1. The feeding of the 5000. Vss.1-13
2. The resulting impact of the miracle upon the crowd. Vss.14-15
3. The miracle of walking on water. Vss.16-21
4. The crowds continue to track Jesus whereabouts. Vss.22-25
5. Jesus’ discourse on the "Bread of Life". Vss.26-71

GNT John 6:1 Meta. tau/ta avph/lqen o` VIhsou/j pe,ran th/j qala,sshj th/j Galilai,aj th/j Tiberia,dojÅ

NAS John 6:1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias) [ corrected "of Tiberias"]. Meta. meta, (pa; "After") tau/ta ou-toj (near dem. pro./an-p; "these things") o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) avph/lqen avpe,rcomai (viaa--3s; "went away/departed to") pe,ran (pg; "the other side/beyond"; same 1:28; 3:26 ) th/j h` qala,sshj qa,lassa (n-gf-s; "the Sea/large body of water/inland sea"; ) th/j h` Galilai,aj Galilai,a (d.a. + n-gf-s) th/j h` Tiberia,dojÅ Tiberia,j (n-gf-s; descriptive gen.; not parenthetical in the Greek and there is no "or"; simply "the Sea of Galilee of Tiberias")

GNT John 6:2 hvkolou,qei de. auvtw/| o;cloj polu,j( o[ti evqew,roun ta. shmei/a a] evpoi,ei evpi. tw/n avsqenou,ntwnÅ

NAS John 6:2 And a great multitude was following Him, de, (cc) polu,j( (a--nm-s; of numbers = "great/many/numerous") o;cloj (n-nm-s; "multitude/crowd/throng of people") hvkolou,qei avkolouqe,w (viIPFa--3s; "was following/was going along behind/was accompanying") auvtw/| auvto,j (npdm3s) because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. o[ti (cs; "because"; intro reason for following) evqew,roun qewre,w (viIPFa--3p; "they were seeing"; used 64x; "an outside observer/spectator who views attentively paying attention to detail/scrutinizes; an observance of such intensity it causes one to consider fully all that he sees") ta. to` shmei/a shmei/on (d.a. + n-an-p) a] o[j (apran-p; "which [signs]) evpoi,ei poie,w (viIPFa--3s; "he was consistently performing") evpi, (pg; "on/upon"; emphasizing contact) tw/n o` avsqenou,ntwnÅ avsqene,w (d.a. + subs. ptc./p/a/gm-p; "those being sick/ill")

GNT John 6:3 avnh/lqen de. eivj to. o;roj VIhsou/j kai. evkei/ evka,qhto meta. tw/n maqhtw/n auvtou/Å

NAS John 6:3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. de, (cc) VIhsou/j (n-nm-s) avnh/lqen avne,rcomai (viaa--3s; "went up"; used 3x, only once in John. The other 7x in John "went up" is avnabai,nw,, which denotes a predetermined itinerary of travel cp. Joh.2:13; 5:1; 7:10, 14; 11:55; 21:11) eivj (pa) to, o;roj (d.a. + n-an-s; "the mountain") kai, (cc) evkei/ (adv.; "there/in that place") evka,qhto ka,qhmai (viIPFdep--3s; "was sitting/was seated") meta, (pg) auvtou/Å auvto,j (npgm3s) tw/n o` maqhtw/n maqhth,j (d.a. + n-gm-p; "the disciples")

GNT John 6:4 h=n de. evggu.j to. pa,sca( h` e`orth. tw/n VIoudai,wnÅ

NAS John 6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. de, (cs; "Now") to, pa,sca( (d.a. + n-nn-s; "the Passover") h` e`orth, (d.a. + n-nf-s; "the feast/festival/celebration") tw/n o` VIoudai,wnÅ VIoudai/oj (d.a. + ap-gm-p; "the Jews") h=n eivmi, (viIPFa--3s) evggu,j (adv.; of place = near/close by; of time = imminent/soon/"at hand")

1. The geographical location of the scenario presented in chapter 5 occurred in Jerusalem during the time of either the feast of Pentecost or Tabernacles being either May or September 31AD respectively. Joh.5:1
2. John now advances his readers in time to the next Passover, the feast of the Jews, which he notes as being imminent/soon and was at hand. 6:4
3. Therefore, some 10 or 6 months has transpired, depending upon the identification of the mentioned feast in 5:1.
4. In either case, John’s chronology places Jesus ministry as:

1. Once again relocated from Judea to Galilee.
2. This marks His final campaign into Galilee during His ministry as recorded by John.
3. John in his recording picks up at the time of the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. Joh.6:5-13
4. The Synoptic accounts fill in the details during His final Galilean stay preceding the miracle (Mat.9:35 – 14:12; Mar.6:6b-33; Luk.9:1-10).
5. The time period in view brings the reader up to the brink and entering into Christ’s final year of ministry.
6. John in 6:15 through 7:9 cp. vs.10 provides a series of events that occur after the miracle during the next approximately 6 months and up to the Feast of Tabernacles in Sept. 32AD. cp.7:2
7. Of these events, His walking on water as John records (6:16-21) is also recorded in Mat.14:22-33 and Mar.6:45-52.
8. John then fills in information such as the Jews attempt to make Jesus’ king by force immediately before His walking on water (6:15) and His discourse on the "bread of life" (6:22-71), while Matthew and Mark inform us to His healings at Gennesaret (Mat.14:34-36; Mar.6:53-56), which looks to have occurred during the same time period as His discourse (cp.Mat.14:34; Mar.6:53).
9. The remainder of John’s gospel focuses in on Christ’s final 6 months of ministry.

1. All attempts to harmonize the gospel accounts should rest on the definite chronology as recorded by John.
2. The phrase "After these things" in vs.1 then, marks a time period at the minimum of some 6 months since His confrontation with the religious leaders had occurred as recorded in chapter 5.
3. During this time frame, Jesus had relocated back to the area of Galilee, was in Nazareth (Mat.13:54; Mar.6:1;) or immediate local when He heard the news of John the Baptist’s demise (cp. Mat.13:55 – 14:12; Mar.6:14-30 cp. 32; Luk.9:7-10) and went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee of Tiberias, where John now picks up.
4. Specifically, Jesus and His disciples crossed over to the city of Bethsaida. Luk.9:10
5. According to the historians Pliny and Jerome, Bethsaida is located on the NE shore of the Sea of Galilee close to, but East of the Jordan River where it empties into the sea.
6. Because of Mark’s statement in Mar.6:45 of Jesus’ instructions to the disciples to "go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida" and it is obvious that it is the area of Bethsaida they are already in, some postulate/theorize that another Bethsaida existed on the Western shores of the Sea of Galilee.
7. While a Western Bethsaida is feasible, it is not necessary for a plausible explanation and interpretation of the Mar.6:45 verse, which will be discussed in the analysis of the events in vss.16-21.
8. The Sea or lake of Galilee is also known as the lake of Gennesaret (Luk.5:1; known as Kinnereth in the OT) and the Sea of Tiberias (Joh.21:1).
9. The Sea of Galilee has a maximum width of approximately 7-8 miles at the Northern end and is 13 miles long (N to E) with its deepest depth measured at 157 feet.
10. It is encircled with beaches and mountainous/hilly terrain, which makes it vulnerable to drastic storms.
11. Furthermore, it lies 686 feet below sea level as part of the Great Rift Valley adding obvious elevation to its surrounding hillsides, at least visually.
12. Therefore being that both the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee are bodies of water in valleys, the topography surrounding them consists of high plateaus and mountainous or hilly terrain.
13. Here, John adds Tiberias as further description of this region for his gentile readers.
14. The town "Tiberias", located on the lakes western shore, was built by Herod Antipas in 22 AD and made his capital.
15. It was a thoroughly gentile city of which there is no record of Jesus ever visiting.
16. Of all the towns surrounding the Sea of Galilee in NT times, it is the only one, which remains of any size at present day.
17. As the city of Tiberias was the capital of Roman rule in Galilee, it would not be uncommon then, in the gentile world, for its name to be attached to this main body of water on which it sat.
18. John’s descriptive inclusion of Tiberias also serves as a subtle reminder of the Jews vassal existence under Roman rule, which "sting" of reality weighed heavily in their outlook towards things.
19. Hence, a motivating factor in their looking for a political Messiah cp. 6:15.
20. Application: Maladjustment to one’s niche will influence and distort one’s spiritual outlook on life.
21. Jesus by this time had a large number of followers who had attached themselves to His ministerial itinerary, which John states in vs.2a, "and a great multitude was following Him". Cp. Mat.14:13; Mar.6:33-34; Luk.9:11
22. As the synoptic accounts record, word got out that Jesus was heading in this direction and the multitudes hurried by land to reach the opposite shore ahead of Him.
23. Mark’s account informs us that Jesus’ reputation had grown to such a degree that He and His disciples did not even have time to eat. Mar.6:31
24. His intention of crossing over the Sea of Galilee was to seek some solitude for Himself and the disciples.
25. However, when He arrived and saw the masses (some 5000) already assembled, He forewent His own desires and continued the rigor of teaching and healing. Mat.14:14; Mar.6:34; Luk.9:11
26. It is John’s account that informs us the real reason why this great multitude was following Him, and that because they were seeing the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.
27. The imperfect of the verb "they were seeing/qewre,w" indicates they were mesmerized by His healings.
28. What attracted the masses towards Jesus was not any great desire in the spiritual ramifications of His miracles and His accompanying teaching, but in the physical possibilities of One whom could perform such works.
29. What better "King" to deliver the Jews from Rome than one whom displayed this kind of power. Again cp. 6:15
30. Observation: People will endure all manner of hardship to gain a physical advantage, but who can be found that will pursue BD?
31. Though many believed in Him for salvation Ph₁ because of His miracles (2:23), that’s where their +V ended and their own human viewpoint agendas were inserted.
32. Application: We all need to stop and ask ourselves, "Why am I in Bible Class?" "What human viewpoint idea, thing or person is influencing and discoloring/ distorting the exacting truth of BD as it is taught clearly and documented by the communicator?" "Am I rejecting any truths of God’s word because physically there is no advantage?" "Am I maladjusted to the niche God provides and only seek from God that which might physically prosper me?" "Why do I make the applications I do make?" "Are my applications and approach to life made based on my own ideas or on the strict dictates of BD?" "Is my goal in life to secure physical gain or spiritual gain?" "Even in the midst of maladjusted believers in my immediate periphery, am I willing to put aside my own desires and press on to the upward call of the ‘Prize’?"
33. It is the "Chief Shepherd" Himself that provides once again the perfect example of keeping His eyes on God’s plan for His life and ministry, as in the midst of those who have their own ideas regarding God’s plan, He continues to communicate the truth of BD, applies it in His own niche and thus serves them in this capacity. Mar.6:34; Luk.9:11
34. After another rigorous and exhausting day of teaching and healing, Jesus again seeks solitude and He went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Mat.14:15; Mar.6:35; Luk.9:12
35. Observation: Application of BD is demanding and requires self-denial and sacrifice, but the rewards far out-weigh these momentary light afflictions. 2Cor.4:17
36. It is in this location on the mountain that sets the stage for the upcoming miracle.
37. The mountain is part of a rising hilly or mountainous area not far removed from Bethsaida overlooking a level plain and the lake.

GNT John 6:5 evpa,raj ou=n tou.j ovfqalmou.j o` VIhsou/j kai. qeasa,menoj o[ti polu.j o;cloj e;rcetai pro.j auvto.n le,gei pro.j Fi,lippon( Po,qen avgora,swmen a;rtouj i[na fa,gwsin ou-toiÈ

NAS John 6:5 Jesus therefore lifting up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, *said to Philip, o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) ou=n (infer. conj.; "therefore"; denotes the transition from the historical setting to the miracle to take place) evpa,raj evpai,rw (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-s; "when he lifted up/raised up"; when used with 'eyes/vision' = 'looked up'; used 19x) tou.j o` ovfqalmou.j ovfqalmo,j (d.a. + n-am-p; "the eyes"; used 100x ) kai, (cc) qeasa,menoj qea,omai (circ. ptc./a/dep/nm-s; "having seen/beheld/noticed"; used 22x; same as 1:14,32,38; 4:35) o[ti (cc; "that"; intro. what He saw) polu,j (a--nm-s; "great/many") o;cloj (n-nm-s; "multitude/people") e;rcetai e;rcomai (vipn--3s; "coming"; historical present) pro,j (pa) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) le,gei le,gw (vipa--3s) pro,j (pa) Fi,lippon( Fi,lippoj (n-am-s) "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" Po,qen po,qen (interr. adv.; "Where/from where/from what place") avgora,swmen avgora,zw (vsaa--1p; "might we buy/purchase"; used 30x; same as 4:8; cp. Rev.3:18 where used with regard to obtaining BD) a;rtouj a;rtoj(n-am-p; "bread/food"; used of spiritual "bread/manna" in 6:31ff) i[na (cs; denotes purpose; "in order that") ou-toiÈ ou-toj (near dem. pro./nm-p; "these" ref. to the multitude) fa,gwsin evsqi,w (vsaa--3p; "may/might eat"; used 158x; also used in His discourse on "bread of life" cp. 6:49ff)

GNT John 6:6 tou/to de. e;legen peira,zwn auvto,n\ auvto.j ga.r h;|dei ti, e;mellen poiei/nÅ

NAS John 6:6 And this He was saying to test him; de, (cs; "and/now") tou/to ou-toj (near. dem. pro./an-s) e;legen le,gw (viIPFa--3s) peira,zwn peira,zw (circ. ptc./p/a/nm-s; "to test/while testing/to examine/to prove"; used 38x; in the bad sense, Satan as the "Tempter"; here it denotes a positive intent) auvto,n\ auvto,j (npam3s; ref. Philip) for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. ga,r (explan. conj.; "for") auvto,j (npnm3s; "He Himself") h;|dei oi=da (viPLUPFa--3s; PLUPF indicates action completed in the past; "He 'already' knew/had known") ti, ti,j (interr. pro./an-s; "what") e;mellen me,llw (viIPFa--3s +; "He was intending/about/was certainly to take place/He had in mind") poiei/nÅ poie,w (compl. inf./pa; "to do")

GNT John 6:7 avpekri,qh auvtw/| Îo`Ð Fi,lippoj( Diakosi,wn dhnari,wn a;rtoi ouvk avrkou/sin auvtoi/j i[na e[kastoj bracu, ÎtiÐ la,bh|Å

NAS John 6:7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little." o` Fi,lippoj( (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viadep--3s; "responded") auvtw/| auvto,j (npdm3s) Diakosi,wn diako,sioi (card. adj./gn-p; "two hundred") dhnari,wn dhna,rion (n-gn-p; "denarii"; a Roman silver coin equivalent to a workman's average daily labor; here about 6 months pay for one person) a;rtoi a;rtoj (n-nm-p; "bread") ouvk ouv (neg. +) avrkou/sin avrke,w (vipa--3p; "sufficient/adequate") auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) i`[na (cs; "for") e[kastoj (a-nm-s; "everyone/each one" +) ÎtiÐ ti.j (indef. pro./an-s; "in some part/a portion"; for emphasis = "to minimize the ‘small amount’ of the bread to such a degree as being no more than a crumb") la,bh|Å lamba,nw (vsaa--3s; "might receive") bracu, bracu,j (ap-an-s; "a little/small amount")

1. As noted earlier, the time is late afternoon/early evening whereas Jesus has moved to a more remote area with His disciples once again to seek solitude. Mat.14:15; Mar.6:35; Luk.9:12 cp. Joh.6:3
2. It was from this setting therefore, that the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 takes place.
3. Jesus, after arrival to the mountain and an undisclosed (though obviously short) period of time then, lifts up His eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to Him, initiates a question as a precursor to the narrative and miracle that follows.
4. The participial phrase, "lifting up His eyes and seeing" is idiomatic and denotes one whose attention is attracted to and directed towards a perceived object.
5. The two participles lifting up/evpai,rw and seeing/qea,omai are the same verb forms Jesus used in addressing the disciples regarding the "harvest" of +V in Samaria. Joh.4:35
6. In the Joh.4:35 passage, the force of His exhortation towards the disciples indicates the need for them to pay attention to the spiritual reality around them, which He communicates by using "earthly things" to teach "heavenly things" (their eyes were on themselves and not focused spiritually towards the potential +V to be evangelized).
7. John utilizes these same verbs and applies them to Jesus to underscore that He is contemplating a spiritual reality that correlates with the physical scenario at hand.
8. In other words, as Jesus was watching this great multitude coming to Him, He not only perceived the physical reality of the situation, but also was contemplating a spiritual reality that can be deciphered from His words with the disciples and the miracle itself.
9. Jesus intends to utilize once again a physical/earthly situation to advance a higher but parallel spiritual/heavenly truth.
10. That indeed He has predetermined His upcoming actions is stated in vs.6b, "for He Himself knew (pluperfect of oi-da; action completed in the past) what He was intending to do".
11. The interpreter then, must realize that all that Jesus now says and does to include the miracle and items of the miracle, is designed to stimulate one’s thinking with regard to parallel spiritual truths.
12. This is the format and premise of the test (vs.6a).
13. With a predisposed course of action, He then proposes a question to Philip and said, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?".
14. Many interpreters have questioned Jesus’ purpose for singling out Philip suggesting:

1. He was somehow in charge of the food.
2. It was due to the fact that he was from Bethsaida (though some theologians regard him as from a proposed western Bethsaida [Joh.12:21], close to Capernaum).
3. It was to strengthen his faith specifically.
4. It was designed to make him recognize the impossibility of the situation.

