Since John’s Gospel is selective, he does not record events in the life of Jesus that do not help him fulfill his purpose. Between the healing of the paralytic (John 5) and the feeding of the 5,000, many events have taken place, many of which are mentioned in Luke, chapters 6-9, and Mark, chapters 3-6.

During this period, Jesus preached the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) and gave the parables of the kingdom (Matt. 13). The feeding of the 5,000 was a miracle of such magnitude that it is recorded in all four gospels! Only the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection are recorded by all the gospels!

A great multitude had been following Jesus for several days, listening to His teaching and beholding His miracles.  Jesus had tried to “get away” to rest, but the needs of the crowds pressed Him (Mark 6:31-34).

There are a number of elements in this feeding that have been taken as symbolic. For instance, when Jesus says to eat his flesh and drink his blood, many read into that the Lord’s Supper (cf. Mt 26:20-29; Jn 6:35-59). Others see the twelve baskets as symbols of the twelve tribes/Apostles or the whole meal as a picture of the Messianic banquet. And the bread Jesus offers in a remote place is like the manna that God provided in the wilderness (cf. Jn 6:30-33). The fish became one of the dominant symbols of early Christian art.

No matter what we take as symbolic, Jesus is the centerpiece. Mark highlights his compassion (Mk 6:34). John highlights his power over the inanimate (cf. Jn 2:1-11) and his provision for our spiritual needs (Jn 6:26-59). And Matthew contrasts the sinfulness of Herod’s drunken banquet (Mt 14:3-12) with the beauty of Jesus’ simple feeding of the peasant population. Certainly the people in attendance took this to be a clear demonstration that Jesus was the Messiah (Jn 6:15; cf. 1 Kgs 17:9-16; 2 Kgs 4:42-44).

 

The Feeding of the 5000 in Its Historical Perspective

Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
	The disciples are sent out. They preach repentance and heal many. 6:7-13	The disciples are sent out, preaching and healing everywhere, “taking nothing for the journey.” 9:1-6
John the Baptist is dead. John’s disciples bury him and report it to Jesus. 14:1-12	The death of John the Baptist is reported. 6:14-29	Herod hears of John’s death and rumors about who the people think Jesus is. He wants to see Jesus. 9:7-9
Jesus withdraws to an isolated place and the crowds follow Him. Jesus heals the sick. 14:13-14	His disciples tell Jesus about their mission experience. Jesus tells them to come away with Him for a while to rest. 6:30-31	The disciples return, report to Jesus, and withdraw to a private spot near Bethsaida where Jesus teaches the multitude and heals the sick. 9:10-11
Feeding of 5,000 14:15-21	Feeding of 5,000 6:32-44	Feeding of 5,000 9:12-17	Feeding of 5,000 6:1-14
Jesus makes His disciples get into the boat and go to the other side. He dismisses the crowd. He goes alone to pray. 14:22-23	Jesus makes His disciples get in the boat and leave. He bids the crowd farewell, and then goes to the mountain to pray. 6:45-46		People wish to force Jesus to be their king, and so He withdraws to pray. 6:15
Jesus walks on the water. Disciples say, “You are the Son of God.” 14:24-33	Jesus walks on the water. 6:47-52		Jesus walks on the water. 6:16-21
When Jesus and His disciples arrive, many come to Him, bringing the sick. Jesus heals them, some by touching the fringe of His cloak. 14:34-36	Crowds gather with their sick, wherever they think Jesus will be. Jesus heals many. 6:53-56
		Great confession and Jesus’ instruction. 9:18-22
		Call to discipleship. 9:23-27
		Transfiguration. 9:28-36

 

* GOD’S SPECIALTY: IMPOSSIBILITIES (6:1-21).

   “Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), {2} and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. {3} Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. {4} The Jewish Passover Feast was near.”  

 

The chart on the previous page outlines the events which the Gospels include before and after the feeding of the 5,000, and our Lord’s walking on water. It is quite evident in this chart that John’s Gospel is the most pared down, bare-bones account of these events. This is not to say that John has nothing unique to contribute, for he does. It is in John’s Gospel that we learn the loaves and fishes come from a young lad, and that two disciples, Philip and Andrew, are particularly involved in the miracle of feeding the 5,000. Likewise, John informs us that the loaves were barley bread. Aside from these details, the Synoptic Gospels give us the greatest amount of detail regarding these two miracles.

 

Unlike the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), which give considerable attention to the “Great Galilean ministry” of our Lord (Matthew 4:12–15:20; Mark 1:14–7:23; Luke 4:14–9:17), John passes by this period, recording only the first and last miracles of this era. He has his reasons for doing this, which we shall explore a little later on. But for now let us simply review the sequence of events leading up to and beyond these miracles, as we piece them all together from the various Gospel accounts.

 

Two years into His public ministry, Jesus sent out His twelve disciples by two’s. They went about casting out demons, healing and preaching about the kingdom of God, and calling on men to repent wherever they went. John the Baptist, imprisoned earlier, has just been beheaded by a reluctant Herod, who has second thoughts afterwards. When he hears word of the miraculous ministry and rising popularity of Jesus, Herod fears that Jesus might be John the Baptist raised from the dead. He tries to see Jesus, but is not able to do so. The disciples return from their missionary journeys and begin to report to Jesus all that has happened. Jesus is so besieged by those seeking healing that He has very little time to spend privately with His disciples.

