X1 M1 1-15. The Fourth Sign. (The feeding of the 5,000.)
M2 16-25. The Fifth Sign. (The walking on the sea.)
M3 26-71. The Significance of the Fourth and Fifth Sign.
M1 N P f 1,2-. Crowd. Following.
g -2. Signs seen.
Q 3,4. Departure to the mountain.
O 5-13. The Fourth Sign. (The feeding of the 5,000 fishes.)
N P g 14-. Sign seen.
f -14. Crowd. Confession.
Q 15. Departure to the mountain.
27 A.D.
John 6)
1 After these things Jesus went away over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. (This city is still in existence. It was not visited by the Lord, and therefore not guilty of rejecting Him. All the cities that did reject Him have perished.)
2 And a great crowd was following Him, (Do you think these are all believers?)
because they beheld signs which He was doing on them that were diseased. (They came to see the signs. Satan will show signs before crows too! Be careful.)
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
O R 5. Question to Philip.
S 6. Sign purposed.
R 7-9. Answer to Philip.
S 10-13. Sign performed.
These are the two central "signs", and are emphasized by being the only "signs" which are recorded in the other three Gospels; thus implying that all four Gospels are needed in order to give us their full signification.
Both "signs" are followed by the Lord's own signification in the discourses which manifested the special glory of His Deity.
The two "signs" are connected together by the parenthesis of 6:23, which shows that the signification is one, manifesting Messiah as Divine; in the former, as the Creator and the only Supplier of all His People's needs; temporal as in 6:6-13, and spiritual as in 6:32-51; in the latter, as the Creator and Lord of the elements.
The discourse which follows is to signify the enormity of the sin of His rejection, as shown in 7:1, 11, 12, 25, 30, 32, 43, 44, 45; as the second and seventh are the only two connected with death.
Thus, these two central "signs" manifest the two central truths which are common to all the four Gospels: viz., the glory of the Messiah and His rejection by the nation.
They were connected by His departing from them, and going up into a mountain (6:3 and 6:15), signifying that He was about to depart from them, until His return from heaven on the repentance of the nation.
6 And this He said to prove (putting him to the test)i.e. him: for He Himself knew what He was about to do. (When Christ tests you, will you pass the test?)
7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred pennyworth (approx. $33) of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little." (Only recorded in John)
8 One of his disciples, Andrew (He appears with Philip in 1:44; 12:22), Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,
9 "There is a little boy here (the "baker bor", with his basket of barley-loaves , is still to be seen where people congregate), which has five (5 = Divine grace in Biblical numerics) barley loaves (first fruits, poor mans bread), and two small fishes (the Father & the Son - symbol of Christianity - the fish symbol, cypher): but what are they for so many?"
S T 10. Command to sit down.
U 11. Distribution.
T 12. Command to gather.
U Gathering.
10 And Jesus said, "Make the men sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (Sit down and listen)11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise also of the fishes as much as they wished. (Only recorded in John. Did Jesus feed the people? No! The disciples did. They were not mobbed, very disciplined. You do the feeding, or they won't get fed.)
12 But when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain over (Beware of false doctrine. A little leaven will work through the whole loaf), that nothing be lost." (after this, were they all believers?)
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve wicker baskets (one for each Apostle. 12 = Governmental perfection in Biblical numerics. Until He died, He was sent to 12 lost tribes of Israel.- After, open to "Whom soever will") with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had fed. (Gr. bibrosko. Root of our "browse", to feed in the open. When God gives you a seed from the Word, plant it, use it, cultivate it, reap it. You will always have more than enough left over. Cp. Amos 8)
14 Therefore the men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said,
"This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world."
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force, in order that they might make Him a king, He withdrew again into a mountain Himself alone. (Irony - God wanted to be their king way back, but they wouldn't accept Him.)
M V j 16. At the sea. Disciples.
k 17-. A boat.
W l -17. The Lord absent.
m 18. Sudden danger.
X n 19-. The Lord seen.
o -19. "They were afraid."
X n 20-. The Lord heard.
o -20. "Be not afraid."
W l 21-. The Lord present.
m -21. The sudden safety.
V j 22-24-. At the sea. Crowd.
k -24,25. The boats.
16 And when it became late, His disciples went down to the sea,17 And entered into a fishing-smack, and were going over the sea toward Capernaum.
