John Chapter 6, by Lane Rogers

An analysis of John chapter 6:1-13 is as follows:

1. Christ followed into Galilee by a great multitude, vv. 1, 2.

2. Christ retires to a mountain with His disciples, v. 3.

3. Time: Just before Passover, v. 4. (See the Passover/Lord's Supper here)

4. The testing of Philip, vv. 5-7.

5. The unbelief of Andrew, vv. 8, 9.

6. The feeding of the multitude, vv, 10, 11.

7. The gathering up of the fragments, vv. 12, 13.


Five Thousand Fed

1After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).
2A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.3Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.4Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?
6This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him. 9"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?
10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.11Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted 12When they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost."
13So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

I. We first notice that John gives us an rather generic opening to this section of text. It is the inspired writers way of telling us that the events of chapter 6 did not necessarily happen immediately after the events of chapter five. These events happened some time after. In fact, I surmise there is at least one year between chapter 5 and chapter 6. There are at least four things that lead Jesus to seek retirement in a "desert" (uninhabited) place, beyond the Sea of Galilee:

a. The news of the death of John the Baptist

b. The sudden and probably evil interest of Herod

c. The return of the Twelve from intense evangelistic labors.

d. The great multitudes upon Him continually.

I. Verse 1-4__see the Sea of Galilee ( Pictures of Galilee)

A. Also known as the Sea of Chinnereth (Nu. 34:11; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 13:27).

B. Sea of Chinneroth (Josh. 12:3; I Kings 15:20)

C. Lake of Gennesaret (Lk. 5:1)

D. Sea of Tiberias (Jn. 6:1).

E. Mark 6:32-33 gives us a glimpse of Jesus at this great Passover with His disciples.

a. It is said that could be as many as 15,000 people following along on the sea shore as Jesus arrived at the eastern side of the lake (College Press, Butler p. 226).

b. Since we have the "feast of the Passover" mentioned by name, it means we can mark time. This is probably the 3rd Passover in the Ministry of Jesus (2:13; 5:1; 6:4 and the fourth should be 13:1).

c. Mark 6:33 tells us explicitly that the "crowds over ran the boat."

d. The different account of this incident are amazingly harmonious given their independent authorship.

e. In Lk. 9:11 we see Jesus having compassion on the great crowds.

II. Verse 5-6___ In Lk. 9:12, the twelve are worried about food and it is here that Jesus asks an amazing question. "Where are we to buy bread that these may eat?" In other words, The Lord was testing Phillip's faith. Jesus questioned Phillip directly and the entire group independently. (Mk. 14:16; Mk. 6: 36). It seems to me that not a one of them remembered the miracles or signs that Jesus had already done.

III. Verse 7___Phillip's answer was interesting and as one man said, "his answer made good common sense but certainly showed lack of faith." The "two hundred shillings" were about a year's wages. Here is the point I think, not even a years wages could purchase the bread they needed for that crowd.

IV. Verse 7-8___Seems as if a considerable amount of time has lapsed between verses 7 and 8. In Mark 6:36 we find Jesus sending the disciples into the crowd to gather all the food they can get. Many sermons have been preached on the lad or young man in this scene but the lad is not the point. The Lord is the point.

V. Verse 10-11___The people were prepared to eat. Jesus has them sit in a "halfway reclining" position. Mark adds in Mk.6:39-40 "row after row" of people.

There seems to be two reasons for seating the people.

a. It provided order.

b. Probably was a test of faith for the multitudes.

John says it was about 5000 men. But___that does not include the women and children.

VI. Verse 12-14__By this time Jesus sends His disciples into the crowd to gather up the leftovers. What a lesson for stewardship.

VII.__The disciples gathered up twelve kophinos, or stout wicker baskets full. There has been much said about the importance of the number 12 here, but it is my view that at this point it amounts to speculation.

A brief analysis of John 6:14-27 is as follows:

1. The Response of the people to the miracle of the loaves: vv. 14, 15.

2. The Retirement of Christ to the Mount: v. 15.

14Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the prophet who is to come into the world."  15So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

These two verses serve as a parenthesis in our story. The people saw the miracle and they knew that this was surely the Messiah. Yes, even in that same day some had heard Him speak of the kingdom of God on earth and many had experienced His miracles. But because of their carnal attitude, they interpreted this "sign" as prosperity on earth under the new Messiah's rule. They then tried to "seize" Jesus and take Him by force. The Synoptics tell of Jesus sending the disciples away by boat and then dismissing the multitudes. He then went further into the mountain to pray (Mt. 14:23; Mk. 6:45).

