independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The feeding of the five thousand 6:1–15
vv. 1–4 — the crossing, the crowd, the Passover frame
1
Μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπῆλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης τῆς Γαλιλαίας τῆς Τιβεριάδος.independent — Johannine transition (cf. 5:1) — the sea doubly named, region and Hellenistic city
2
ἠκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς,independent — durative imperfect — a following sustained by spectacle
ὅτι ἑώρων τὰ σημεῖαcause — iterative imperfect — sign-watching, the motive v. 26 will expose
ἃ ἐποίει ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσθενούντων.relative — the healings summarized
3
ἀνῆλθεν δὲ εἰς τὸ ὄρος Ἰησοῦς,independent — τὸ ὄρος — the mountain, a Mosaic staging for the bread to come
καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐκάθητο μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ.independent — the teacher's posture
4
ἦν δὲ ἐγγὺς τὸ πάσχα, ἡ ἑορτὴ τῶν Ἰουδαίων.independent — narrator's frame — Passover colors the whole chapter's bread (vv. 51–58)
vv. 5–9 — the test: Philip and Andrew confess inadequacy
5
ἐπάρας οὖν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on λέγει
καὶ θεασάμενοςparticipial — coordinate preposed participle
ὅτι πολὺς ὄχλος ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτόν,content — vivid present retained in indirect perception
λέγει πρὸς Φίλιππον·independent — historic present — the speech-frame; Jesus initiates, unlike the Synoptics
Πόθεν ἀγοράσωμεν ἄρτουςcontent — deliberative subjunctive — the test question
ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι;purpose — the crowd's need cast as purpose
6
τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγενindependent — narrator's aside opens
πειράζων αὐτόν·participial — telic participle — πειράζων here benign: a test, not a temptation
αὐτὸς γὰρ ᾔδειcause — the narrator guards Jesus' sovereignty
τί ἔμελλεν ποιεῖν.content — indirect question — the sign already intended
7
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Φίλιππος·independent — the first confession of inadequacy
Διακοσίων δηναρίων ἄρτοι οὐκ ἀρκοῦσιν αὐτοῖςcontent — the arithmetic of scarcity — two hundred days' wages
ἵνα ἕκαστος βραχύ τι λάβῃ.purpose — βραχύ τι — 'some scrap'; the shortfall measured
8
λέγει αὐτῷ εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς Σίμωνος Πέτρου·independent — historic present — Andrew again the introducer (cf. 1:41–42; 12:22)
9
Ἔστιν παιδάριον ἓν ὧδεcontent — παιδάριον — a diminutive: the supply as small as its bearer
ὃ ἔχει πέντε ἄρτους κριθίνους καὶ δύο ὀψάρια·relative — barley — the poor man's bread; cf. Elisha's twenty loaves (2 Kgs 4:42–44)
ἀλλὰ ταῦτα τί ἐστιν εἰς τοσούτους;content — the second confession of inadequacy
vv. 10–13 — the sign: five thousand fed, twelve baskets over
10
εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — the command
Ποιήσατε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀναπεσεῖν.content — the banquet posture ordered
ἦν δὲ χόρτος πολὺς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ.independent — narrator's detail — green pasture beneath the meal (cf. Ps 23:2)
ἀνέπεσον οὖν οἱ ἄνδρες τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὡς πεντακισχίλιοι.independent — οἱ ἄνδρες — the men counted, as at Exod 12:37
11
ἔλαβεν οὖν τοὺς ἄρτους ὁ Ἰησοῦςindependent — ἔλαβεν — the first of the quasi-eucharistic verbs
καὶ εὐχαριστήσαςparticipial — εὐχαριστήσας where the Synoptics bless (εὐλογήσας) — the Eucharistic resonance; leans on διέδωκεν
διέδωκεν τοῖς ἀνακειμένοις,independent — Jesus himself distributes — no disciples intervene in John's telling
ὁμοίως καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀψαρίωνphrase modifier — elliptical — the verb carried over
ὅσον ἤθελον.relative — abundance, not ration
12
ὡς δὲ ἐνεπλήσθησαν,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — satiety before the gathering; leans on λέγει
λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ·independent — historic present — the speech-frame
