John 6

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.

And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

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.

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.

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.

And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

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.

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

I am that bread of life.

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

What does John 6:16 mean?

Explanation

John 6:16 describes an event in the life of Jesus and His disciples, which occurred after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, a key event in Jesus's ministry.

The verse, in its simplicity, states that as the evening approached, the disciples went down to the Sea of Galilee. The reference to "even" indicates the time of day, likely pointing to the disciples' actions after a day of ministering to the crowd alongside Jesus.

While this verse sets the stage for the subsequent event, where Jesus walks on water, it also subtly emphasizes the obedience of the disciples, who are seen here going about their routine tasks.

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Historical Context

The Sea of Galilee was a central location in Jesus' ministry.

Many of His miracles and teachings took place in the towns around this body of water.

During the time of Jesus, the sea was a hub for fishing and trade.

The reference to "even" suggests that the timeframe is after the Jewish day's labor had ended, as days in Jewish culture are traditionally reckoned from evening to evening.

It is also a historical norm that people would often travel by boat during this time of day when the heat had lessened.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints can be drawn from this verse.

For Conservative theologians, the verse affirms the historical reliability of the Gospels, suggesting that the disciples followed a pattern of life that matched cultural norms of the day.

Liberal theologians might argue that the verse serves a narrative purpose, transitioning from the feeding of the five thousand to the walking on water.

Charismatic theologians could view this scenario as a prelude to experiencing the supernatural, encouraging believers to expect miraculous interventions in the course of their daily routines.

Practical Applications

Practically speaking, this verse might encourage individuals in their daily walk with God to be attentive to their routines and responsibilities while being open to experiencing God's presence in any circumstance, no matter how mundane it may seem.

It can serve as a reminder for believers to be ready for moments when God may show His power and presence in unexpected ways as they go about their everyday tasks.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:22-23: "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away."
Mark 6:45: "And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he himself sent away the people."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words to analyze include:

"even" (ὀψίας): Often refers to late afternoon or evening.
"disciples" (μαθηταί): Indicates followers or students of a teacher, in this case Jesus.
"went down" (κατέβησαν): This phrase suggests a movement from higher ground to the sea level, fitting the topography of the region around the Sea of Galilee.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient Greek myths, the sea often represents chaos or danger, but divine beings show mastery over it.

Similarly, in various religious traditions, control over the natural elements is indicative of divine power.

The following narratives in John will depict Jesus walking on water, further underscoring His divine authority, a motif that resonates with broader ancient religious symbolism.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the verse does not contain details that would intersect significantly with modern scientific understandings.

However, it indicates natural patterns of day and evening which align with what we know about the diurnal cycle.

Additionally, the subsequent event of Jesus walking on water challenges natural laws, leading to discussions about the nature of miracles and their intersection with science.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse may vary in focus.

Some may highlight the literal movement of the disciples from the scene of the miracle of the loaves and fishes to the Sea of Galilee, while others see this as the setup for the miracle of Jesus walking on the water that follows.

Still, others might discuss the importance of this transition in the broader narrative of the Gospels, reflecting on the significance of the disciples’ continual movement and engagement in ministry under the guidance of Jesus.

Some scholars focus on the literary structure and timing in the Gospel of John, placing this event in the context of Jesus's signs and teachings.

John 6

John 6

What does John 6:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 6:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?