The Gospel of John #26

By Robert Guenther

We are continuing our review of the Gospel of John and the Lord is proving who he is by performing a miracle of feeding 5,000 people from five barley loaves and two small fish.

Vs. Joh 6:13 “Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.” The thoughts that came to my mind as to why there were 12 baskets loaves left over. There were 12 apostles who served the multitude and they could have each been allowed one basket so nothing was wasted as we read in vs. 12.

Vs. Joh 6:14 “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.” The Lord performed this miracle to prove that He is God the True Prophet and the King that they were to expect. The Lord however could read their thoughts and knew that His time to be their King was yet future.

Vs. Joh 6:15 “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” Only Christ Himself is qualified to be Priest, Prophet and King at the same time. But He will assume these roles in His good time and not when men think that He should. The world needs to be given every opportunity to believe in Christ and His plans before He will fulfill these offices.

Vs. Joh 6:16 “And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,” We are not told that the apostles are doing anything wrong by entering into a ship without Him. We know that it is getting dark and that they are heading for Capernaum as we read in our next verse.

Vs. Joh 6:17 “And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.” I think these men are thinking about the Lord and wondering when He is going to return and be with them again.

Vs Joh 6:18 “And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.” So now it is not only dark but it is windy and the waves are getting larger. I can just imagine them thinking that something bad is going to happen to us if the Lord does not appear to us very soon.

Vs. Joh 6:19 “So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.” The Lord is going to take yet another opportunity to perform a miracle to prove that He is Deity. I Tim 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…”).

To be continued…