 

Jesus and His disciples withdraw to a private place near Bethsaida. It seems as though they are alone at last, away from the crowds, so that Jesus can talk with them about their ministry and further teach them. It also appears to provide a time for them to get some much needed rest. Their destination is just outside of Herod’s territory, just out of his reach. All in all, it appears to be a needed break from the frantic pace they have been keeping.

 

As we well know, it doesn’t work out that way. After the feeding of the 5,000, the crowds are even more intent on forcefully bringing about the promised kingdom. Jesus sends His disciples away in the boat, dismisses the crowds, and then goes off to pray by Himself. When He finishes praying, He begins to make His way across the Sea of Galilee by walking on the water. As He crosses the sea, Jesus comes across His disciples and ends up in the boat with them. Immediately, they arrive at their destination on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, where many more miracles are performed. Some time after this, Jesus presses His disciples concerning His identity, and Peter makes his “great confession.” The transfiguration of our Lord follows. These are indeed great moments in the ministry of our Lord. The feeding of the 5,000 marks a critical moment in our Lord’s ministry.

 

Another factor also amplifies the impact of the feeding of the 5,000—the Passover is near (John 6:4). D. A. Carson reminds us of the patriotic and political implications of the Passover:

… the Passover Feast was to Palestinian Jews what the fourth of July is to Americans, or, better, what the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne is to loyalist Protestants in Northern Ireland. It was a rallying point for intense, nationalistic zeal. This goes some way to explaining their fervour that tried to force Jesus to become king …[1]

 

Having pointed out the chronology of events we gain from the Synoptic Gospels, I must call your attention to the fact that John does not present his account of the feeding of the 5,000 as one incident in a sequential chain of events. John is developing a theme, and therefore structures his Gospel differently. In the last part of John chapter 1, Jesus is identified as the Messiah by John the Baptist, after which our Lord begins to gather His disciples. In chapter 2, Jesus makes the water into wine and cleanses the temple in Jerusalem. In chapter 3, our Lord has an interview with Nicodemus. He then speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4, resulting not only in her faith, but also in the conversion of most of the citizens of Sychar.

 

It is here, in chapter 4, that John introduces the subject of “food.”[2] His disciples are intent upon Jesus having something to eat. They cannot understand what “food” He has to “eat” other than the food they have just obtained in town. The opposition to Jesus begins to become serious in chapter 5. Jesus heals the paralytic and then commands him to carry his bed, in spite of it being the Sabbath. On top of this, when attacked as a Sabbath-breaker, Jesus justifies His actions by claiming to be equal with God. By the end of chapter 5, the Jewish religious authorities are more committed than ever to putting Jesus to death.

 

This brings us to John chapter 6. Jesus changes location, moving from Judea to Galilee. He leaves behind the crowds in Capernaum to be alone with His disciples in an isolated place in the wilderness. It is a time when our Lord’s popularity among the common people is skyrocketing. But by the end of the chapter, many of His would-be followers leave Him, never to follow Him again. If Jesus was rejected by the Jewish authorities in Judea in chapter 5, He is rejected by the masses in Galilee in chapter 6. From this point on in the Gospel of John, it is only a matter of time until Jesus makes His way up to Calvary, bearing a Roman cross and the penalty for our sins.

 

Yet one more thing should be mentioned before turning to the actual account of the feeding of the 5,000. I cannot avoid the impression that Jesus has been at this wilderness location before. Let me suggest some of my reasons for coming to this conclusion. First, John tells us “Jesus went up the mountainside” (verse 3).[3] John seems to refer to a particular mountainside—the mountainside, not a mountainside. While some scholars point out that the definite article (“the”) does not necessarily indicate a particular, well-known place,[4] it certainly could. I think it does.

 

Second, there are some interesting parallels between our text in John and Matthew’s account of our Lord’s earlier ministry, when He preached the Sermon on the Mount. The similarities between these two accounts, the one in Matthew 4 and 5, and the other in our text in John, may be summed up as follows:

 

The Sermon on the Mount	Jesus Feeds the 5,000 on the Mount
John the Baptist is arrested (Mat. 4:12)	John the Baptist is put to death (Matt. 14:1-12)
Jesus retreats to Galilee (Matt. 4:12)	Jesus retreats to Galilee (Matt. 14:13)
Jesus chooses His 12 disciples (Matt. 4:18f.)	Jesus sends out His 12 disciples (Mark 6:7-13)
Jesus teaches on the mount (Matt. 5:1f.)	Jesus teaches on the mount (Mark 6:34)

 

Perhaps it is not a point worth belaboring, but it does seem as though this “mountain” is a more familiar place to our Lord, His disciples, and even the crowds than we might think. Would this not help explain why so many people hurry to this place when they realize Jesus is in a boat, heading out across the Sea of Galilee?

 

There were times when Jesus desired to withdraw from the crowds.  He was under continuous strain and needed rest.  Moreover, it was necessary that sometimes he should get his disciples alone to lead them into a deeper understanding of himself.  In addition, he needed time for prayer.  On this particular occasion it was wise to go away before a head-on collision with the authorities took place, for the time of the final conflict had not yet come.

