Even many disciples left Him.
Jesus said to those disciples who were leaving Him…
“What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Then, He said to the twelve disciples…
“Do you also want to go away?”
Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [5]
“Dear Lord Jesus, You are the Son of the Living God. Please pray for us that we will stay focused on believing in You. Worries about this temporary life seek to drown out concerns about eternal life. We want to stay focused on You.”
[1] John 6:2-15
[2] John 6:25-27
[3] John 6:28-29
[4] John 6:40, 47
[5] John 6:60, 62-64, 67-69
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