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The Gospel of John, The Period of Controversy, The Claims of Jesus Christ, The Witnesses for Christ, Part VI, John 6:1-4 - Lesson 36
Lesson - Continuing the "Period of Controversy"-The Claims of Jesus Christ
Chapter 6 of John is a long chapter of 71 verses and it has many outlines on which to build lessons.
In our study we will use the Scofield four part division of this chapter as we continue in "The Period of Controversy" in the book of John.
Scofield divides this chapter in this way:
The feeding of the five thousand (6:1-14), Jesus walking on the water (6:15-21), and The great discourse on the bread of life (6:22-59) Discipleship tested by doctrine (6:60-66) Peter's confession of faith (6:67-71)
Based upon this outline we will begin with the feeding of the five thousand men plus uncounted women and children.
Read John 6:1-14
Of all the miracles performed by the Lord Jesus Christ, this miracle of the feeding of the multitudes is the only one recorded in all of the four gospels.
As with all of Christ's signs the description of this miracle is almost matter of fact and without the embellishments we would expect to hear in our day.
The world brags and is so flashy about its accomplishments that even when a common place occurrence like the introduction of a new car is described you would almost think the car was a miracle in itself.
God is not that way. He does not desire the honor of man and does not seek it.
God does not advertise his accomplishments in order to gain status with men.
God is not amazed when he performs a miracle.
His word describes it as just another occurrence.
No effort is made to emphasize the marvel of it.
We ought not to be surprised when God exercises his powers.
But, to us, the rendition of this event that John describes is of great importance to us because it shows exactly what John wished to show, an example of Christ's Almighty power.
None of his works was so public as this one and before so many witnesses.
He called into existence food that did not exist before.
Here was an example of creation.
Something made out of nothing.
His other miracles exhibited his power and illustrated his work but this miracle sets forth the person of Christ, the Bread of Life.
Christ is the Food of God's people
This along with the other signs that Jesus gave, added to the credibility of Jesus, the Christ of God.
Like signs along the road John mentions the signs of Jesus as they guide us to the truth.
John patiently makes his case and piles up evidence upon evidence as he writes this discourse and heads for the verse in Chapter 20, where he says that these things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ.
The book of John could easily be used in a Law School to teach student attorneys to prove and establish a case.
It is a perfect legal defense.
It is John's purpose, to show that Jesus is the Christ and that you may safely put your case in his hands.
Let us look at the first two verses of Chapter Six
Verse 6:1,2, After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
We enter the scene of this momentous occasion on the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee, called here by John the Apostle, the sea of Tiberias.
John, as he usually does, tells us the events in his gospel in a chronological order.
He says "after these things", meaning after the healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda, the persecution by the Jews because this had been done on the Sabbath day, their determination to kill him because he made himself equal with God and the lengthy response to the Jews by Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was busy about his Father's business and there is no letup.
He leaves Jerusalem not remaining to cast pearls before swine.
He left those that despised and rejected him.
He proceeds to the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee "and a great multitude followed him."
Since Herod Antipas had, as recently as 20 AD, named a western shore city after Emperor Tiberias, the sea of Galilee by the time of John's writing, had become the sea of Tiberias.
It was known as Kinnereth in the Old Testament.
Jesus went over the sea by boat but the crowds still followed him, most likely by land around the lake.
They wanted to see the miracle worker in action so they hurried around the lake.
They wanted to see the healing hand of this Jesus at work.
They were looking for the spectacular.
They followed him not because of obedience to his word but because they wanted to be part of the unusual.
They were most likely the John 2:23 crowd that Jesus would not commit himself to because he knew their heart.
Jesus is interested in the health of your body but not to the exclusion of your soul.
What profits a man if he has good health and a strong body but he loses his soul.
Jesus wants to give life to you, your body is secondary.
These people were interested in the now and now, not the condition of their soul.
But this was where the action was and they wanted to be in the middle of the action.
What can I gain from this man, they thought?
Many believed superficially because of the miracles.
They were the seekers after a sign that Jesus told us about.
The ones that were from a weak and adulterous generation.
The miracles drew many after him but only a few to him.
They liked the excitement of this Jesus but when the sun would come up with the resultant heat and the pressure would increase, they were the crowd that would soon wilt and disappear.
They were double minded and unstable in their ways.
Verses 6:3,4, And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
Jesus goes to the mountain. He does not go to Jerusalem to attend the Passover because the Jews sought to kill him and he was not ready to yield himself to man.
John again reminds us here that the Passover had degenerated into a feast of the Jews.
Here we are witness to Jesus going to the high ground to sit with his disciples.
This high ground is the sharply rising terrain east of the lake.
It is known today as the Golan Heights, a valuable piece of real estate that is sought after by the present day Syrians and is important in today's peace discussions.
We see Jesus seeking a place of solitude and rest from the demands of the multitudes.
But even in rest, no doubt instructing his disciples.
We learn from the other gospels that the multitudes stayed all day listening to his teaching.
Luke says the day began to wear away, Mark says, the day was now far spent and Matthew says, when it was evening.
This was an all day meeting, an all day time of teaching.
The Lord not only knew their spiritual needs but he knew they needed food.
The children were restless and the stomachs were growling. the Lord knew the need.
He not only supplied the need but tested his disciples at the same time.
The Lord never does just one thing.
He does a multitude of things together and they all fit well.
He takes this opportunity to put his disciples to the test.
He tests us for our learning and our growth.
It is important to discern when we are being tested by the Lord.
In a real sense every decision we make is a test, isn't it?
It is a test to see if we will follow the word of God and be obedient to it.
If we are obedient, if we exercise faith, we pass the test and we go on to higher ground for harder tests.
If we don't pass we have to keep taking the test until we pass.
He is interested in our growth and conforming us to himself, Isn't he?
We never finish being tested, do we?
He said the just shall, not may, live by faith and he sees to it that we do by our testings.
So don't fight it, pass the tests of life and get on with it. |