 

From Capernaum to the other side of the Sea of Galilee was a distance of about four miles and Jesus set sail.  The people had been watching with astonishment the things he did; it was easy to see the direction the boat was taking; and they hastened round the top of the lake by land.  The River Jordan flows into the north end of the Sea of Galilee.  Two miles up the river were the fords of Jordan.  Near the fords was a village called Bethsaida Julias, to distinguish it from the other Bethsaida in Galilee, and it was for that place that Jesus was making (Luke 9:10).  Near Bethsaida Julias, almost on the lakeside, was a little plain where the grass always grew.  It was to be the scene of a wondrous happening.

 

At first Jesus went up into the hill behind the plain and he was sitting there with his disciples.  Then the crowd began to appear in droves.  It was nine miles round the top of the lake and across the ford, and they had made the journey with all speed.  We are told that the Feast of the Passover was near and there would be even bigger crowds on the roads at that time.  Possibly many were on the way to Jerusalem by that route.  Many Galilaean pilgrims travelled north and crossed the ford and went through Peraea, and then re-crossed the Jordan near Jericho.  The way was longer but it avoided the territory of the hated and dangerous Samaritans.  It is likely that the great crowd was swelled by detachments of pilgrims on their way to the Passover Feast.

 

Everyone can list a few things in their life which might fit into the category of “impossible.” Jesus had already shown His disciples some pretty “impossible” things; and great crowds of people were beginning to also take notice.

Thousands of people have gathered in the area around the Sea of Galilee to celebrate the Passover,  and after preaching to them all day, Jesus and the disciples desperately need rest and relaxation.

They had been watching the signs which Jesus had been doing for a long time (2:23), though John does not give them to us in his gospel (Mark 1:29f; 2:1; 3:1; 6:5). The people were eager to hear him again (Luke 9:11) and to get the benefit of his healing power of them that were sick.

Mark (6:46) and Matthew (14:23) tell us that after the miracle Jesus went further up into the mountain (vs. 3) to pray.  There were at least four things which led Jesus to seek retirement:

1. the news of the death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14)
2. the sudden, and probably evil, interest of Herod
3. the return of the 12 from intense evangelistic labors (Matt. 9-10)
4. the great multitude pressing upon Him continually (Mark 6:33)

 

This was likely the Lord’s Passover (2:13; 5:1; 6:4 and 13:1), but due to the hostility (7:1) He did not attend this one.

Great opportunities are often disguised as unsolvable problems. Let’s watch as a humanly unsolvable problem becomes a great opportunity when seen from a divine viewpoint:

 

– From a Human Perspective.

With their limited, human understanding, these weary fishermen can see only a swelling sea of humanity threatening to wash over them. In verse 10 we’re told that this great multitude numbered 5,000 men. Including women and children, this figure could easily have been 8,000-10,000.

 

– From a Divine Perspective.

From Jesus’ point of view, the crowds weren’t an infringement but an opportunity–a chance to reveal His glory and, at the same time, stretch his disciple’s faith.

 

He begins with a test for Philip:

“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” {6} He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. {7} Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Mark 6:35-36 tells us that initially the disciples suggested that Jesus send the people away…to get rid of the problem. But Jesus knew that the hungry people would faint on the way if somebody did not feed them. It was evening (Matt. 14:15), and that was no time for travel.

 

At sight of the crowd Jesus’s sympathy was kindled.  They were hungry and tired, and they must be fed.  Philip was the natural man to whom to turn, for he came from Bethsaida (John 1:44) and would have local knowledge.  Jesus asked him where food could be got.  Philip’s answer was despairing.  He said that even if food could be got it would cost more than two hundred denarii to give this vast crowd even a little each.  A denarius was worth about 4p and was the standard day’s wage for a working man.  Philip calculated that it would take more than six months’ wages to begin to feed a crowd like this.

 

Then Andrew appeared on the scene.  He had discovered a lad with five barley loaves and two little fishes.  Quite likely the boy had brought them as a picnic lunch.  Maybe he was out for the day, and as a boy might, had got attached himself to the crowd.  Andrew, as usual, was bringing people to Jesus.

 

The boy had not much to bring.  Barley bread was the cheapest of all bread and was held in contempt.  There is a regulation in the Mishnah about the offering that a woman who has committed adultery must bring.  She must, of course, bring a trespass offering.  With all offerings a meat-offering was made, and the meat-offering consisted of flour and wine and oil intermixed.  Ordinarily the flour used was made of wheat; but it was laid down that, in the case of an offering for adultery, the flour could be barley flour, for barley is the food of beasts and the woman’s sin was the sin of a beast.  Barley bread was the bread of the very poor.

 

The fishes would be no bigger than sardines.  Pickled fish from Galilee were known all over the Roman Empire.  In those days fresh fish was an unheard-of luxury, for there was no means of transporting it any distance and keeping it in an eatable condition.  Small sardine-like fish swarmed in the Sea of Galilee.  They were caught and pickled and made into a kind of savoury.  The boy had his little pickled fish to help the dry barley bread down.

