Bread from HeavenJohn 6:1–21

“I couldn’t believe it. There we were on the mountain. We had followed Jesus because he had healed many sick and done many signs. And there on the mountain Jesus had taught us… and we were hungry. We were really hungry…and we were out in the middle of nowhere…. so he fed us. He fed all of us. There were at least 5000 men in the crowd. And the food just kept coming till we had all eaten and were satisfied. After we ate, I watched as they collected the leftovers—12 baskets of leftovers. 12…baskets…of…. leftovers…… It was a stunning miracle and it all started with a little boy’s lunch. ….I can’t help but believe that Jesus is the Messiah that God promised in our scriptures.”

We come to the famous miracle, the feeding of the 5000, in John 6 this morning. And as we come to John 6, the setting changes from Jerusalem to Galilee.1 If you have your bible, open it up with me to John 6.

John 6, verse 1… After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.

Let’s orient ourselves with a map.

You can see the Sea of Galilee center right on the map. It turns out that this sea is a sea of many names in our bible—at least four names in fact. It’s called the Sea of Kinnereth in a couple of Old Testament texts.2 Kinnereth means “harp” or ‘lyre’3 in Hebrew and the Sea, as you can see, is kind of shaped like such a musical instrument. It’s also called the Sea of Gennesaret in Luke 5:1 after the fertile plain at its northwest corner. Thirdly, it’s called the Sea of Galilee the name

1 This large thought unit is marked at its beginning and its end by the repetition of the phrase “after this” Jesus went away/went about (6:1; 7:1). It is organized much like chapter 5: a sign is followed by a four-stage dialogue that attempts to explain it. It falls into three parts: (1) vv. 1–26, held together by an inclusion (the other side of the sea, vv. 1, 25); (2) vv. 27–59, held together by an inclusion (Capernaum, vv. 24, 59); and (3) vv. 60–71. The action takes place at Passover time (v. 4; cf. 2:13) during a day (vv. 1–15), a night (vv. 16–21), and the following day (vv. 22–71). The location is in Galilee: first in the hills (v. 3) on the other side of the Sea of Galilee (v. 1), then back in Capernaum (vv. 24, 59). The theme of replacement runs through the entire chapter. Jesus fulfills the Jewish Passover. John 6 is the fifth episode illustrating the thesis that the holy man Jesus fulfills traditional Jewish worship and allowing Jesus, in his earthly career, to give a warrant for such fulfillment by something he does or says.2 Numbers 34:11; Josh. 12:33 Carson, page 268

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that you and I are most familiar with. But here in our text John reminds his readers that it’s also called the Sea of Tiberias, named after the newly founded city,4 Tiberias—a city founded by Herod Antipas just years before Jesus’ ministry began—on the western shore of the lake.5

This many-named sea is surrounded by hills and mountains that reach an elevation of 2000 feet in the west and over 4000 feet in the east. The sea itself is currently almost 700 feet below sea level.6 Cool moist Mediterranean air from the west every afternoon collides “with the heated desert air of the basin creating strong winds and frequent storms that swirl over the sea.”7

When John makes mention of “the other side of the Sea of Galilee’ in verse 1 he’s talking about the eastern shore of the Sea.8 We don’t know the exact location but we know that the miracle occurred on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

We pick up the story in verse 2. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

Now Mark’s gospel tells us why Jesus and his disciples ended up on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had sent out his disciples throughout Galilee on a short term mission trip.9 This is Mark 6. They cast out many demons and anointed many who were sick with oil and healed them. The results were so spectacular10 , and the interest of the people was so great, that Jesus said this to his disciples, and this is Mark 6:31--31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And so Jesus and his disciples got in a boat and crossed over to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee for a short retreat. But the people saw where he and his disciples were going and they ran there on foot and actually beat them there. When Jesus came ashore the people were waiting for him. It would have been one of those “Oh great” moments for us, “Here we were trying to get away and they’ve followed us…Oh great” But Mark tells us that Jesus had compassion on them for they were like a sheep without a shepherd and he began to teach them many things.11

So this multitude that constantly12 followed Jesus-- and that’s the force of the verb ‘was following’-- traveled by foot around the northeastern shore of the lake.13 4 26AD5 Josephus, Ant. 18.366 696 feet7 Burge, page 1928 Ridderbos, page 209: “It is not stated precisely from where to where the crossing took place bu the destination was clearly the eastern shore (cf. verse 16)9 Mark 6:7-1310 This is Carson’s word, page 27211 Mark 6:3412 Imperfect verb13 Ridderbos, page 210

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And they did it, our text tells us, because they saw the signs… he was doing on the sick. I guess we could say they were sign junkies. Now we saw this in chapter 214 and in chapter 415. And we know from those stories that Jesus wasn’t particularly happy with people who followed him because He may be useful to their agenda. It bothered Jesus then and it bothers Jesus now. I was thinking about how Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer—focused on his glory and his agenda first and then focused on ourselves.

