Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (2.5)

The Gospel Of John
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John 6:1-35 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

v.1 The feeding of the five thousand is recorded in all four Gospels [1]. It is the only miracle to be recorded in all four Gospels. The only other event recorded in all four Gospels is Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. This miracle demonstrates the creative power of Jesus as He produced food which did not exist before. (His miracles of healing restored that which already existed.) The people's reaction to this miracle clearly shows the kind of Saviour that most men want, namely, one to provide for them physically!

v.2 The great multitude followed Jesus because they saw his miracles. Idle curiosity and desire for excitement has always drawn the largest crowds. Jesus' miracles were mostly that of healing the diseased, because such miracles typified His mission to heal the spiritually sick. The desire to be healthy and free from disease also produces large crowds.

v.5 After Jesus taught the multitude, He lifted up his eyes to survey the ever-increasing multitude [2]. Jesus had come to this side of the Sea to rest (MAT 14:12,13), however when He saw the crowds He did His best to welcome them, for He was filled with compassion (MAT 14:14).

v.6 Jesus wanted to test Philip's [3] faith (whether he believed that Jesus could provide) and his love (whether he cared for the multitudes).

v.7 A penny worth (literally: a denarius) was an average day's wages. Philip knew how to calculate but forgot to include Jesus in his calculations.

v.8 Andrew was also a native of Bethsaida and probably knew this lad [4].

v.10 They willingly sat down because they were probably expecting a miracle.

v.11 Jesus sets the example for us to give thanks for our food. Instead of giving the bread directly, Jesus gave to His disciples to give to the people. By this, Jesus hinted that He would distribute the Gospel to His people through His servants, rather than directly [5].

v.12 When Jesus gives He gives abundantly. Though God gives abundantly, we must be careful not to waste.

v.13 This miracle prepares the way for Jesus' teachings on the "bread of life"(v.32). It demonstrated His ability to give that "bread" and the sufficiency of that "bread" to supply the needs of the multitudes.

v.14 The miracle clearly authenticated Jesus' Person as the Messiah (ie, "that prophet" of DEU 18:15-18).

Jesus walks on Water

v.15 This mighty miracle convinced the multitude that Jesus was the Messiah.  Therefore, they desired to take him by force to Jerusalem to lead the Jews (who were in Jerusalem for the Passover) against the Romans [6].  Jesus, as God, perceived this scheme in their hearts. Though they recognised Him as the Messiah, they wanted a physical Saviour. The situation is the same today. They could not understand that the physical miracles were done to primarily to authenticate Him as the Saviour of man's sins - and not the provider of physical goodies!

v.17 After being co-workers in this mighty miracle of feeding five thousand, the disciples are left alone in a ship in the darkness. Trials often follow great blessings [7].

v.19 The distance (three to four miles) is recorded to emphasise that the boat was not near the shore, and that Jesus indeed walked on water. Some liberal Bible writers claim that since the Sea of Galilee is shallow near the shore, Jesus merely appeared to walk on water. The disciples rowed the boat because the winds were against them (MAT 14:24). To see Jesus steadily walking on the stormy water must have been a scary sight [8]. Strange events terrify men greatly because men know that there is a spirit world.

v.22 The crowd had seen the disciples enter the boat without Jesus. And since there was only one boat present at that time, they reasoned that Jesus must still be on this side of the Sea.

v.23 This verse was added to inform us that though the boat that Jesus had come in was the only boat present the previous evening, many boatmen came the next day because they saw the opportunity of getting many passengers.

v.24 Since Jesus had not left with His disciples in the boat, and there was only one boat, those who remained searched for Jesus. And when they could not find him, they came to Capernaum to look for Him. They could not figure out how Jesus could have gone to Capernaum, since it was unlikely for Him to walk such a long distance along the shore in the dark.

v.25 Jesus does not answer this question because He did not want them to know that He had performed another miracle (ie, walked on water) because that would only make them more excited regarding His ability to do physical miracles.

