What I Noticed Today (John 6-8)
John 6
Sign 4. Feeding the 5,000.
In verses 1-15, (See also Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:34-44, and Luke 9:12-17), Jesus feeds 5,000.
Note: The Feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels, evidence of its importance.
Note: After this (v. 1) represents an undetermined amount of time. However, we can begin to place the timing based on clues from the other Gospels: Herod Antipas had killed John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29, John 3:24), the disciples had preached through Galilee (Mark 6:7-13, Mark 6:30-31), Herod was seeking Jesus (Luke 9:7-9). Given these events, it is likely that about 6-months had elapsed between the close of John 5 and the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6.
Jesus and the disciples had crossed the Sea of Galilee, and a large crowd had followed them. As a test, Jesus asked Philip where will we buy bread to feed all these people. Andrew stepped forward and said a boy had fives loaves and two small fish, but what good would they be with so many to feed. Jesus had the people sit in groups of 50. He took the bread and the fish and blessed it and distributed it to the people. When the crowd was done eating, they collected the leftovers, and there were 12 baskets. The people recognized Jesus as a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-18) and wanted to make Him king, so He withdrew by Himself to a mountainside.
Sign 5. Walking on Water.
In verses 16-21, (See also Matthew 14:22-36 and Mark 6:45-56), Jesus tells the disciples to get in the boat and sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. A strong wind came up. They had rowed about 4 miles when they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. At first, they thought He was a ghost, but as He got near, Jesus assured them, saying, “It is I,” and got into the boat. The wind stopped, and at once, they were on the other side of the lake.
Note: The phrase “It is I” literally is “I am.” Compare to John 8:58 and other “I Am’s” of Jesus.
Note: The Sea of Galilee is approximately 8.1 miles wide, so the disciples were about halfway across when Jesus came to them.
In verses 22-59, Jesus teaches about the bread of life. The crowd realized that the disciples and Jesus had left, so they followed them to Capernaum. Jesus told them not to work for food that perishes but for food that brings eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. The work of God they should do is to believe in the One God has sent.
The people asked for a sign like the sign of the manna from heaven. Again Jesus told them the bread of God is the One who comes from heaven and gives life to the world. Jesus said He is the bread of life, and no one who comes to Him will be hungry or thirsty again. Jesus repeated, His work is the work the Father gave Him; that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life and be raised up on the last day.
The people grumbled amongst themselves, thinking they knew Jesus’ parents, so how could He be from heaven? Jesus told them to stop grumbling amongst themselves. No one comes to the Father except those whom the Father draws to the Son.
Jesus said again that He was the bread of life and that the bread that He gives for the world is His flesh. The people wondered about this. Jesus assured them unless they eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, they do not have eternal life. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has Me. Those who eat this bread will live forever.
Jesus said all this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Note: Jesus’ reference to eating the bread and drinking the cup brings up a picture of the Lord’s Supper celebrated a year later. But in the context of this verse, it is best understood as believing in Jesus as Messiah.
In verses 60-71, many of the disciples considered this teaching as hard and difficult to accept. Jesus said the Spirit is who gives life and the words He had spoken were Spirit. Yet many did not believe. Jesus said again; no one can come to Him unless the Father grants it. At this point, many of the disciples turned away from following Jesus. Peter responded to Jesus, saying, we believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. Jesus said yet one of you is the devil, referring to Judas who would betray Him.
John 7
John 7 describes Jesus’ ministry in Galilee.
In verses 1-9, Jesus ministered in Galilee because Jews in Judea were trying to kill Him.
Note: “After this” is another indeterminate time period. Since the events of John 6 took place just before Passover (April, John 6:4), and John 7 events are near the Feast of Tabernacles (October, John 7:2), a period of six months may have elapsed.
Jesus’ brothers encouraged Him to go to Judea to do His works because his brothers did not believe in Him. But, Jesus said, My time has not yet come.