 

Jesus told the disciples to make the people sit down.  He took the loaves and the fishes and he blessed them.  When he did that he was acting as father of the family.  The grace he used would be the one that was used in every home:  “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, who causest to come forth bread from the earth.”  The people ate and were filled.  Even the word that is used for filled (chortazesthai) is suggestive.  Originally, in classical Greek, it was a word used for feeding animals with fodder.  When used of people it meant that they were fed to repletion.

 

When the people had eaten their fill, Jesus bade his disciples gather up the fragments left.  Why the fragments?  At Jewish feasts the regular practice was to leave something for the servants.  That which was left was called the Peah; and no doubt the people left their usual part for those who had served them with the meal.

 

Of the fragments twelve baskets were taken up.  No doubt each of the disciples had his basket (kophinos).  It was bottle-shaped and no Jew ever travelled without his.  Twice Juvenal (3:14; 6:542) talks of “the Jew with his basket and his truss of hay.”  (The truss of hay was to use as a bed, for many of the Jews lived a gipsy life.)  The Jew with his inseparable basket was a notorious figure.  He carried it partly because he was characteristically acquisitive, and partly because he needed to carry his own food if he was going to observe the Jewish rules of cleanness and uncleanness.  From the fragments each of the disciples filled his basket.  And so the hungry crowd were fed and more than fed.

 

The second solution came from Philip in response to our Lord’s test question. Jesus’ intent is not to humiliate or demean Philip; rather, He wants to stretch Philip’s muscle of faith, to help him grow and make him stronger. A denarius was approximately a day’s wages for the common laborer.  Philip is quick to come to the bottom line in terms of dollars and cents, which they don’t have.

Of course, Philip’s balance sheet doesn’t show the infinite wealth and power of God, who owns the earth and all it contains (Psalm 24:1) and who can do (Ephesians 3:20) “…immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

So how does Philip do on his exam?

– he sees only the situation, not the solution

– he’s more concerned about the odds against them than about those for them

– he calculates for only a bare minimum…“for everyone to receive a little”

    While Philip busily burns out the batteries in his pocket calculator, Andrew scurries among the crowd looking for groceries:

“ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, {9} “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Andrew, who has volunteered for this test, scores somewhat better than Philip. A careful optimist, Andrew at least seeks a solution, even though it is a human one. Putting his nose in a kid’s picnic basket, he finds five flat barley loaves and a couple of pickled sardines. But notice: once again Andrew is busy bringing somebody to Jesus. We don’t know how Andrew met this lad, but we are glad he did! Though Andrew did not have a prominent place in the gospels, he was apparently a “people person” who helped solve problems.

Admittedly, it isn’t much, but Andrew’s approach is better than Philip’s. However, he also becomes overwhelmed by the circumstances.

 

   We see the response of Jesus to the impossible.

    “Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. {11} Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. {12} When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” {13} So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.”  

Calmly and methodically, Jesus sits the people down, dividing them into manageable groups of hundreds and fifties (Mark 6:40). And taking the scant supply of groceries, He looks to God in prayer and multiplies the food for the masses…and they had 12 baskets full left over!

Jesus looks into heaven and gives thanks prior to the meal, which is the typical practice of the Jewish head of the house. He may even have recited a typical prayer of thanksgiving such as this one: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth” (m. Ber. 6:1).

It is curious to note that none of the four Gospel writers even give a hint as to how this miracle took place. It is simply assumed that Jesus had regenerative powers (perhaps reminiscent of Elijah, 2 Kgs 4:42-44). As he was able to transform the water to wine in Cana, so now he reproduces ex nihilo barley loaves and “fishettes.” Jesus has, at other times, demonstrated power over the inanimate—miraculous catch of fish (Lk 5:5-10) and the calming of the sea (Lk 8:24). But there is a qualitative difference here in his creative ability (cf. Jn 1:1-4; Col 1:16-17).

The practical lesson is clear: whenever there is a need, give all that you have to Jesus and let Him do the rest. Begin with what you have, but be sure you give it all to Him.

Remember, the crowd was made up of five thousand men who were strong enough to go to war–and hungry enough to eat a large amount of food!

 

However that may be, there were certain people there without whom the miracle would not have been possible.

 

(i)  There was Andrew.  There is a contrast between Andrew and Philip.  Philip was the man who said:  “The situation is hopeless; nothing can be done.”  Andrew was the man who said:  “I’ll see what I can do; and I’ll trust Jesus to do the rest.”

 

It was Andrew who brought that lad to Jesus, and by bringing him made the miracle possible.  No one ever knows what will come out of it when we bring someone to Jesus.  If a parent trains up his child in the knowledge and the love and the fear of God, no man can say what mighty things that child may some day do for God and for men.  If a Sunday School teacher brings a child to Christ, no man knows what that child may some day do for Christ and his church.

 

There is a tale of an old German schoolmaster who, when he entered his class of boys in the morning, used to remove his cap and bow ceremoniously to them.  One asked him why he did this.  His answer was:  “You never know what one of these boys may some day become.”  He was right-because one of them was Martin Luther.

Andrew did not know what he was doing when he brought that lad to Jesus that day, but he was providing material for a miracle.  We never know what possibilities we are releasing when we bring someone to Jesus.

 

(ii)  There was the boy.  He had not much to offer but in what he had Jesus found the materials of a miracle.  There would have been one great deed fewer in history if that boy had withheld his loaves and fishes.