3. The Disciples in the storm: vv. 16-19.

4. The coming of Christ to them: vv. 20, 21.


16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing 19Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid. 21So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going 

I. Verse 16-21___ Jesus again manifests Himself as Master of nature by walking on the water.

A. At this juncture, the disciples had left Jesus. They seemed to be in no hurry (Mk. 6:45).

B. They left the eastern shore about dusk, six or seven in the evening and it was around four a.m. (the fourth watch, Mt. 14:25) the next morning when this great storm came about.

C. They were about midway between the shores when Jesus saw their predicament and came to them walking on the sea (Mk. 6:47-50).

D. When they saw Him, they were afraid.

a. When Jesus came close enough to be recognized He shouted, "Do not be afraid, it is I, Myself." Matthew records the next incident---Peter's attempt to walk to Jesus on water (Mt. 14:28-31).

b. It is noteworthy to see the independence of the accounts.

1. Matthew alone records Peter's attempt to walk on the water (Mt. 14:28-31).

2. Mark alone mentions Jesus seeing their distress while still on the mountain (Mk. 6:47-48).

3. John alone mentions that it was dark (6:17) that they had rowed about 3 or for miles (6:19), and that the boat arrived "straightway" (immediately ) where they were going (6:21).

(a) The "straightway" may mean that there was another miracle involved here or:

(b) The sea was so calm, they rowed quickly to the other side.

4. It is important to notice the differences between these accounts because many modern scholars claim that one account is just a copy of the other but these accounts are "different."

E. In Mark 6:53, we are shown where they were going. They started to Capernaum (6:17) but driven by sea and wind, they eventually at the plain of Gennesaret. (See Map)

Here the people ran to Him from all around carrying Him their sick.


1. The people follow Christ to Capernaum: vv. 22-25.

2. Christ exposes their motive: v. 26.

3. Christ presses their spiritual need upon them.

4. The Inquiry of the legalistic heart: v. 28.

5. The Divine answer to thereto: v. 29.


22The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone 23There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" 26Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."
28Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"
 29Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.

I. Verse 22___As one commentator mentioned, one might ask where did such a large crowd sleep during a stormy night. This was a miracle and the storm may have only been out at sea....The next morning there are three things mentioned:

a. Only one boat remained.

b. Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples the night before.

c. The disciples had gone away alone and not returned. Evidently, at least some of the people did not go away when Jesus dismissed them because they remained until the storm had passed.

II. Verse___The mention of the "boats" from Tiberias. Tiberias was on the other side of the sea. The boats probably blew in during the night.

III. Verse 24-26___The multitude was determined to make Jesus their king. They were searching for Jesus, and of course who wants to lose a meal ticket. Now they find Jesus on the other side of the sea and want to know how He got there. But Jesus sees through this. They saw miracles but they did not see "signs." They sought Jesus because they had their hunger satisfied and knew He was their way out of poverty. Even today we have the same phenomena!

a. In the NT we have the complete record and "proof" as to the deity of Jesus and the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God.

b. We have more freedom to adhere and look for truth than the people of that day.

c. We are not pressed to provide the bare necessities as they were.
But yet, people still want more and seek more material wealth.

IV. Verse 27___Jesus tells the people they are spending their best on things that are temporal. (cf. Isa. 55:1). There are at least four things than men hunger for in the spiritual realm.

a. Righteousness and justification before God.

b. The ultimate truth.

c. Life beyond the grave.

d. True unselfish love.

It is only in Christ that all these needs are supplied.

The word "sealed" means that God sent Jesus to confirm His commission through "signs" and "miracles." Those signs and miracles were a seal from God on the words of Jesus.

V. Verse 28___Now the people looking for material wealth still, want to know, what work is it that they can do to have their dreams fulfilled.

V. Verse 29___Verse 29 reconciles all the teachings of the NT on "faith" and "works." It is here that we are told that "Faith is a work." Read this again and think it through. Faith is the work of God.

Faith becomes a work when we believe in God and submit to His will. It is called, "Trust and obey."

by Lane Rogers