Συναγάγετε τὰ περισσεύσαντα κλάσματα,content — κλάσματα — the broken pieces; the word of the early eucharistic prayers (Did. 9)
ἵνα μή τι ἀπόληται.purpose — μή τι ἀπόληται — anticipating v. 39: losing nothing of what is given
13
συνήγαγον οὖν,independent — the command obeyed verbatim
καὶ ἐγέμισαν δώδεκα κοφίνους κλασμάτων ἐκ τῶν πέντε ἄρτων τῶν κριθίνωνindependent — twelve — a basket per tribe; the surplus outmeasures the supply
ἃ ἐπερίσσευσαν τοῖς βεβρωκόσιν.relative — περισσεύω — the abundance verb
vv. 14–15 — prophet acclaimed, kingship refused
14
Οἱ οὖν ἄνθρωποι ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν σημεῖονparticipial — preposed circumstantial (internal relative kept in line) — leans on ἔλεγον
ἔλεγον ὅτιindependent — imperfect + recitative ὅτι
Οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον.content — the prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15) — right category, wrong program
15
Ἰησοῦς οὖν γνοὺςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἀνεχώρησεν
ὅτι μέλλουσιν ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ἁρπάζειν αὐτὸνcontent — ἁρπάζειν — kingship by force
ἵνα ποιήσωσιν βασιλέα,purpose — the crowd's purpose — a bread-king
ἀνεχώρησεν πάλιν εἰς τὸ ὄρος αὐτὸς μόνος.independent — the refusal — αὐτὸς μόνος, doubled solitude
Jesus walks on the sea 6:16–21
vv. 16–18 — into darkness and rising sea
16
Ὡς δὲ ὀψία ἐγένετο,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on κατέβησαν
κατέβησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν,independent — the descent from the mountain of the sign
17
καὶ ἐμβάντες εἰς πλοῖονparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἤρχοντο
ἤρχοντο πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς Καφαρναούμ.independent — conative imperfect — under way, not arrived
καὶ σκοτία ἤδη ἐγεγόνειindependent — pluperfect — σκοτία, in John never merely meteorological (cf. 13:30)
καὶ οὔπω ἐληλύθει πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς.independent — the absence named — the scene's real darkness
18
ἥ τε θάλασσα ἀνέμου μεγάλου πνέοντος διεγείρετο.independent — internal genitive absolute kept in line — the sea roused as adversary
vv. 19–21 — the theophany on the water
19
ἐληλακότες οὖν ὡς σταδίους εἴκοσι πέντε ἢ τριάκονταparticipial — preposed perfect participle — three or four miles out, mid-sea; leans on θεωροῦσιν
θεωροῦσιν τὸν Ἰησοῦνindependent — historic present — θεωρέω, the seeing-verb of the discourse (vv. 40, 62)
περιπατοῦντα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσηςparticipial — supplementary participle — treading the sea, God's own gait (Job 9:8)
καὶ ἐγγὺς τοῦ πλοίου γινόμενον,participial — second object-participle — the approach
καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν.independent — the theophanic fear
20
ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς·independent — historic present — the speech-frame
Ἐγώ εἰμι·content — the chapter's primary crux — 'it is I' naturalistically, the divine Name (Exod 3:14; Isa 43:10 LXX) johannically; both left sounding
μὴ φοβεῖσθε.content — the theophanic reassurance-formula
21
ἤθελον οὖν λαβεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον,independent — ἤθελον — willing, glad; the fear answered by the word
καὶ εὐθέως ἐγένετο τὸ πλοῖον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆςindependent — εὐθέως — the crossing compressed to a word; a quiet second wonder
εἰς ἣν ὑπῆγον.relative — the destination reached
The crowd crosses over 6:22–25
22
Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὁ ὄχλος ὁ ἑστηκὼς πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἶδονindependent — constructio ad sensum — plural εἶδον with singular ὄχλος; the puzzle begins
ὅτι πλοιάριον ἄλλο οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖ εἰ μὴ ἓν,content — first datum — one boat only
καὶ ὅτι οὐ συνεισῆλθεν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον,content — second datum — Jesus not aboard
ἀλλὰ μόνοι οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον·content — the sum that does not add — how did he cross?