 

Jesus needs what we can bring him.  It may not be much but he needs it.  It may well be that the world is denied miracle after miracle and triumph after triumph because we will not bring to Jesus what we have and what we are.  If we would lay ourselves on the altar of his service, there is no saying what he could do with us and through us.  We may be sorry and embarrassed that we have not more to bring-and rightly so; but that is no reason for failing to bring what we have.  Little is always much in the hands of Christ.

 

How did the people (the crowd) respond?

“After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” {15} Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

When the people saw the “sign” (6:14), they realized that the hand of God was upon Jesus in a special way. They concluded that He was “the Prophet who is to come into the world” (6:14). This expectation of a coming prophet was based on a teaching from the Law where Moses had made this statement: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him” (Deuteronomy 18:15).

A few verses later, Moses quoted the Lord: “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18). With these words echoing in their ears, with patriotic dreams burning in their hearts, and with the remnants of their meal clinging to their beards, the five thousand would-be revolutionaries “were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king” (6:15).

Such an intention was not to be taken lightly. If they had made Jesus their king, the powers of Rome would have seen their actions as a declaration of war. In order for one king to be enthroned, another must be dethroned. Nevertheless, that was their intention!

Before going farther in the text, let us imagine what the five thousand were thinking that day. Once they declared Jesus to be their king, what could they expect to happen? Having just eaten their fill of Jesus’ miracle food, they probably expected Jesus to find a sword somewhere and multiply it to equip this ragtag army of farmers and shopkeepers. Then, with their swords glistening in the sun, they would march against Tiberias across the Sea of Galilee.

In short order, they would overwhelm the city and then proceed to march on to their ultimate target, Jerusalem. Since it was Passover season, they would find the Roman garrison stationed there. The battle would be fierce, but in the end the Romans would be vanquished.

Jesus and His army of common men would cleanse the temple of all its pollution and abuses, and the Sadducees would be toppled from their positions of power. When word of the capture of Jerusalem reached Rome, the powerful legions of Rome would be brought against Jesus and His army.

In a spectacular and decisive conflict, the Jews would smash the Romans to become the new world empire. This is probably what the average member of Jesus’ five-thousand-man would-be army thought would happen! However, Jesus had something else in mind.

Jesus aborts their attempt with three decisive actions: (1) He sends his Apostles away. (2) He dismisses the crowd. (3) He disappears into the mountains. Finally, Jesus gets the rest for which he came. It is not rest of the body but privacy with the Father. Clearly, Jesus saw his greatest need to be prayer, not sleep.

THEIR MISTAKE AND OURS

With expectations running high and excitement at a frenzied level, Jesus did a most unexpected thing. He “withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone” (6:15). He was probably the only one on the entire mountain that day who understood what He was doing. To the Twelve  and the other five thousand followers, it must have seemed as if Jesus had walked away from the very goal He had worked so hard to accomplish.

The best comparison I call think of would involve a person who has devoted four years of his life to becoming the leader of his country. He has campaigned long hours and traveled fifty-two weeks each year to promote his candidacy for office.

Then, finally, all the hard work rays off: In the primary elections, he has won the needed delegates to secure his party’s nomination. However, when the convention is held and the nominating vote is taken, something unthinkable happens. While thousands are screaming their support and waving signs with the candidate’s name on them, the man suddenly rises from his chair and walks out off the concentration center.

Such an act would be unthinkable—but probably no more unthinkable than what Jesus did when the five thousand were ready to make Him  their king.

Jesus again demonstrated His unparalleled ability to stay focused on His ultimate goal. He knew that the crowd’s flattering intentions would not accomplish the ultimate purpose of God; a revolt by the sea would not save the world from sin. Furthermore, He knew that in their present frame of mind there would be no reasoning with them. Therefore, He simply walked away!

Two sights I see in the “mirror” of this text bother me. My first concern is our human tendency to try to force Jesus into our mold. We want to place our expectations on Jesus, rather than letting Him show us who He is. Do we not sometimes make the assumption that Jesus is like us?

Americans tend to think of Him as an American, while Italians think of Him as an Italian. English-speaking people assume that Jesus spoke English, while Spanish-speaking people seem certain that Jesus favored the Spanish language. Rich people see Him as rich, and poor people see Him as poor. Those who are educated picture Jesus as educated, and the uneducated are confident that He shared their distrust of schooling. Emotional people view Jesus as emotional, while calmer people claim that Jesus shared their relaxed demeanor.

The scene of Jesus walking away from the five thousand reminds us of how wrong we can be when we place our own expectations on Jesus. He insisted on doing His Father’s will, even if the whole world misunderstood.

The other warning this short passage gives us is that we, too, can become so caught up in short-term problems that we ignore long-term solutions.

The Jews of Jesus’ day chafed under the domination of the Romans. Longing for the time when someone would bring political freedom to Israel, they overlooked “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (1:29).

Do we ever do that? Do we ever become so concerned with immediate problems that we lose sight of life’s biggest issues? Do we ever find ourselves wanting deliverance from taxes, pain, conflict, stress, or work more than we long for deliverance from sin? When we insist on making Jesus fit our expectations and follow our agenda, we are doing what the five thousand did that day on the mountain … and Jesus walked away from them!