1. Try as one might, a conclusive answer avoids any documentation.
2. To single Philip out because he was weak in his beliefs (Joh.14:8,9) is trite, since all of the disciples were spiritually dull and none of them bring forth any divine viewpoint of this matter.
3. In fact, after Philip’s response in vs.7, it is apparent that the rest of the disciples become involved in the conversation and corporately suggest that Jesus send the people away to fend for themselves. Mat.14:15; Mar.6:35-36; Luk.9:12
4. The safest conclusion is to observe the fact that tests will come individually to all believers and that the tests are designed based on one’s culpability and exposure to divine viewpoint.
5. Philip was one of the earliest disciples called and has been with Jesus as long as any of them. Joh.1:43
6. He was convinced from the onset of Jesus’ Messianic claim, found his close friend Nathanael with the good news and immediately was an eyewitness to Jesus’ exercise of Godly power in the form of omniscience (1:47) and omnipresence (1:48).
7. As Nathanael was convinced that Jesus was indeed God as well as the promised Messiah (1:49), it is obvious then that Philip concurred and was like-minded in the matter.
8. In addition, Philip has seen many other convincing proofs of Jesus’ Deity over two years worth of miracles, healings, etc., and was present for this very day of a great number of healings.
9. It is at this level of culpability that Jesus now addresses Philip.
10. Therefore, Philip serves to represent a disciple of Jesus with maximum tenure/time in service.
11. Of the disciples, he has the means and wherewithal to pass this test.
12. Yet, as the passage reveals, neither Philip nor the rest of the disciples discern the correct answer.
13. So in this sense, Philip represents all of the disciples as to their spiritual dullness and alleviates/abates any notion that his or their failure was due even in part to any lack of exposure to the truth.
14. Observation: Philip points to the fact that there are believers who have heard the truth (even exposed to great amounts) and should know the answers to tests in life, but yet remain spiritually dull.
15. Observation: One’s spiritual stupidity is not necessarily the lack of exposure to sound BD.
16. The question that Jesus poses to Philip addresses a physical and real concern regarding the approaching masses, but as stated, also has a spiritual overtone.
17. The verb "might we buy/avgora,zw" is a subjunctive mood and indicates a potential to purchase.
18. This verb is used in the literal sense of "buying/purchasing" physical items such as food (Joh.4:8) and is used metaphorically by John to indicate a procuring/obtaining of BD (Rev.3:18).
19. The noun "bread/a;rtoj" is also used for physical food (Joh.13:18; 21:9,13) as well as metaphorically for the Person of Christ (Joh.6:31-33, 35, 48), tying in the principle of E.L.
20. As Joh.6:31 equates bread with manna, then bread also equates with BD (cp. 1Cor.10:3) or "the Word/o` lo,goj". Joh.1:1
21. Therefore, bread can represent spiritual food as seen in the Person of Christ, which translates into E.L.
22. The verb "may eat/evsqi,w" is also subjunctive indicating potential and is used of physical eating (Joh.4:31,33) as well as metaphorically representing the intake of spiritual sustenance (Joh.4:32) equating to faith (Joh.6:50,51 cp. 53,54,56, 57,58).
23. One also cannot overlook the plural of "Where are we to buy...", which implicates Jesus Himself as a subject with regard to this potential purchase.
24. Though Jesus question applies directly to a physical need concerning the people, an implied spiritual question then can also be extracted:

1. "From what place/source can we purchase literal food so that these might potentially physically sustain themselves?"
2. "From what place/source can we obtain spiritual sustenance so that these might potentially exercise faith and be spiritually sustained?"

1. However, Only by thinking on a spiritual level would Philip ascertain the dual nature of the question.
2. And thus it was under this premise and understanding that He/Jesus approached Philip and placed this question before him.
3. Jesus’ question by design was saying that Philip could respond simply on a physical level or on a spiritual level and in this manner proceeded to test him.
4. In other words, is Philip acclimated to and oriented to who and what the Lord is?
5. Philip’s plane of thinking is obvious as seen in his response in vs.7, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little".
6. The phrase, "Philip answered/avpokri,nomai Him", indicates a response not on the same level of thinking as the individual asking the question, Jesus.
7. Philip demonstrates that he only has his eyes on the human resources available and responds strictly on a physical level.
8. In fact, it can’t be missed, not only does he reveal his human viewpoint approach to the situation, but he does not even attempt to answer the direct question, "Where are we to buy bread?"
9. Rather, he only points out that they don’t have the financial resources to begin to feed these people.
10. Observation: A symptom of spiritual dullness is not listening to exactly what is being communicated.
11. Philip reflects that his own spiritual dereliction is due at least in part, to not closely paying attention to what his Teacher has to say.
12. Rather, as with all lukewarm believers, Philip exposes where his real train of thought lies, second-guessing what Jesus is asking him.
13. To Philip, why answer as to where food can be purchased when to him the issue is there is not even sufficient financial resources to purchase the food.
14. It is commonly recognized that a denarius was the equivalent of a days wage for the average worker and as it stands, there was not even enough money to provide each of the crowd any more than a morsel of food.
15. Some observations regarding Jesus question compared to Philip’s response cannot be overlooked:

1. If Philip had answered Christ’s question literally/physically, but as it was exactly asked, he would have recognized:

1. He needed only to respond as to where the food would have come from.
2. He would have understood that Jesus was a willing participant in potentially purchasing the food.
3. He could have simply admitted ignorance and deferred back to Jesus for the answer and by default partially pass the test i.e., "I don’t know Lord, therefore I am deferring to you to provide the answer".

1. There is irony in Philips response:

1. Though it comes from a failure to correctly solve the problem, it still proclaims a truth both to the physical situation and to its spiritual counterpart.
2. That is, they do not have the physical resources to buy enough food to satisfy those who are hungry and therefore their efforts would be fruitless.
3. This premise is also true addressing the question on its spiritual plane i.e., "Man does not have the resources to purchase BD/E.L./salvation and any attempts to do so under his own efforts are fruitless. cp. Rev.3:18
4. Therefore, the irony is that within Philip’s incorrect answer lies the truth regarding the situation both physically and spiritually.
5. To underscore that even the reality of his answer did not bring him to the correct conclusion is seen in the alternate/concluding response given by the disciples after the fact, "Send the people away".

1. The obvious answer Jesus is looking for is that God will provide the bread.
2. If Philip had been focused in spiritually on the question, he would have discerned their human inability to provide the food needed and deferred to Jesus as God and Creator to make the necessary provisions.
3. He would have concluded that it is God that provides our spiritual needs, therefore He will provide our physical needs. Mat.6:33
4. If Philip had even recalled his belief in Christ as the Son of God, reflected upon all of the past miracles he physically eyewitnessed, he could have literally come to the correct conclusion satisfying Jesus question both physically and spiritually.
5. Jesus stands in stark contrast as One who wanted to feed the masses and was confident that God would provide compared to the uncertainty and frustration of the twelve.
6. Even the Lord deferred to the Father for provision in all things. Joh.5:19, 30
7. It is Jesus’ question that sets the groundwork for understanding the spiritual lesson taught by His miracle i.e., God provides life through the Person of Jesus Christ.
8. Concluding observations:

1. Philip represents all spiritually dull believers in that his eyes were on the flesh and not on God.
2. Believers are no different when they bemoan the physical lack of funds, etc., to do God’s work.
3. Jesus proves that God never leads the believer to a place in which He Himself is not able to provide for that believer either physically or spiritually, and beyond that takes full responsibility for those whom follow Him. (Believers however, can remove themselves from God’s directive will and thus remove themselves from God’s "intentions" via His directive will, for their life.)
4. Before God answers a need, He often tests us to see if we will come up with the right divine viewpoint solution and trust Him.
5. Many times, we may not know fully or understand exactly what He is up to.
6. But in all cases of our physical testing, there is a spiritual reality and lesson to be gleaned/learned from it.
7. When God does come through, any past whining and complaining should be recognized and our appreciation for His grace intensified.
8. Instead of looking at one’s physical resources and assuming the thing needed is not to be, we should pray for God’s intervention.
9. If we approach our tests in life with the divine viewpoint we have been exposed too, we will not only discern the spiritual significance of the tests, but will conclude correctly what applications are to be made.
10. Otherwise, if we seek to find the answers from ourselves, we too as the 12 will fail miserably.
11. There is no excuse for believers to fail tests in life, though we all do. 1Cor.10:13

GNT John 6:8 le,gei auvtw/| ei-j evk tw/n maqhtw/n auvtou/( VAndre,aj o` avdelfo.j Si,mwnoj Pe,trou(

NAS John 6:8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, *said to Him, ei-j (card. adj./nm-s; "One") evk (pg) auvtou/( auvto,j (npgm3s) tw/n o` maqhtw/n maqhth,j (d.a. + n-gm-p; "disciples") VAndre,aj (n-nm-s) o` avdelfo,j (n-nm-s; "the brother") Si,mwnoj Si,mwn (n-gm-s; relationship; "of Simon") Pe,trou( Pe,troj (n-gm-s) le,gei le,gw (vipa--3s) auvtw/| auvto,j (npdm3s)

GNT John 6:9 :Estin paida,rion w-de o]j e;cei pe,nte a;rtouj kriqi,nouj kai. du,o ovya,ria\ avlla. tau/ta ti, evstin eivj tosou,toujÈ

NAS John 6:9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, :Estin eivmi, (vipa--3s) paida,rion (n-nn-s; "lad/child/adolescent/teenager") w-de (adv.; "here/in this place") o[j (rel. pro./nm-s; "who") e;cei e;cw (vipa--3s) pe,nte (card. adj./am-p; "five") kriqi,nouj kri,qinoj (a--am-p; "barley/made of barley"; used 2x only in John, cp. vs.13; modifies bread; considered to be an inferior/course sort of bread; bread that you would find among peasants/common people) a;rtouj a;rtoj (n-am-p; "loaves of bread") kai, (cc) du,o (card. adj./an-p; "two") ovya,ria\ ovya,rion (n-an-p;"fish/cooked/prepared/ preserved food"; food used to be eaten with bread or wine; used 5x only in John cp. 6:11; 21:9,10,13; the synoptic account parallels have duo ivcqu,j/two fish, which word is used 20x and in all cases refers to "fish" cp. Joh.21:6,8,11) but what are these for so many people?" avlla, (strong advers.) ti, ti,j (interr. adj./nn-s; "what") evstin eivmi, (vipa--3s) tau/ta ou-toj (near dem. pro./nn-p; "these things") eivj (pa; "for") tosou,toujÈ tosou/toj (demon. adj./am-p; "so many people")

1. John now skips forward into the scenario at hand.
2. The synoptics fill in the gap up to this point:

1. After the initial question from Jesus and Philip’s response, the other disciples become involved.
2. After ascertaining there is not enough resources to purchase the required food, they conclude that the alternative is to send them away to fend for themselves. Mat.14:15; Mar.6:35-36; Luk.9:12
3. Jesus pushes the issue and tells them that is not necessary, "You give them something to eat". Mat.14:16; Mar.6:37; Luk.9:13
4. They consider His statement ludicrous. Mar.6:37
5. If they had understood the spiritual aspects of the test in front of them, they would have responded to Christ to "make provision so we can feed them".
6. Though they continue to fail the test, Jesus never the less proceeds to provide the answer.
7. He then asks them what actual resources of food (not money) that they have available to them to which they respond. Mar.6:38; cp. Mat.14:17; Luk.9:13
8. As Luk.9:13 points out, the five loaves and two fish are all that they can round up unless they actually go and purchase more.
9. Even now, when you might think that they know Jesus is up to something, they continue to focus on the physical reality of limited food supply and again turn to money (physical resources) as an answer to their problem.
10. Observation: Believers who have their eyes on the physical circumstances of life and look to themselves and the energy of the flesh to "bail themselves out" or deal with life, are "blind" to God’s plan for their lives.
11. Observation: This is true on both the physical and spiritual level.

1. It is John’s account that informs us that it was "one of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother" that first approached Jesus regarding some food that was available.
2. Andrew, the lesser-mentioned sibling of his more famous and outspoken brother Peter, too was one of the earliest disciples of Christ.
3. A previous follower of John the Baptist (Joh.1:35-37 cp. 40), he with the author John left John the Baptist’s ministry to follow Christ (Joh.1:38).
4. It was Andrew, who accepting Jesus as Messiah that first introduced his brother Peter to Christ. Joh.1:41
5. As Jesus had commanded the disciples to "go look for bread" (Mar.6:38), it appears that it was Andrew that first came upon the fact that "there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish" (vs.9a).
6. After he reported this fact to Him/Christ, again we can see the rest of the disciples confirm that that was all that was found. Mat.14:17; Mar.6:38; Luk.9:13
7. As with Philip, Andrew too has time and grade as a disciple of Christ.
8. As with Philip (and the rest of the disciples), Andrew also was spiritually dull, failing this test as seen in the remainder of his response, "but what are these for so many people?", (vs.9b).
9. However, as Philip is representative of the disciple’s spiritual dullness (to include Andrew), Andrew serves to point out an additional factor concerning the disciples.
10. That is, a willingness to follow His directive to "Go/depart/look" for food in Mar.6:38.
11. As the imperative verb "go/go away/depart/u`pa,gw" in Mark’s account indicates, not until the disciples were willing to look "outside" their own resources would they find the answer/solution to the problem.
12. Whereas they did not personally have the ability or resources to "give the crowd something to eat", they could at least go and look.
13. The spiritual parallel is then obvious in that they followed Jesus’ directive to "seek out" or search for what food they could find. Mat.7:7-8; Luk.11:5-13 cp. 12:22-31
14. "Seeking" is paramount/leading to expression of +V.
15. No matter what other spiritual problems the disciples had regarding this test, their willingness to follow Jesus’ directive to "go look" for food states that they at least manifest the necessary prerequisite volitional aptitude as "seekers".
16. A volitional requirement necessary for the miracle to represent fully its spiritual lesson.
17. Because of their willingness to be obedient to this one thing, God blesses them with all that is necessary for the miracle to occur and for all to be fed.
18. Though at the time it seemed ludicrous that so little could feed so many.
19. Observation: As long as we are willing to attach ourselves to a sound ministry to "seek" the truth of BD and are willing to apply His directive will, God will reward our efforts.
20. Observation: Even in light of one’s own spiritual ignorance and failure to understand all that is being taught.
21. So, the mention of Philip and Andrew serve to represent mankind spiritually as it pertains to the spiritual lesson of the miracle itself:

1. Philip and Andrew together represent that mankind corporately is culpable/liable regarding God’s plan and is ignorant not based on any lack of revelation of His plan or Person. Rom.1:20-23
2. Together they represent that mankind is ignorant to the plan of God because they look to themselves and their physical resources to understand God.
3. Philip pictures that mankind individually is faced with the test in life to figure out what His plan is.
4. He portrays men that rely on their own efforts to perceive God’s plan and fail their test in life.
5. He also portrays the fact that any natural resources or abilities man may possess are inadequate to sustain life spiritually.
6. Andrew represents those who individually are willing to look outside of their own resources/ideas and "seek" their spiritual sustenance per God’s directive.
7. He serves to prove that God will honor this obedience with provision.
8. Not until one is willing to "seek" for this food will God bless him or her with finding that necessary for spiritual life.
9. However, he also serves to point out that if one "seeks" with an attitude of disbelief (under their STA), then what provision He has available will seem as "foolishness" to him. 1Cor.2:14

1. Now enter all the ingredients necessary to teach the spiritual lesson of the miracle itself (vs.9a).
2. A breakdown of the situation is as follows:

1. It involves a lad/or young man, which emphasizes age.
2. The young man was found in their immediate periphery as Andrew states that he is here/in this place.
3. He is in possession of food, which is the issue of the test.
4. The food consists of:

1. Five barley loaves.
2. Two fish.

1. The term lad/paida,rion is a hapax and denotes one who is no longer a child but a youth/teenager or young adult. Cp. LXX Gen.37:30 where it is used to refer to Joseph when he was sold into slavery and was at least 17 years old cf. 37:2.
2. It is safe to conclude that this young man was at least old enough to be allowed to be away from home on his own and that the food he had was brought with him from home.
3. The emphasis is that it was one that was younger in age and here in their immediate periphery that had the necessary provisions for the miracle to occur.
4. The bread/five barley loaves he had with him, was considered to be a course/inferior sort of bread and was readily found among peasants and those of lower economic class.
5. This type of bread was generally served together with the main course or cooked food, in this case, fish.
6. So what God provided and that which Andrew found and presented to Jesus was a younger man of modest means who had in his possession a meal of two parts designed to be consumed together, bread and fish.
7. The spiritual parallel explained:

1. That it is Andrew, a former disciple of John the Baptist and now disciple of Jesus that finds the lad, harks back to a correlation between the forerunner and Messiah.
2. That correlation is found in the timing and age of their ministries and persons.
3. As the description "lad" infers, the food that was found came from one younger in age or has come later in life.
4. Jesus taught this fact regarding Himself as Messiah in correlation with John in His tribute to John. Mat.11:11; Luk.7:28
5. John also taught that it was a man that came after him in time that was the Lamb of God. Joh.1:27, 29-30
6. It is clearly documented that Jesus was both younger in age than John and that His ministry followed John’s. Luk.1:24-26 (Jesus was approximately 6 mos. younger) cp. Joh.1:27,30
7. What "luck" (we speak as if insane) then that it is a former disciple of John the Baptist that John the author records as finding this young man.
8. It also is noted that the lad by implication was willing to sacrifice what He had on behalf of those around him, which points to Christ’s willing sacrifice. Eph.5:2
9. The fact that the lad was "here/in this place" points to the reality that in the search for food, it was found right there in their immediate periphery.
10. Though they did have to look outside their own means, they did not have to leave their geographical location in order for God to provide them with all that will be necessary for this miracle.
11. It is only John that records that this bread was barley, making it bread found of those in the peasant class.
12. "Bread" as noted in the analysis of vss.5-7 spiritually represents eternal life found in the Person of Christ and as imparted through His Deity.
13. That it is presented here in the low class of barley loaves pictures that eternal life is found in a lower form of existence and points towards the condescension and union of God the Son with the humanity of Jesus in a state of humility. 2Cor.8:9
14. In other words, the one who has eternal life to give on behalf of others will not be one among the rich and elite of society.
15. Rather, it is provided through one of humble means and common physical appearance. Isa.53:2
16. As the five barley loaves emphasize E.L. as possessed by Christ, the two fish emphasize and represent His humanity.
17. Fish are used clearly as analogous to humanity elsewhere in Christ’s teaching. Mat.4:18-19; 13:47-50; Mar.1:16-17; Luk.5:1-10
18. It is noted that the initial question and search focused simply on a singly item of food, bread.
19. What God provided however, was a complete meal of both bread and fish, which go hand in hand.
20. This points to the reality that in man’s search for E.L., it will be found in conjunction with true humanity.
21. That humanity being the historical person, Jesus of Nazareth.
22. The numbers of five and two in correspondence with the loaves and fish can also be seen to have spiritual significance in scripture.
23. In fact, it is these two numbers that refer to the number of animals sacrificed for peace offerings in the tabernacle dedication upon its completion. Num.7:1 cp. 17,23,29,35,41, et al.
24. As it is God that provides the sacrifice for sins and free gift of salvation to mankind, to provide reconciliation/peace between God and man, the number five in numerology has come to represent grace.
25. The number two in scripture can be a figure both of unity (man and woman Gen.1:27; 2:20,24; pairs of animals in the ark Gen.7:9; two stone tablets at Sinai, etc.), as well as division (separation of forces: God and Baal 1Kgs.18:21; the two ways of Mat.7:13-14; Doctrine of Separation 2Cor.6:14ff), and has come to represent the 2^nd member of the God-head, Jesus Christ, who is the focal point in the A/C as to who will have eternal union with God or be eternally separated from God.
26. While numerology is to be approached with caution in interpretation, the significance and application here is obvious i.e., that eternal life is a grace provision provided by the historical person Jesus.
27. That the numbers of the miracle do have theological significance compare Christ’s remarks after the feeding of the 4000 in Mat.16:9-12 cp. Mar.8:19-21.

