New Life Bible Fellowship Church
10-20-24
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      • Psalm 30:4–5ESV

  • Come And Dine
  • He Leadeth Me

      • Psalm 109ESV

  • Introduction:

    As we continue in our fabulous journey through John’s gospel, we saw the last two weeks how Jesus in answering an opposing delegation of Jewish religious leaders, declared to them his relationship with God the Father as God the Son, and that this declaration and all that Jesus had said, could be verified by numerous infallible witnesses. Thus, having finished his discourse or rebuttal against these religious leaders, Jesus now travels to the other side of the Sea of Galilee where once again, large crowds met him.
    John in his continuing exposure to Jesus implementing the New Covenant, shows several signs of himself to the people which they again can relate to the Old Covenant, the feeding of God’s covenant community in the wilderness with manna. Since Jesus has recently declared that Moses wrote of him in the Old Covenant, he now shows how that revelation by Moses was fulfilled by Feeding the Five Thousand from John 6:1-15, which is building to one of the seven significant I AM statements, of which we shall look at next week.

    Text: John 6:1-15

    John 6:1–15 ESV
    1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

    Main Idea: Because the scripture through Moses spoke of Jesus, he now shows through a physical sign the fulfillment of what Moses wrote.

    Background:

    This chapter is a major turning point in chs. 2–12. It reveals the identity of Jesus as one sent from the Father (vv. 38, 44, 46, 50, 51, 57); it graphically distinguishes belief and unbelief through the illustration of eating Jesus’ flesh and blood (vv. 53–58); and it chronicles the growing rejection, motivated by unbelief, that confronts Jesus (vv. 41, 42, 60–66). The signs in this chapter call to mind corresponding saving events in the history of Israel. They indicate that Jesus fulfills the typology of the Passover, the exodus, and the provision of food in the wilderness.
    Also note, that this sign by Jesus is one of the fews signs that is recorded in all four gospels.

    I. Sign Setting (1-4)

    A. Back in Galilee (1)

    (1) After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
    After this again indicates the passing of an unspecified period of time (cf. 5:1). As much as half a year may have passed since the previous event.
    Sea of Galilee, This lake (also known as the Kinneret) is fed from the Jordan to the north and spills out again to the Jordan in the south. It currently measures approximately 7 miles (11.3 km) wide and 13 miles (21 km) long.
    Sea of Tiberias. Another name for the Sea of Galilee, in honor of the town of Tiberias, built by Herod between A.D. 20–30 and named after the reigning Roman emperor.

    B. Sign-Seeking Crowd (2-3)

    (2) And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
    signs. John has reported only one healing in Galilee, of the official’s son (4:46–54). Jesus must have done other such miracles as well (cf. 21:25).
    Remember also that the signs, just like in our life point people who observed them in a direction, that direction, according to John, was to declare Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of Man, the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, and the implementer of the New Covenant!
    (3) Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.
    Jesus went up on the mountain. This detail may be intended to suggest a comparison of Jesus and Moses, who went up on Mount Sinai (v. 14 note; see Matt. 5:1).

    C. Passover Time (4)

    (4) Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.
    This is the second of three Passovers mentioned by John (cf. 2:13; 11:55), and the only one during Jesus’ ministry that finds him in Galilee.

    II. Needy Crowd (5-10)

    A. Disciple’s Test (5-6)

    (5) Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”
    Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him - Jesus aware of the human dilemma, used it to test his disciples…
    Matthew, in Matthew 14, describes this incident resulting from an all day encounter with Jesus healing their sick and now it was evening…
    “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” - Reminiscent of Num. 11:13, where Moses asks God a similar question.
    Numbers 11:13 ESV
    13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’
    (6) He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. - unlike Moses, Jesus knew what he was about to do, but was using this humanly impossible situation to test his disciples.

