Thirst

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6 ESV
(Explanation for Matthew 5:6 from the MacArthur Study Bible, page 1366.
"5:6 hunger and thirst for righteousness.  This is the opposite of the self righteousness of the Pharisees.  It speaks of those who seek God's righteousness rather than attempting to establish a righteousness of their own (Rom. 10:3; Phil. 3:9).  What they seek will fill them, i.e., it will satisfy their hunger and thirst for a right relationship with God.")

"Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.  But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.  All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."  John 6:35-40 ESV

(Explanation for John 6 verses 35, 37, and 40 from the MacArthur Study Bible, page 1550:

"6:35 I am the bread of life.  The obtuseness in v. 34 prompted Jesus to speak very plainly that he was referring to himself.


6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me.  This verse emphasizes the sovereign will of God in the selection of those who come to him for salvation (cf. w. 44, 65; 17:6, 12, 24).  The Father has predestined those who would be saved (see notes on Rom. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:3-6; 1 Pet. 1:2).  The absolute sovereignty of God is the basis of Jesus' confidence in the success of his mission (see note on John 6:40; cf. Phil. 1:6).  The security of salvation rests in the sovereignty of God, for God is the guarantee that "all" he has chosen will come to him for salvation.  The idea of "gives me" is that every person chosen by God and drawn by God (John 6:44) must be seen as a gift of the Father's love to the Son.  The Son receives each "love gift" (v. 37), holds on to each (v. 39), and will raise each to eternal glory (w. 39-40).  No one chosen will be lost  (see notes on Rom. 8:31).  This saving purpose is the Father's will, which the Son will not fail to do perfectly (John 6:38; cf. 4:34; 10:28-29; 17:6, 12, 24).

6:40 everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him.  This verse emphasizes human responsibility in salvation.  Although God is sovereign, he works through faith, so that a person must believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God who alone offers the only way of salvation (cf. 14:6).  However, even faith is a gift of God (Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8-9) intellectually harmonizing the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man is impossible humanly, but perfectly resolved in the infinite mind of God."

Let's pray:  Dear Lord Jesus, I lift up those reading Your Word today. I pray that those reading Jesus' words will choose to accept His gift of salvation.  It is only in Jesus that we will never hunger or thirst because He is the way the truth and the life. You, Jesus are the bread of life and we thank You for Your sacrifice for all of us sinners.  I pray for the peace that only comes from Jesus to be over us and to keep us safe and healthy.  I say these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

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