In verses 10-24, Jesus then made His way to the Feast of Tabernacles but went in secret because His time had not yet come. Jesus went to the temple complex to teach when the festival was half over (3 days had passed). People were amazed at His teaching, but Jesus said His teaching was not His but from the One who sent Me. The people accused Jesus of being possessed by a demon. Jesus responded the people receive circumcision so they don’t break the Law of Moses but, He healed a man and, they are angry with Him. He accused them of judging the outside rather than righteous behavior (Leviticus 19:15).
In verses 25-35, some people wondered if the reason the authorities hadn’t followed through with their threats against Jesus was that they knew He was Messiah. Others said we know where this man comes from, and when Messiah comes, we won’t know from where He comes.
Again, Jesus said He had not come on His own but was sent by God. Jesus said He would only be with them a short time and then return to the One who sent Him, and where I am, you cannot come. They thought Jesus was talking about leaving the region to teach the Greeks.
In verses 37-52, on the last day of the festival, Jesus spoke an invitation for people to come and believe in Him and those who believed would receive the Spirit (after He was glorified).
In verses 40-44, the people argued over who Jesus really was. Some people said He was the Prophet; others said He was the Messiah. Some of the people wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
In verses 45-52, the temple police went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked why they hadn’t brought Jesus.
Note: The temple police had been sent to arrest Jesus, but they returned without Him because they were struck by the way Jesus taught. The leaders claimed that Jesus was leading the crowd who didn’t know the Law astray.
Nicodemus, who had spoken to Jesus earlier (John 3:1-3), said the law required someone accused of a crime to receive a fair trial. The leaders insulted Nicodemus, suggesting; he also was an ignorant Galilean.
Note: The religious leaders were prideful, thinking they knew more than anyone else. They were disrespectful of Nicodemus even though Nicodemus was a highly regarded teacher to the people of Israel (John 3:10).
In verse 53, the religious leaders disbanded. And …
John 8
In verse 1, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
In verses 7:53-8:11, the story of the forgiven adulteress. The scribes and Pharisees attempted to trick Jesus so they could bring charges against Him for contradicting the Law of Moses. They brought a woman caught in the act of adultery and said she should be stoned. Jesus said the Law should be carried out by those who had committed no sin. Jesus wrote in the dust. Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust, and one-by-one the woman’s accusers left until she was alone with Jesus. Jesus said He did not condemn her and told her to go and sin no more.
Note: Clear evidence this was a trap is the Law required both the man and the woman caught in adultery to be stoned, but they brought only the woman forward.
Note: Most scholars agree John 7:53-8:11 was not part of the original Gospel of John. The reasons are 1) the style of the writing is significantly different than the rest of the Gospel of John, 2) it was not included in the oldest known copies of the Gospel, and 3) it interrupts the flow of the Gospel, which flows from 7:52 to 8:12.
In verses 12-20, Jesus spoke near the temple treasury (v. 20), saying He was the light of the world; anyone who follows Me will never walk in darkness. Pharisees said Jesus was testifying for Himself and His testimony was not valid.
Note: Jewish law required the testimony of two or three men.
Jesus said He testifies for Himself along with the Father, and their testimony was true. They asked Jesus where His Father was, and Jesus said, you don’t know My Father or Me. If you knew Me, you would also know the Father.
In verses 21-59, the Jews debate with Jesus.
- Life and death (vv. 21-30). Jesus said He was not of this world. Those who believed in Him would be lifted up. Jesus only does what the Father gives Him to do.
- Truth and Freedom (vv. 31-47) those who believe in Jesus have the truth, and the truth will set you free from slavery to sin. Again, Jesus said He only did the work the Father sent him to do. If God were your Father, you would love Me because I came from the Father.
- Honor and dishonor. The Jews dishonored Jesus by saying a demon possessed him. Jesus said to glorify Himself meant nothing; His glory came from the Father. Jesus said Abraham was overjoyed at seeing My day. The Jews asked how you could have seen Abraham; you aren’t even 50-years old. Jesus had said before Abraham was “I am.”
Note: “I am” is a title of deity (Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 41:4).
At that, the Jews picked up stones to stone Jesus, but he was hidden and left the temple complex.
Note: The religious leaders' reaction indicates they took Jesus at His word when He equated Himself with God (I am). They had to decide; Jesus was either a deceiver of massive proportions, or He was exactly who He said He was.
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