The mention of a mountain in verse 3 gives us a sense of anticipation because often mountains were the settings where God met with his people and revealed himself and his word—think Mt. Sinai as the premier example of that.

Verse 4 gives us a time marker… Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand. But even as we call it a time marker we wonder out loud if this aside is more than a time marker; we wonder if it might be more about theology than chronology. 16 Let me explain what I mean by that.

When we introduced John chapter 5 we said that John chapters 5-10 are sometimes called the ‘festival cycle.’17 And the idea behind that phrase is that in these chapters of the book of John, Jesus is compared to and shown to fulfill the major feasts of Judaism.18 Take any of the major feasts of Judaism and Jesus fulfills that feast. Well I think that John is about to show us here in chapter 6, given the reference in verse 4, that Jesus is seen to be the ultimate fulfillment of the feast of Passover. And so just as the first Passover celebrated the deliverance of God’s people from slavery in Egypt, Jesus’ upcoming death alluded to later in John 6, accomplishes a greater deliverance of God’s people, their deliverance from sin.

What are some images from that first Passover (and the events that followed in the desert on the way to the Promised Land) that shape some of what we will see here in John 6?

Let me briefly highlight three images.

● There’s the sacrifice of a lamb at the center of the yearly Passover experience that first took place in the book of Exodus—And by the end of John 6 Jesus, who has already been revealed as “the lamb of God”19 in the book of John, will be telling his disciples that they must eat his flesh to live forever.

14 John 2:23-2515 John 4:4816 Carson, page 26817 Burge, page 17018 Burge, page 17019 John 1:29, 36

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●There’s Moses leading his people through the waters of the Red Sea to escape Pharaoh’s chariots—And in our passage today we’ll see Jesus walk on the water to deliver his disciples from a difficult storm.

●And finally there’s Moses in the desert feeding the multitudes with manna—And in our passage today, Jesus will feed a multitude with ‘bread from heaven’ and then by the end of chapter 6 present himself as the ‘bread of life’

One author summarizes these connections this way… “This Passover story—a Passover story in Galilee-- of Jesus makes direct connections with prominent Old Testament (themes) that tumble over one another in rapid succession. They provide a growing impression that in some fashion the hero of Passover, Moses, has now been superceded by Jesus, who not only provides “bread from heaven” but is himself “the bread of life” (6:35).20

So this picture of Jesus feeding the 5000 here in John 6 that we’ll explore in just a moment looks back to specific events surrounding the original Passover. But I think it also looks forward to what some students of scripture call the Messianic Banquet—that future banquet promised in the scriptures where Jesus the Messiah serves as a gracious host and dines with his people in the kingdom that is coming. Let me summarize some of what I’m saying on a slide.

In the middle of the slide you can see those two fellows having eaten and who are now completely satisfied. That’s what it’s like to dine with the Messiah.

On the left side of the slide, you can see scripture references from that first Passover and the events that followed it that connect with our story today. So the feeding of the 5000 looks back to the first Passover.

On the right side of the slide, I would suggest that the feeding of the 5000 looks forward to what I’ve called the “Messianic banquet”

20 Burge, G. M. (2000). John (pp. 192–193). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

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Again I’ve used that phrase twice. What do I mean by the Messianic banquet? Let’s take a minute to explore the connections because it is a beautiful picture full of wonder and hope

The scriptures predict a future banquet hosted by Jesus and attended by his people. You’ve probably heard the term Marriage Supper of the Lamb from the book of Revelation. Revelation 19:9..Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb…. Students of scripture differ on the interpretation of this event mentioned in Revelation but we can still affirm that Jesus will be dining with his people.21

And every time we take the Lord’s Table together we actually prefigure, so to speak, this future messianic banquet… Jesus is our gracious host and we feast together using symbols of his broken body and shed blood. Every time we take the Lord’s Table together we look backward and forward. We look backward to the cross. We look forward to the banquet!

Look at the words from Matthew 26:26-29 on the screen…the setting is the upper room on the night before Jesus died on the cross.