    B. Disciple’s Response (7-9)

    (7) Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.”
    Philip answered him - Philip would of course answer him from the purely practically human experience.
    Two hundred denarii constitute roughly eight months’ wages, since one denarius was about one day’s pay
    to get a little - from the human perspective, even if you had this much money available, all it would do is take the edge off…
    (8) One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, (9) “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”
    Andrew. As he had brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus (1:40–42), Andrew has located a boy with a small lunch; but his faith, like Philip’s is daunted by the size of the crowd: “what are they for so many?” (v. 9), which is an insightful declaration of the human limits proposed by a human from a solely earthly-minded perspective.
    Barley was common food for the poor (the more well-to-do preferred wheat bread). The two fish were probably dried or preserved, possibly pickled.

    III. Divine Provision (10-13)

    Note: There is no human need so great that the divine provision cannot meet it or go beyond it as will be demonstrated in this chapter.

    A. Divine Preparation (10-11a)

    (10) Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
    So the men sat down, about five thousand in number - The figure does not include women and children (Matt. 14:21), many scholars believe it could be upward to around 20,000 included women and children.
    (11a) Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, - special note here is that though Jesus is God in the flesh, knowing fully of what he was about to do, he acknowledges that the grace of God has given these provisions and he therefore gives thanks accordingly.

    B. Divine Distribution (11b-13)

    (11b) he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. - note that the need was provided according to their wants, emphasizing the extent of this miracle.
    (12) And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”
    And when they had eaten their fill - there was no lacking in the need of these people. This sign-miracle was completely reminiscent of God’s provision for his people in the wilderness.
    he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” - I believe that this requirement was to show forth that extent of this miracle, this was not just each other sharing with one another for a little (as some who would want to minimize Jesus miracles believe), but this was God multiplying a little and creating a harvest of provisions.
    (13) So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. - the significance of the twelve baskets is unknown, however, it is interesting that the test given to the disciples and their response was that only a little could be gained from 8 months wages, and now Jesus has provided enough over and above that amount that matched each of the tested disciples.

    IV. Misguided Response (14-15)

    In both cases we see the people identify Jesus with a title that best fits their desires, Jesus’ response shows that technically these titles are true but not in the way they supposed.

    A. Declared a Prophet (14)

    (14) When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
    The Prophet. The people here see Jesus as fulfilling the prediction of a prophet like Moses who was promised in Deut. 18:15, 18. (In Acts 3:22–23 Peter identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy)
    However, “prophet” is not a common title for Jesus and is more often used by those who know little about him (e.g., Matt. 16:14; John 4:19), since Jesus is much more than a prophet.

    B. Desiring a King (15)

    (15) Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
    to make him king. The kingship of the Messiah was to be spiritual, not political. While accepting the title “King of Israel” (1:49), Jesus refused the offer of Satan (Matt. 4:8, 9; Luke 4:5, 6) and the misguided efforts of the people. He insisted that His kingdom was not derived from “this world” nor advanced by military or political means (18:33–37).
    Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. - Jesus was always focused on his mission and withdrew himself from anyone or anything that would seek to subvert that mission. Most likely, Jesus was withdrawing himself to pray and prepare himself for declaring the application of what had just taken place by feeding this multitude.
    Jesus will take all that has happened up to this point, and declare his sufficiency in all things to his people.

    So What?

    Do we understand that God works by common grace to provide the needs of humanity but does so first and foremost to reveal his glorious self and in so doing, may ease our suffering?
    Do we understand that Jesus presently is King and Lord of both heaven and earth, but that his kingdom is mostly Spiritual at this time but will be revealed in its fullest reality at the end of time?

      • John 6:1–15ESV

      • John 6:1ESV

      • John 6:2–3ESV

      • John 6:2–3ESV

      • John 6:4ESV

      • John 6:5–6ESV

      • Numbers 11:13ESV

      • John 6:7–9ESV

      • John 6:10–11ESV

      • John 6:11–13ESV

      • John 6:14ESV

      • John 6:15ESV

  • I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
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