1. Therefore, what physically Andrew has found and what God has provided all points to and represents the Person of Christ and His mission to provide E.L., as He fulfills His place in history at the 1^st advent.
2. As it is God that provides mankind’s living grace to sustain physical life, so it is by grace that God provides eternal/spiritual life.

GNT John 6:10 ei=pen o` VIhsou/j( Poih,sate tou.j avnqrw,pouj avnapesei/nÅ h=n de. co,rtoj polu.j evn tw/| to,pw|Å avne,pesan ou=n oi` a;ndrej to.n avriqmo.n w`j pentakisci,lioiÅ

NAS John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) ei=pen le,gw (viaa--3s) Poih,sate poie,w (vImper./a/a--2p; "make/do" translated "Have") tou.j o` avnqrw,pouj a;nqrwpoj (n-am-p; "the people/men") avnapesei/nÅ avnapi,ptw (compl. inf./a/a; "sit down/lie back/recline") Now there was much grass in the place. de, (cs; "Now") h=n eivmi, (viIPFa--3s) polu,j (a--nm-s; "much") co,rtoj (n-nm-s; "grass") evn (pL) tw/| o` to,pw|Å to,poj (d.a. + n-dm-s; "the place/region") So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ou=n (conj. "So/therefore") oi` o` a;ndrej avnh,r (d.a. + n-nm-p; "the males/men") avne,pesan avnapi,ptw (viaa--3p; "sat down/reclined") to.n o` avriqmo.n avriqmo,j (d.a. + n-am-s; "the number/total") w`j (comparative adv.; "about/like/as") pentakisci,lioiÅ (card. adj./nm-p; "five thousand")

GNT John 6:11 e;laben ou=n tou.j a;rtouj o` VIhsou/j kai. euvcaristh,saj die,dwken toi/j avnakeime,noij o`moi,wj kai. evk tw/n ovyari,wn o[son h;qelonÅ

NAS John 6:11 Jesus therefore took the loaves; o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) ou=n (cc; "therefore") e;laben lamba,nw (viaa--3s; "took/received") tou.j o` a;rtouj a;rtoj (d.a. + n-am-p; "the loaves/bread") and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; kai, (cc) euvcaristh,saj euvcariste,w (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-s; "after giving thanks"; used 38x) die,dwken diadi,dwmi (viaa--3s; "He distributed/divided up among several"; used 4x) toi/j o` avnakeime,noij avna,keimai(d.a. + subs. ptc./p/d/dm-p; "those who were seated/reclined") likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. o`moi,wj (adv. "likewise/in the same way") kai, (adjunctive; "also") evk (pabl; "from/of") tw/n o` ovyari,wn ovya,rion (d.a. + n-abln-p; "the fish") o[son o[soj (rel. adj./an-s; "as much as") h;qelonÅ qe,lw (viIPFa--3p; "they continually were wanting/desiring")

GNT John 6:12 w`j de. evneplh,sqhsan( le,gei toi/j maqhtai/j auvtou/( Sunaga,gete ta. perisseu,santa kla,smata( i[na mh, ti avpo,lhtaiÅ

NAS John 6:12 And when they were filled, He *said to His disciples, de, (ch) w`j (temp. conj. "when") evneplh,sqhsan( evmpi,plhmi (viap--3p; "filled/satisfied/ satiated"; used 5x) le,gei le,gw (historical present/vipa--3s) auvtou/( auvto,j (npgm3s) toi/j o` maqhtai/j maqhth,j (d.a. + n-dm-p; "disciples") "Gather up the leftover fragments that nothing may be lost." Sunaga,gete suna,gw (vimp.aa--2p; "gather up/collect") ta. to` perisseu,santa perisseu,w (d.a. + adj. ptc./a/a/an-p; "the exceeding/being in abundance/leftover") kla,smata( kla,sma (n-an-p; "fragments/pieces") i[na (cs; "in order that") mh, (neg.; "not") ti ti.j (ind. pro./nn-s; "anything") avpo,lhtaiÅ avpo,llumi (vsam--3s; "might be lost"; in the middle voice "perish/destroyed")

GNT John 6:13 sunh,gagon ou=n kai. evge,misan dw,deka kofi,nouj klasma,twn evk tw/n pe,nte a;rtwn tw/n kriqi,nwn a] evperi,sseusan toi/j bebrwko,sinÅ

NAS John 6:13 And so they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, ou=n (ch; "And so/therefore") sunh,gagon suna,gw (viaa--3p; "they gathered them up") kai, (ch) evge,misan gemi,zw (viaa--3p; "filled/filled up") dw,deka (card. adj./am-p; "twelve") kofi,nouj ko,finoj (n-am-p; "wicker baskets") klasma,twn kla,sma (n-gn-p; "of or with fragments/broken pieces") evk (pabl) tw/n o` pe,nte (d.a. + card. adj./abl/m-p; "five") tw/n o` kriqi,nwn kri,qinoj (a--descr. gen. m-p; "barley") a;rtwn a;rtoj (n-ablm-p; "loaves") which were left over by those who had eaten. a] o[j (rel. pro./nn-p; "which" ref. to "pieces/fragments") evperi,sseusan perisseu,w (viaa--3p; "left over/remained") toi/j o` bebrwko,sinÅ bibrw,skw (circ. ptc./PF/a/dm-p; "by those who had eaten")

1. With the stage set for the miracle to occur, Jesus gave orders to the disciples and said, "Have the people sit down or recline".
2. The word "people/a;nqrwpoj" is one of two words for "man" used in vs.10 being the more comprehensive term used for mankind in general and here is inclusive of all the multitude to include women and children. Cp. Mat.4:4; Mar.2:27 etc.
3. Luke’s account reflects that the direct order was to organize the people into orderly groups of about fifty per group. Luk.9:14
4. Mark’s account reflects that of these groups, some segregated accordingly while others combined two groups together in sets of one hundred. Mar.6:39-40
5. John then fills in with information that there was much grass in the place, which provides evidence of an eyewitness to these proceedings.
6. Mark’s account tells us that the grass was green, which would be expected if this occurred in March/April during the spring. Mar.6:39 cp. Joh.6:4
7. We then note the second word for "men/avnh,r", in the phrase, "so the men sat down", which use is specific for an adult male, distinct from a woman/female or child/boy.
8. The number of about five thousand then is a count of adult males within the multitude in addition to women and children as Mat.14:21 substantiates.
9. Again, it cannot go unnoticed the emphasis of the number five even in the multiples of the seating arrangements and recorded number of the multitude.
10. Having assembled the crowd in a descent and orderly fashion (1Cor.14:40), Jesus now sets the tone for the miracle.
11. The first act He did was that He took the existing five loaves available and offered a prayer of thanksgiving.
12. In Judaism it was a stringent rule that nothing should be eaten without thanking God before and after the meal.
13. While it is not recorded that Jesus gave thanks after a meal, he is observed doing so before eating with a prime example being His observance at the "Last Supper". Luk.22:17,19
14. His observance of prayer here is recorded in all of the synoptics. Mat.14:19; Mark.6:41; Luk.9:16
15. That it is a prayer of thanksgiving emphasizes the fact that Jesus looked to the Father as the author and provider for what he had and what was to occur.
16. As Christ Himself taught, all that He did was based on the Father’s Sovereignty as the Planner/Designer of the Plan of God. Joh.5:19,30
17. That the prayer immediately precedes the miracle, in and of itself points to the reality that what would occur is the directive will of the Father.
18. Observation: All of the believer’s prayers should be in line with and according to God’s directive will/BD.
19. That the miracle is based on God’s Sovereign will illustrates that all that the miracle accomplished physically and the spiritual lesson it portrays is according to the POG i.e., based on His authority and system of rule in heaven. Cp. Mat.14:19; Mar.6:41; Luk.9:16 where Jesus "looked up toward heaven" during His prayer.
20. And after having given thanks, Jesus then distributed the bread to those who were seated.
21. And in the same fashion, likewise He took also of the fish and divided it among the multitude.
22. While John only records that Jesus distributed the food to those reclined, the parallel passages record that He first gave the food to the disciples who in turn set it before the people. Mat.14:19; Mar.6:41; Luk.9:16
23. While the exact miracle is never described, the implication seems to suggest that the multiplication of the food occurred in Jesus’ hands continuously as He gave it to the disciples, until everyone there had as much as they wanted.
24. Just as the miracle of turning water to wine is not fully explained, it is only recorded that the miracle did occur.
25. As the supply of food continued to come to these people, who were obviously hungry, they ate and ate until they were filled.
26. The text leaves no doubt that they had eaten their fill and that food was provided even over and beyond what could be consumed.
27. In no way can this be interpreted to mean that each one got a little morsel to take the edge off their appetite, or that this was some symbolic form of the Lord’s table, which only satisfied their souls.
28. They ate until they were satiated; they could not and did not want to eat any more.
29. To prove that more than enough food was provided is seen in Jesus command to His disciples to gather up the leftover fragments in order that nothing may be lost/wasted.
30. It is vs.13 that ties down the core principle of the lesson and test that was placed before Philip and the disciples.
31. As John records, the disciples gathered up all, which were left over by those who had eaten.
32. Mark’s account points out that both bread and fish were left over. Mar.6:43
33. But it is John’s account that emphasizes that of the bread and fish, they filled twelve wicker baskets strictly with fragments from the five barley loaves.
34. Again we seen an emphasis on the number five illustrating grace, bread illustrating eternal life as found in the Person of Christ, and now inserted is the number twelve that is used with reference to the entirety of food that was indeed produced in the miracle.
35. In other words, Christ produced enough to feed everyone as well as having twelve baskets left over denoting the completion or extent of food the miracle produced.
36. The number twelve theologically represents what God has appointed (12 tribes of Israel; 12 apostles; 12 months of the Hebrew year; the day was divided into two 12 hour segments – Joh.11:9; etc.), and therefore denotes God’s Sovereignty/directive as applied to government and system of rule.
37. Therefore, the significance of the events, items of the miracle and numbers involved all point to the answer to Jesus’ initial question to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?":

1. Physically: We are dependent upon God’s grace system to provide that necessary to sustain life (living grace). Mat.6:25-34; Luk.12:22-33 cp. Mat.5:45
2. Spiritually: We are dependent upon God’s grace system to provide that necessary for eternal life (saving grace). Eph.2:5,8; 2Tim.1:9

1. Jesus makes it clear in Mat.16:9-12 and Mar.8:18-21 that indeed the numbers involved in both the miracles of the feeding of the 5000 and 4000 teach a spiritual lesson and thus corroborate our interpretation:

1. In these passages, Jesus has just warned His disciples to "Watch out for and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod".
2. In His statement He incriminates both the theological and political agendas of religious Judaism of the time.
3. As the disciples fail to understand what He means, He combines both "feeding" miracles to drive home His point.
4. He refers to the number of the crowds (5000 and 4000), numbers of loaves of bread (5 and 7 respectively) and asks how many leftover baskets remained (12 and 7 respectively).
5. In both cases Christ, as John does, emphasizes only the leftover bread in the miracles, which illustrates eternal life/salvation/BD/POG/Jesus Christ.
6. As the number five represents grace and twelve represents God’s rule/system of government at the miracle of the 5000, the parallel miracle also is representative:

1. The number "four" theologically is prominent for universalism (4 corners of the earth – Isa.11:12; Rev.7:1; 20:8; 4 directions of earth; 4 gospels etc.).
2. The number "seven" denotes perfection or completion (7 days of creation; the 7^th day of rest/completion; 7000 years of human history, etc.)
3. As our miracle emphasizes grace as God’s system of salvation in the POG, the subsequent miracle emphasized that salvation is perfect/complete and for all mankind.

1. What Christ was warning the disciples about was the teaching espoused by those established as authoritative representatives regarding the POG. Mat.16:12
2. As is clearly established, Judaism taught that eternal life/salvation/POG was through a system of works, not faith and therefore a system devised by men.
3. Christ references the two miracles to refute their teaching and symbolically proclaim that salvation is a grace system established by God Himself (POG), perfect and complete and applicable to all of mankind.

1. The fact that there were indeed "leftovers" spiritually illustrates that salvation has been provided not only for those who partake/believe, but also for unbelievers denoting the principle of unlimited atonement. Rom.5:18; 1Tim.2:4; 4:10; Ti.2:11
2. It also points to the fact that when the Lord supplies His people’s needs whether physically or spiritually, there is abundance, but no waste.
3. To waste God’s provision is to be poor stewards of His grace.
4. He also sets the pattern for grace giving:

1. His giving is with "liberality". Prov.11:24,25; 2Cor.8:1-5; 9:6-13
2. He takes the initiative to make the application.
3. He considers the act of giving as a test commensurate to the degree of culpability of the believer to BD.
4. To the degree of culpability to BD, one is responsible to seek to provide the needs of others.
5. He points to God as the author and provider for all our needs and with thankfulness we are to share our blessings with those in need.
6. The amount given is according to the amount provided to give.
7. When grace is applied appropriately and without measure, the believer will receive back an over abundance of the grace supplied.
8. Grace giving is not "to remove the ‘edge’ from the need", but to remove the need.
9. The objects of giving in a list of priority include:

1. Support of the Pastor-Teacher. 1Cor.9:7-11; Gal.6:6; Phil.4:14-18
2. Living grace needs (food, shelter, clothing) of other believers, first to those of your own local church starting with your own family. 1Tim.5:8; Gal.6:10; Rom.15:26 cp.2Cor.8:14
3. Unbelievers. Luk.6:30-36 cp. Gal.6:10

GNT John 6:14 Oi` ou=n a;nqrwpoi ivdo,ntej o] evpoi,hsen shmei/on e;legon o[ti Ou-to,j evstin avlhqw/j o` profh,thj o` evrco,menoj eivj to.n ko,smonÅ

NAS John 6:14 When therefore the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, ou=n (infer. conj.; "therefore/ consequently"; looks back to the preceding miracle) Oi` o` a;nqrwpoi a;nqrwpoj (d.a. + n-nm-p; "the people") ivdo,ntej o`ra,w (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-p; "when they saw/having seen") shmei/on (n-an-s; "sign") o] o[j (rel. pro./an-s; "which/that") evpoi,hsen poie,w (viaa--3s; "He had performed/He did") e;legon le,gw (viIPFa--3p; "they said"; IPF denotes an ongoing discussion among the people and rallying together in their perception and affect/influence that the miracle had upon them) o[ti (cc; indir. disc.) "This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world." Ou-to,j ou-toj (near dem. pro. near in vicinity -nm-s; "This One/Man") evstin eivmi, (vipa--3s) avlhqw/j (adv. "truly/of a truth:) o` profh,thj (d.a. + n-nm-s; "the Prophet"; the prophet of Deut.18:15) o` evrco,menoj e;rcomai (adj. ptc./p/d/nm-s; "who is to come/who is coming"; denotes an expectation) eivj (pa) to.n o` ko,smonÅ ko,smoj (d.a. + n-am-s; "the world/cosmos")

GNT John 6:15 VIhsou/j ou=n gnou.j o[ti me,llousin e;rcesqai kai. a`rpa,zein auvto.n i[na poih,swsin basile,a( avnecw,rhsen pa,lin eivj to. o;roj auvto.j mo,nojÅ

NAS John 6:15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, VIhsou/j (n-nm-s) ou=n (infer. conj.) gnou.j ginw,skw (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-s; "when perceiving/having known") o[ti (conj.; intro. content of His knowledge; "that") me,llousin me,llw (vipa--3p+; "they were about to/intending to/wanting to"; denotes an intended action) e;rcesqai e;rcomai (+ compl. inf./p/d; "to come") kai, (cc) a`rpa,zein a`rpa,zw (+ compl. inf./p/a; "to take by force/to snatch/to seize") auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) i[na (conj.; purpose; "for the purpose of") poih,swsin poie,w (vsaa--3p; "they might make") basile,a( basileu,j (n-am-s; "a king/leader/prince") withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. avnecw,rhsen avnacwre,w (viaa--3s; "He withdrew/departed from one area to another") pa,lin (adv. "again"; cp. vs.3) eivj (pa) to. o;roj (d.a. + n-an-s; "the mountain") auvto,j (npnm3s; "He Himself/by Himself") mo,nojÅ (a--nm-s; "alone")