23
ἄλλα δὲ ἦλθεν πλοιάρια ἐκ Τιβεριάδος ἐγγὺς τοῦ τόπουindependent — narrator's parenthesis — the ferry supplied
ὅπου ἔφαγον τὸν ἄρτονrelative — the sign recalled as a meal — eating, not marveling
εὐχαριστήσαντος τοῦ κυρίου.participial — genitive absolute — εὐχαριστήσας echoed (v. 11); ὁ κύριος, the narrator's own title
24
ὅτε οὖν εἶδεν ὁ ὄχλοςconditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans on ἐνέβησαν
ὅτι Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκεῖ οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ,content — vivid present retained in indirect discourse
ἐνέβησαν αὐτοὶ εἰς τὰ πλοιάριαindependent — the crowd embarks
καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Καφαρναοὺμindependent — the pursuit across the water
ζητοῦντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν.participial — ζητεῖν — the seeking v. 26 will diagnose
25
καὶ εὑρόντες αὐτὸν πέραν τῆς θαλάσσηςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπον
εἶπον αὐτῷ·independent — the speech-frame
Ῥαββί, πότε ὧδε γέγονας;content — the wrong question — 'when,' where 'how' and 'who' are at stake; it goes unanswered
The food that endures — the manna countered 6:26–33
vv. 26–27 — the motive exposed, the imperishable food
26
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν·independent — the discourse-dialogue opens — reply one
Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the double amen — the first of four in the chapter (vv. 26, 32, 47, 53)
ζητεῖτέ μεcontent — the diagnosis — their seeking read
οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα,cause — the sign unseen as sign — spectacle without significance
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων καὶ ἐχορτάσθητε.cause — ἐχορτάσθητε — bellies, not belief; the structural hinge of the chapter
27
ἐργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην,content — the redirect — βρῶσις that spoils like the manna (Exod 16:20)
ἀλλὰ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον,phrase modifier — elliptical contrast — μένουσαν, the abiding-verb (v. 56)
ἣν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑμῖν δώσει·relative — the future δώσει — pointing ahead to v. 51
τοῦτον γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐσφράγισεν, ὁ θεός.cause — ἐσφράγισεν — accredited, authorized; ὁ θεός appended with emphasis
vv. 28–29 — the work of God
28
Εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν·independent — interjection one
Τί ποιῶμενcontent — deliberative subjunctive — they hear 'work' as works
ἵνα ἐργαζώμεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ;purpose — his verb taken up and pluralized
29
ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — reply two
Τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ,content — the works reduced to one ἔργον
ἵνα πιστεύητε εἰς ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος.content — epexegetic ἵνα — the work is faith; present subjunctive, a continuing believing
vv. 30–31 — the sign demanded, the manna cited
30
Εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ·independent — interjection two
Τί οὖν ποιεῖς σὺ σημεῖον,content — emphatic σύ — yesterday's loaves already discounted
ἵνα ἴδωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμέν σοι;purpose — seeing before believing — the order 20:29 will invert
τί ἐργάζῃ;content — his own verb handed back as a demand
31
οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν τὸ μάννα ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ,content — the bar set — Moses fed a nation forty years; one meal on a hillside must top it
καθώς ἐστιν γεγραμμένον·comparative — the citation formula
Ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς φαγεῖν.content — Ps 78:24 (cf. Exod 16:4, 15; Neh 9:15) — the text the discourse will re-exegete word by word
vv. 32–33 — the true bread from heaven
32
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — reply three — the citation corrected
Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the second double amen
οὐ Μωϋσῆς δέδωκεν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ,content — the subject corrected — not Moses; the perfect δέδωκεν denied
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πατήρ μου δίδωσιν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸν ἀληθινόν·content — the tense corrected too — δίδωσιν, present; and the bread qualified: τὸν ἀληθινόν
33
ὁ γὰρ ἄρτος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ καταβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ κόσμῳ.cause — ὁ καταβαίνων — masculine: 'he who comes down'; bread and person begin to merge
'I am the bread of life' — the Father's will 6:34–40
vv. 34–35 — the request and the declaration
34
Εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν·independent — interjection three — cf. the Samaritan woman's 'give me this water' (4:15)
Κύριε, πάντοτε δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον.content — the request that occasions the declaration — still thinking loaves
35
Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — reply four — the frame for vv. 35–40
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς·content — the first of the seven predicate ἐγώ εἰμι sayings — opening the inclusio closed at v. 48
ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρός με οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ,content — emphatic οὐ μή — hunger ended
καὶ ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ οὐ μὴ διψήσει πώποτε.content — coming and believing in parallel — the discourse's own gloss on eating
vv. 36–40 — given, kept, raised on the last day
36
ἀλλ᾽ εἶπον ὑμῖνcontent — the reproach resumed (v. 26)
ὅτι καὶ ἑωράκατέ με καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε.content — seeing without believing — v. 30's demand already answered
37
Πᾶν ὃ δίδωσίν μοι ὁ πατὴρ πρός με ἥξει,content — neuter πᾶν — the given whole; the Father's initiative beneath the coming
καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρός με οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω·content — οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω — the double-negative welcome
38
ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦcause — the descent grounds the welcome
οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμόν,purpose — the negated purpose
ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με.purpose — elliptical — ἵνα ποιῶ carried over
39
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με,content — the will defined
ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ,content — epexegetic ἵνα — casus pendens πᾶν resumed by ἐξ αὐτοῦ; v. 12's 'that nothing be lost' writ large
ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.content — the first sounding of the last-day refrain (vv. 40, 44, 54)
40
τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου,content — the will restated — now τοῦ πατρός μου
ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον,content — the neuter πᾶν become πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν — the given whole resolved into believers
καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγὼ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.content — the refrain — breaking out of the ἵνα into direct future promise, emphatic ἐγώ
The grumbling — 'I am the living bread' 6:41–51
vv. 41–42 — the murmuring: is this not Joseph's son?
