Jesus…commanded the twelve, saying…, "Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.

"He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

"And whoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, truly I say unto you, he shall certainly not lose his reward."

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

Now when Herod's birthday was kept…he sent, and beheaded John the Baptist in the prison. When Jesus heard of it, he departed…into a desert place apart…and when the people had heard…they followed him on foot out of the cities.

And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, "Come you yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while": for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by boat privately. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot there out of all cities, and out ran them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto Jesus, "Send the crowd away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get food: for we are here in a desert place."

…And Jesus said unto Philip, "From where shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (This he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.)

Philip answered him, "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that everyone of them may take a little."

One of Jesus’ disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said unto Jesus, "There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fish: but what are they among so many?"

And Jesus said, "Make the people sit down."

Now there was much grass in the place. So the people sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fish as much as they wanted.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over….

Then those people, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world." When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king…immediately he constrained his disciples to get into a boat, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the crowds away.

And when Jesus had sent the people away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a spirit"; and they cried out for fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke unto them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."

And Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it be you, bid me come unto you on the water."

And Jesus said, "Come."

And when Peter was come down out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, "Lord, save me."

And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they were come into the boat, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the boat came and worshipped him, saying, "Of a truth you are the Son of God."

And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of Jesus, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And requested him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw…that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

And when they had found Jesus on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, "Rabbi, when came you here?"

Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, you seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the physical food which perishes, but for that spiritual food which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for on him has God the Father set His seal."

Then said the people unto Jesus, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"

Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent."

They said therefore unto him, "What sign show you then, that we may see, and believe you? What…work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ "

Then Jesus said unto them, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

"For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world."

Then said they unto him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst.

"But I said unto you, that you also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will never cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life…."

The Jews then murmured at Jesus, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he said, ‘I came down from heaven?’ "

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, "Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father, which has sent me draw, him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘and they shall be all taught of God.’ Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes unto me. Not that any man has seen the Father, save he which is of God, he has seen the Father.

"Truly, truly, I say unto you, he that believes on me has everlasting life. I am that bread of life. (Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.) This is the bread, which comes down from heaven that a man may eat of it, and not die.

"I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

The Jews therefore disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat*?"

Then Jesus said unto them, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

"He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, lives in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: (not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead) he that eats of this bread shall live forever."

These things said Jesus in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?"

* Remember Nicodemus. John 3:1-21. Jesus was speaking of a spiritual experience,
not a literal one. Our salvation depends on our accepting His death (flesh and blood
sacrifice for sin) in our place. John 3:16.
"…Man does not live by bread only; but by every word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God." Deuteronomy 8:3. By believing in Jesus we spiritually take in His
flesh and blood. "And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3

REFERENCES

Matthew 10:5a, 32-42; Matthew 11:1; Matthew 14:6a, 10, 13a; Mark 6:30-32; John 6:3; Mark 6:33-34; Luke 9:12-13a; John 6:5b-15; Matthew 14:22-36; John 6:22a, 24b-60.

CHAPTER 72