1. John now records the effect/consequence of Jesus’ miracle upon the recipients.
2. The miracle is in and of itself unique, in that it was applied to the entire multitude of people rather than just certain individuals needing healing, etc.
3. Therefore the affect of the miracle had a direct impact on everyone, since everyone physically benefited from its yield.
4. This is the force of the verb "o`ra,w/saw" in vs.14a, which notes the physical participation involved in their mental perception of the event. See the explanation on o`ra,w in the class notes of Joh.3:3.
5. In other words, the phrase "When therefore the people saw the sign" could be rendered, "When therefore the people reflected upon the miraculous occurrence that they were direct recipients of regarding the sign".
6. To put it yet another way, their perception of the miracle was directly impacted by their physical participation in it.
7. The miracle, which He/Jesus had performed that the masses had witnessed, was of such a nature that they realized Jesus had the power to provide even for great numbers of people.
8. Again, we see John’s referral to the miracle as a "sign".
9. In fact, it was a sign, a sign to point people to who Jesus was so they could believe in Him for salvation.
10. The masses too recognized it as a sign, but failed to grasp its true significance.
11. Rather than inquire of Jesus as to its import, they let the physical result of the miracle influence their perception of its meaning.
12. They immediately starting to discuss the matter among themselves, pooling their ignorance as to what they thought this all meant.
13. They concluded enmasse/as a whole that this is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world referencing their understanding of Deut.18:15.
14. While their conclusion as a statement is correct, it is their interpretation as to who and what the Prophet was all about that is erroneous.
15. It has already been recorded by John that the Jews had no clear read as to the Prophet or the Christ, as they considered them to be two different individuals. Joh.1:19-21
16. While some have suggested that the Galileans did not reflect this viewpoint of their Judean counterparts thinking more on the lines of the Samaritans (Joh.4:25), there is a common denominator that has affected both groups in their thinking in this regard.
17. That is, neither the Judean nor Galilean Jews regarded the Prophet nor Messiah as a spiritual deliverer, only a political deliverer.
18. Just as this multitude of people only had "eyes" regarding the physical benefits of the miracle, which they enjoyed, they only perceived the Prophet like Moses as one who would deliver them from physical Roman rule as Moses delivered the Exodus from Egypt.
19. Like so many they automatically assumed that if they thought it, it had to be true.
20. Their theology was a mixture of true ideas and human viewpoint, which basically kept them off balance and confused.
21. Because of the human viewpoint incorporated into the Judaistic teaching they received, most not only did not recognize the Prophet and Messiah as One and the same, but also failed to GAP the spiritual significance behind His coming at the 1^st advent.
22. Such is still the case today with people listening to a multiplicity of teachers, who themselves are often ill-prepared and misguided.
23. People are confused and disoriented with regard to Ph₁, Ph₂ and Ph₃ truths, having theological grids that are a hodge-podge of true and false ideas.
24. Just as an element of truth is reflected in the multitude’s conclusion, the false renders the whole as useless to produce true godliness and leads them down a false road of application.
25. The irony is that it is the Prophet that they conclude He is that they are challenged to listen to and orient to regarding His teaching. Deut.18:15-19
26. Why then hadn’t these people listened to Jesus so as to clear away their human viewpoint?
27. Because they were following their own grid that included:

1. Dependence on miracles to sustain them. Joh.4:48
2. A strong nationalistic aspiration that ignored Biblical realities.
3. False teaching that confused Messianic expectations.
4. Their own –V to the truth.

1. When Jesus came along they tended to ignore His teaching, focusing on His miracles and forcing Him into their own mold.
2. Many have noted the similarity of this miracle being performed in a wilderness area, to the miracles that Moses did in a similar setting. Exo.16:1ff
3. As will be observed later, it is the "physical" result of the miracle that is precisely what is on the mind’s of these people. Joh.6:26ff
4. Here was a man who had the ability to not only cure disease, but also could provide food for any number of people and what better could one ask for to lead them as a king.
5. To them, as the 2^nd Moses, He would surely lead them to freedom from Roman rule.
6. Instead of listening to Him, as they should have, we see them engaged in a herd mentality of a false concept and now were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king.
7. Jesus is aware of their thinking and realizes He is in a precarious situation.
8. This is a mob of maladjusted people, not thinking about any realities beyond their momentary excitement and political fervor, intent on having their way in this matter.
9. These people have no true desire to understand all that the miracle was about, only to exalt Him for their own purposes.
10. Jesus therefore perceiving that they were hell bent to carry out their own distorted views regarding Him, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
11. Jesus rejects their attempt to make Him an earthly king, just as He had previously rejected the solicitation from Satan to become ruler over the entire world. Luk.4:5-8
12. This was an obvious temptation for Him to bypass the cross, ignoring God’s will for Him, and assume the Messianic kingdom here and now.
13. However, Jesus would have violated the will of God, become a ruler over lost, unregenerate humanity, and would have failed to provide salvation for even one person, if He accepted this approach.
14. The popularity He enjoyed among the masses could easily become a temptation and a snare to Him.
15. Observation: As adjusted believers attempting to walk in righteousness, we must be aware of the pitfalls around us that exudes from human viewpoint and might appeal to our own STA or false theological grids. Rom.13:14
16. It is noted that from this time forward, Jesus withdraws from the crowds that follow Him, recognizing that the will of God and their will for Him are in complete contradiction and antagonistic to one another.
17. His withdrawals can be seen at:

1. Joh.6:1-3; Mat.14:13,14; Mar.6:31-34; Luk.9:10b-11: Pressure from Herod.
2. Joh.6:14-15; Mat.14.22-23; Mar.6:45-46: Interference from others regarding God’s will for Him
3. Mat.15:21; Mar.7:24; 8:13: To avoid interference from the Religious leaders.
4. Mat.15:29-31; Mar.7:31; Joh.6:3,15: The need for more personal time for Himself and with His disciples.

1. Here, Jesus simply frustrates their plans by separating Himself from them withdrawing further up into the mountain.
2. The exact sequence of events can be seen by incorporating the synoptics:

1. Jesus instructs the disciples to leave the area. Mat.14:22; Mar.6:45
2. During their departure, He dismisses the crowd.
3. While some may have departed, obviously others are very excited and refuse to leave.
4. They begin to form a mob to take Him by force.
5. By then He has withdrawn into the solace of the mountain.
6. His purpose was to remove Himself from the situation and to engage in prayer. Mat.14:23; Mar.6:46; Joh.6:15
7. The mob not knowing where Jesus is eventually disperses leaving Him alone.

1. Observation: When a solicitation to tempt us to violate the known will of God occurs within the life of a believer, an escape avenue is to separate themselves from the situation as soon as possible and to pray.
2. Christ never let anyone stand in the way of fulfilling God’s plan for Himself, even from His closest associates such as Peter, which on that occasion it incited Jesus to emit a debasing rebuke to Peter. Mat.16:21-23
3. Jesus knew how to frustrate the actions of others when they were about to jeopardize His mission.
4. He never let other’s misguided viewpoints affect or interfere with the known will of the Father for His life.
5. This is a sterling example of "zeal without knowledge". Rom.10:2

GNT John 6:16 ~Wj de. ovyi,a evge,neto kate,bhsan oi` maqhtai. auvtou/ evpi. th.n qa,lassan

NAS John 6:16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, de, (cc; "Now") ~Wj w`j (temp. conj.; "when/after") ovyi,a o;yioj (a--nf-s; "evening/sunset or later/root meaning 'late'") evge,neto gi,nomai (viad--3s) auvtou/ auvto,j (npgm3s) oi` o` maqhtai. maqhth,j (d.a. + n-nm-p) kate,bhsan katabai,nw (viaa--3p; "went down") evpi, (pa) th.n h` qa,lassan qa,lassa (d.a. + n-af-s; "the sea" ref. Sea of Galilee or Tiberias)

GNT John 6:17 kai. evmba,ntej eivj ploi/on h;rconto pe,ran th/j qala,sshj eivj Kafarnaou,mÅ kai. skoti,a h;dh evgego,nei kai. ou;pw evlhlu,qei pro.j auvtou.j o` VIhsou/j(

NAS John 6:17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. kai, (cc) evmba,ntej evmbai,nw (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-p; "after getting into/stepping into/embarking"; used 16x always of getting into a boat) eivj (pa; "into") ploi/on (n-an-s; "a boat/seagoing vessel"; obviously large enough to carry twelve men) h;rconto e;rcomai (viIPFd--3p; "they were going") pe,ran (pg; "across/to the other or opposite side/beyond") th/j h` qala,sshj qa,lassa (d.a. + n-gf-s) eivj (pa) Kafarnaou,mÅ (n-af-s; "Capernaum") And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. kai, (cc) h;dh (adv. "already/by this time") evgego,nei gi,nomai (viPLUPFa--3s; "it had become") skoti,a (n-nf-s; "dark") kai, (cc) o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. +n-nm-s) ou;pw (adv.; "not yet/still not) evlhlu,qei e;rcomai (viPLUPFa--3s; "had come") pro,j (pa; "to/toward"; indicates Jesus had not even started that way yet; With the PLUPF it points to Jesus time of prayer in the mountain) auvtou.j auvto,j (npam3p)

GNT John 6:18 h[ te qa,lassa avne,mou mega,lou pne,ontoj diegei,retoÅ

NAS John 6:18 And the sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. h[ o[j (dnfs; "which"/not translated) te, (cc; adjunction force; "now/also") qa,lassa (n-nf-s; "sea") diegei,retoÅ diegei,rw (viIPFp--3s; "has been stirred up/agitated"; used 5x; means to "wake up/arouse/stir up/excite"; the passive denotes an outside agent ) "because" supplied" mega,lou me,gaj (a--gm-s; "great/much"; here used of force, "strong") avne,mou a;nemoj(n-gm-s; "a wind") pne,ontoj pne,w (circ. ptc./p/a/gm-s; "while/was blowing"; same as 3:8)

GNT John 6:19 evlhlako,tej ou=n w`j stadi,ouj ei;kosi pe,nte h' tria,konta qewrou/sin to.n VIhsou/n peripatou/nta evpi. th/j qala,sshj kai. evggu.j tou/ ploi,ou gino,menon( kai. evfobh,qhsanÅ

NAS John 6:19 When therefore they had rowed about three or four miles, w`j(temp. conj.; "when") ou=n (infer. conj.; "therefore") evlhlako,tej evlau,nw (circ. ptc./PF/a/nm-p; "after they had rowed"; used 5x; "a propelling or driving force" such as impelling a boat forward by oars - Mar.6:48 - or wind - Jms.3:4) ei;kosi (card. adj./am-p; "twenty") pe,nte (card. adj./am-p; "five") h; (cc; "or") tria,konta (card. adj./am-p; "thirty") stadi,ouj sta,dioj (n-am-p; "stadion"; a unit of measure of approximately 600 ft. or 1/8th of a Roman mile = between 3.1 to 3.74 miles;) they *beheld Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. qewrou/sin qewre,w (vipa--3p; "they beheld/observed/looked on" as spectators) to.n o` VIhsou/n VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-am-s) peripatou/nta peripate,w (circ. ptc./p/a/am-s; "walking") evpi, (pg; "upon") th/j h` qala,sshj qa,lassa (d.a. + n-gf-s) kai, (cc) gino,menon( gi,nomai(circ. ptc./p/d/am-s; "coming/moving/drawing) evggu,j (pg; "near/close by") tou/ to` ploi,ou ploi/on (d.a. + n-gn-s; "the boat") kai, (ch) evfobh,qhsanÅ fobe,omai(viad--3p; "they were frightened/fearful/terrified/caused to be afraid"; most general term for fear used 103x )

GNT John 6:20 o` de. le,gei auvtoi/j( VEgw, eivmi( mh. fobei/sqeÅ

NAS John 6:20 But He *said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." de, (ch) o` (dnms +; used as a pronoun; "He"; ref. Jesus) le,gei le,gw (vipa--3s) auvtoi/j( auvto,j (npdm3p) VEgw, (npn-1s; "I") eivmi, (vipa--1s; "I am/keep on being"; "I am" = Yahweh) mh, (neg. with imperative; "stop!") fobei/sqeÅ fobe,omai (vImp./p/d--2p; "being afraid")

GNT John 6:21 h;qelon ou=n labei/n auvto.n eivj to. ploi/on( kai. euvqe,wj evge,neto to. ploi/on evpi. th/j gh/j eivj h]n u`ph/gonÅ

NAS John 6:21 They were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat; h;qelon qe,lw (viIPFa--3p; "they were willing") ou=n (infer. conj.; "therefore") labei/n lamba,nw (compl. inf./a/a; "to receive") auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) eivj(pa) to, ploi/on( (d.a. + n-an-s; "the boat") and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. kai, (cc) euvqe,wj (adv.; "immediately/at once/right away/soon after") to. ploi/on (d.a. + n-nn-s; "the boat") evge,neto gi,nomai (viad--3s; "was/came") evpi, (pg; "upon/at") th/j h` gh/j gh/ (d.a. + n-gf-s; "the land") eivj (pa; "to/toward") h]n o[j (rel. pro./af-s; "which") u`ph/gonÅ u`pa,gw (viIPFa--3p; "they departed to/sent to/were going to")

1. John’s account of this particular event is the most compressed compared to its recording in Mat.14:22-34 and Mar.6:45-53.
2. Luke omits this event altogether.
3. Once again, by harmonizing the paralleling accounts, we will fill in the details and order of events.
4. As Luke records, it was the city of Bethsaida that Jesus and His disciples had arrived to initially, before the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. Luk.9:10b
5. The people found out where He was heading and arrived there before them. Mat.14:13; Mar.6:32-33; Luk.9:11a cf. Joh.6:2
6. Upon immediately arriving at Bethsaida, He saw the multitude and again began to heal and teach. Mat.14:14; Mar.6:34; Luk.9:11b
7. John then informs us that He retired to a specific mountain or hill with His disciples. Joh.6:3
8. That this withdrawal was after His arrival at Bethsaida seems obvious, since it is now from His vantage on this mountain that He sees the multitude coming towards them, which is different than the scenario of His first arrival. Joh.6:5
9. Therefore, after Jesus first arrival at Bethsaida and again spending more time healing and teaching, He and the disciples retreat to the mountain for the solitude they initially headed out for. Mar.6:31
10. Then the miracle of the feeding of the 5000 occurs.
11. The problem now arises as to harmonizing John’s account that says after getting into a boat, the disciples were going across the sea to Capernaum and Mark’s account that Jesus made them get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida.
12. The solution is relatively simple:

1. As has been noted, by the 4^th century theologian and archaeologist Jerome and 1^st century Roman scientist and historian Pliny (Gaius Pinius Secundus a.k.a. Pliny the Elder), Bethsaida was located close to and east of the headwaters of the Jordan as it empties into the Sea of Galilee.
2. The "mountain" that Jesus and the disciples retreated to after their initial arrival at Bethsaida was located on the west side of the Jordan.
3. Therefore, when Jesus instructed the disciples to go to the other side to Bethsaida in Mark, He was speaking of the other side of the Jordan, not the Sea of Galilee.
4. In fact, the preposition "other side/pe,ran" is also translated "beyond" and of its 23 uses, it is used explicitly 8 times with reference to the Jordan. Mat.4:15,25; 19:1; Mar.3:8; 10:1; Joh.1:28; 3:26; 10:40
5. Therefore, a theoretical western Bethsaida is not necessary to harmonize the events as they unfold.

