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 6:20 mean?

Explanation

The verse John 6:20 comes from the episode in the New Testament where Jesus walks on water.

This event occurs after the feeding of the 5,000, where Jesus miraculously feeds a large crowd with just five loaves of bread and two fish.

The direct context of this verse is that after feeding the crowd, Jesus compels his disciples to get into a boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while he dismisses the crowd.

After doing so, Jesus goes up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

When evening comes, the boat is far from land, and the disciples are struggling against strong winds and waves.

It is at this point Jesus approaches them, walking on the sea. The disciples are terrified, mistaking him for a ghost. To which Jesus responds, "It is I; be not afraid."

At a literal level, the verse reassures the disciples that the figure walking on water is Jesus himself and not a spirit. At a deeper level, the verse represents Jesus’ divine authority over nature and his ability to calm the fears of his followers.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John 6:20 is situated within the Gospel of John, one of the four canonical gospels.

John's Gospel is generally believed to have been written between AD 90 and AD 100 and is often considered to be a more theological account compared to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

The Sea of Galilee, where this event takes place, is located in the North of Israel and was a common setting for the ministry of Jesus.

The walking on water miracle is also recorded in Mark 6:45–52 and Matthew 14:22–33, emphasizing its significance among the Gospel accounts.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, John 6:20 is laden with meaning. For Christians, Jesus walking on water displays his mastery over the physical world, supporting the doctrine of his divinity.

"It is I; be not afraid" can be seen as a statement of divine self-identification similar to God's revelation to Moses in Exodus with the phrase "I am." The passage proclaims Jesus as the sovereign lord over Creation, who has power even over the chaotic forces of nature, symbolized by the raging sea.

Different Christian traditions may emphasize various aspects of this event. For instance, a focus on the miraculous might be more pronounced within charismatic denominations, while other denominations might stress the comforting presence of Christ during times of fear and trouble.

Practical Applications

The message, "be not afraid," is timeless and applicable in many life situations.

Practically, this verse can encourage individuals to have faith, even in the face of fear or seemingly impossible circumstances.

It can be a reminder to trust in a higher power and to find peace amidst life's storms.

In a broader social context, the verse can inspire acts of courage and service, even when challenges arise.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:27 - "But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid."
Mark 6:50 - "For they all saw him, and were troubled.

And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid."

Isaiah 43:1 - "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."

Language Study

In John 6:20, "It is I" translates the Greek phrase, "Ἐγώ εἰμι," which directly means "I am." The phrase "be not afraid" comes from "μὴ φοβεῖσθε," which is a standard negative imperative in Greek, urging someone to stop an action that is already in progress, in this case, being afraid.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The motif of a deity demonstrating power over nature can be found in other religious traditions and mythologies. For example, in Ancient Egyptian mythology, gods like Osiris and Horus are associated with control over nature.

However, what makes this account distinct to Christianity is the combination of divine power with a personal, comforting approach toward followers.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, walking on water is an action that defies the laws of physics as we understand them, making this event a supernatural occurrence.

The story does not offer a natural explanation but is rather meant to be seen as a miracle, showcasing the power that transcends natural law.

Commentaries

Commentators have viewed John 6:20 through various lenses.

Traditional exegesis often underscores the miracle as a testament to Jesus' divine nature.

Matthew Henry's commentary highlights the disciples' distress and the timely comfort Jesus provides.

Modern scholars sometimes approach the text with a historical-critical method, questioning the historical veracity of the account and considering its symbolic meaning within the Gospel of John's themes of light, darkness, and the revelation of Jesus as the son of God.

John 6

John 6

What does John 6:20 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 6:20 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?