6:2
verbs are imperfect tense which shows continuous action
a) they kept following
b) they continually saw
c) habitually did signs
Again note they are called signs because they were given to draw attention to something he was teaching or a truth he was trying to communicate
6:3
in the hill country
6:4
John always shows interest in the time of year according to the Jewish Feasts
6:5
Philip was from Bethsaida which was close (John 1:44)
6:6
“test” is peirazw and means to test to see if he has faith or not
Used in 1 John 4:1 to test the spirits
6:7
Philip does not provide an answer but instead concedes it is hopeless
Philip looks for help from their own supply and says “no way”
Philip fails to go to the tester for the answer.
6:8
Andrew apparently went on a search and secure mission because he comes up with the five loaves and 2 fishes and compares them to the need they are staring at
Barely bread was the bread of the lower class
The word for “fish” is oyarion
and refers to a small
delicacy or a small prepared food eaten with bread. It occasionally refers to fish and most
likely here is fish.
6:9
6:10
“sit down” is recline
plenty of grass is mentioned so the story is not visualized on the side of a rocky hill or foothills
Translation:
“they sat down therefore being men numbering 5,000. (see Mt. 14:21)
6:11
6:12
“as much as they wanted” and “left over” indicate an abundance.
6:13
6:14
The signs message was not that Jesus was the Prophet but that he was the Messiah, the bread of life. (Dt. 18:15)
For us this is sometimes so obvious. But for this generation it was revelation.
A prophet could tell you the way or give you food.
The Messiah was the way and he was the bread.
Remember the Pharisees made a distinction between the prophet and the Christ when the questioned John the Baptist (John 1:21)
Elisha 2 Kings 4:42
Manna in the wilderness
6:15
The people were falling into the trap and temptation that Satan had offered Jesus – an earthly kingdom with natural bread. All this was to be done under the leadership of Satan.
Notice the parallel between Jesus temptations :
a) bread
b) kingdom
Matthew and Mark say Jesus withdrew to pray Matthew 14:22
The King has come and offered men entranced to his kingdom
Instead they want to draw him into their lesser kingdom to help them.
6:16
6:19
John begins to use verbs in the present tense as he tells the story
6:21
Jesus was supernaturally walking on the water.
When he entered the boat it supernaturally arrived on the shore.