Bible Studies

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We continue this verse-by-verse study of John chapters 5-8 here in Part 3, starting with the first verse of chapter 6.

"After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias [cf. John 21:1]). [John didn't mention Jesus' (and His disciples') return to Galilee after the events that took place in Jerusalem mentioned in chapter 5. The feeding of the five thousand men (plus women and children) that is discussed here in John 6:1-13 is also discussed in Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; and Luke 9:10-17. Apparently Jesus crossed over to the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee, by the Golan Heights. ((I had a footnote: I'll quote a sentence from what J. Carl Laney says here ("John" [Moody Press, 1992], page 119), "The location of the miracle is described in the synoptic gospels as in a deserted place (Mark 6:35 [45]) near Bethsaida (Luke 9:10), a reference to Bethsaida-Julia located on the northeast shore of the sea (cf. John 1:44 [and John 12:21]).")]] (2) A large crowd followed Him [They followed Him "to the other side of the Sea of Galilee."], because they saw the signs ["or attesting miracles" (margin of NASB); cf., e.g., John 2:11, 23; 3:2; 6:14, 30; 11:47; 12:18, 37; and 20:30, 31] which He was performing on those who were sick. [[Some (many) of the people who followed Jesus as He ministered in Galilee (and elsewhere) didn't really see signs, signs that pointed them to the fact that they needed to repent and submit (in faith) to Jesus, the Messiah, the only Savior, who could save them from their sins; they just saw miracles that could meet their physical needs (cf., e.g., John 6:26). ((I had a footnote: The context in which the chief priest and Pharisees used the Greek noun ("semenion") translated "signs" in John 11:47 shows that they were using the word in the sense of miracle. They certainly didn't believe that the miracles Jesus performed were signs that should cause men to look to Him as being sent from God; they didn't believe in Jesus; some of them claimed that He worked miracles by the power of Satan.))]] (3) Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples [cf. John 6:15]. (4) Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. [This is the second of three Passovers mentioned in the Gospel of John; the other two are mentioned in John 2:13, 23 and in 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; and 18:28. (See under John 2:13 in my paper on John 1:19-4:54 on this Christian article site.] (5) Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him [cf. John 6:2], said to Philip [Philip was one of the twelve apostles (cf. John 1:43-48; 6:7; 12:21, 22; 14:8, 9; and Matt. 10:3).], 'Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?' [Matt. 14:14, 15; Mark 6:34, 35 show that Jesus had been teaching and healing the people for many hours before He brought up the topic of feeding them.] (6) This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. (7) Philip answered Him, 'Two hundred denarii [cf. Mark 6:37; "The denarius was equivalent to a day's wages" (margin of NASB)] worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.' [Verse 10 shows that the number of men was about five thousand; Matt. 14:21 confirms that women and children were to be added to this number; the total number of people could have been ten to twenty thousand.] (8) One of His disciples, Andrew [cf. John 1:35-42; Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; and Luke 5:2-11], Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, (9) 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves [John's account was the only one that mentioned that the loaves were made of barley.] and two fish [cf. Matt. 14:17, 19; Mark 6:38, 41; and Luke 9:13, 16], but what are these for so many people?' (10) Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' Now there was much grass in the place [cf. Mark 6:39]. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (11) Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. (12) When they were filled, He said to His disciples, 'Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.' (13) So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. (14) Therefore when the people saw the sign [On "the sign," see under verse 2] which He had performed, they said, 'This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world [cf. John 1:19-25; 7:40-42; and Deut. 18:15-19; the first two references cited demonstrate that "the Prophet" wasn't always equated with the Messiah.].' (15) So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain [cf. John 6:3] by Himself alone [cf. verses 16-21]. [[It is clear that Jesus didn't appreciate the misdirected, fleshly zeal of the people. They were going to take matters into their own hands, take Him by force, and make Him king. Most of them were probably looking for Him to deliver them from the Romans; they were not looking for a King to call them to repentance and save them from their sin(s). Verses 26-30, for example, show that most of the people didn't really believe in (have faith in) Jesus. His kingdom is not of this world (cf., e.g., John 18:36), but He will return as King to save and glorify His own and to judge this world and its god.]] (16) [Compare Matt. 14:22-34 (this account in Matthew includes Peter's walking on the water); Mark 6:45-53.] Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, (17) and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. [[Compare John 6:24. Matthew 14:34 and Mark 6:53 mention that they landed at Gennesaret. I'll quote two sentences from what W. W. Buehler says under "Genneseret, Land of" ("International Standard Bible Encyclopedia," fully revised, Vol. 2 (Eerdmans, 1982), page 443). "Genneseret is a coastal plain about 5 km. (3 mi.) long and 1.5 km. (1 mi.) wide, extending from Magdala [which was south of Capernaum] to just S of Capernaum. Sheltered from the wind by mountains and lying 210 m. (682 ft.) below sea level, it consists of well-watered alluvial soil and enjoys a subtropical climate."]] It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. (18) The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. (19) Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles ["Lit. 25 or 30 stadia" (margin of NASB). I'll quote two sentences from what F. F. Bruce says here ("Gospel of John," page 148), "A 'furlong' (Greek "stadion") was rather less than our modern furlong; they had rowed about three miles. From the neighborhood of Bethsaida across the lake to Capernaum would be about five miles."], they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. (20) But He said to them, 'It is I; do not be afraid ["Or, stop being afraid" (margin of NASB); cf. Matt. 14:26, 27; Mark 6:49, 50].' (21) So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. [John is the only Gospel writer who mentioned the apparent miracle that "immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going."] (22) The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea [referring to the crowd that had seen the miraculous multiplication of food; they were still at the location where Jesus had worked the miracle] saw that there was no other small boat there, except one [[the boat in which Jesus and His disciples had crossed to the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee to begin with (cf. Matt. 14:13; Mark 6:32; and John 6:1) and in which the disciples had left to cross over to Capernaum, which was on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee (cf. John 6:16, 17).]], and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. (23) There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks [cf. John 6:11]. [[I'll quote two sentences from what J. Carl Laney says here ("John," page 126), "By the time the crowds realized that Jesus was gone, some boatmen had arrived from Tiberias, the capital of Galilee, from which Herod Antipas ruled. Tiberius was located along the southwest shore of the lake, about a seven-mile boat ride from Capernaum."]] (24) So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum [cf. John 6:17] seeking Jesus. [Undoubtedly a large number of the people who had followed Jesus to the northeast corner of the Sea of Galilee went back the same way they had come, by walking.] (25) When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, 'Rabbi, when did You get here?' (26) Jesus answered them and said [Jesus didn't answer their question as to when (or how) He had gotten to Capernaum.], 'Truly [Amen], truly [amen], I say to you, you seek Me [In verse 24 it says they were seeking Jesus.], not because you saw signs [[They had seen miracles, but not signs that pointed them to their need to repent and submit (in faith) to Christ Jesus, the only One who could save them and give them eternal life. On signs, see verses 2, 14, 30; see under verse 2 (including the footnote) and under verse 30.