POWERPOINTMatthew 26:26–29

26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread… (NOW remember that what you and I know as the Lord’s supper emerged from the last Passover meal that Jesus ate with his disciples…) and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

There’s a banquet coming!

Perhaps the most delicious prophecy of this future banquet is in Isaiah 25, a chapter that has this title in my bible… GOD WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH FOREVER…

21 Dispensationalists typically consider this banquet to involve only the church. From the Bible Knowledge Commentary: “One of the false interpretations that has plagued the church is the concept that God treats all saints exactly alike. Instead, a literal interpretation of the Bible distinguishes different groups of saints, and here the bride is distinguished from those who are invited to the wedding supper. Instead of treating all alike, God indeed has a program for Israel as a nation and also for those in Israel who are saved. He also has a program for Gentiles in the Old Testament who come to faith in God. And in the New Testament He has a program for the church as still a different group of saints. Again in the Book of Revelation the Tribulation saints are distinguished from other previous groups. It is not so much a question of difference in blessings as it is that God has a program designed for each group of saints which corresponds to their particular relationship to His overall program. Here the church, described as a bride, will be attended by angels and by saints who are distinct from the bride.

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Listen to Isaiah 25:6…On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. What a picture of Yahweh hosting a banquet.

I’ve got to read verses 7-9…

7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take

away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day,

“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

So let’s gather up what we’ve been saying… John mentions in verse 4 of our text that the time of the Passover was at hand. And we’ve take that ‘theological hint’ from John and gone back in Old Testament history to see the rich connections between the miracle of the Feeding of the 5000 and the first Passover. But we’ve also whet our appetite for a banquet that’s coming down the pike, a banquet that the feeding of the 5000 probably prefigures.

{Let me make one final comment about the mention of the Passover in verse 4. Evidently the Passover feast for Jews was like the Fourth of July for us as Americans—it was a time of patriotism—one author called it a time for “intense nationalistic zeal”.22 This idea will help us a bit when we come to verse 15 and the people’s attempt to make Jesus king. More on that when we get there}.

Let’s get the entire miracle in front of us…

Picking up in verse 5… 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that

22 Carson, page 269

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nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

In verse 5, Jesus turned to Philip, “Hey Philip, where are we to buy bread to feed all these people?” Philip was the obvious person to ask; he came from the nearby town of Bethsaida.23 Verse 6 says that Jesus was testing Philip. In verse 7 Philip responds, “Two hundred denarii—a denarii being a day’s wage for a common laborer—wouldn’t be enough to give each person a bite!” ‘Eight months of wages couldn’t meet the need…Jesus what you’re wanting to do is impossible!”

What are we to make of Jesus testing Philip? What was the answer that Jesus was looking for? Have you ever thought about that? How about this?

“Jesus this is a really large crowd. I’m from this area and I don’t know a place that we could buy enough food for this crowd. And even if there was a place that we could buy enough food for this crowd, we surely don’t have the money to buy it. But I was there when you turned water in to wine. And I was there when you healed the official’s son from a distance with your powerful voice. And I was there when you healed the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, again with your powerful voice. Jesus is anything too difficult for you?….(and then I can imagine a smile breaking out on Philip’s face and a Texas accent filling his throat...) Jesus I suppose that you could just say the words…. ‘Let there be bread and fish for everyone’ and a banquet would appear…immediately!”

You see that’s the right answer.

(And if if I was the angel choreographer, and I’m not, here’s when I would have filled the sky with angels—if Philip would have passed the test. I mean if Philip would have gotten it right, passed the test and expressed his faith that nothing was too difficult for Jesus, then I’d move Luke 2:13 right here…And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, for on earth a disciple got it right!”)

Sadly, Philip is the one who on the night before the cross, said to Jesus in the upper room, “Lord, show us the Father, and it’s enough for us”24

Do you remember Jesus’s pained response? John 14:9 …“Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

23 John 1:4424 John 14:8

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But you and I shouldn’t be too hard on Philip because we are like Philip every day: “God this problem is way too big. It’ll never get done. He’ll never change. There’s no way we could find a solution to this. We don’t have enough resources for this one”

“Are the sizes of our problems weightier on the scale of reality than the presence of the Lord himself?”25

Is there a problem in your life that just seems impossible to solve? Don’t fail the test like Philip; instead quietly say to Jesus … “Jesus there’s nothing too hard for you…. Please help me. Give me the faith to believe that you can make the difference here. ”

{You might not see angels fill the sky but God will be pleased nonetheless, that you have expressed faith in him}. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Well if Philip got an ‘F’ on the test, Andrew got a ‘C’. Look at verse 8….

