John Chapter 6 - Commentary

1-15 Jesus Feeds the 5,000

Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, leaving Capernaum (which means village of Nahum) See map. Here is an example of Harmony of the Gospels, where John doesn’t tell you why the people were already there in Bethsaida when Jesus arrived. Mark 6:

³¹And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³²So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. ³³But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ³⁴And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.

This same miracle of the loaves occurred in the Old Testament, see II Kings 4:42-44.

[5] Where shall we buy bread?

Philip responds as the world would, here’s the facts.

Andrew responds in faith, here Lord is my meager contribution, with You, it is possible.

[6] Why is Jesus testing them? Here is an interpretation in Luke 9:

¹Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. ²He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece….⁶So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere….¹⁰And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

¹¹But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. ¹²When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” ¹³But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.”….

Had they learned anything from their missionary trip?

[9] Do you realize the little boy’s sacrificial gift came before he knew a miracle would occur?

Note that God works with those who come prepared, however meagerly.

[10] There was much grass….

Note that Christ had everyone to sit down in “green pastures” by still waters... and prepared a feast for them. (somebody quote Psalm 23).

[15] The Prophet has come

The multitude had been fed like Moses had fed them with manna. (Deuteronomy 18:15), that is why Jesus uses this allegory to explain that his bread is eternal.

Note the arrogance of man – to “make” Him become their king – how do you do that?

The next time we see Jesus with bread and fish is John 21, where He commands His followers to “feed My sheep”. This means spiritually, feed the flock with the Word. Do we spend our time in committees for the Lord, or serving tables? (see John 6:25-69)

16-25 Jesus Walks on Water

The disciples in the boat, tossed to and fro in the dark, are a metaphor for the church today. We row in our own strength, wearied that we are unable to meet the goals set for us by God.

Told in Luke 9, Mark 6, and Matthew 14….

[20] Be not afraid

Why did Jesus send them ahead? Did He know a storm would frighten them?

Why did Jesus walk on the water? Why didn’t He just appear in the boat?

What is the tie-in between the Feeding of the 5,000 and then this episode? Mark 6:

⁵¹Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵²For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

25-58 Jesus is the Bread of Life

This section ties into the previous thought where Jesus feeds the 5,000. The story continues with Jesus explaining the spiritual principle behind the sign.

[26] Amen, Amen

Jesus makes a special statement beginning with “amen, amen” eight times in John, to state a very important truth. Amen means “firm” or “trustworthy”. What you are about to hear you can take the bank… This first was John 5:25

²⁵Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. ²⁶For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

Now the second in John 6:26

²⁶“You follow me for what you want, not what I offer you”. You desire material comforts, that which is temporary. I offer what is eternal, but you must work for it…you must believe in He who was sent by the Father.

What did Jesus say to Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness? Deuteronomy 8:

²And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. ³So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

Do you see a parallel between the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness and the Jews 40 years in the desert?

[30] What sign will you perform?

Their memory fades as their appetites returned. They didn’t get it, because their minds were on worldly things, just as their ancestors. Their reference to manna is worth noting. Only the Jews referred to the bread from heaven as “manna”. Numbers 11:

⁴…so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? ⁵We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” ⁷Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium. ⁸The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. ⁹And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

¹⁰Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. ¹¹So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? ¹²Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? ¹³Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ ¹⁴I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.

Manna is actually a derogatory word that means “stuff”. Like when you ask what’s for dinner and the answer is “stuff”… And then, as now, when it is offered, people will reject God’s provision for the lamest of reasons.

[32] Third Amen, Amen

The bread from heaven didn’t come from Moses, but from God. The sign that Jesus was sent from God was that he could make bread miraculously. This sign revealed that Jesus had the power to offer the true bread – the gift of everlasting life; for it is Christ who will raise His own on the last day.

[41] Finding fault

Then the “Jews” complained because Jesus said He comes from heaven. Whenever John refers to the “Jews” it is implied as the leadership, the Pharisees, Sadducees and Levites, all professional religionists. Jesus sets them straight by explaining only He is the way to salvation, which inflames the religious leaders.

[47] Fourth Amen, Amen

Those who believe in Christ will live – “are” in a state of everlasting life.

[53] Fifth Amen, Amen

You must eat my flesh and drink my blood…. Clearly symbolic of the spiritual act of accepting Life into our hearts.

“Verily, Verily” Recap:

1. The spiritually dead will hear My voice, and those who respond to Me will live.
2. Many don’t want what I offer, only what satisfies their earthly appetites.
3. Many try to give credit to anyone or anything but God for blessings I provide.
4. Those who do accept My offer, “have” eternal life now.
5. If you don’t not accept my offer, there will be no other.

59-71 Jesus Teaches His Disciples

This section ties into the previous thought where Jesus explained to the throngs of people only interested in miracles and earthly kingdoms, that to partake in the kingdom of God, they must take of Jesus, His body and blood.

[65] A decision must be made (Isaiah 7:15 – “choose good”)

⁶⁵And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” ⁶⁶From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”⁶⁸But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Jesus divides. He does not promote “diversity” agenda we hear so much about today. There is One Door, One Gospel, One Doctrine of salvation, and He is the Only Begotten Son of God. He forces a decision on each of us, His goal was not peace, but division. Jesus’ own words recorded in Matthew 10:

³⁴“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

Jesus continues to instruct His followers in Matthew 7:

¹³“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

This thread has been consistent throughout the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy 30:

¹⁵“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, ¹⁶in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess….¹⁹I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ²⁰that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;

Joshua 24:

¹⁴“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! ¹⁵And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

I Kings 18:

²⁰So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. ²¹And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.”

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.