I'll quote part of what F. Godet says here ("Commentary on the Gospel of John" [Zondervan, 1969 reprint], page 18), "The multitudes interpreted the multiplication of the loaves [and fish] as the beginning of a series of wonders of the same nature, the inauguration of an era of miracles more and more brilliant and satisfying to the flesh. 'Instead of seeing,' as Lange says, 'in the bread the sign, they had seen in the sign only the bread.' This gross want of understanding is what gives to their search for Jesus a false, earthly, sensual, animal character. This tendency it is which Jesus points out to them from the very first word of the conversation, and particularly by the expression which betrays a sort of disgust: and because you were filled. What a difference between these people, who come with their gross aspirations, their earthly appetites, and the spiritual Israel which the Old Testament was intended to prepare and which cries out: 'My soul thirsts after thee, oh living God!' This Israel would say to Him who multiplied the loaves: Give us more still! Do today for our hearts what thou didst yesterday for our bodies!"]], but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. (27) Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food [spiritual, heavenly food] which endures to eternal life [cf., e.g., Isa. 55:1-5; Matt. 6:33; John 3:15-17, 36; 4:10-15; 6:40, 47-58, 63; 10:28; and 17:2, 3], which the Son of Man [see under John 5:27] will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal [[To say the Father has "set His seal" on the Lord Jesus Christ is to say that He has testified to His genuineness (cf., e.g., John 5:31-47); His seal guarantees the authenticity of Christ Jesus.].' [In a way that is typical for the Gospel of John, Jesus exhorts His hearers to repent, to find out who He is (God the Son, the Messiah, the Lamb of God), and to submit (in faith) to Him, to the One who sent Him (and the One who testifies of Him and has set His seal on Him), and to the gospel of salvation.]] (28) Therefore they said to Him, 'What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?' (29) Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe [I had a footnote: The present tense of the verb believe used here confirms what we should have known anyway, that we must continue to believe in Christ.] in [Greek preposition "eis"] Him whom He has sent.' [[Compare 1 John 3:23. First we must (repent and) believe in (submit in faith to) the Lord Jesus Christ. To believe in Him includes believing in the One who sent Him and believing all that is revealed about Him and the plan of salvation that centers in Him. Any works that are done while refusing to submit (from the heart in faith) to the One sent by the Father cannot be acceptable works, and such works can never bring about the new birth, which provides the power to overcome sin.

