Seeking Jesus Only for Food - John 6:26

The apostle John wrote how people were observing the sea, and “stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone.(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias near unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when did you come here?”, and in chapter six and verse twenty-six of his book, John shared how Jesus tells the people, “you seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat” where we read:

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

The verse reads, “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, You seek me, not because you saw the miracles, ...”. John began with the words, “Jesus answered them” or “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation responded and began to speak to the people” “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Verily, verily” or “truly, truly or surely surely”, “I say unto you” which means “I, Jesus, utter, declare proclaim to you people who sought for Jesus”, “you seek me” or “you look, search for, require and demand me, Jesus”, “not because you saw the miracles” which means “not since or on account that you, people who looked for Jesus, noticed and observed the signs, unusual occurrences and supernatural wonders”. John shared how Jesus responded to the people by certifiably telling them they did not look for Him because they observed the supernatural wonders He performed.

The verse continues, “... but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” John added the word, “but because you did eat” which means “yet and nevertheless since and on account that you, people who looked for Jesus, consumed and devoured” “of the loaves” or “from the five barley loaves”, “and were filled” which means “and were fed and satisfied with food”. John shared how Jesus told the people they only looked for Him because they were completely satisfied with the food He provided.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn the real reason the people were “looking for” Jesus. They wanted Him to continue providing physical food for them. Rather than seeking Jesus for spiritual “salvation” which would endure forever, they only sought to be satisfied physically or according to the flesh. God sent His Son Jesus to the world to “save” them for all eternity, and although Jesus had the capacity to feed them physically forever, He wanted them to have the “spiritual food” that would last for all eternity.

Next time John shares how Jesus tells the people, “labor not for the meat which perishes”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".