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish….Andrew’s got a little bit of faith doesn’t he?….at least he went looking in everybody’s sack lunch… but what are they for so many?”….as soon as Andrew’s faith springs up, it seems to die…. but what are they for so many?”

“The small fish were probably pickled fish to be eaten as a side dish with the small cakes of barley.”26 And barley was the food of the poor.

In a sense Andrew really wasn’t a whole lot different from Philip. “Whereas Philip calculated, Andrew simply looked at the resources and decided there was no way to solve the problem.” 27

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

That there 5000 men meant that the crowd could have could have been as large as 20,000 people.28 In Mark’s version of the story the people sat down in groups of “fifties and hundreds” and the grass was green. Reminded that in Mark’s version of the story Jesus saw the people as sheep without a shepherd and that he has them sitting down in green pastures, we can’t help but picture Good Shepherd in Psalm 23 taking care of sheep.

25 Bruner, page 36226 Carson, page 27027 Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (p. 188). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.28 ESV Study Bible, page 2033

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Let’s say psalm 23 together…

11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks…literally when he eucharisted29 ( a word used by some for the Lord’s Supper…the eucharist) he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. In Luke and Mark’s version of the miracle, Jesus involved the disciples in passing out the bread and fish; here in John, Jesus, himself, distributes the food.30

12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.

“Collecting what was left over at the end of a meal was a Jewish custom”31 After everyone had been satisfied, there was more left over than there was at the beginning.32

Don Carson writes, “That there were 12 baskets is almost certainly significant: the Lord has enough to supply the needs of the twelve tribes of Israel”33

Everything about the story communicates Jesus’ way-more-than-you- could-imagine abundant provision. Jesus doesn’t just meet the need—he meets the need abundantly.

Well look at verses 14-15 …..14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

In verse 14, when the people saw the sign that Jesus did, they concluded that Moses’ prediction in Deuteronomy 18, of a prophet like himself, had finally come true… In fact there is some evidence that the Jews in Jesus’ time expected a renewal of the manna when the Messiah returned.34

29 Bruner, page36330 In Luke 9:16 Jesus gives the bread and fish to the disciples to set before the crowd; in Mark 6:41 Jesus gives the loaves to the disciples to set before the people, while he divides the two fish among them all; in John 6:11 Jesus distributes both the bread and the fish to the multitude (cf. v. 27). In the Fourth Gospel, Jesus himself is the one who nourishes the people (cf. 4:14; 5:21). Talbert, C. H. (2005). Reading John: a literary and theological commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles (Rev. ed., p. 138). Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing.31 Carson, page 27132 Bultman, page 213 as quoted by Carson, page 27133 Carons, page 27134Part of the eschatological hope in Jewish antiquity is the expectation of the renewal of the manna from heaven. As 2 Baruch 29:3, 8, puts it:And it shall come to pass when all is accomplished … that the Messiah shall then begin to be revealed. And it shall come to pass at that self

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Well we’ve seen this thought about a ‘prophet’ before in John. The Jewish religious leaders, back in John chapter 1, asked John the Baptist if he was the Prophet that Moses had predicted. Now the people have concluded that Jesus is that prophet. And as quickly as they make that connection, they decide collectively to take Jesus by force and make him king. It’s the time of the Passover, a time when nationalistic zeal ran high.

The verb used in verse 15 and translated take him by force means “to seize.” We’re not talking about a ride in a limousine!

In Matthew 11:12 the word describes what violent people will do to the kingdom.In Matthew 12:29 it describes how one must “tie up” a strong man before his property can be

plundered.And in Matthew 13:19 it describes how Satan will “snatch away” what is sown in a convert’s

heart.

Here in John, the crowd wants to force Jesus to be a king in their own image. They’re like their ancestors in 1 Samuel who clamored for a king like all the other nations. They want a political king. They want a king who would help deliver them from the Romans.

But Jesus wanted no part in such a kingship. He would not be tempted by “the kingdoms of this world” (Matt. 4:8).35 His kingship was most profoundly expressed best when he died on the cross. One author said it this way, “he would go to Jerusalem not to wield the spear and bring the judgment, but to receive the spear thrust and bear the judgment”36

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Now at this point, our text says… verse 16 …. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.

