John - Chapter 6
PASSOVER IN GALILEE
FEEDING THE MULTITUDE
THE BREAD OF LIFE
JOHN 6
The scene is the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, the time is spring, shortly before the Jewish Passover.
Verses 1-15 teach the lesson of the feeding of the multitude.
Of all the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus the feeding of the five thousand is the only one recorded in each of the four Gospels.
This miracle was a different and much more powerful lesson as it was a clear example of the almighty power of Christ. Of all the wonderful works done by Jesus, no others were quite so public and no other was before so many witnesses.
Food was called into existence which did not exist before. In healing the sick and raising the dead there was always something already existing that needed repair. Here was a miracle of absolute creation. Only His first miracle resembles this one in that water was changed into wine, but even in that work, nothing was multiplied. That miracle symbolized His blood, and this one represents His body as it in a peculiar way shows that He is the bread of life.
We are told that Jesus was withdrawing to a mountain with the disciples. As we learned in the recent chapters, Jesus was drawing away from an unbelieving world. The miracles done before drew many after Him, but few to him. Verse 4 tells us the Jewish Passover was near. The feast was close, but still the Lamb of God, the only Redeemer, was not sought by those religious leaders of the temple.
Verse 5 tells that Jesus saw this crowd and His heart went out to them. He was not indifferent to their need. Matthew 14 teaches us that He was moved with compassion. Now He asks Philip how they might feed all these people, actually asking where needed food might be bought. Philip quickly estimates the need and advises Jesus that food might be bought and perhaps could meet the need “if everyone took a little”. Peter's brother, Andrew, says that there is lad who has five barley loaves and two small fishes but “... what are they among so many”?
We notice quickly that these disciples were looking only at the physical circumstance, not even considering how the Lord works with little to make much. Are we like these two, when difficulty faces us, and our resources are small, do we simply repeat what we have from the world, as opposed to leaning on the Lord to meet our need from His willing power for us? Here was unbelief showing itself. Our lesson is not to let it happen to us.
Jesus commands the men to sit down. Here was an test of obedience. Why make hungry people sit? But God had spoken. Here is another quick lesson for each of us. When God speaks, the only proper reply is to obey. We must be in obedience even if we do not at the exact moment understand why. Why were Adam & Eve told not to eat of the tree? Simply because God had said so. Why was Noah to build the ark in the many dry years? Because God said so. So while their faith had not yet passed the test, their obedience did pass. Jesus begins to dispense His blessings. By obedience, faith becomes enlightened and every need supplied.
God likes things done in order. Exodus 13:18 tells us the people went out of Egypt “harnessed” not as a mob. Mark 6:40 tells that these people sat down in ranks, by hundreds and fifties. There was no confusion present.
Verse 11 teaches that Jesus took the five loaves, gave thanks for them, and then began to distribute the food through the disciples. The loaves were small (just for one boy) as were the fish, but Jesus makes great things from small things. Note: It was only when the loaves & fishes were placed into the hands of Jesus that they were multiplied. Jesus uses human instruments to supply the labor of the miracle, just as he did at the marriage in Cana. His was the increase, and theirs was the distribution.
Verse 12 tells us when they were “filled” the remnants were gathered and there were 12 baskets left over. Remember that Philip had said that these could eat possibly only if each took a little. Now each was filled and abundance was left. All fulness rests in Christ. Countless souls have been saved by His grace in these past 2,000 years, but grace remains in abundance and shall never diminish.
Christ ministers to His people in His sovereign grace. Five is the biblical number of grace. Here were 5,000, here were 5 loaves, and ALL were filled.
Now those who had witnessed the event thought that a prophet had come into the world. Jesus knew that they wished to take Him by force to install Him as king, and so he departs into a mountain alone.
Verses 16-21 teach us of Christ walking upon the water.
After the feeding of the multitudes, the disciples leave the the mountain area, and took a boat across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, with Jesus not among them. A great storm is on the water and the men had to row strongly to proceed the 6 to 7 miles across the sea. As the storm rages, the disciples see Jesus walking on the water toward them and they were afraid.
In Matthew 14 we are taught that Peter asked to walk to Jesus on the water and Jesus gave him the beautiful one word command each believer has heard at conversion time “COME”. And Peter did walk until he took his eyes off the Savior and began to sink. In Mark 6 and in John, we do not have this walking by Peter. In both these gospels Jesus announces himself, calms their fears, and is welcomed into the ship.
In John, we do see perhaps even another miracle if we read verse 21 carefully. We are told that after Jesus entered the ship and IMMEDIATELY the ship was at land. Here may be an overlooked miracle as Jesus was received and all on board were delivered to where they hoped to be.
Verses 22-59 are the passages that bring us the discourse on the bread of life.
The next day, people from the multitude, knowing that Jesus had not left with the disciples, took passage on boats from Tiberias to Capernaum, seeking Jesus once more.
When they found Him on the other side, knowing He had not taken the single boat that had left with His disciples, they asked Jesus how he got there.
Jesus knows that they are not interested in the deeper significance of signs, but were showing interest because they had been filled with the food the day before. Now He takes the opportunity to teach them that they should be far more interested in the meat from God, rather than the meat for the stomach. It was this spiritual meat that Jesus teaches they should seek, and that it was to come from the Son of man.
As they now have some interest, they ask Jesus how they themselves might work the works of God? Jesus uses the time as a teaching moment by telling them that they should believe on Him who God had sent and that this is the work of God.
Now they show their shallow understanding by reminding Jesus that God gave their fathers bread in the desert. They ask Jesus what sign He will give them? Now Jesus is more detailed in His reply. He tells them that God has now sent the true bread from heaven, that bread which gives life to the world.
Now Jesus delivers His “bread of life” discourse.
Jesus teaches:
I am the bread of life. He that cometh shall never hunger.
He that believeth shall never thirst.
Ye have seen and believed not.
All that are given by the Father will come and He will never cast them out.
I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
The will of him is that I should lose none of them, but raise them up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.
The Jews murmured, remembering he was the son of Joseph so how could he have come from heaven?
Jesus says they should murmur not.
No man can come unless the Father draw him.
Every man that heard AND learned cometh unto me.
No man has seen the Father, save he which is of God.
He that believeth HATH (present tense) everlasting life.
I am that bread of life.
Your fathers ate manna and are dead.
Man may eat of the bread that cometh down from heaven, and not die.
I am the living bread, and the bread that I give is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world.
The Jews answer, how can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Unless ye eat of this flesh and drink of this blood ye have no life in you.
He that does so dwelleth in me and I in him.
These things were said in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Verses 60-71 give the sad fact that after this teaching many of his disciples were unable to understand and left Him.
Jesus teaches them that these words he taught them are spirit and they are life.
But Jesus knew that there were those who believed not among them, and he knew who would betray Him. Jesus now asks the twelve if they also will leave Him and Peter answers for all by telling Jesus, “... to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life”.
And Peter goes even further by telling Jesus “... we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God”.
Jesus reveals that He had chosen the twelve and that one of them will betray Him.
He knew it would be Judas Iscariot.
After so much unbelief surrounded Jesus, now He is secure within these faithful few who have accepted and believe that He is the Christ.