41
Ἐγόγγυζον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦindependent — γογγύζω — the wilderness verb (Exod 16:2 LXX); the manna generation redivivus
ὅτι εἶπεν·cause — the offense quoted
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ καταβὰς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·content — their conflation of vv. 35 and 38 — accurate in substance
42
καὶ ἔλεγον·independent — the murmur voiced — interjection four
Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ υἱὸς Ἰωσήφ,content — the known-origin objection
οὗ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα;relative — Johannine irony — they know neither his Father nor his origin
πῶς νῦν λέγειcontent — the first πῶς of unbelief (cf. v. 52)
ὅτι Ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβέβηκα;content — recitative ὅτι — his claim in their mouths
vv. 43–46 — no one comes unless drawn
43
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — reply five — the frame for vv. 43–51
Μὴ γογγύζετε μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων.content — the prohibition — their objection not argued but overruled
44
οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός μεcontent — the incapacity stated flatly
ἐὰν μὴ ὁ πατὴρ ὁ πέμψας με ἑλκύσῃ αὐτόν,conditional — backward exceptive protasis (anchored) — ἑλκύω, 'drag, draw' (cf. 12:32): the drawing beneath the coming
κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.content — the refrain — the drawing ends in resurrection
45
Ἔστιν γεγραμμένον ἐν τοῖς προφήταις·content — the citation formula — the drawing documented
Καὶ ἔσονται πάντες διδακτοὶ θεοῦ·content — Isa 54:13 — the new-covenant teaching (cf. Jer 31:33–34)
πᾶς ὁ ἀκούσας παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μαθὼν ἔρχεται πρός με.content — the citation applied — being taught by God is coming to Jesus
46
οὐχ ὅτι τὸν πατέρα ἑώρακέν τιςcontent — the guard-clause — hearing from the Father is not seeing him
εἰ μὴ ὁ ὢν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ,conditional — exceptive εἰ μή — the one exception (cf. 1:18)
οὗτος ἑώρακεν τὸν πατέρα.content — resumptive οὗτος — the Son alone the seer
vv. 47–51 — the bread of life restated, the flesh named
47
Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the third double amen
ὁ πιστεύων ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.content — present ἔχει — eternal life as present possession
48
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς.content — the inclusio closed — v. 35 verbatim
49
οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τὸ μάνναcontent — their v. 31 handed back — now 'your fathers'
καὶ ἀπέθανον·content — the manna's verdict — two words
50
οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβαίνων,content — the counter-bread
ἵνα τις ἐξ αὐτοῦ φάγῃ καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ.purpose — the purpose — eating against dying
51
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς·content — ὁ ζῶν — living, not merely life-giving; aorist καταβάς: the descent an accomplished event
ἐάν τις φάγῃ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ ἄρτου,conditional — forward protasis — leans on ζήσει
ζήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα·content — the apodosis-promise
καὶ ὁ ἄρτος δὲ ὃν ἐγὼ δώσω ἡ σάρξ μού ἐστιν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς.content — σάρξ enters — future δώσω and ὑπέρ tilt toward the cross; the eucharistic turn
Flesh and blood — the eucharistic climax 6:52–59
v. 52 — the dispute
52
Ἐμάχοντο οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ Ἰουδαῖοιindependent — μάχομαι — grumbling become open fight; interjection five
λέγοντες·participial — the speech-participle
Πῶς δύναται οὗτος ἡμῖν δοῦναι τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ φαγεῖν;content — the second πῶς — contemptuous οὗτος; the question the discourse will not soften
vv. 53–58 — the escalation: eat the flesh, drink the blood
53
Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — reply six — the frame for vv. 53–58; escalation, not retreat
Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the fourth double amen
ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα,conditional — forward protasis — blood added to flesh; to ears schooled in Lev 17:10–14, maximal offense
οὐκ ἔχετε ζωὴν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.content — the negative apodosis — sacramental or symbolic, contested since antiquity; v. 63 the interpretive key
54
ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.content — τρώγων displaces φαγεῖν — 'gnaw, munch': the physicality sharpened; and the last-day refrain returns
55
ἡ γὰρ σάρξ μου ἀληθής ἐστιν βρῶσις,cause — ἀληθής — the βρῶσις of v. 27 identified at last
καὶ τὸ αἷμά μου ἀληθής ἐστιν πόσις.cause — the parallel member — food and drink complete
56
ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μένειcontent — μένειν — the mutual-indwelling verb of ch. 15
κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ.content — verbless reciprocal — the indwelling runs both ways
57
καθὼς ἀπέστειλέν με ὁ ζῶν πατὴρ κἀγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν πατέρα,comparative — forward comparison — leans on ζήσει; the chain of mediated life
καὶ ὁ τρώγων με κἀκεῖνος ζήσει δι᾽ ἐμέ.content — the chain extended — Father, Son, eater; τρώγων now takes 'me' whole as its object
58
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς,content — the summary — the discourse's themes gathered
οὐ καθὼς ἔφαγον οἱ πατέρες καὶ ἀπέθανον·comparative — the manna dismissed a final time
ὁ τρώγων τοῦτον τὸν ἄρτον ζήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.content — the closing promise — v. 51 sealed
v. 59 — the narrator's close
59
Ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν συναγωγῇ διδάσκων ἐν Καφαρναούμ.independent — the synagogue-note — the whole discourse located as public teaching, not private rite
'This is a hard saying' — many turn back 6:60–66
vv. 60–63 — the offense and the spirit-key
60
Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπαν·independent — the offense moves inside — disciples now, not 'the Jews'
Σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος·content — σκληρός — harsh, not obscure: intolerable rather than unintelligible
τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν;content — ἀκούειν — to hear it out; the hearing that is heeding
61
Εἰδὼς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν ἑαυτῷparticipial — preposed perception-participle — unmediated knowledge; leans on εἶπεν
ὅτι γογγύζουσιν περὶ τούτου οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦcontent — γογγύζειν again — the wilderness verb now among disciples
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the speech-frame for vv. 61–64
Τοῦτο ὑμᾶς σκανδαλίζει;content — σκανδαλίζει — the stumbling-word
62
ἐὰν οὖν θεωρῆτε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀναβαίνονταconditional — aposiopesis — the protasis never receives its apodosis: the ascent (cross, resurrection, exaltation) will either resolve the offense or complete it
ὅπου ἦν τὸ πρότερον;relative — the pre-existence assumed — the descent (v. 38) presupposes it
63
τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ ζῳοποιοῦν,content — the interpretive key to vv. 51–58 — πνεῦμα the life-giver
ἡ σὰρξ οὐκ ὠφελεῖ οὐδέν·content — σάρξ here humanity's unaided capacity — not a retraction of v. 51's 'my flesh'
τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἐγὼ λελάληκα ὑμῖν πνεῦμά ἐστιν καὶ ζωή ἐστιν.content — ῥήματα — the words as bearers of spirit and life (internal relative kept in line)
vv. 64–66 — foreknown unbelief; the departure
64
ἀλλ᾽ εἰσὶν ἐξ ὑμῶν τινεςcontent — the turn on his hearers
οἳ οὐ πιστεύουσιν.relative — unbelief inside the circle
ᾔδει γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ Ἰησοῦςindependent — the narrator's ᾔδει-γάρ aside — ἐξ ἀρχῆς, from the outset
τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ μὴ πιστεύοντεςcontent — indirect question — the unbelievers known
καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδώσων αὐτόν.content — ὁ παραδώσων — rare future participle; Judas first shadowed
65
Καὶ ἔλεγεν·independent — the frame resumes
Διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηκα ὑμῖνcontent — the doctrine of v. 44 recalled
ὅτι οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός μεcontent — the incapacity restated
ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ πατρός.conditional — backward exceptive protasis (anchored) — periphrastic perfect: the coming rests on a standing grant
66
Ἐκ τούτου πολλοὶ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσωindependent — ἐκ τούτου — temporal and causal at once; εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, back to what they had left
καὶ οὐκέτι μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ περιεπάτουν.independent — imperfect — the walking-with that ceased; the chapter's tragic hinge
Peter's confession — and the devil among the Twelve 6:67–71
vv. 67–69 — 'to whom shall we go?'