The people had seen the miracle, and the gears in their minds begin to turn in selfish and manipulative circles. John alone tells us that the people wanted to make Jesus king by force. Jesus is indeed King of the Jews, but when He does reign, it will be on His terms, not on man’s or Satan’s (see Matthew 4:8-10 and John 6:15).

The Passover was a reminder of the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. And a deliverance from the bondage of Rome was definitely on their minds here!

Certainly, His miracles and the feeding here of so many would only enhance His popularity…though it was only temporary.

How did the disciples respond?

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, {17} where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. {18} A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. {19} When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. {20} But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” {21} Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.”

This narrative contains not one, but four miracles: (1) Walking on water, (2) causing Peter to walk on water, (3) calming of the storm, and (4) immediately arriving at land. It complements the story of the feeding of the 5,000 by highlighting the sovereignty of Jesus. Furthermore, it continues the theme that has run through this section—misunderstanding who Jesus is. He is, of course, misunderstood by the crowds. Earlier, even John the Baptist questioned who Jesus was. And even now his own disciples don’t really know Jesus, even after the feeding of the 5,000 (Mk 6:52).

    We must not think that the disciples were forgetful or discourteous in leaving Jesus behind, for Mark tells us (6:45) that Jesus sent them ahead, while he persuaded the crowds to go home. Jesus compelled the disciples to get into the boat because He knew they were in danger (Matthew 14:22). The crowd was now aroused and there was a movement to make Him king.

Of course, some of the disciples would have rejoiced at the opportunity to become famous and powerful! Judas would  have become treasurer and perhaps Peter prime minister. But this was not in the plan of God.

Did Jesus know the storm was coming? It’s quite likely! And He sent them into this storm because of the need for balance in their lives…they likely had experienced great joy in being part of a thrilling miracle which brought great public acclaim.

Now they had to face the storm and learn to trust the Lord more. The feeding of the 5,000 was the lesson, and the storm was the examination after the lesson.

We’re given some added insight into this event in Mark 6:51-52: “Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, {52} for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”

The feeding of the multitude was used to sift his disciples (vs. 6).  Jesus had to let them know of His real nature and the nature of His kingdom. John gives less space to the walking on water than Matthew or Luke. The story centered in Jesus’ relation to the disciples rather in their peril or in the miracle itself.

This must have been a difficult incident for the Apostles. Surely they shared the crowd’s sentiments of making Jesus King. After all, they had much to gain from such a move; and such was their expectation of a political Messiah. Jesus sent them away, much to their disappointment. What’s worse, they were sent into a storm. Being in the middle of the lake in the middle of this storm perhaps caused them to question the Lordship of Jesus even after such an event as the feeding of the 5,000.  They needed the added lesson of Jesus walking on water.

John makes masterful use of the verbs in this section which give a real eyewitness flavor to his account.

He employs the imperfects “were proceeding” and “was getting rough” or “was rising” to picture the condition, respectively of the men in the boat and on the sea. But between these imperfects he makes use of the pluperfects (darkness) “had come (to be)” and (Jesus) “had not yet come,” to indicate what had (or had not yet) happened before the disciples had reached the opposite shore. (Hendriksen, p. 224)

Thus, we picture two scenes. One of Jesus, praying in the calm serenity of the night. The other of the Apostles some three miles away, laboring at the oars in the middle of a storm. The Apostles are neither out of sight nor out of mind of the Master.

 

These verses might be divided into three aspects:

1. Jesus apart from the disciples.

   While Jesus was praying in the mountain alone the disciples waited for Him on or near the shore. The “not yet” in verse 17 implies that the disciples were expecting Him to join them.

The lake of Galilee was shallow, and subject to sudden violent storms which were the terror of the fishermen who ventured upon it. The disciples, expert sailors, knew the signs and were waiting to cross to Capernaum before the storm broke.

They apparently had difficulty rowing, for they had traveled only 3-4 miles from shore, in a  period of some 8-9 hours. It was some 6 miles across. Mark and Matthew tell us it was about the fourth watch of the night (3 a.m.) when Jesus appeared.

But, though He was apart from them, Mark also tells us that Jesus was watching them. Up on the hill Jesus had not forgotten them! He was not too busy with God to think of them. John suddenly realized that all the time they had pulled at the oars Jesus’s loving look was on them.

And when we are “up against it,” Jesus is also watching us. He does not make things easy for us…He lets us fight our own battles. Like a parent watching his son/daughter put on a splendid effort in some athletic contest, He is proud of us; or, like a parent watching his son/daughter let the side down, He is sad. Life is lived with the loving eye of Jesus upon us!

 

2. Jesus appearing to the disciples.

John also saw that Jesus comes. Down from the hillside Jesus came to enable the disciples to make the last pull that would reach safety. When our strength is failing, He comes with strength for the last effort that leads to victory!

It must have been startling to see Jesus!  No immediate reaction on the part of the disciples is recorded by John.

They saw Him as He got closer and became afraid. John does not tell that the disciples thought Jesus as a ghost (Matt. 14:26; Mark 6:49). It also does not share the account of Peter walking on the water (Matt. 14:28-31).

And, notice too, that Jesus helps. He watches; He comes, and He helps!

