Where did the disciples go in the evening? Where were they headed in the boat? Was Jesus with them?
What problem did they encounter while on the sea?
How far had they gone before they saw Jesus walking on the water? How did they feel?
What did Jesus say to clear things up?
What happened next?
The next day, what was the situation with the boats that confused the people so much?
How did the other people arrive at Capernaum to seek Jesus and His disciples?
What did the people ask Jesus? How did they address Him?
According to Jesus, why did the people seek Him?
What kind of “food” did Jesus say was most important to labor for?
Who can we get that “food” from? Why?
What did the people ask?
What is the work of God?
What did the people want next? Why?
What kind of sign were the people referencing?
Who gives the true bread from Heaven?
Who is the Bread of God? What does He give to the world?
Did the people say that they wanted this bread?
What would people have to do to receive this bread and water so they would never hunger or thirst?
Even though the people had seen Him, what was their problem?
What will happen with those the Father gives to Jesus?
For whose will did Jesus come down from Heaven? What was His will?

Thought Questions

Why did Jesus come to the disciples walking on the water, instead of just meeting them at the shore later?
Was walking on the water a “useful” miracle, like healing and raising the dead? Why did He do it?
Did the disciples witness more miracles than the other people around? Were some miracles that the disciples witnessed of a different nature than the others saw? Why did Jesus perform these type of miracles for them? Why did He not perform these type of miracles as much for the other people around?
Do you ever have a desire to do epic, amazing things for God, like healing and raising the dead in His name, or preaching to thousands of people? Are those who do such things more holy or successful in the eyes of God than you or me? Read verses 28-29 again. What “amazing work” does God really call us to perform?
What did the people really want from Jesus? Why?
What were the Jews’ views on miracles? What were their views regarding their forefathers, such as Abraham and Moses?
Why do you think that feeding 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread was not a good enough sign for the people? Why did they want more?
Is there a difference between a miracle and a sign?
What would you want to ask from Jesus? Why? Would it be to try to prove His worth as a Messiah, or some other reason?
Is there anything wrong with asking for a sign? Depending on the situation? Depending on your motives?
Is God more likely to give signs to those who already believe, or to those who are skeptical? Why?
Explain what you think Jesus meant by the “bread of Heaven,” and why He called Himself that.
Several times Jesus speaks about those who the Father has given Him (vs. 37). Who has God given Jesus, and why? Considering verses 29, 35, and 40, is this a result of a choice we can make, or is it simply whomever God chooses?
Have you ever felt “hunger” for the “Bread of life?” How does that translate to your personal experience?

My prayer is:
that my faith would precede signs and wonders, and that I would be content with a living relationship with Christ rather than demanding miraculous signs to prove Him;
and that I would choose the Bread of Heaven as my food, rather than worldly gain.

What is another name for the Sea of Galilee?
Who followed Him? Why?
Where did Jesus then go to sit? Who surrounded Him?
What event was happening soon?
Who did Jesus see coming to find Him?
Who did Jesus ask, “Where can we find bread to feed these people?”
Why did Jesus ask him that?
What did Philip answer?
What did Andrew answer?
What did Jesus tell all the people to do?
How many men were in the crowd? (There were probably many more, including women and children.)
What did Jesus do before He distributed the food?
What did Jesus ask the disciples to do when the people were full?
How many baskets of leftovers were there?
What did the people say in response to this miracle?
What did they want to do then?
What did Jesus do to escape?

Thought Questions

Why did a huge crowd follow Jesus all these places? Was their reason spiritual, out of love and devotion to Jesus? At that point, knowing what they knew, would they have had a reason to?
How many of the people in the crowd continued to follow Him to His cross and beyond?
Do you think it is acceptable, when beginning a Christian walk, to follow Jesus because others around them are, or because of the miracles they have heard of? Is it a good reason to continue following Him, or at some point should a deeper devotion take place?
What would you have answered if Jesus had asked you how to find food for a crowd?
Why do you think Jesus chose that young boy’s loaves and fishes? What if Andrew hadn’t pointed it out? What do you think Andrew had in mind when he pointed it out?
Why didn’t Jesus want the people to make Him king? What did they have in mind?

My prayer is:
to learn to follow Christ for reasons more than outward miracles;
and that I would have faith to believe that even if I have a little, Christ can multiply it.

What would happen if Jesus testified on His own behalf?
Who was one of the other (human) witnesses of Jesus?
Does Jesus need the testimony of humans? Why does He mention them?
How does Jesus describe John? Were the people excited about him?
Who is the greater witness than John? Why?
Has anyone personally seen God?
Why don’t the people have God’s word living in them either?
Where do the people think they can find eternal life?
But what really can be found in the Scriptures?
What were the people unwilling to do?
Who does Jesus not receive honor from?
What are the people lacking?
Whose name does Jesus come in?
Do they receive Him?
Who do they receive?
If you seek the honor of another besides God, what can you not do?
Will Jesus accuse us before the Father?
Who accuses the people? Why?
Who did Moses really write about?

Thought Questions

Name the witnesses Jesus speaks of for him in this section.
How is God the Father a witness of Jesus when we haven’t seen the Father or heard His voice? (Hint: verse 38). Do you study and have faith in the Old Testament, even books like Leviticus?
What can we learn from God about His Son through the writings of books like Leviticus, which Moses wrote? Or is it all outdated and irrelevant to us today? What does verse 46 tell us? Was Jesus only talking to the Jews here, or all of us as well?
Name some things that you have read in the writings of Moses that you think are speaking of Jesus–His government, justice, and character. Can you think of some things that even describe, in metaphor, His life and death on earth?
Which do you think is more reliable: the witness of God through all of the writings of the Old Testament, or the witness of one person speaking for himself (verse 43)?

My prayer is:
that I would be open to studying the Old Testament more, and believe the words of Moses and the other prophets;
and to read the Old Testament with the understanding that it speaks of Jesus as a testimony to Him.