And it had become already dark, and Jesus was not yet come to them. (i.e. the multitudes)
18 And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that was blowing. (Getting them ready for a time when His physical presence won't be with them, but He will be spiritually.)
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs (5-6,000 yards: about halfway), they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the ship:
and they were afraid. (They didn't know who it was)
20 But He said to them, "I am He;
be not afraid."
21 Then they were willing to receive Him into the ship:
and immediately the ship became at the shore to which they were bound. (Recorded only in John)
22 The day following, when the crowd which stood on the other side (the Eastern side) of the sea saw that there was none other dingy there, save that one into which His disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that His disciples went away away alone; (They think He is gone, but remember, Christ is always with you.)
23 (However there came other boats out from Tiberias near to the place where they did eat bread, after the Lord had given thanks:)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither His disciples,
themselves also entered into the boat, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea (The Western), they said to him, "Rabbi, when have You got here?" (They didn't know He took a shortcut across the water.)
M3 Z1 26-36. With unbelievers.
Z2 37-59. With believers.
Z3 60-71. With disciples.
Z1 A 26,27. Bread: earthly.
B 28,29. Belief.
A 30-35. Bread: heavenly.
B 36. Unbelief.
26 Jesus answered them and said, "Verily, verily, I say to you, You seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were satisfied. (They were looking for Him to fill their flesh bellies.)28 Then said they to Him, "What are we to do, that we might work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them (see Deut. 1:41), "This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent."
A C 30,31. Request of Jews for sign.
D 32,33. Answer, Bread from heaven.
C 34. Request od Disciples for thing signified.
D 35. Answer, Bread of life.
30 They said therefore to Him (in consequence of the Lord's claim), "What sign show You then, that we may see, and believe You? what sign do You work? (The emphasis is on "You")
32 Then Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, Moses gave you not the [true] bread from heaven; but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is He which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world." (Fig. put for the inhabitants. Used in John to show that Gentiles will be included in Israel's blessing.)
34 Then said they to Him, "Lord, evermore give us this bread".
35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life: he that comes to Me shall in no way hunger; and He that believes on Me shall in no way at anytime thirst.
36 But I said to you, That you have seen Me also, yet believe not.
Z2 E 37-40. The Father. His will. The Signification of the 4th sign.
F 41,42. The Lord. Bread from heaven. Jews murmuring. "
E 43-47. The Father. His action. "
F 48-59. The Lord. Bread of life. Jews murmuring. "
37 Whatsoever that the Father gives Me shall reach (denoting arrival) to Me; and him that comes (denotes the act and process) to Me I will in no wise cast without.
41 The Jews then were murmuring concerning Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven."
42 And they were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He says, 'I came down from heaven?'" (Jesus was the only begotten son of God, not the son of Joseph. These people haven't a clue.)
43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Murmur not with one another.(Don't get nervous)
44 No one is able to come to Me, except the Father Which has sent Me draw him (those thus drawn are defined in v.37 as "all" those who are given [without exception]. In 12:32 "all" are not thus defined, and denote "all" [without distinction]): and I will raise him up at the last day. (God draws people to believe on Jesus. He nudges them through the Holy Spirit to partake of the bread of life. He tugs at the heart of those who do right.)
45 It stands written in the prophets (see Isa. 54:13. Jer. 31:34), 'And they shall be all (without exception) taught of God.'(Mic. 4:2) Every man therefore that has heard, and has learned from the Father, comes to Me. (It is written to those who remain barren when the false Messiah appears on earth. Those that are interested are taught the Word of God. Why would anyone want the word of man over the Word of God? You wouldn't, and are blessed as a result.)
46 Not that any one has seen the Father, save He Which is from God (implying past and present union), He has seen the Father. (If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father.)
47 Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believes on me possesses everlasting life (Not, of course, in himself [or he would never die], but by faith in Christ.).
F p 48-51-. The Sign.
q -51. The Signification.
r 52. The Jews Contention.
q 53-57. The Signification.
p 58,59. The Sign.