The miracle revealed His power over nature.  There were several miracles here:

– Jesus walked on the water

– Peter did, too!

– Jesus stilled the storm

– And verse 21 tells of another miracle: the boat immediately made the 2-3 mile journey to shore

 

3. Jesus received by the disciples.

   Both Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat! The crowd found the boat and the disciples gone, so they crossed the sea hoping for another meal. They found Jesus only to hear Him accuse them of carnal motives in their search.

They still did not understand how Jesus had crossed over, but they acted on the basis of the plain fact. They had a double motive apart from the curiosity explained in verse 22…they had clearly not given up the impulse of the evening before to make Jesus king by force (vs. 15) and they had hopes of still another bountiful feast at the hands of Jesus as He said (vs. 26).

 

What is our response? Will it be pessimistic, like Philip? Will it be with guarded optimism, like Andrew? Will it be like the other disciples, who seem to have slept through the whole lesson, or like the eager young boy, excited to give what little he has and watch with wide eyes how the Lord will use it to overcome the impossible!?

 

Conclusion

As great as these two miracles are, very little is made of them in the Gospel of John. Jesus does not even bring them up, when He could have gained great notoriety from them. These two miracles, like virtually all of our Lord’s miracles, are miracles of necessity. Jesus does not frivolously employ His power to satisfy His own desires. (This is evident by His refusal to succumb to Satan’s futile attempts to tempt Him to do so.) Walking on the sea is necessary because Jesus needs to send His disciples away as quickly as possible, before He deals with the crowds. He then needs to return to Capernaum, but in a way that keeps Him from the fanatical king-makers in the crowd. Our Lord’s walking on the water and the boat’s immediate arrival on shore are miracles of necessity.

But why is John’s account of these miracles so terse, so skeletal? Why does he not make more of them? If he does not make something of them, why does he even mention them at all? I believe that on the one hand they hardly need any defense at all, or any explanation, given their relation to the rest of John’s Gospel. John has clearly told us in chapter 1 that Jesus is God. If He, the Word, is the One who called all creation into existence, is it any great wonder that He can create a meal for 5,000 men, or that He can walk on the sea? Jesus’ actions are completely consistent with who John says He is, who God the Father testifies that He is, and who Jesus Himself claims to be. So what is there to explain or to embellish?

Let me attempt to illustrate this in everyday terms. Among other things, I am a mechanic. I fix things, especially cars. If I work outside for a few hours and then come into the house, my wife Jeannette may say to me, “What were you doing out there?” If I answer, “Oh, I was torquing a cylinder head and changing the struts,” I do not expect her to respond, “Wow! That’s incredible! Tell me more about it!” I know what my wife will say (pretty much): “Hmm.” I was doing what she expected, given who I am and what I do. In our text Jesus is doing what we should expect Him to do, given who He is. Neither Jesus nor John feel obliged to provide a drum roll before these miracles or to blow a bugle afterwards. Jesus is doing what we should expect the Son of God to do.

There is another reason John does not make more of these miracles. These miracles are not in the foreground of this chapter, but instead provide the background for what John considers more important material. The main thrust of this chapter is our Lord’s “Bread of Life” discourse, which is occasioned by the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. John records this miracle because it is the setting for what takes place in the remainder of the chapter, much like the healing of the paralytic sets the scene for the rest of chapter 5.

The feeding of the 5,000 and our Lord’s walking on the sea seem to have a definite connection with Moses and the events of the Exodus. Later in this very chapter, and again in chapter 9, Moses is a prominent figure in the Gospel of John; the Jews who are in opposition to Jesus refer to him as their hero (1:17, 45; 3:14; 5:45-46; 6:32; 7:19, 22, 23; 8:5; 9:28-29). Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites passed through the sea on dry land, and God provided His people with manna from heaven. Jesus is the One who is greater than Moses. He personally walks on the sea, and He provides bread from heaven, the true bread which gives men eternal life. In our text, these two miracles link Jesus and Moses, and show that Jesus is the greater of the two.

There is another reason for John’s brevity. John, like our Lord (and very much unlike me) is a master of the art of understatement. In chapter 13, John records that Judas Iscariot went out to betray our Lord. Almost incidentally John adds, “and it was night” (John 13:30). This expression is pregnant with meaning, but John does not spell it all out for us. He expects us to meditate upon his words and ponder their significance. Jesus does the same thing in His teaching. When Jesus teaches, people go away scratching their heads, asking themselves, “I wonder what He meant by that?” This method requires the reader to do some thinking, rather than the teacher doing all the reader’s thinking for him or her.

Having learned that our text is preliminary to and preparatory for the “Bread of Life” discourse of our Lord in the latter part of this chapter, there are some principles to be learned from these miracles as we reflect upon them. Let me point out a few in closing.

(1) Jesus commands us to do more than we are (humanly) able, because He enables us to do what He commands. The disciples are inclined to shirk their responsibility to feed these folks because the task is “impossible.” Jesus does not let them off the hook, but rather lays the responsibility for feeding the 5,000 at their feet. What the disciples are not able to do on their own, they accomplish by the power of Jesus Christ. And not only are they able to feed this crowd so that all are filled, they even end up with a surplus.