The New Testament makes it quite clear that works of righteousness must be manifested (and that we will be judged according to our works) - but first things first. First we must be forgiven and born again through (and in union with) Christ; then we can do the required works of righteousness (with the victory over sin) by His grace/Spirit through faith and for His glory. If the faith is real the works will be manifested in a righteous life that is lived in accordance with the will of God (cf., e.g., Eph. 2:10; Titus 2:14; James 2:14-26; Rev. 2:5, 26; and 3:1-4). I'll quote a sentence from what J. H. Bernard says here ("Gospel According to John," Vol. 1 [T&T Clark, 1999 printing], page 192), "This mystical doctrine of union with Christ [by the Spirit] is the core of the Fourth Gospel; see, for earlier statements of it, 3:15, 36 and the notes there."

I'll quote a paragraph from what Gerald L. Borchert says under verses 27-29 ("John 1-11" [Broadman & Holman, 2002], pages 262, 263), "The interplay between working and believing is crucial to the concept of salvation in John. On the one hand, a person cannot earn acceptability with God by working for it. On the other hand, acceptability with God cannot be on the basis of 'belief' in a mere theological formulation about God. Thus the noun 'faith' (pistis) does not occur in John's Gospel. (Borshert has a footnote, "Note, however, the untypical use of pistis at 1 John 5:4.") [[The noun faith is an action noun; very often this noun (as it is used in the New Testament) is full of action. Having faith in God (the triune God) includes making Him, His word, His righteousness, His salvation, and His will top priority. Those who have faith in God trust Him, and they obey Him. They have the right priorities, attitudes, and motives. See the second to last sentence in the preceding paragraph, and see the use of this noun throughout Hebrews chapter 11 for many examples of the fact that faith is a noun full of action. In general there is no difference between believing in God and His Word and having faith in God and His Word.]] He chose instead to use only the verb 'believe' (pisteuein), and he almost equated it with 'obey' (cf. 3:36). ...believing and obeying are parallel ways one acknowledges dependence on God. As the Son always responded appropriately to the Father, people are to respond to the Son, who was sent by the Father (6:29). That is precisely the way John understood the call of Jesus to the Jews here."]] (30) So they said to Him, 'What then do You do for a sign [cf., e.g., John 2:18; 6:2, 14, 26; Matt. 12:38-42; and 1 Cor. 1:22], so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? [[The apostle John makes it very clear in this Gospel that Jesus taught that saving faith must be based on more than signs. Jesus knew what was in the hearts of people (cf. John 2:23-25). (Faith is of the heart.) He knew, for one thing, that many would not become true believers no matter how many signs, or how great the signs He worked.

As His questioners continue in the next verse (verse 31), they remind Jesus that God gave the spectacular sign of manna from heaven when Moses led the people, heavenly bread that God provided throughout the years of the wilderness wanderings for the people of Israel on their way to the promised land. They are demanding a comparable (or greater) sign from Jesus before they submit to Him in faith. ((I had a footnote: I'll quote a few sentences from what Leon Morris says under verses 30-40 ("Gospel According to John," pages 361, 362). "This section of the discourse is to be understood against the background of a Jewish expectation that, when the Messiah came, He would renew the miracle of the manna. Comfortably filled with the loaves Jesus has provided [that was yesterday], the multitude challenge Him to give them a permanent supply of bread. Jesus turns their attention to 'the true bread' (32), 'the bread of God' (33), 'the bread of life' (35). Their thoughts are hopelessly earthbound. He seeks to raise them to heaven and to that eternal life which is inextricably linked with himself."))]] (31) Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness [cf. Ex. 16:1-36; Num. 11:1-9; and John 6:49]; as it is written, "HE [GOD] GAVE THEM BREAD [physical bread] OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT." ' [[Compare Ex. 16:4, 15; Neh. 9:15; Psalms 78:24; and 105:40. I'll quote two sentences from what Henry Alford says here ("New Testament for English Readers," Vol. 2 [Baker, 1983 reprint], page 518), "The manna was extolled by the Jews as the greatest miracle of Moses. Josephus calls it 'a divine and wondrous food,' see also Wisd. 16:20 ["By contrast, thy own people were given angels' food, and thou didst send them from heaven, without labour of their own, bread ready to eat, rich in delight of every kind and suited to every taste" (quoting Wisdom of Solomon 16:20 from the apocrypha section of the NEB)]."]] (32) Jesus then said to them, 'Truly [Amen], truly [amen], I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven [true, spiritual, heavenly bread], but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. [[I don't believe Jesus was making the point here that it was God, not Moses, who gave Israel the manna when Moses was leading the people of Israel. (I had a footnote: Most commentators believe Jesus was making that point here, but not Godet, Lenski, and others. I'll quote John 6:32 from "Today's English Version," " 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said, 'What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my Father who gives you the real bread from heaven.' ") I don't believe Jesus needed to make that point: His hearers would have agreed that God gave Israel the manna. When Jesus spoke of "the bread out of heaven" here in John 6:32 (cf. John 6:33, 35, 41, 58), He was speaking of "the true bread out of heaven

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