48 I am the bread of life. (Partake of that bread that lasts longer than any fish sandwich. If you believe, God promises this bread gives you everlasting life.)if (conditional) any one eat of this [One before you], that person shall live (in and by resurrection, see 4:50,51,53) to an age time: but the bread, moreover, which I will give is Myself (in view of the Jews unbelief, the Lord used a fig. of speech. To take a figure of speech literally, and treat what is literal as a figure, is the most fruitful source of error. Troubling thought for many), which I will give for the life of the world." (The manna in the wilderness couldn't give eternal life anymore than the fish sandwich we've been talking about. Jesus Christ is the bread of life. Partake of this bread, and you will never die. He sacrificed Himself on the cross for your sins. He did it because He loves you.)
52 The Jews therefore were contending with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 Then Jesus said to them, "Verily, verily, I say to you, Except you eat the flesh (i.e. the Word) of the Son of man, and drink His blood (the Hebrews used this expression with reference to knowledge by a fig. of speech, where it is put for being alive and put for the whole person; so eating and drinking denoted the operation of the mind in receiving and "inwardly digesting" truth or the words of God. No idiom was more common in the days of our Lord. With them as with us, eating included the meaning of enjoyment, as in Ecc. 5:19; 6:2; for "riches" cannot be eaten; and the Talmud actually speaks of eating [i.e. enjoying] "the years of Messiah", and instead of finding any difficulty in the figure they said that the days of Hezekiah were so good that "Messiah will come no more to Israel; for they already devoured Him in the days of Hezehiah: [Lightfoot]. Even were eating is used of the devouring of enemies, it is the enjoyment of victory that is included. The Lord's words could be understood thus by hearers, for they knew the idiom; but of the "Eucharist" they knew nothing, and could not have thus understood them. By comparing vv. 47, and 48 with vv. 53, and 54, we see that believing on Christ was exactly the same thing as eating and drinking Him), you have no life in you.
54 Whoso feeds on (as to enjoy) My flesh, and drinks My blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (You will live forever, His shed blood washes away your sins)
55 For My flesh is meat truly, and My blood is drink truly.
56 He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him.
57 According as the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats Me, even he shall live through Me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven (Christ came down): not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live for ever. (This is opposite of death [v.49], and is to be only by and through resurrection [vv. 39,40,44)
59 These things said He in the synagogue (cp. Ps. 74:4,8), as He taught in Capernaum.
Z3 G s 60. Disciples. Murmuring.
t 61-63. The Lord's expostulations.
u 64,65. Some unbelievers. One betrayer.
G s 66. Disciples. Defection.
t 67-69. The Lord's expostulation.
u 70,71. Twelve chosen. One betrayer.
60 Many (other than the 12) therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" (They were looking at the flesh)
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at this, He said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? (i.e. you, as well as the Jews)
62 If therefore you should behold the Son of man ascending up where He was before [will you be offended then]? (I.e. with God. You were there too! Born from above.)
63 It is the spirit that gives life (pneuma being imparted to a human, making him "a living soul", as in Gen. 2:7. Ps. 104:29,30. Ecc. 12:7. When taken back to and by God, a human, without pneuma, becomes and is called "a dead soul"); the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken, and do speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life. (It is the words of God. You need to absorb them. Its like reading a novel, but better.)
64 But there are some of you that believe not." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that would not believe, and who would betray Him.
65 And He said, "For this cause said I to you, that no man can come to Me, except (conditional) it were given to him of My Father."
66 From this cause many of His disciples went back, and walked about no more with Him. (Feeding the flesh party is over, that's why they left.)
67 Then said Jesus to the twelve, "Surely you also do not wish go away?" (Implying a negative answer.)
68 Then Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 And w have believed and got to know that You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." (This expression always implies the contrast with all other gods. He is the living Word. Thus the 2nd portion of the Lord's ministry ends with a similar declaration on the part of Simon Peter, as in Matt. 16:16: though not the same occasion)
70 Jesus answered them, "Did not I chose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (He chose them to fulfill Father's wishes, Christ was to be the last blood sacrifice there ever was. He became our Passover.)
71 Now He was speaking of Judas Iscariot (= a man of Kerioth, which was in Judah [Josh. 15:25]. Kerioth now probably Khan Kureitin.) the son of Simon (So designated only here, 12:4; 13:2,26. The only apostle not a Galilean. Cp. 12:6): for he it was [who] was about to betray Him, being one of the twelve. (Thus ends the 2nd portion of the Lord's ministry, and thus is ushered in the 3rd.)