1. The order of events can now unfold.

14. While Jesus was dismissing the crowds, the disciples got into the boat they had taken earlier to this more remote region from Bethsaida earlier in the day.
15. The obvious instructions that Jesus gave the disciples was to go ahead of Him back across the Jordan to Bethsaida and wait for Him, at which time of His arrival, they would head back across the sea. Mat.14:22; Mar.6:45
16. That indeed the disciples were expecting His arrival is stipulated in vs.17b, "And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them".
17. Little else can be inferred from this statement.
18. It was while the disciples were heading back to Bethsaida that Christ dismissed the crowd and headed up the mountain for prayer.
19. Not until both the crowds and the disciples had departed, did evening come. Mat.14:23
20. It is within this time frame and order of events that vs.16 must be understood.
21. The phrase "Now when/after evening came", denotes a time later into the evening during which time the disciples had arrived at Bethsaida and had been waiting on Jesus arrival.
22. At some time they determine that Jesus is going to be a "no show" and whether through impatience or some other rationale, they left wherever they were waiting for Him in Bethsaida, and went back down to their boat at the sea.
23. It was then that "after getting into a boat" of vs.17a, that they started to cross the sea to Capernaum.
24. That it was indeed dark and late into the evening when they re-embarked is clear as both Mat. & Mar. tell us that it was about the fourth watch when the actual miracle occurred, which in Roman time was around 3:00 AM. Mat.14:25; Mar.6:48
25. On their trip over, a violent storm erupted and the sea began to be stirred up/agitated because a strong wind was blowing.
26. That this was a violent and sudden storm is confirmed by the parallel accounts that call the wind "contrary" and "against them" as well as "great or strong" in John’s account. Mat.14:24; Mar.6:48
27. John also says the sea was agitated and Matthew says that the boat was "battered by the waves".
28. These types of thunderstorms are quite common around the Sea of Galilee, particularly occurring at the start of the spring rainy season.
29. The relative position of the lake, below sea level surrounded with high mountains on the east and west with the entering and exiting Jordan Valley on the north and south, creates an environment from which the cool air from the heights rush down the steep slopes with great force.
30. This causes violent and sudden eruptions, which are not infrequent and quite dangerous to small craft.
31. When therefore they had managed to row about three of four miles, is when they beheld/witnessed Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat.
32. Only John records the approximate distance with Matthew only stating that they were many stadia away from the land", a stadion being 1/8^th of a Roman mile.
33. A study of the locations of Bethsaida and Capernaum denote that it was approximately 5 miles east to west with Capernaum being only about 1 ½ miles further south.
34. Therefore, they were not far from the western shore by the time they beheld Jesus.
35. Mat.14:34 and Mar.6:53 tells us that when they did finally land, the moored at Gennesaret, a region just south of Capernaum, which John states was at the land to which they were going (vs.21).
36. While some have suggested that the storm caused them to drift and land at Gannesaret, the IPF of "u`pa,gw/were going to/they departed to/sent to", makes it clear that this was their ultimate preplanned destination with Capernaum only being a between stop.
37. This insight clears up why John states that they initially headed out to Capernaum, that being that they were looking for Jesus on the way.
38. With both Bethsaida and Capernaum being on the northern shores of the sea, east and west respectively, they figured they would row while hugging the northern shore maybe sighting Jesus along the way.
39. This also lends support to the fact that the site of the previous feeding of the 5000 was west of the Jordan River.
40. Mark informs us that before Jesus walked out to them, He first "saw them straining at the oars for the wind was against them". Mar.6:48a
41. While Jesus obviously could "see" them with respect to His deity, the verb "to see/o`ra,w" denotes a physical observance/participation within the concept of the perception He had regarding their dilemma.
42. Being night and stormy, He probably got a glimpse of them during lightening and within visual distance of land.
43. The picture then is of the disciples struggling to keep from being blown out to the middle of the sea and either trying to get to shore or closer to shore while fighting a northern/northwestern head wind.
44. The interpretation of the phrase in vs.19 "walking on the sea" is crucial to understand exactly what transpired next in the sequence of events.
45. Many interpreters state that the phrase "evpi. th/j qala,sshj/upon the sea" is to be interpreted by the identical phrase in Joh.21:1 "at the sea", denoting Jesus was walking on the "seashore".
46. These interpreters take a bias approach to hermenuetics and attempt to take a preposition and make it technical, when in reality it is non-technical and governed by context.
47. In other words, they are not employing intellectual honesty and analyzing all possible uses of this word.
48. This preposition "evpi," can emphasize "contact" (upon, on), "position/location" (on, at, over) or "motion/direction" (to, up to).
49. The phrase, "upon/on/at the sea" is used 10x, 6x in John’s writings.
50. It is the Mat.14:26; Mar.6:48,49 and Joh.6:19 verses that are in question noting Joh.21:1 being correctly interpreted "at the sea".
51. The other five uses are all in Revelation and in all of those cases, it is clear by context that "contact/upon" or "location/over" is its force. Rev.5:13; 7:1; 10:2,5,8
52. Furthermore, Matthew uses the phrase "evpi. ta. u[data/on/upon the water" in our parallel account after the disciples saw Jesus when Peter said, "Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water". Mat.14:28
53. It is obvious in that verse that Peter can only be talking about himself walking "over/upon" the water as they are in the boat and it makes absolutely no sense otherwise.
54. Too, as Matthew’s account relates, Peter then started to sink after getting out of the boat and walking and Jesus stretched out His hand to grab him at that point. Mat.14:29-31
55. If Peter didn’t sink into water, then we have even a greater miracle that occurred, he sank into "dry land"!!!!
56. Other just as ridiculous attempts to rationalize this miracle is theories of quicksand (Peter and Jesus were walking on quicksand of which there is no record of quicksand around the lake) and shallow water (that’s why Peter was so scared?).
57. John himself differentiates by use of this preposition between going down to the sea (vs.16) with the varied case of the noun (accusative), and walking on the sea (vs.19) used with the genitive.
58. Therefore, it was when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they became very frightened.
59. Both Matthew and Mark tell us that what the disciples thought they saw was a ghost/ apparition.
60. The situation of the disciples is that they are in a hostile environment, it is late at night, they are physically exhausted from fighting the elements, and likely in some fear for their safety.
61. Now out of nowhere basically, they see someone walking toward the boat, on the sea and they were scared silly.
62. While the NAS translation of Mar.6:48 gives the impression that Jesus was intending to "pass them by", this is not the case and should be translated "intended/wished to come along side (pare,rcomai from para/along side and erchomai/to come)".
63. He was walking on the sea to board the ship that they were on.
64. Jesus recognizes their MA problem of fear and said to them, "It is I; do not/stop being afraid". vs.20
65. Matthew and Mark both add the He said to "take courage". Mat.14:27; Mar.6:50
66. In those accounts, His words "take courage" and "do not be afraid" brackets the Lord’s identification of Himself.
67. His personal identification " vEgw, eivmi,/I Myself am" are favorite words Jesus uses in this regard some 24x just in John.
68. While this phrase is one sure way of saying "It’s Me", it is very similar to the designation that God employed when Moses asked Him to identify Himself. Exo.3:14 where God employs the Hebrew "to be" verb hyh in the 1^st person singular.
69. Here, His designation of Himself has obvious overtones and points to His deity.
70. Once they recognized that it was indeed Jesus, they were willing therefore to receive Him into the boat.
71. But not before Peter had to show his lack of spiritual fortitude/resolution as Matthew records. Mat.14:28-31
72. Only when Peter takes his eyes off the Lord and focuses back onto the storm does fear reenter his life and he begins to sink. Mat.14:30
73. Once Jesus entered the boat with Peter, the storm completely subsided. Mat.14:32; Mar.6:51
74. The final phrase of vs.21, "and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going" is not to be taken that supernaturally they arrived at their destination, only they were not far from it at this point and arrived shortly after these events.
75. Observations of this miracle as a sign.

1. John has already noted that all of Jesus’ miracles were signs that point to a greater spiritual reality. Joh.2:11,18,23 et al.
2. He has on this occasion as with all His miracles manifested that He is superior to the laws of nature, which points to His Deity.
3. God’s power is such that even natural laws are not an obstacle to Him, in fact they are subservient to Him.
4. The disciples are seen as believers who are laboring to their utmost striving to advance within the storm.
5. The storm is analogous to the pressure of the cosmos and all of its evil.
6. The waves and wind represent the constant bombardment of false doctrine and human viewpoint the believer faces in life. Eph.4:14
7. Jesus wishes to reveal Himself by walking on the water out to them in the midst of the storm.
8. This is analogous to God’s plan being revealed in the midst of the cosmic evil. Rom.1:19-20
9. The sea/water is analogous to BD (Eph.5:26) and Jesus walking upon it denotes that He is the perfect example and standard of +R that operates strictly upon God’s directive will. Joh.5:19, 30 (Note where "walking/peripate,w" is used of spiritual "walking"; Rom.8:4; 1Cor.3:3; 7:17 et al.)
10. The disciple’s fear represents believers who succumb to their STA’s.
11. Under their STA’s, they do not have a clear "vision" of who and what Christ is and all that He represents. 1Cor.2:14
12. Christ’s speaking to them and identifying Himself represents the revelation and communication of the POG/BD.
13. Once they orient/acclimate to who He is and what He represents (BD), then control of their STA’s can be experienced.
14. The command to stop being afraid is representative of BD’s command to not operate under our STA’s. Gal.5:16-17
15. Spiritual courage in the believer’s life stems from being in FHS (Mat.9:2 "..your sins are forgiven."), faith in Christ/BD (Mat.9:22)and knowing that as we seek God in true humility/+V, He hears our call and seeks us (Mar.10:46-49 cp. Joh.4:23).
16. Peter represents one who has enough faith to "walk" according to the dictates of BD.
17. However, once Peter removes his focus from his perfect example/Christ/The Word/The Perfect Standard of Righteousness/BD and gets his eyes on the storm/world around him, his faith diminishes and spiritually he starts to "sink" 1Cor.2:16
18. Christ’s saving Peter from drowning upon his cry for help, represents that grace is provided for the +V, seeking believer even in their failings and if the believer is willing to let BD again "grab hold" of them, deliverance from their failings are ensured.

14. Events such as these, which are recorded by these eye-witnesses, are designed to strengthen our faith in the Lord and help us to get our eyes on Him and off of the storms/pressures around us.
15. Mark finally records that in spite of these last great miracles, the disciples had yet to learn that faith was the key with regard to whom and what Jesus was all about and insight to the spiritual ramifications the miracles represented. Mar.6:52
16. While some may think that Mark means they don’t recognize Him as God, it is not only His deity that was represented by the bread, but that the bread represents the POG as seen in the Person of Christ through a grace/faith system.
17. Just as faith and grace is represented in all that has occurred in this miracle.
18. Furthermore, Mat.14:33 declares that the disciples "worshiped Him" after He got into the boat noting that He was certainly "God’s Son!".

GNT John 6:22 Th/| evpau,rion o` o;cloj o` e`sthkw.j pe,ran th/j qala,sshj ei=don o[ti ploia,rion a;llo ouvk h=n evkei/ eiv mh. e[n kai. o[ti ouv suneish/lqen toi/j maqhtai/j auvtou/ o` VIhsou/j eivj to. ploi/on avlla. mo,noi oi` maqhtai. auvtou/ avph/lqon\

NAS John 6:22 The next day the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, Th/| h` (d.a./Lfs + "The/in/during the sphere of"; here of time") evpau,rion (adv. used adjectivally; "next/following day") o` o;cloj (d.a. + n-nm-s; "the multitude/crowd") o` e`sthkw.j i[sthmi (adj. ptc./PF/a/nm-s; "that stood") pe,ran (pg; "on the other side/beyond/across") th/j h` qala,sshj qa,lassa (n-gf-s; "the sea") ei=don o`ra,w (viaa--3p; "they saw") o[ti (cc; "that"; intro. what they saw) ouvk ouv (neg. +) h=n eivmi, (viia--3s; "there was not/no") a;llo a;lloj (a--nn-s; "other/another"; of a the same kind) ploia,rion (n-nn-s; "a small boat/skiff") evkei/ (adv.; "there/in that place") eiv mh, (part. + neg.; "except/only") e[n ei-j (card. adj./nn-s; "one") and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, kai, (cc) o[ti (cc; "that"; continuation of what they saw) o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) ouv (neg. +) suneish/lqen suneise,rcomai (viaa--3s; w/neg. "had not entered into with/entered together with"; ) auvtou/ auvto,j (npgm3s) toi/j o` maqhtai/j maqhth,j (d.a. + n-dm-p; "the disciples") eivj (pa; "into") to, ploi/on (n-an-s; "the boat") but that His disciples had gone away alone. avlla, (strong advers.; "but/on the contrary") auvtou/ auvto,j (npgm3s) oi` o` maqhtai. maqhth,j (n-nm-p) avph/lqon\ avpe,rcomai (viaa--3p; "had gone away/went away from) mo,noi mo,noj (a--nm-p; "alone/by themselves")

GNT John 6:23 a;lla h=lqen ploia,ria evk Tiberia,doj evggu.j tou/ to,pou o[pou e;fagon to.n a;rton euvcaristh,santoj tou/ kuri,ouÅ

NAS John 6:23 There came other small boats from Tiberias h=lqen e;rcomai (viaa--3s; "There came"; note the singular person; lit. "It came"; the action of the boats is viewed as a collective singular) a;lla a;lloj (a--nn-p!; "others"; of the same kind) ploia,ria ploia,rion (n-nn-p; "small boats"; the singular of the verb "It came" denotes the consolidation of the plural of boats i.e., lit. it is a fleet of similar small boats such as referred to in vs.22) evk (pabl) Tiberia,doj Tiberia,j (n-ablf-s) near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. evggu,j (pg; "near" in proximity to place) tou/ o` to,pou to,poj (d.a. + n-gm-s; "the place/district/territory") o[pou (adv.; "where") e;fagon evsqi,w(viaa--3p; "they ate") to.n o` a;rton a;rtoj (d.a. + n-am-s; "the bread") tou/ o` kuri,ouÅ ku,rioj (d.a. + n-gm-s; "the Lord") euvcaristh,santoj euvcariste,w (gen. absolute circ. ptc./a/a/gm-s; "after having gave thanks")

GNT John 6:24 o[te ou=n ei=den o` o;cloj o[ti VIhsou/j ouvk e;stin evkei/ ouvde. oi` maqhtai. auvtou/( evne,bhsan auvtoi. eivj ta. ploia,ria kai. h=lqon eivj Kafarnaou.m zhtou/ntej to.n VIhsou/nÅ

NAS John 6:24 When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, o[te (temp. conj.; "When") o` o;cloj (d.a. + n-nm-s; "the multitude") ou=n (infer. conj.; "Therefore") ei=den o`ra,w (viaa--3s; "saw") o[ti (cc; intro. indir. disc. denoting the reality of the situation; "that") VIhsou/j (n-nm-s) ouvk ouv e;stin eivmi, (neg. + vipa--3s) evkei/ (adv.; "there/in that place") ouvde, (neg. conj.; "nor") auvtou/( auvto,j (npgm3s) oi` o` maqhtai. maqhth,j (n-nm-p) they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. auvtoi. auvto,j (npnm3p; "they themselves") evne,bhsan evmbai,nw (viaa--3p; "got into/embarked"; same as vs.17) eivj (pa; "into") ta. to, ploia,ria ploia,rion (d.a. + n-an-p; "the small boats") kai, (cc) h=lqon e;rcomai (viaa--3p) eivj (pa) Kafarnaou,m (n-af-s) zhtou/ntej zhte,w (circ. ptc./p/a/nm-p; "seeking/searching for") to.n o` VIhsou/nÅ VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-am-s)

1. These verses have eluded even some of the best theologians as to the real purpose and intent of the author’s inclusion of them.
2. On the surface they seem to serve only a purpose of historical fact concerning the activities of the crowd present the previous day at the miracle feeding and provide no real contribution as to the flow of context.
3. As we will see, these verses are incorporated by John to substantiate the correct interpretation of preceding events as well as set the stage for the upcoming event of Christ’s discourse on the "bread of life".
4. While Matthew and Mark’s accounts focus on the continued events of Jesus and the disciples after they landed in Gennesaret, John reflects back to what the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea was doing the next day after the storm.
5. That this is indeed the multitude that was seeking to make Jesus king is stipulated by context.
6. He inserts these verses in keeping with the flow of context, as it is these people that Jesus and the disciples had left behind that is part of the main audience in His discourse on "the bread of life", vss.25ff.
7. The information that he now provides confirms the order of events of the disciples preceding departure the evening before as well as their proposed itinerary of journey.
8. The order of events are reflected in the aorist tense of the verb "saw/o`ra,w"" in vss.22 and 23, which denotes:

1. Their observation of the events of the disciples departure the preceding evening. vs.22
2. Their observation that indeed both Jesus and His disciples had completely left the area (vs.24a) from which they then conclude as to where they might had gone (vs.24b).

1. The next day then, the crowd at the place they had now congregated to, had come to realize that there was no other small boat there, except/only one.
2. And they had also observed that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone, the evening before.
3. While commentaries try to rationalize the difference between "ploia,rion/a small boat/skiff/dingy/small rowboat" and "to, ploi/on/the boat/a midsize larger vessel/a seaworthy boat/ship", as not being two different boats but one in the same with just a subtle difference in size (large enough to hold 13 people but not a ship), is not necessary.
4. The reason interpreters go this direction is because they try and put the place that the multitude is at in vs.22, at the site of the miracle feeding from the previous evening.
5. That is, if the crowd now were at the location of the mountain where the miracle occurred, then there would only have been one boat in that area i.e., the one that Jesus and the disciples had arrived in and the disciples later departed in.
6. This has caused the interpreters to make the phrase "excepting/only" one boat there as being the same boat that the disciples had gone away in without Jesus and thus a need to justify the difference of terms for "boat".
7. Following the series of events as explained in the previous analysis of vss.16-21, a clearer and more natural picture and interpretation of these verses can be revealed.
8. As noted, the disciples per Jesus’ instructions, left the area of the miracle and returned to the other side of the Jordan back to Bethsaida to wait for Him.
9. After the crowd dispersed, it would be natural for at least the majority of them to seek refuge for the night, in a nearby town if possible.
10. Therefore, as the disciples headed for Bethsaida, so did the multitude after Jesus disappeared back into the mountain.
11. Though vs.22b did occur when Jesus first gave the instructions for the disciples to leave the area of the miracle, it also occurred when the disciples left later on from Bethsaida to Capernaum.
12. It is from the perspective of being in Bethsaida; a fishing village that the multitude was now located at on the next day that is in view in vs.22.
13. It was there that they had noticed that the only boats moored during that evening and into the next day had been one small skiff and the larger boat (with the d.a.) that the disciples had departed in.
14. As it was fairly late into the evening before the disciples left Bethsaida, it gave the crowd ample time to arrive there, before the disciple’s departure.
15. Therefore, any still awake and close in proximity to them, would have been eyewitnesses of their departure.
16. After they had left in the larger boat, that left only one remaining small boat of which a single individual could handle alone, which is brought out by the imperfect tense of "there was".
17. The crowd realized that since Jesus had not embarked with His disciples into their boat and that the only other available transportation was still there, then Jesus and His disciples must have connected somewhere else down the line or else set out with separate itineraries.
18. In either case they knew that the disciples had left alone and Jesus had not come to Bethsaida to utilize the remaining boat for His travel.
19. It is only by placing the crowd at Bethsaida, that vs.23 makes any real sense.
20. Most commentaries here that try to deal with this verse, make it parenthetical stating

29. In other words, by removing vs.23 and reading vss.22 and 24 together, then a flow of context can be see and therefore vs.23 is a disjointed fact that is only included as a side issue of the events.