67
Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς δώδεκα·independent — οἱ δώδεκα — the Twelve first named in this Gospel here, at the moment of desertion
Μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε ὑπάγειν;content — μή-question expecting no — yet genuinely put to the will
68
Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Σίμων Πέτρος·independent — Peter for the Twelve — the Johannine counterpart to Caesarea Philippi
Κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα;content — the counter-question — no rival named because none exists
ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις·content — v. 63 believed — the ῥήματα received as spirit and life
69
καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπιστεύκαμεν καὶ ἐγνώκαμενcontent — double perfect — settled faith, settled knowledge; faith before knowledge
ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ.content — the confession — unique to John, echoing Mark 1:24; not the Synoptic 'the Christ, the Son of the living God': a noted crux
vv. 70–71 — the election and the traitor
70
Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — the sobering reply
Οὐκ ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς δώδεκα ἐξελεξάμην;content — ἐξελεξάμην — election claimed even over the traitor
καὶ ἐξ ὑμῶν εἷς διάβολός ἐστιν.content — διάβολος anarthrous — a devil, an adversary; the confession not allowed to bask
71
ἔλεγεν δὲ τὸν Ἰούδαν Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου·independent — the narrator decodes — Ἰσκαριώτου the father's surname, or 'man of Kerioth'; both readings noted
οὗτος γὰρ ἔμελλεν αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι,cause — μέλλειν + παραδιδόναι — the betrayal already in motion
εἷς ὢν ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα.participial — concessive participle — the horror precisely that he is one of the Twelve
Analysis. John 6 alternates two shapes. The narrative panels (vv. 1–25) run almost Markan: flush-left purple main clauses — went away, went up, sat down, took, gave thanks, distributed, withdrew, went down, embarked — with preposed circumstantial participles leaning forward, anchor-less, on the verbs below them (ἐπάρας, γνούς, ἐμβάντες, ἐληλακότες, εὑρόντες) and speech hanging blue beneath its λέγει/εἶπεν frames. From v. 26 the chapter becomes dialogue-punctuated discourse: the crowd or 'the Jews' interject at vv. 28, 30–31, 34, 41–42, 52 (and the disciples at v. 60), and each of Jesus' replies is a catena of content-lines under its own ἀπεκρίθη/εἶπεν frame, so the page reads as alternating shallow interjections and deep blue columns, with the narrator's synagogue-note (v. 59) closing the discourse flush left. Within the columns the layout tracks the discourse's spine: the Ps 78:24 manna citation under γεγραμμένον (v. 31) and its point-by-point correction (not Moses / my Father, gave / gives, v. 32); the Isa 54:13 catena under γεγραμμένον again (v. 45); the ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς inclusio (vv. 35, 48) with its escalations ὁ καταβάς (v. 41) and ὁ ζῶν (v. 51); the four ἀμὴν ἀμήν sayings (vv. 26, 32, 47, 53); and the last-day refrain καὶ ἀναστήσω (vv. 39, 40, 44, 54), each flagged in tags. Cruxes the layout inherits rather than resolves: Ἐγώ εἰμι at v. 20 is glossed both ways — naturalistic reassurance ('it is I') and theophany (the divine Name, Exod 3:14 / Isa 43:10 LXX); v. 40's closing ἀναστήσω is set at frame depth, read as breaking out of the ἵνα-clause into direct future promise; τρώγων in vv. 54–58 is rendered with its physicality ('gnaw, munch') and the sacramental-versus-symbolic contest over vv. 51–58 is registered in the tags, with v. 63 (spirit and life) marked as the discourse's own interpretive key rather than a retraction; v. 62 is laid out as true aposiopesis — a protasis that never receives its apodosis, dashed; Peter's ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ (v. 69) is noted as unique to John against the Synoptic confession and echoing Mark 1:24; and Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτου (v. 71) is glossed as patronymic or place-name, both left standing.