Jesus, the Bread of Life (Part 1)

v.26 Jesus read their hearts. They did not seek Jesus because the signs had convinced them that He was the Saviour, neither did they seek Him because He could perform miracles, but because they wanted to obtain some physical benefit from Him. Many men, especially in poor countries, seek Jesus simply to get some physical benefit from Him [9].

v.27 Jesus uses man’s need of physical "meat" (ie, food) to symbolise man's need for "spiritual necessity and satisfaction". As the body cannot survive nor be satisfied without food, so the soul cannot live nor be satisfied without Jesus. Jesus is not teaching us to be idle, but rather is teaching us not to labour exclusively and excessively to obtain physical desires  (ie, meat which perisheth). Men should labour for the things that lead to everlasting life [10].

v.28 The Jews, like most men, believed that salvation is earned by works, so they asked Jesus what kind of works were best for earning merit for salvation. Jesus had asked them to labour, therefore, they were thinking of being more zealous with their tithes, Sabbath observances, etc.

v.29 The only "work" we must do is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

v.30 They had witnessed the feeding of the five thousand, yet they seek another sign (1CO 1:22). If He did, they would believe Him (ie, believe that what He spoke was true). To believe Him is very different from believing on Him, ie, depending on Him for salvation.

v.31 The Jews were reasoning that if Jesus claimed to be greater than Moses, then He should be able to do a greater miracle than Moses. Moses had given bread from heaven, while Jesus had merely multiplied earthly bread.

v.32 Firstly, they were wrong to say that Moses gave the bread, it was God that gave the bread. Secondly, manna though it came from heaven was not the true bread from heaven (which is Jesus Himself, v.33,48,51), it was merely the type (or “sample”) of the true bread.

v.33 Moses' bread only fed the Jews during their journey through the wilderness, but Jesus Christ, the bread of God, gives eternal life unto the world.  Jesus claims that He, like manna, cometh down from heaven.

v.34 They were probably thinking of free food. Man are always prone to think carnally rather than spiritually and seek physical rather than spiritual blessings from God.

v.35 As bread gives life to the body, Jesus claims to be the One who gives life to the soul. Bread is necessary for all, old and young. Jesus is also necessary for all. Bread nourishes and strengthens the body. Jesus strengthens us spiritually. Bread is required daily. Jesus too. Bread satisfies the body. Jesus satisfies the soul.

Bread can only satisfy a man for a while, but those that receive Jesus shall never hunger, nor thirst. This does not mean that a Christian will never backslide and lose the assurance of salvation, but it means that he will never lose his salvation.  It also means that the Christian who continuously cast his dependence on the Lord will continuously be satisfied in his soul.

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Footnotes

[1] This miracle was done at the end of Jesus’ Great Galilean Ministry. John's Gospel only records the first miracle of that Ministry (4:46-54) and the last.

The sea of Galilee is also called the Sea of Chinnereth (NUM 34:11, DEU 3:17, JOS 13:27, 19:35), Sea of Chinneroth (JOS 12:3, IKI 15:20), Lake of Gennesaret (LUK 5:1). John is the only Gospel writer who calls it the sea of Tiberias. Tiberias is a town on the west side of the lake, which was built by Herod at about the time of Jesus ' birth.

[2] v.4 Apparently Jesus could not attend this Passover because of the severe opposition against Him. It would have cut short His ministry on earth. Outward ordinances are never so necessary that they can never be dispensed with. Many of the great multitudes that were around Jesus at this time were probably on their way to Jerusalem. The people were looking forward to eating the passover lambs and therefore, Jesus used this occasion to teach about the necessity to "eat his flesh" (v.53)

[3] He asks Philip regarding where to buy bread because Philip was of Bethsaida (JOH 1:44).

[4] v.9 Barley bread was used by the poor. Middle-eastern bread is in the form of flat cakes not loaves. The two small fishes may have been small dried fish.

[5] At which point did the miracle of multiplying occur, we are not told. Similarly, at which point of our preaching does the "miracle" of regeneration occur we do not know.

[6] v.16 Even His disciples had the same desires as the multitude, and Jesus had to constrain them to get into a ship (MAT 14:22)

[7] v.18 Because the Sea of Galilee is six hundred feet below sea-level and surrounded by mountains, cold winds are often "funnelled down" the deep valleys towards the Sea causing sudden and violent storms.

[8] Moses, the prophet, divided the water to get across, but Jesus, the Son of God, walked on it. Jesus who put the physical laws into nature (eg. law of gravity), is able to suspend them.

v.21 The details recorded by Matthew and Mark in their gospels are omitted by John.. The miraculous transportation of the ship to the land (as recorded in those Gospels) was a greater miracle than Jesus' walking on water!

[9] Therefore, when we visit such countries on “mission trips,” we must not give out physical aid too freely because it may draw in many false "believers."

[10] The necessity to labour does not mean that men must earn their salvation, as the subsequent verses clearly show. Though Jesus was preaching to a very carnal crowd, He tells them that He shall give everlasting life to those that seek it.

God had authenticated (ie, "sealed") Jesus as the Messiah by His voice from heaven when Jesus was baptised, by the testimony of the Baptist, and especially by His miracles.