30. While it can be viewed parenthetical in a sense, when it comes to maintaining a flow of the events, it need only to be parenthetical if the interpreter places all of these verses at one location; the site of the miracle
31. Otherwise, following our synopsis of events, vs.23 maintains the flow of events and serves as a transition of location of the multitude in vs.22, to a new location in vs.24 as well as providing the key as to how the crowd perceived the miracle.
32. The phrase, "There came other small boats from Tiberias" in vs.23a literally means that a fleet of skiffs/small boats arrived that originated from Herod’s capital city of Tiberias.
33. This is the force of the singular person of the verb "there/lit. ‘it’ came" that has a plural subject "other small boats" denoting that the action of the subject is viewed as being grouped together in the form of a fleet i.e., the small boats are viewed as a collective singular.
34. The city harks back to John’s previous title of the Sea of Galilee of Tiberias in vs.1, which was a subtle reminder to his readers that the Jews were under Roman rule.
35. Therefore, news of an entourage of small sea craft carrying people from a place of royalty/rulership, has now been received by the multitude.
36. That this fleet was of substantial size is seen in that eventually the multitude themselves utilize the boats for their own travel. Vs.24b
37. One can only imagine the thoughts that might have been going through the minds of a crowd of people after receiving this news, who just hours before were intent on forcing Jesus to become their king.
38. It is no secret in history that Tiberias was Herod Antipas’ chosen location for his capital in this region established just some approximately 12 years earlier in 20AD.
39. That there was a strong tie between the religious leaders of Judaism and Herod is strongly attested to in scripture as the Herodians (an integrating sect between the rulers of Judaism and Rome, whether Jewish or Roman in makeup) are seen involved closely with the Pharisees. Mat.22:16; Mar.3:6; 12:13
40. It is only a simple link then, for these Jews here to picture the possibilities of a fleet arriving from Tiberias knowing that there are those who have connection to Herod and thus rulership of the land.
41. In addition, this fleet of boats land near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
42. Though it was not the exact location of the miracle, the close proximity to it is all that would be necessary to arouse even more speculation from the crowd.
43. The genitive absolute "after the Lord had given thanks" grammatically is viewed as separate from the main clause and serves as a "side note" to the sentence.
44. On the surface, it may not seem to serve for any other purpose than as a descriptive addition to the miracle site i.e., the place where the Lord gave thanks.
45. But by understanding the mindset of the crowd with their erroneous thinking regarding Messiah, it serves to point out one thing that stuck in their minds of Christ’s actions before the miracle occurred.
46. That is, He prayed before the multiplication of the food commenced.
47. They totally misunderstood the miracle itself and what it taught; all they understood is that this "man" prayed and the miracle occurred.
48. They do not see Messiah as God sent at the 1^st advent to provide spiritual deliverance, only a special man that God would send to deliver them from Roman rule.
49. It is this participle/genitive absolute that is inserted that reveals the thinking of the people and sets the stage for the upcoming discourse on the "bread of life".
50. This crowd as a whole rejected Messiah as being God/Deity and as just another man/Prophet, He too must rely upon the power of God to perform His miracles.
51. In addition, in their eyes Messiah is only a political savior and therefore perceived that the prayer He offered was one thanking God for the power to provide Him with the ability to supernaturally feed His faithful subjects.
52. It is in the discourse on the "bread of life" that Jesus teaches His real mission at the 1^st advent as providing spiritual life and that He is God, and from that teaching many of His disciples left Him. Joh.6:41-42, 59-60, 66
53. The sequence of events thus far revealed:

1. The multitude left the miracle area the night before and went to Bethsaida to find refuge.
2. They were still obviously "pumped up" regarding the miracle and the prospect that Jesus was to be their new king, and maintained that fervor into the next day.
3. While in Bethsaida, they saw that the only boats there were a skiff and the boat that the disciples had arrived in.
4. They observed the disciples leaving Bethsaida alone and without Jesus in their boat later that night.
5. Therefore with only the skiff remaining, they knew Jesus had not come to Bethsaida and were trying to figure out if the disciples had met up with Him further up the shore or just "Where was Jesus?"
6. During their period of contemplation, news arrives that a fleet of boats from Tiberias had just landed.
7. In fact, their docking was next to the place where Christ had performed the miracle the preceding evening.
8. Its possible that the crowd is now thinking, "Could it be that this man who we so fervently know should be our king, left last night, went to Herod to establish His challenge in this regard and now has returned to the very area that (in our eyes) it all began and where we are ready to join Him in the fight".
9. Or, "We know that as a man all He had to do was pray and perform the miracle of the food, maybe He prayed and God delivered Israel into His hands at Tiberias."
10. Whatever the people were thinking, what they did know was that the man they wanted as king and His disciples were gone and now here is a fleet of boats arriving from the capital city of Tiberias, maybe that’s where they went and now they’ve returned.
11. Observation: Those in life, who have distorted views of BD, will assess literal circumstances and situations around them in accordance with their distortions.

30. The temporal conjunction "o]te/when" and the inferential conjunction "ou’-n/therefore" at the beginning of vs.24, looks to a period of time that has elapsed since the landing of the fleet occurred in vs.23.
31. Upon hearing of this news, the multitude hurried to the location of the landing parties and saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples.
32. The historical present of "was not" implies that the reality of their expectation upon arrival at the scene was negative and therefore one of disappointment and/or frustration.
33. This did not cool them off however, as they themselves then determine to continue to find their new king and got into the fleet of small boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
34. The fact that they too headed to Capernaum supports the earlier analysis of vss.16-21 that the disciples initially headed to Capernaum thinking they may find Jesus on the way.
35. The crowd knowing this would also make Capernaum their next logical step and again places the crowd earlier at Bethsaida with the disciples.
36. It is this crowds passionate desire to find the man whom they are hell-bent on making their king as they continue in hot pursuit of seeking Jesus.
37. There are three participles in these three verses:

1. Two are used to denote the actions of the crowd, "stood" in vs.22 and "seeking" in vs.23.
2. The third is the genitive absolute of vs.23, which denotes the crowds distorted view of Jesus as being someone who had to pray to God for the miracle to occur as well as misconstruing the intent of His thanksgiving.
3. These participles together point out what this multitude were looking for in Messiah and how they considered Jesus in the framework of Messiah.
4. In other words, what they stood seeking for was just a man that would lead Israel to national independence.
5. Their actions of vss.22 and 24 were motivated by their perception of Messiah of vs.23.
6. They misconstrued His prayer of thanksgiving in vs.23, as being necessary for assistance/help from God to perform the miracle rather than thanksgiving to the Father for making provision for the miracle and what it signified.
7. They further "bend" the intent of His prayer rationalizing it in order to make it fit their agenda as to the reason of the miracle.
8. It is only in this sense that vs.23 is parenthetical, as it provides insight into the motive of the crowds actions of remaining behind in vs.22 and continued searching for Jesus in vs.24.
9. The verb forms of the participles "stood/i[sthmi" and "seeking/zhte,w" both are used in a spiritual sense denoting one’s spiritual standing before God (Joh.1:26; 3:29; 1Cor.10:12, etc.) and one’s spiritual seeking (Joh.5:30, 44, etc.).
10. This multitude of people serves as proof that there are those who with great zeal and conviction will seek even an adjusted ministry, but with the wrong motives.
11. They may even exude a great interest in the ministry, but underneath it all they are only wanting to serve their own human viewpoint agendas.
12. Failure to accept one doctrine i.e., the doctrine of the 1^st advent/Christ’s mission of passion, is all that was necessary to send these idiots on a road to disappointment and for many a spiritual catastrophe. Joh.6:66 "As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore."
13. One cannot help remembering also that when the crowd revealed their true motives the previous evening that Jesus "quickly" removed the disciples from the situation. Mat.14:22; Mar.6:45
14. They because of their own spiritual "lukewarmness" and distorted views regarding His true mission at the 1^st advent, were of no benefit to Him in this situation and as He dismissed the crowd, He also had dismissed those who should have been a support to Him.
15. Observation: Those in leadership roles in the local church that do not have a clear understanding and/or themselves reject certain doctrines are of no benefit to others who are adjusted when doctrinal issues arise from other mal-contents or misinformed in the congregation.
16. Observation: For those who are spiritually dull, don’t be surprised when adjusted believers tell you to "get out of the way" when they are trying to deal with a situation or crisis that you yourself are not biblically lined up with. Mat.16:23
17. Observation: Those in leadership roles who are not lined up with BD and pursue human viewpoint in its place, are potential stumbling blocks even to those who are adjusted.
18. These participles in no uncertain terms and in context declare this multitude of people, at least as a whole, as being unbelievers even yet, and after the miracle.
19. That salvation Ph₁ is still an issue for these people is seen in Jesus’ constant reference to salvation in the approaching discourse as seen in the word "believe" used eight times from vss.29-69.
20. The only reason there is any real interest of this crowd regarding Jesus is the potential of what He can do supernaturally, as it fits in with their own agenda for Him.
21. Observation: This scenario serves as an example as to at least one reason why there are those who may attend Bible Class but in reality are –V, and that is they are motivated only to serve their own ideas and agendas as to what they think God’s plan is all about.

GNT John 6:25 kai. eu`ro,ntej auvto.n pe,ran th/j qala,sshj ei=pon auvtw/|( ~Rabbi,( po,te w-de ge,gonajÈ

NAS John 6:25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" kai, (cc) eu`ro,ntej eu`ri,skw (circ. ptc./a/a/nm-p; "when/after they found"; ref. the multitude) auvto.n auvto,j (npam3s) pe,ran (pg; "on the other side/beyond") th/j h` qala,sshj qa,lassa (n-gf-s; "the sea") ei=pon le,gw (viaa--3p) auvtw/|( auvto,j (npdm3s) ~Rabbi,( (n-vm-s; form of address; "Rabbi/teacher") po,te (interr. adv. of time; "when") ge,gonajÈ gi,nomai(viPFa--2s; "did you arrive/come") w-de (adv. "here/in this place")

GNT John 6:26 avpekri,qh auvtoi/j o` VIhsou/j kai. ei=pen( VAmh.n avmh.n le,gw u`mi/n( zhtei/te, me ouvc o[ti ei;dete shmei/a( avllV o[ti evfa,gete evk tw/n a;rtwn kai. evcorta,sqhteÅ

NAS John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viadep--3s; "answered/responded") auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) kai, (cc) ei=pen( le,gw (viaa--3s) VAmh.n avmh,n (double particle; "Pay attention/Emphatically/Truly truly") le,gw (vipa--1s) u`mi/n( su, (npd-2p) zhtei/te, zhte,w (vipa--2p; "seek/search for/look for") me evgw, (npa-1s) ouvc ouv (neg.; "not" +) o[ti (conj.; denotes cause or purpose for their seeking here negating their intentions; "because") ei;dete o`ra,w (viaa--2p) shmei/a( shmei/on (n-an-p; "a sign") but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. avllV avlla, (strong advers.; "but") o[ti (conj.; "because") evfa,gete evsqi,w (viaa--2p; "you ate") evk (pabl.) tw/n o` a;rtwn a;rtoj (d.a. + n-gm-p; "the bread"; plural ref. to the "loaves"; ref. to the miracle) kai, (cc) evcorta,sqhteÅ corta,zw (viap--2p; "were filled/satisfied/satiated"; of food "were fed to satisfaction"; used of carrion birds/vultures "gorging" themselves Rev.19:21)

GNT John 6:27 evrga,zesqe mh. th.n brw/sin th.n avpollume,nhn avlla. th.n brw/sin th.n me,nousan eivj zwh.n aivw,nion( h]n o` ui`o.j tou/ avnqrw,pou u`mi/n dw,sei\ tou/ton ga.r o` path.r evsfra,gisen o` qeo,jÅ

NAS John 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, evrga,zesqe evrga,zomai mh, (vImp/p/dep--2p + neg.; Lit. "Stop working/expending energy"; forbids continuation of an action in progress; Here the negative follows the verb to denote that it is not the action of the verb "working" that is prohibited but rather the object of the verb that one is "working for". ) th.n h` brw/sin brw/sij (d.a. + n-af-s; as an action of "eating"; general term to stipulate what is eaten, "food") th.n h` avpollume,nhn avpo,llumi (d.a. + adj. ptc./p/m/af-s; "which itself perishes/is ruined/is lost/is no more") avlla, (strong advers.; "but/on the contrary") th.n h` brw/sin brw/sij (d.a. + n-af-s) th.n h` me,nousan me,nw (d.a. + adj. ptc./p/a/af-s; "which endures/abides/dwells/remains/continues to be") eivj (pa) aivw,nion( aivw,nioj (a--af-s; "eternal") zwh.n zwh, (n-af-s; "life") which the Son of Man shall give to you, h]n o[j (rel. pro./af-s; "which" ref. to food) o` ui`o,j (d.a. + n-nm-s) tou/ o` avnqrw,pou a;nqrwpoj (d.a. + n-gm-s) dw,sei\ di,dwmi (vifa--3s; "will give") u`mi/n su, (npd-2p) for on Him the Father, even/being God, has set His seal." ga,r (explan.; "for") tou/ton ou-toj (near dem. pro./am-s; "on or to this One/Him") o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s; "the Father") o` qeo,jÅ (d.a. + n- Pred.nm-s; apposition; Lit. "The Father being the God") evsfra,gisen sfragi,zw (viaa--3s; "set His seal/mark/validation"; same as 3:33)

1. John continues the narrative maintaining the flow of events evolving around the multitude and Jesus, skipping over the events at Gennesaret. Mat.14:34-36; Mar.6:53-55
2. After Jesus and His disciples spent an undetermined amount of time at Gennesaret, they eventually relocated to Capernaum where John picks up the narrative of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue there. Joh.6:59
3. The multitude seeking Him to make Him king, had obviously arrived at Capernaum before Christ and it is at the synagogue that "they found Him on the other side of the sea" of vs.25a.
4. When/after they located Him there, at their first opportunity they obviously are curious of His previous whereabouts and arrival to Capernaum, since His departure from the east side of the Sea of Galilee, and they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?".
5. The term "Rabbi/Teacher" is a polite form of address of which, they have no real appreciation for.
6. Just as Nicodemus addressed Jesus in this fashion without real understanding that He was "God teaching" (3:1-2), so goes for the multitude.
7. And as the test for Nicodemus was to listen and adhere to what Christ would next "teach" him, so goes for the multitude.
8. Though their question focuses on His time of arrival at Capernaum, their real curiosity and intent of the question is "Where have you been?" i.e., "We’ve been looking for You!"
9. That the question is a ploy/devise to extract information from Jesus to satisfy their own thinking regarding Him is seen in His response in vs.26 under the term "seek".
10. The way that Jesus answered them reflects that He knows the motive behind their continued pursuit and attachment to Him.
11. The phrase "Truly, truly, I say to you" indicates that His read of their intentions regarding His person is totally accurate and without doubt.
12. His continued declaration as to what they really seek regarding His person places judgment upon their volitional motives.
13. The clause "you seek Me, not because you saw signs" casts light on the cause of their actions as being negative.
14. He refers to His miracles as "signs" to indicate what the miracles are intended to represent on the spiritual realm.
15. In other words, He declares that there "seeking" of Him is not worthy of what He represents.
16. The multitude has no desire to assimilate the spiritual truths that His miracles manifest.
17. There pursuit of Jesus is in stark contrast as to why +V "seeks" Him.
18. He continues by stating in contrast the real cause of their infatuation with Him in vs.26b, "because you ate of the loaves, and were filled".
19. Though the crowd witnessed many miracles to include healing, Jesus focuses their attention specifically to the miracle of His feeding them.
20. The multitude of followers was attracted to Jesus, not because of His unique Person or teaching that the "signs" point to, but because of the physical benefits they received from His works, with the feeding no exception.
21. That these people "saw/o`ra,w" the miracles indicates the experiential reality of what they perceived these signs to represent, is of no spiritual benefit.
22. Their motivation is not based on what spiritual benefits they might receive, but based on satisfying their flesh.
23. Christ in this verse articulates the "cause or reason" of –V as being that the individual has no real spiritual interest as to God’s plan, but approaches His plan only to satisfy the desires of the STA and human viewpoint thinking.
24. In truth, -V only pursues God for the purpose of extracting what physical benefits they think His plan provides.
25. In fact, the energy that –V expends (their "works") in their proposed pursuit of God is done only for the purpose of hopefully acquiring some physical gain in time, no matter how they may express or explain the reason of their actions.
26. Observation: This explains –V Christians today, why they attend churches and why they and churches engage in the erroneous activities we see.
27. Observation: That being that the primary and underlying motivation for their activities is to serve some physical desire/need as seen in examples of:

1. They attend church to maintain relationships, whether family, friends or spouses.
2. Or to establish relationships.
3. To advance themselves in life because of what their "connections" to the church may offer such as: belonging to a particular church may enhance their professional pursuits; using the church to appeal to the "Christian" market to enhance one’s business; going to church may enhance one’s social life.
4. They attend church to seek the glory and approbation of others to make themselves look good.
5. Churches themselves devise "special" groups or organizations to serve their pursuit of membership and money or to appeal to certain "sects" of Christians with similar interests in life.
6. People go to church to run from their problems because they are mal-contents in their niche or feel "guilty" about something.
7. People go to church maybe hoping to advance their own ideas or agendas as to how they view Christianity.
8. People attach themselves to ministries because of the "free food" offered.
9. Teenagers and adolescents who are –V go to church because they "have to".

1. Whatever is the main force that drives or motivates –V to be "religious" or attach themselves to certain ministries, the fact remains that they have no true desire to understand, accept and apply the spiritual principles of BD.
2. While they as this crowd may tolerate the teaching, its only in hopes that the "magic genie" in some way will grant their physical desires.
3. In fact, most churchgoers today resent the truth and those who get within earshot of it, just as this crowd, will demonstrate it.
4. The implied alternative to the –V of this crowd are those who seek the spiritual realities of BD and thus satisfy the +V of their souls.
5. The irony is that what –V so earnestly seeks comes freely to those who will adhere to the very teaching that they dismiss. Mat.6:25ff
6. The problem is, and this is why they are –V, they choose to place their own desires and thinking above God’s.
7. As Christ judges and exposes these peoples –V, so does BD judge and expose –V. Joh.3:19-21
8. It is the motivation behind the energy that they exude in pursuing Him that is erroneous, not the actual action of seeking.
9. It is this principle that Jesus now expands upon beginning the teaching of this discourse in vs.27.
10. He takes their action of seeking and now applies it under the concept of "work".
11. Work is simply bodily or mental effort exerted to accomplish or produce something.
12. Since it requires effort/energy, work is a determined exercise of one choosing to do something.
13. Therefore, work originates in the soul (home of volition) causing the mental processes (central nervous system/B/C interfaced with the soul) to exert the necessary energy to perform what actions are required, whether mental or physical.
14. All physical exertion is preceded by mental exertion (all actions start in the MA) and one’s actions can be restricted simply to our thinking processes.
15. The words, "Do not work" literally is a command in the Greek to "keep on working not ...".
16. It is not the prohibition of working that is stated, but rather the issue is the object that one works for.
17. Just as in vs.26 where the issue was not that they were "seeking" Jesus but the motivation behind their "seeking", the issue here is not that they "work", but what motivates that "work" and its result.
18. The object of working that is prohibited is "for the food which perishes", which is in contrast to working "for the food which endures to eternal life".
19. The force of His statement is that they should put their priorities into perspective and that spiritual matters take precedence over physical concerns like eating.
20. Anyone who takes this command that they are not to provide physical food for themselves is even blinder than this multitude.
21. There are two emphasis realized in His statement:

1. There is a difference between physical food that satisfies the body and spiritual food that satisfies the soul.
2. There is work that provides temporal gain and there is work that has eternal results.

