Book of John,  Discipleship

#23 John 6:48-59

September 17, 2021 /

Leader:  Have your Student write down the Passage and the Questions. Then, give them a week to prepare.

Passage: John 6:48-59

Questions: 

  • 1) How does Jesus’ talk of bread fit in with the earlier part of John 6?
  • 2) Explain verse 51.
  • 3) Explain verses 53-59.
  • 4) What questions do you have?

Then, this week the Student will:  

  • Read the Passage every day!
  • Handwrite the Passage
  • Answer the questions 

When you do meet again, you will go over this… 

John 6:48-59

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.”

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Notes for Leader:

Open your time together with prayer. Be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation and teach what needs to be learned and heard during your discussion. He will give you the words that you need! May you grow closer together and closer to Jesus.

Briefly review what you learned last week. Now, let’s see what else we can discover about who Jesus is…

1) How does Jesus’ talk of bread fit in with the earlier part of John 6?

Chapter 6 is filled with verses where Jesus offers himself as the spiritual food that will give eternal life and satisfaction to those who eat. (See v. 27, 32, 33, 35, 48, 50, 51) 

In v48,  Jesus continues to explain that I am the bread of life.  In v49 he explains that God provided for all the Israelites in the desert, by giving them manna to eat, but they still died physically.  Then, in v50, Jesus steps up the explanation that He is the bread that leads to eternal life.

2) Explain verse 51.

The manna when consumed saved Israel.  Jesus will be consumed on the cross to save all people, he gives himself “for the life of the world.”

3) Explain verses 53-59.

We live because of Jesus.  His consuming sacrifice as the bread of life saves us just as manna from heaven saved Israel.

This analogy to eating is really important.  First, we eat because we have a need that we are trying to meet.  If we eat too little or unhealthy food, we will die, likewise, if we consume power, money, fame, family or friends, but not Jesus, we will die and not have eternal life.  Second, eating and drinking only benefit you when YOU eat or drink!  Someone else can’t do it for you, they can’t just tell you about it or show you a picture.  You must eat and drink to live.  Likewise, our faith in Jesus is our own.  Someone else cannot feast on Jesus and benefit our eternity.  Third, we should eat often and at regular times.  To be healthy, we must consume nutritious food several times a day.  To be our healthiest spiritually, we must consume Jesus regularly.  Simply attending church Sunday, leaves us hungry and malnurished.  We should feast on him for breakfast to start our day well nourished, then consume him at noon to replenish our soul for the afternoon ahead and then we should eat his Word in the evening to fix our hearts on him.  The more of Jesus that we feed on, the healthier our soul will be!

Note:  v59 says that Jesus was teaching in Capernaum.  

It says in Matthew 11:23-24 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

Capernaum was not a place where people were choosing to follow Jesus very often!  This was a difficult place to be teaching people to consume Jesus.  Which may be why he made his example so graphic!  In v51 he talks about eating his flesh, but in v54 he adds to that statement by making it more gruesome and you must drink my blood.  He wants to break into their hearts but their minds refuse to be nourished.

4) What questions do you have?

Don’t be nervous about this one… the Holy Spirit will help you answer.  If you are discipling a young child (and most others!), remember that they are not expecting a doctoral dissertation when you answer, so keep it simple and true. And, it is ok to say, “I am not sure, let’s look into that together.”  And then add that question to your study for next week. 

Allow the Spirit to lead a great conversation!

***Here is the passage and questions for next week’s study. Give your student the week to write out the passage and prepare for your discussion.

Passage: John 6:60-71

Questions: 

  • 1) What is the “disciples’” reaction to Jesus’ teaching?
  • 2) What does Jesus tell them?
  • 3) What is Jesus’ interaction with the 12 disciples?
  • 4) What questions do you have?