God ministers through our weakness. He does not select “strong” people so that He can use their strengths; He chooses weak people so that He can demonstrate His power through their weakness (see 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5; 2 Corinthians 4:7–5:10; also chapters 8, 10, 12). He gives us tasks which we do not have the strength to do ourselves, because He gives us His strength to carry them out.

(2) The magnitude of the task should not be used as our excuse for not attempting it, especially when the task is our Lord’s command. How easy it is to use the magnitude of a given task as our excuse for not obeying our Lord. The Great Commission is a command given by our Lord to His disciples, and thus to His church. The Great Commission is therefore a command we are to obey; it is not a suggestion, and not a request. We are to be about this task, in whatever ways God puts before us. Let us see the magnitude of the mission as the occasion for faith, obedience, and prayers, and not as an excuse for apathy and idleness.

(3) Wonder of wonders, God has chosen to multiply and expand our puny efforts and contributions, so as to accomplish His will. The young lad with five loaves and two fishes had little to offer, but God multiplied what he had. Our efforts are so feeble, so fallible, and yet God uses us as “clay pots” to do His will. Even our failures are used of God to bring about His purposes.[5]

(4) Those whom God uses to minister to the needs of this crowd are also those who gain the most from serving others. I wish to be very careful here, because I am not advocating that we “give in order to get.” But it is interesting to note that this young lad ends up with “all he could eat,” which is probably more than he had in the first place. And the disciples, who thought they had nothing to serve, each ended up with a full basket. As we give ourselves in the service of others, God cares abundantly for our own needs.

(5) The disciples are inclined to limit their ministry to what they have seen and done before. One of the great weaknesses of the church is evident in the statement: “But we’ve always done it this way before.” Some things need to be done a certain way. But often we attempt to solve problems with only those means and methods with which we are familiar, to which we are accustomed. The disciples think of feeding the 5,000 only in terms of buying food at a store. Jesus has a better way. Jesus has a different way, a way they would never expect, a way they would never believe if told about it beforehand. God delights in doing the unexpected, so that His wisdom, power and grace are displayed through His handling of “impossible” situations. When we face difficulties, we should be careful not to limit the ways we expect God to minister through us. We dare not demand or even expect the unusual, but we certainly dare not deny the possibility.

(6) Our Lord cares about and takes care of our needs. Jesus ministers to these people because of their great need for teaching and healing. He also cares about their physical needs, because they are weary and hungry. Do you trust God to care for your needs? Jesus was thinking about feeding the 5,000 long before it ever entered the minds of His disciples. Jesus knew all along what He intended to do. Our Lord cares, and He cares well for our needs. Most of all, He cares about our need for the forgiveness of our sins. As we shall soon see, He became the “Bread of Life” by dying on the cross of Calvary, by bearing the guilt and punishment for our sins. Have you trusted in Him who cared so much that He died on Calvary?

About two years ago, I saw a 4-D stereogram (a “four-dimensional stereogram” is a picture which must be viewed on more than one level. At first glance, it usually appears to be a jumble of colors. If one stares “through” the pattern in just the right way, a second image–a three-dimensional picture–comes into focus) for the first time. I was at a shopping mall with my family, and we came upon a crowd of people standing around a group of posters which were sitting on easels.

The posters contained colorful patterns which held within them spectacular pictures. We all stood around and stared. Some found the beautiful images hidden in the patterns, but others never could “see” them.

John 6:1-15 is like a stereogram At the bottom of the picture is the single word “Victory!” All of us stand around and look intently to see the hidden image. What do we expect to see? Some probably expect to see a dollar sign, while others expect to see their nation’s Capitol building. A few are certain they will see a mansion, and others anticipate catching a glimpse of an army with tanks and bombers. Then, someone begins to see the image that is hidden and whispers softly, “Oh, I see it.”

One by one, everyone starts to see the picture, and it is not what anyone expected. Instead, “Victory!” is a cross.

 

Do You Live in the Basement?

In Holman Hunt’s famous painting, “The Light of the World,” the latch is on the inside of the door. One critic, when first viewing the painting, called the artist’s attention to the missing latch. The artist said that the door represented man, who, when Christ knocked, must open himself.

When a small boy had seen the painting, he asked his father, “Daddy, why don’t they let Jesus in?” “I don’t know,” the father answered. A moment later the boy said, “Daddy, I know why they don’t let Jesus in. They live in the basement, and they can’t hear him knock.”

——-Joseph A. Smith

[1] D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1991), p. 269.

[2] There is also the “wine” of chapter 2 and the “water” of chapter 3.

[3] Today we know this place as the Golan Heights.

[4] See the study note in the NET Bible, and also Carson, p. 268. It is interesting that Morris is more inclined to think that the definite article is significant here: “The place of these happenings is defined as ‘the mountain.’ This expression occurs several times in the Gospels (e.g. Matt. 5:1; Mark 3:13), and raises the question whether there was a particular mountain which Jesus and His immediate followers familiarly knew as ‘the’ mountain.” Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1971), p. 342.

[5] David’s sin with Bathsheba resulted in a marriage from which Solomon was later born. David’s foolish act of numbering the Israelites resulted in the purchase of the land on which the temple was later built. The jealous act of Joseph’s brothers was used of God to “save” Jacob and his family, to prosper them in Egypt, and to prepare them to possess the promised land.