1. It was the physical food that was the crowd’s sole focus and priority at the miracle.
2. He iterates that physical food is transient/fleeting and once it is eaten, it is no longer fit to be food and perishes.
3. He then points out that in total contrast to food, which perishes, there is food, which endures to eternal life.
4. While the word "work" is not repeated in the second phrase, it is understood, just as the word "seek" is understood in vs.26b.
5. The word "endures/abides/dwells/remains" points to the fact that there is food that never looses its affect and purpose of existence as it pertains to sustaining life.
6. The next phrase, "which the Son of Man shall give to you" brings out the irony of the food that sustains life forever.
7. That is, since the food is to be given to them, the only work that will be required is to eat it.
8. Eating represents faith.
9. It is this phrase that points out the spiritual lesson of the food that He gave away at the miracle and that it represented the imparting of eternal life through a faith system.
10. Eternal life here represents all that eternal life provides from both Ph₁ and Ph₂ adjustments.
11. In both the SAJG and MAJG, the first act of work that is required is to assimilate information and believe it. Rom.1:17
12. It is in this sense then that Jesus uses the term "work".
13. He uses the title "Son of Man" to emphasize that it is through the works of His humanity culminating on the cross and resurrection that opens the door for Deity to impart this life.
14. His statement is designed for the people to consider that as He freely gave them physical food at the miracle and the only work involved on their part was eating, then the question is, what food is there that only needs to be consumed that imparts eternal life?
15. The answer to which, He will give at length in the remainder of His discourse.
16. And as the issue for this crowd is the SAJG, which is the first priority regarding E.L., He will narrow the concept of E.L. to the gospel Ph₁.
17. Just as Jesus through the use of contrast denoted the difference between –V and +V "seeking" in vs.26, here He denotes the difference via contrast as it refers to the results of –V and +V.
18. This is seen in the terms perishes and eternal life.
19. As He stipulated that the cause of their –V was due to not seeking the spiritual reality of His person but rather based on their own human desires in vs.26, He in vs.27 denotes that their efforts only result in physical/temporal gain and is eventually destroyed, which is true for both Ph₁ and ₂. Joh.3:16; 2Joh.1:8 cp. 1Cor.3:12-15
20. The contrast in vs.27 implies that those who are +V and seek the spiritual reality of God’s plan then enjoy the benefits that correlate with E.L.
21. The noun for "food" literally denotes the action of eating, which again represents faith.
22. The purpose of this noun is to denote that no matter what system one uses to seek a relationship with God, it is a faith system.
23. Even a system that rejects who and what Christ is depends upon faith to adhere to that system.
24. The difference in the faith systems of religions versus true Christianity is that the faith of a Christian is based on the grace system that God has provided for mankind.
25. Religions reject His grace/provision and rely on their own efforts and approach to Him.
26. The final phrase, "for on Him the Father being God, has set His seal" explains why it is possible for the Son of Man to give eternal life.
27. It is because God the Father has sovereignly decreed/established His person as being His unique Son.
28. Seals were used in the ancient world to attest or provide a witness to the validity of a variety of things.
29. The first direct/personal attestation of the Father as to Jesus being Messiah began with God’s verbal and physical confirmation at Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. Joh.1:31-33 cp. Mat.3:16-17 (All other external revelation surrounding the 1^st advent regarding Christ up to this point, was via angels and prophecy.)
30. At this point and time in Jesus’ history, the Father set His seal by permanently affixing God the Holy Spirit upon His person (cp. Joh.3:34) and proclaiming His person as being "My Beloved Son".
31. This act was validation by the Father upon the humanity of Christ that He was +R and thus qualified to be "the Sacrificial Lamb". Joh.1:35
32. That this seal remained bonded as a witness to Him throughout His ministry was attested to via His works and ultimate resurrection and ascension. Joh.5:36; Act.1:22 cp. 4:33
33. It is because that as God-man He is +R and free to give this food that endures forever.
34. That He is free to offer eternal life relates to His mission and purpose of the 1^st advent.
35. While there are those who view Jesus in these verses as avoiding the multitudes initial question, it is not so much as an avoidance than cutting to the quick and addressing the real purpose behind their question.
36. In other words, He knows the real motive behind why they are seeking to maintain a relationship with Him.
37. He also knows that failure to clear the air in this regard would result in:

1. No spiritual benefit to them.
2. Unless their volition changes, there can be no true relationship such as with the Father and the Son.
3. Silence and failure to proclaim the truth regarding their error would be misleading and only add fuel to the fire.

86. Jesus in this narrative serves as an example to all, the importance of determining as quickly as possible the reason why others seek to establish a close personal relationship with us as it serves the ministry as well as individually.
87. If it is not based on sound doctrine and a desire to truly seek God (an expression of +V), we need to cut to the chase and inform them of the necessary doctrinal criteria necessary for a close relationship to exit.
88. The result of our explanation/exhortation should leave no stone unturned and no doubt from where you are coming from, even if the doctrine may "rub them the wrong way". Joh.6:60
89. Upon doing so, we are then to let the chips fall as they may and if they choose to reject the truth and leave, then let them go. Joh.6:66
90. If they themselves don’t separate but yet are still unwilling to follow the rules of BD, then we individually are to separate from them. 2Thess.3:14
91. For those who remain or attach themselves to the ministry, it is not even out of line to clear the air in that regard, if necessary. Joh.6:67
92. It was those who adhered to the principle of MPR and followed the rules and decorum of Jesus’ ministry that He considered His friends and family. Mat.12:49-50

GNT John 6:28 ei=pon ou=n pro.j auvto,n( Ti, poiw/men i[na evrgazw,meqa ta. e;rga tou/ qeou/È

NAS John 6:28 They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" ei=pon le,gw (viaa--3p) ou=n (infer. conj.) pro,j (pa) auvto,n( auvto,j (npam3s) Ti, ti,j (interr. pro./an-s; "What") poiw/men poie,w (vspa--1p; "might/may we do") i[na (conj.; "that/in order that") evrgazw,meqa evrga,zomai (vspdep--1p; "we may work") ta. to` e;rga e;rgon (d.a. + n-an-p; "the works") tou/ o` qeou/È qeo,j (d.a. + n-gm-s)

GNT John 6:29 avpekri,qh o` VIhsou/j kai. ei=pen auvtoi/j( Tou/to, evstin to. e;rgon tou/ qeou/( i[na pisteu,hte eivj o]n avpe,steilen evkei/nojÅ

NAS John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, o` VIhsou/j (d.a. + n-nm-s) avpekri,qh avpokri,nomai (viad--3s) kai, (cc) ei=pen le,gw (viaa--3s) auvtoi/j( auvto,j (npdm3p) "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." Tou/to, ou-toj (near dem. pro./nn-s; "this"; ref. to "the work") evstin eivmi, (vipa--3s; "keeps on being"; a principle true for all times) to, e;rgon (d.a. + n-nn-s; "the work") tou/ o` qeou/( qeo,j (n-gm-s) i[na (conj.; intro. consecutive clause; "that") pisteu,hte pisteu,w (vspa--2p; "you all might believe") eivj (pa) evkei/nojÅ (remote dem. pro./nm-s; lit. "that One/Him") o]n o[j (rel. pro./am-s; "whom") avpe,steilen avposte,llw (viaa--3s; "He sent")

1. Jesus’ comments about works has an obvious appeal to the crowd.
2. Understanding that Judaism promotes works for salvation provides the insight for their seeming enthusiasm to comply with Jesus’ previous criticism of them and corrective instruction to work for eternal life.
3. The word "therefore" of vs.28a looks back to Jesus’ preceding comment regarding work as it pertains to eternal life.
4. The absence of the verb "answered/avpokri,nomai" in the phrase "they said therefore to Him" indicates that the crowd did not truly consider and assimilate exactly what Jesus said.
5. Instead, their response is only a "knee-jerk" reaction as to what they think He is saying. Cp. Nicodemus’ response to Jesus with the absence of "answered" in 3:4
6. Though there seems to be a willingness to learn and comply with Jesus’ teaching in their question, "What shall we do, in order that we may work the works of God?", the plural use of "works" reveals their doctrinal distortion.
7. Because they viewed God’s plan to obtain E.L. as a works proposition, it is in this vein that they hear Jesus speaking.
8. Principle: One’s distorted view of BD and failure to approach God’s plan objectively, influences their thinking even when the truth is correctly presented. Gal.5:9
9. Therefore, what they heard Jesus say was that He could tell them what specific works would ensure their eternal future.
10. This is the common approach and how the average person views salvation; if you are good you go to heaven and if you are bad you go to hell.
11. Therefore, they begin to build their own system of goodness, based on works of law that they suppose makes them righteous. Rom.10:3
12. The problem is that God demands that one possess His perfect righteousness (+R) for one to have a relationship with Him. 2Cor.5:21
13. These verses serve to again point out the fallacy of theological Judaism.
14. That is, they fell into the fundamental misconception that exists even among most people today that by being law-abiding makes one righteous or innocent of any other lawlessness. (Every good act atones for the bad acts.)
15. This is like saying because one signals to change lanes; they should not get a speeding ticket even though they were doing 90 in a 55-MPH zone.
16. While the principles of the Law are righteous in and of themselves, true righteousness/+R requires that no unrighteousness/sin/-R exist in the person’s entire life.
17. As each individual enters into this world with sin/-R counted against them via the STA, then it is impossible for one to attain to +R based on their own merits. Rom.5:12
18. Thus the necessity for the substitution of Christ who did keep the Law perfectly, was totally innocent of –R, to pay for our –R. Mat.5:17
19. The only sin that remains with eternal consequences then, is the sin of unbelief. Mar.3:29; Luk.12:10
20. For everyone who believes in Christ, the sin of unbelief is no longer extant and they are given God’s +R/E.L. through the imparting of the human spirit. Eph.4:24
21. By possessing the human spirit, the individual has as part of their makeup and essence an entity that is pure and without contamination of sin (+R).
22. Now that our position before God is one with a clean slate (+R), the door is open for any future works of righteousness to be considered by God and rewarded.
23. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, sin is not the eternal issue, but rather one’s works. Rom.2:6; 2Cor.5:10
24. All works are divided into two categories of good (Divine good/+R) or bad (unrighteousness/-R). 2Cor.5:10
25. For the unbeliever, the first work that they must engage in is to possess the "clean slate" of +R, which translates to E.L. otherwise, all existing or continuing actions of good are without merit.
26. In other words, if the individual maintains status quo the only sin of eternal consequences, which is punishable by eternal condemnation and separation from God, all of his or hers works is just "spitting in the wind".
27. The Scripture is clear; one cannot be justified Ph₁ by obedience to a set of external laws. Rom.3:19-21, 28; 4:1-6; Gal.3:9-14, 21
28. But it is this system of legalism that these people and Judaism adhered to.
29. This multitude’s "seeming" interest to Jesus’ statement is superficial (just as their seeking Him is in vs.26), in that they think He is supporting their distorted views of BD.
30. And it is their unwillingness to regurgitate their adulterated theology (repent) and assimilate the truth that condemns these people as –V.
31. Salvation must be pursued by the system that God establishes not by systems of men, however zealous in their approach.
32. It is the correct system regarding work and in the position of priority that Jesus responded with and explained in what He said back to them.
33. He tells them that there is only one work that is the work of God and capable of providing E.L., which they say under their "faith" system they are working for.
34. The fact that it is "the work" is a statement of "first/leading/foremost" emphasis rendering all other work as inferior.
35. The sense of this phrase is that this is the work sponsored by God and has the nuance of "this is His will".
36. The demonstrative pronoun "this" is defined by the purpose clause "that you believe in Him whom He has sent".
37. The subjunctive mood of "believe" indicates that their faith is a volitional choice.
38. This is the only place in Scripture that faith is referred to as a work, though Christ implied it in His confrontation with the religious leaders in Joh.5:29. Cp. Rom.2:7
39. His reference to faith here as a work is in the same sense that "eating and drinking" are works. Joh.4:14; 6:50
40. All people understand that the act of eating and drinking does not require the same effort as preparing the meal.
41. Faith is a work in that it requires mental energy to assimilate information, but does not require one to express it verbally or overtly.
42. Observation: Vs.29 documents that God considers mental exercise as work and by application denotes that divine good production for the believer is not limited to just verbal and overt acts.
43. The object of faith is expressed as Him whom He has sent.
44. This is in total contrast under the system of Judaism that places faith in one’s self.
45. The remote demonstrative pronoun "evkei/noj/Him/that One" refers to the condescension of God the Son into union with the humanity of Christ.
46. In other words, belief in the God-man standing before them is the same as believing God.
47. That the 2^nd member of the Godhead was also commissioned in His role as Messiah is obvious. Joh.1:1,14 Phil.2:6-8
48. That the crowd fully understood that He was referring to Himself is evident from their next comment in vs.30.
49. These two verses expand the emphasis of the preceding contrast seen in vss.26-27, by contrasting the negative viewpoint of the multitude with the truth as it relates to the SAJG:

1. They seek God based on a human system of works, Christ says believe in Him. Joh.1:12-13
2. They think E.L. demands a multiplicity of works, Christ says there is only one work.
3. They want to earn righteousness, Jesus wants to impart it. Rom.6:23
4. The object of their pursuits are their own works, Jesus says He is to be the object of faith.

GNT John 6:30 ei=pon ou=n auvtw/|( Ti, ou=n poiei/j su. shmei/on( i[na i;dwmen kai. pisteu,swme,n soiÈ ti, evrga,zh|È

NAS John 6:30 They said therefore to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? ei=pon le,gw (viaa--3p) ou=n (infer. conj.; "therefore"; looks back to the entirety of Jesus response of vs.29) auvtw/|( auvto,j (npdm3s; ref. Christ) Ti, ti,j (interr. adj./an-s; "What thing") ou=n (infer. conj.; "then"; looks back specifically to the first phrase of Jesus response in vs.29, "This is the work of God, ...") su, (npn-2s; emphatic; "You Yourself") poiei/j poie,w (vipa--2s; "do you do/accomplish/perform") shmei/on( (n-an-s; "as/for a sign") i[na (conj. purpose; "in order that") i;dwmen o`ra,w (vsaa--1p; "we might see"; denotes they want physical confirmation to substantiate His declaration of necessity to "believe") kai, (cc) pisteu,swme,n pisteu,w (vsaa--1p; "we might believe") soiÈ so,j (personal pro./d-2s; what is "your own"; ref. to Jesus viewpoint of "work") What work do You perform? ti, ti,j (interr. adj./an-s) evrga,zh|È evrga,zomai (vipd--2s; "action/deed/work do you perform/do")

GNT John 6:31 oi` pate,rej h`mw/n to. ma,nna e;fagon evn th/| evrh,mw|( kaqw,j evstin gegramme,non( :Arton evk tou/ ouvranou/ e;dwken auvtoi/j fagei/nÅ

NAS John 6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, h`mw/n evgw, (npg-1p) oi` o` pate,rej path,r (d.a. + n-nm-p; "fathers/ancestors") e;fagon evsqi,w (viaa--3p; "ate" ) to, ma,nna (n-an-s; "the manna" used 4x; 6:49; Heb.9:4; Rev.2:17; from Hebrew aWh !m' and means "What is it?" Exo.16:15; the accusative precedes the verb in Greek for emphasis ) evn (pL) th/| h` evrh,mw|( e;rhmoj (d.a. + a-Lf-s; "the wilderness") kaqw,j (cs; "just as/according as") evstin eivmi, (vipa--3s +) gegramme,non( gra,fw (+ periphrastic constr.; circ. ptc./PF/p/nn-s; "it is having been written") ' HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT. '" e;dwken di,dwmi (viaa--3s; "He gave") auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) :Arton a;rtoj (n-am-s; "bread"; precedes the verb in Grk. for emphasis) evk (pabl; "out of/from") tou/ o` ouvranou/ ouvrano,j (d.a. + n-gm-s; "the heaven") fagei/nÅ evsqi,w (inf. of purpose/aa; "to eat")

1. Based on Jesus’ explanation and challenge to the multitude, to believe in Him as "the work" that God requires for E.L. in vs.29, they therefore come back with a challenge of their own.
2. Their response seeks a specific requirement from Jesus that in their eyes is needed to substantiate His previous statement, which is brought out under the two questions in vs.30:

1. "What then do You do for a sign,...?"

B. "What work do You perform?"

1. Sandwiched between the two questions is the purpose behind their challenge, "in order that we may see, and believe You".
2. One cannot miss the way their questions are constructed and it harks back to the use of the participles as related to the multitude in vss.22-24 ("stood", "seeking" and the genitive absolute in between, "after giving thanks").
3. It was those participles that pointed to their erroneous views regarding Messiah.
4. Their spiritual "stand" was one of "seeking" for a Messiah that under their human viewpoint was just a "man/prophet" that would appear on the scene as their political savior. Cp. 6:15
5. The very essence of those participles is now again manifested.
6. Their demand for a sign indicates that their "stand/position" regarding Messiah was that He would be revealed to them by providing some miracle that would point to the fact that indeed He was Messiah.
7. Their demand for Him to perform a work indicates that the sign/miracle will be congruous to what they are "seeking" for in Messiah.
8. The subjunctive moods of the verbs, "we might see and might believe" indicate that the potential of what He "does" must be of such a nature that it will sufficiently convince them as to their viewpoint regarding Messiah.
9. Furthermore, these verbs indicate that the multitude is still in a state of unbelief.
10. In other words, their questions evolve around expectations that they erroneously have regarding Messiah and how they perceive Him, just as they erroneously stood seeking Him earlier.
11. The problem is, they are looking for a physical revelation by Messiah that indicates that He is a physically conquering 2^nd advent Messiah, rather than One of spiritual manifestation as God-man, sent first to conquer spiritual darkness in passion/desire at the 1^st advent.
12. That their eyes are only on the physical is seen in the Galilean trend (as well as the normal Jewish tendency) to seek for signs. Joh.4:48; 1Cor.1:22
13. That the Jews are looking for a specific sign to satiate their views, which point to a physical deliverer rather than spiritual, is revealed in Christ’s rebuke regarding them. Mat.12:39-40; 16:4
14. It is hardly explainable that these people demand a sign, as they were recent witnesses to a multitude of healings and the multiplication of the loaves and fish when they were with Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
15. It points out three specific things:

1. Signs or miracles do not in and of themselves convince people to believe unless they are true seekers/+V.
2. –V rejects and therefore cannot discern true/spiritual realities in life.
3. They are testing the Lord.