Matthew’s version of this miracle seems to tell us that Jesus had to take action immediately to send his disciples away. Matthew 14:22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 37 And then disappeared on a nearby mountain to pray.

same time that the treasury of manna shall again descend from on high, and they will eat of it in those years, because these are they who have come to the consummation of time.35 Burge, G. M. (2000). John (pp. 194–195). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.36 Edmund Clowney as quoted in Carson, page 27337 Matthew 14:22

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“The picture (Matthew) paints is one of disciples who didn’t want to go to the other side but who were persuaded, even compelled, by (Jesus). He (may have even given) the boat a shove to get the Twelve going in the right direction. He deliberately sent them out into the lake.”38

We can only imagine that the crowd was growing hostile—they wanted their king now.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

In verse 19 we see that the disciples had rowed 3 to 4 miles. That’s close to half way across the Sea of Galilee. Matthew and Mark, in their version of this little story, tell us that Jesus came walking on the sea in the fourth watch of the night.39 That would be between 3:00am and 6:00am. So the disciples had been struggling a long time against the wind. But Jesus came effortlessly walking. Matthew and Mark also offer a reason the disciples were frightened at Jesus’ appearance—because they thought Jesus was a ghost . 40

Mark’s version tells us that Jesus saw that the disciples were making headway painfully so Jesus was fully aware of their plight when he came to them. He understood their struggle and he came to them. He understands our struggles and he comes to us.

When Jesus came to them he said, “It is I, do not be afraid”, verse 20. The Greek behind “It is I” is ego eimi, literally “I am”41… you probably recognize that from Exodus 3…it’s the name of God that was revealed to Moses.

Now on one level Jesus could just be identifying himself to his disciples, “It is I”. That’s the normal way you would identify yourself to someone else when they’re confused by your identity. In John 9, after the man born blind was healed, the phrase appears on his lips. 42 So we can’t necessarily make too much of the fact that Jesus says ‘IT IS I’ which could be the divine name.

On the other hand, and I’m quoting Carson here, “the thoughtful reader who had read through this gospel two or three times ought to observe the number and varied forms of “I am” (e.g. I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the gate for the sheep, I am the way and the truth and the life) and wonder if this occurrence in verse 20 may not be an anticipation of a clearer self-disclosure of

38 Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (p. 195). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.39 Matthew 14:2540 Matthew 14:2641 Carson, page 27542 Carson, page 275 points out that ‘it is I’ appears on the lips of the man born blind after he is healed (John 9:9)

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Jesus.”43 I guess that means that at a minimum this ‘it is I’ is preparing us for clearer self-disclosures later in the book. And we can look forward to that.

21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Some suggest that there is a second miracle here….the “walking on water” would be one miracle and the “miraculous landing” would be the second miracle.44

And one final comment before we close--There are potential allusions in this story of Jesus walking on water to a couple of Psalms—Psalm 77:16,19-20 and Psalm 107:23-30. I’ll let you follow up on those on your own. Psalm 77:16, 19-20 and Psalm 107:23-30.

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Well where have we been in the message today? It seems like the key ideas in these early verses of John 6 center around the complete sufficiency of Jesus Christ as God and what that means for you and me as his disciples. There have been a couple of key miracles and we’ve learned a lot about Jesus in them.

In the miracles of John 6, we saw that Jesus is the creator. He can multiply a little boy’s lunch by speaking food into existence.

In the miracles of John 6, we also saw that Jesus cares for human bodies and human souls. And that means that as we do ministry in the world around us, at times we may need to feed a hungry multitude before we share spiritual truth with them.

We saw that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover Festival as he is to every Jewish festival.

We saw that Jesus far surpasses the likes of Old Testament characters like Moses and Elijah and Elisha. He’s more than the prophet Moses predicted would come after him. And he’s a way different king than any king that we could ever dream up.

In the miracles of John 6, we saw that Jesus has the ability to satisfy us abundantly. And this has whet our appetite for the messianic banquet that we will experience one day in Jesus’ presence.

In the miracles of John 6, we saw Jesus fulfilling the role of God—feeding, protecting, rescuing, and guiding his disciples despite the natural calamities that surrounded them.45

43 Carson, page 276.44 Kostenberger, page 20545 Burge, G. M. (2000). John (pp. 195–196). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

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In the miracles of John 6 we saw that Jesus is aware of what is going on in the lives of his disciples and he moves toward his disciples when they are in need.

In the miracles of John 6, we saw firsthand that there is no darkness too deep, no waves too high, or sea too wide for Jesus to find his disciples and be with them in the storms of life.

Finally in the miracles of John 6 we saw that Jesus seeks our trust. He wants us to trust him with unsolvable, impossible, problems.

Let us pray.

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