1. Jesus knows their volitional and doctrinal propensities and now how is He to respond? i.e., "that one more miracle would produce the faith in these people necessary for salvation?"
2. He knows that if they had not seen the significance behind any of the previous signs, neither would they understand the spiritual significance of an additional sign.
3. That is because His "signs" did not fit into the framework of their distorted theological views concerning Messiah.
4. Observation: When it comes to –V that adhere to distorted doctrinal views, you can never do enough and no matter how many proofs you may offer, they simply will not accept the reality of the truth. (The nature of religious reversionists.)
5. That indeed this spiritual profile of the crowd is true is seen in the explanation of their feeble attempt to use scripture to substantiate their demand in vs.31.
6. The essence of this verse also illustrates their stand regarding their perception of God’s plan for them and what they are truly looking for in Messiah.
7. Their first comment "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness" points out what kind of sign/indicator they would consider to reflect their views.

25. Their reference to this particular miracle must be understood within its significance to the Jews and that it highlights as a premier ongoing event that occurred after the deliverance of the Jews from political bondage in Egypt. Ex.16:1ff
26. It was at that time under Moses that the Law was given and national Israel was instituted.
27. They understood that without the provision of the manna, their ancestors would have perished in the wilderness during their 40 years of wandering.
28. It was this sign that in their eyes God was saying "this is My will for you to be a free and independent nation and custodian of My plan and here is logistical support as proof to substantiate that".
29. While that premise is true, it is hollow in that they place the emphasis simply on the physical existence of their ancestors as a new nation, rather than realizing the spiritual significance behind it all.
30. The reference to "Our fathers" indicates the premier weight of authority that the Jews place upon their ancestral history.
31. That they regard their racial heritage as a prerequisite ingredient in their relationship with God is undeniable as seen in the references in this regard. Mat.3:9; Mar.11:10; Luk.3:8; Joh.4:12; 5:45; 8:39, 53
32. Therefore, the Jews place extreme value upon themselves as a people and nation.
33. It is this thinking that gives insight to their arrogant approach to BD.
34. That is, they consider themselves as Jews and "God’s chosen people", the axis around which, all other of God’s plan evolves, rather than simply a tool/witness used by God to represent and advance His plan, which effectiveness depended upon the accuracy of obedience to His plan. Exo.19:5-6
35. This frame of thinking correlates with and ties directly into the complexity of Jewish ideas regarding the Law and Messianic expectations.
36. They believe that it is their existence physically/politically as a nation and others adherence to them as a people (proselytes) and under their law that is the mechanics of salvation for mankind. Mat.23:15
37. In their eyes, Messiah is simply a promise of God’s to establish an eternal leader for Israel so she could continue to provide salvation to men. Joh.12:34
38. Hence, their blindness as to the advents of Christ.
39. Hence, the supreme necessity for God to once again make them a free nation in order to continue to advance God’s plan in the world.
40. Just as He did in establishing them as a nation some 1400 years ago.
41. This is the real force of their thinking behind their declaration concerning their "fathers".
42. Therefore, the sign they are looking for will be a similar deliverance from their current bondage under Roman rule.
43. It points to how they view the OT, in that the entirety of God’s plan hinges upon Israel as a peoples and nation and their physical state of being, rather than all that Israel is suppose to represent spiritually.
44. In other words, they have superimposed the importance of their physical existence as a nation to uphold the Law, above their spiritual condition as the premier requirement in their relationship with God.
45. It is this human viewpoint approach to God that directly ties into their perception of the miracle of the loaves and fish.
46. His miracle induced in their thinking this specific occasion of provision being made for their ancestors in order for them to be independent as a people and ultimately as a nation to advance "the Law".
47. It is of no wonder then that Jesus’ miracle set these people off on their tangent to make Him king.
48. And now, after receiving a "taste of freedom", by reference to the provision of the manna, they remind Jesus that their ancestors were fed supernaturally for a lot longer than just one meal.
49. So the sign they are looking for must point to an ongoing physical deliverance for Israel just as the manna did for their fathers and therefore, it is a continuation of the "free food" miracle from Jesus that they want to see.
50. That the Jews are so physically oriented is why they are totally blind to the spiritual realities of themselves as a people and obviously ignorant of what the manna/bread truly represented.

48. That they regard the physical/logistical support for Israel as the premier emphasis of God’s plan is seen in the phrase, "just as it is written".
49. This is their way of pointing out to Jesus that they have Biblical documentation for their stand.
50. It further points out to how they interpret God’s word.
51. The verse that they cite is not an exact quote of any verse, but generally resembles Ex.16:4; Neh.9:15 and most closely resembles Psa.78:24.
52. No matter what part of scripture they were thinking of, it remains that in all cases the context is what God miraculously provided for Israel in their deliverance from slavery.
53. Though they make reference to certain OT verses, their lack of true interpretation of it stands out like a sore thumb.
54. It is their quotation that reveals their failure to perceive the spiritual realities behind the occasion they are referring to.
55. The quotation, "He gave them bread out of heaven to eat" denotes the following:

1. Though not explicitly named, it is Moses that they are fixated upon regarding the miracle of the manna.
2. This is seen in their false interpretation that it was Moses that gave to their ancestors the bread out of Heaven that Jesus refutes in His following response. vs.32
3. This is in direct contradiction to what all of the referenced passages explicitly proclaim i.e., that it was God that made the provision of the bread.
4. That they look to Moses a man, as the provider of the food rather than God as the true provider, demonstrates their fixation on the importance of the physical rather than spiritual.
5. The verb "He gave" on the surface does not give away their misinterpretation and the listener could easily think that maybe they are referring to God rather than Moses. cp. Psa.78:24 "And He rained down manna upon them to eat,..."
6. But before anyone dare think Jesus’ misjudged their comment, one must understand that He already knows their intent for seeking Him (vss.15, 26) and fully discerns therefore, their intent to utilize this Biblical reference and the liberty they are taking with it.
7. They weren’t using BD to advance truth, but rather to advance their own agenda.
8. Knowing their STA agenda gave Him the necessary insight as to how they would understand and use this quote.
9. Principle: The same is true in evaluating religious reversionists today; if you understand their human viewpoint agendas, you can see through to the intent of how they might try to use and distort even subtly certain verses or examples to support their stand. (Ex. The evangelistic agenda quote of Mat.28:29 "You all go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,...", which disregards that this commandment was given directly to the 11 disciples cp.vs.16, 18, but on the surface sounds right. Knowing their agenda we understand how they are interpreting "You all".)
10. Because Jesus’ knew their agenda, He knew how they were interpreting "He gave"
11. Jesus truly did know all men and what was in them. Joh.2:24-25
12. To them, it was Moses as leader of the Jewish people that provided a physical deliverance for Israel to include even the food they needed, and that was all that was important.
13. Therefore, if Jesus is indeed, in their confused thinking, the second Moses, let Him demonstrate it by doing a similar work of providing the logistical needs necessary for them to escape Roman rule and establish an eternal Israel.
14. This is what they truly seek in Messiah and only then will they believe.
15. To them the manna was just bread/food necessary for Moses to provide so that he could continue to lead his people as a nation and as possessors of the Law.
16. Therefore, there quote establishes the priority that what they look for in Messiah is the physical provision of a leader and provider rather than the spiritual provision that the manna/bread represents.

48. The correlation between the two main clauses of vs.31 denotes that the multitude is seeking for a man like Moses who will provide the logistics necessary for them to sustain themselves in their deliverance from Roman rule.
49. The connecting phrase "as it is written", denotes their Biblical perception of how they have interpreted Messiah to fit in to God’s plan for them in this regard.
50. All that they can see and are willing to believe regarding the OT references to Messiah, is His physical deliverance and everlasting establishment of Israel as a nation i.e., their 2^nd advent fixation.
51. The humor and irony cannot be missed; these people have likened themselves to the Exodus generation.
52. As their eyes are only on the physical, they too have no true regard for what the manna and deliverance from Egypt represented and in this way shows disdain/contempt for the bread out of Heaven, just as their negative counterparts. Num.11:4-6
53. See Doctrine of Manna.

GNT John 6:32 ei=pen ou=n auvtoi/j o` VIhsou/j( VAmh.n avmh.n le,gw u`mi/n( ouv Mwu?sh/j de,dwken u`mi/n to.n a;rton evk tou/ ouvranou/( avllV o` path,r mou di,dwsin u`mi/n to.n a;rton evk tou/ ouvranou/ to.n avlhqino,n\

NAS John 6:32 Jesus therefore said to them, o` VIhsou/j( (d.a. + n-nm-s) ou=n (infer. conj.) ei=pen le,gw (viaa--3s) auvtoi/j auvto,j (npdm3p) "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, VAmh.n avmh,n (part. + part.) le,gw (vipa--1s) u`mi/n( su, (npd-2p) ouv (neg. +) Mwu?sh/j (+ n-nm-s; Lit. "Not Moses"; pegs/negates the multitudes false interpretation of their Bible quote of vs.31) de,dwken di,dwmi (viPFa--3s; "who has given") u`mi/n su, (npd-2p; "you all"; this pronoun puts the multitude under the same umbrella as their "fathers" of vs.31 indicating Jesus knows the emphasis they put on themselves as a race/nation) to.n o` a;rton a;rtoj (n-am-s) evk (pg) tou/ o` ouvranou/( ouvrano,j (d.a. + n-gm-s) but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. avllV avlla, (strong adv.) mou evgw, (npg-1s) o` path,r (d.a. + n-nm-s) di,dwsin di,dwmi (vipa--3s; "keeps on giving") u`mi/n su, (npd-2p; "you all"; ref. Israel corporately) to.n o` avlhqino,n\ avlhqino,j (d.a. + a--am-s; restrictive attributive; "true/the true"; this adj. denotes that there is an attribute/quality associated with the noun it modifies and implies there is other "bread" that does not possess this attribute; Jesus is contrasting Himself with the manna) to.n o` a;rton a;rtoj (d.a. + n-am-s) evk (pg) tou/ o` ouvranou/ ouvrano,j (d.a. + n-gm-s)

GNT John 6:33 o` ga.r a;rtoj tou/ qeou/ evstin o` katabai,nwn evk tou/ ouvranou/ kai. zwh.n didou.j tw/| ko,smw|Å

NAS John 6:33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." ga,r (explan. conj.) o` a;rtoj (d.a. + n-nm-s) tou/ o` qeou/ qeo,j (d.a. + n-gm-s; gen. of possession) evstin eivmi, (vipa--3s; "keeps on being") o` katabai,nwn katabai,nw (d.a. [governs both ptc's.] + adj. ptc./p/a/nm-s; "that which comes down/descends"; ref. to "the bread") evk (pg) tou/ o` ouvranou/ ouvrano,j (d.a. + n-gm-s) kai, (cc) didou.j di,dwmi (+ adj. ptc./p/a/nm-s) zwh.n zwh, (n-af-s) tw/| o` ko,smw|Å ko,smoj (d.a. + n-dm-s)

1. Based on the multitudes fallacious notions regarding the event of the manna, Jesus therefore responds by correctly interpreting their quotation.
2. The corrected interpretation addresses the real source of the bread and therefore it’s spiritual significance.
3. Just as with the Samaritan woman at the well and her read on Jacob and the water, Jesus now demonstrates the superiority of "the bread that gives life.
4. The opening phrase of what He said to them, "Truly, truly I say to you" denotes the assertiveness of His response to their claim of Biblical documentation in vs.31, "as it is written".
5. It emphasizes that what He is about to say evolves around truth rather than a human viewpoint approach to scripture.
6. Christ’s statement in vs.32b,c distinctly addresses two views regarding the miracle of the manna:

1. Vs.32b addresses the multitudes erroneous accolades they have placed upon Moses and themselves as a people as to why the miracle occurred.
2. Vs.32c gives the correct Divine viewpoint regarding the true/real importance of the miracle.

1. He begins by negating the importance they place on the miracle of the manna by stating "it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven".
2. It is not the man Moses who was the responsible party for its provision.
3. Jesus corrects their mentality of practically deifying Moses, a man, which again fits into their legalistic approach to BD.
4. That is, since they believe man can attain to acceptance by God based on his own merits, they therefore believe man can attain to the same level as God.
5. They have placed Moses on such a pedestal that he is the one "in whom they have set their hope". Joh.5:45 cp. vs.44
6. The perfect tense of "who has given" harks back to the physical reality of the manna provision in the wilderness.
7. The plural of the pronoun "you all" includes the multitude in His statement and denotes that Jesus understands the importance that the multitude places upon why the manna was given.
8. In other words, since the physical provision of the miracle of the bread has existing results in that Israel is still in existence as a people/nation (this is only way they have "received" the manna), then in their thinking the emphasis of the miracle is on Moses and themselves i.e., man, rather than the manna itself and whence it came.
9. They consider God’s plan as dependent upon earthly means rather than heavenly.
10. Hence, their belief that salvation is based on man, not God.
11. It is the phrase "out of heaven" that implies the true source of the bread.
12. In addition, it is the bread out of heaven that is the emphasis of the miracle, not men, not even Moses.
13. He is taking their level of thinking of their placement and priority as a people and nation as it correlates with the miracle and now puts it into its proper perspective:

1. It is not Moses that is the emphasis of the miracle making it a reality, but God.
2. A fact that Moses himself made no secret of and "as it is written". Exo.16:4,8,15
3. By knocking down the pedestal on which they have placed Moses, Jesus in effect removes the pedestal they have placed themselves on, based on their racial heritage.
4. By negating the non-critical issues regarding the miracle, its real emphasis can now be seen.
5. That is, the bread and its source of origin.
6. Jesus in no uncertain terms tells these Jews that it is not the physical associations they place upon the miracle that is important, but the spiritual reality behind it.

1. These Jews again serve as perfect examples of religious "tradition" assuming their agenda as more important in peoples lives than the actual truth that is recorded in the WOG.
2. In vs.32c, Jesus gives the contrasting spiritual read on the miracle as seen in the strong adversative, "but".
3. Contrary to their view on the importance of the miracle, He now proclaims the truth of the matter.
4. While the manna was necessary and important to sustain the physical life of the Jews at the inception of their nation, more importantly was what the WOG taught that the manna represented i.e., the WOG. Deu.8:3
5. Jesus’ use of the term, "My Father" emphasizes the following:

1. Jesus contrasts His relationship as being with God disassociating Himself with the Jews, who emphasized a relationship based on the racial heritage of "our fathers" (vs.31), and thus emphasizes spiritual over physical.
2. It indicates that He stood in a relationship with God that these people did not.
3. What was implied as the source of the miracle in 32b, is now explicitly stated as God the Father.
4. It implies that God is the source of all creation whether physical or spiritual in nature. Joh.1:3

1. The static/continuous present tense of the verb "keeps on giving/who gives" contrasts the action as related to Moses and the manna of the miracle as being historically past and therefore temporal, while the actions of His Father is ongoing even as He speaks.
2. Jesus then contrasts the bread called manna with the true bread out of Heaven.
3. The restrictive attributive adjective "true" indicates a quality/attribute inherent with this bread that by implication, the physical manna of the miracle did not possess.
4. His use of this qualifier regarding the manna indicates there is more to the miracle than what the physical eye perceived.
5. The contrast then states the spiritual reality behind the miracle and that is, it is God that continually provides the substance of truth from His place of existence, heaven.
6. This is in total contrast to the stand the Jews make and that is that the truth of God and His plan is dependent upon them and their earthly station.
7. In vs.33 He explains what the true bread is.
8. That it is the bread of God emphasizes that it is indeed God that possesses this unique substance.
9. A reality that must be in place for any action of "giving" can occur.
10. He then uses two adjectival participles to denote the existing station and effect the true bread has.
11. The first participle points to the fact that since it is bread that comes down out of heaven, then realistically it must dwell there if it is to descend from there.
12. The second participle points to the fact that this bread does not just sustain life, but gives life.
13. Holding to the principle that one must possess something in order to give it, then it is necessary for the bread to possess life in order to impart life.
14. That Jesus is the true bread is explicitly proclaimed in vs.35.
15. That it is eternal life that He is speaking of is further clarified in vs.40.
16. This statement can only be true then of His Deity.
17. It is His Deity that John proclaims as "o` lo,goj/the Word" that became incarnate. Joh.1:1,14
18. The participle "coming down" deals with the historic reality that the Deity of God the Son condescended from Heaven and joined into union with the humanity of God’s Son.
19. It is language of accommodation, since God is everywhere and does not ascend or descend at all. Joh.1:14
20. It is through His Deity that Christ imparts life. Joh.5:21, 25
21. The manna then spiritually was representative of the true bread as seen in the 2^nd member of the Godhead incarnate.
22. It was Christ in hypostatic union that BD became a physical reality. Joh.1:18c; Mat.5:17; 1Cor.2:16
23. The miracle of the manna in the wilderness pointed to God providing the fulfillment of His plan as seen in the Person and work of Jesus Christ.
24. The phrase "to the world" denotes that this bread is not limited just to the Jews in its effect.
25. In other words, the true bread is not dependent upon the nation Israel in its effect of imparting life, another false premise on which they stand.
26. The intent of God giving the bread was to benefit all of mankind, not just the Jews and their proselytes.
27. Therefore, in contrast to the Jews view as to the importance of the miracle, Jesus proclaims that the miracle itself was designed to point to a superior bread with far reaching spiritual realities beyond just its physical benefit.
28. The true bread is in contrast to the manna in that:

1. The giving of the manna was only temporary, but the true bread is continually available.
2. The manna could only sustain physical life for its recipients, while the true bread actually imparts eternal life and benefits man spiritually.
3. The manna was limited to the Jews; this bread is for the entire world.

1. It is in total contrast to how the Jews viewed the manna and the physical ramifications of the event.
2. Jesus sound interpretation of the "spiritual manna" now becomes a challenge for His listeners to figure out the spiritual reality of what this true bread is i.e., God in the flesh.