JOHN 6
FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND- See also (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17)
JOHN 6:1-15
6:1-71: THIS CHAPTER PARALLELS THE STORY: of the Passover and Exodus of Israel from Egypt in serval important ways:
(1): IN THE EXODUS ACCOUNT (Exodus 11-17), God first performed His signs against the Pharaoh, then gave instructions on how to be saved at the time of the Passover (Exodus 11:1-12:14): In this passage, the multitudes follow Christ because of His SIGNS (v. 2), and this too takes place PASSOVER (v. 4):
(2): IN THE EXODUS: The Jews were said to eat unleavened bread because they were hastily driven out of Egypt and had bought no provisions for themselves (Exodus 12:39): Here, Jesus feeds the multitudes with earthly BREAD because they had brought no provisions, having rushed out to see Him (vv. 2-14):
(3): IN THE EXODUS: Moses leads the people across the Red Sea, walking on dry ground in the midst of the water (Exodus 14:15-31): Here, Christ sends His disciples across THE SEA (v. 17) and then walks ON THE SEA (v. 19) as if it were dry ground:
(4): IN THE EXODUS: God fed His people MANNA and gave them drink from a miraculous water source (Exodus 16:1-17:7): Here, Christ declares Himself to be the true FOOD AND DRINK, THE TRUE BREAD that has come DOWN FROM HEAVEN- (vv. 48-58)-
These parallels show that Christ our God is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, and that the breaking of His Body and the shedding of His blood, which in return free all of mankind from the slavery of sin, fulfill the sacrifice of the Passover lambs (John 1:29), which brought the people out of slavery into the Promised Land:
6:2-14: THE FEEDING OF THE MULTITUDE: is the fourth of our Lord's signs reported by John (see my notes- John 2:1-11) and is also recorded in the other four Gospels: The parallel I was discussing on this sign and the story of Israel's Exodus, see my above notes and discussion!!! The description of Christ as He TOOK THE LOAVES, GAVE THANKS (Greek- eucharisto), and DISTRIBUTED THEM (v. 11)- Prefigures the celebration of the Eucharist- see also (My Matthew 14:14-21-notes)
6:5-9: CHRIST TESTS PHILIP: to increase his faith (v. 5), for Philip needed help in understanding Him (John 14:8-10): TWO HUNDRED DENARII: corresponds to over six months' wages for a laborer: ANDREW has greater faith than Philip: knowing the Prophet Elisha had multiplied bread for 100 men (4Kg 4:42-44), he offers the food brought by a certain LAD: Nerveless, Andrew is still weak in faith, questioning what a mere FIVE LOAVES could do for the number of people there (v. 9):
6:14-15: JESUS HAD PERFORMED GREATER SIGNS: than this, these crowds were so desirous of an earthly Messiah that they declared Jesus to be the expected PROPHET (Dt 18:15-19) only when they were filled with earthly things (see v. 26): Because of this misunderstanding, Yeshua (Jesus) DEPARTED FROM THEM:
WALKING ON ROUGH SEAS- See also (Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52)
JOHN 6:15-21
6:16-21: THIS IS THE FIFTH SIGN: recorded by John (see my John 2:1-11-notes): On the parallel between this sign and with Israel's crossing of the Red Sea, (see my notes- John 6:1-71- see also Matthew 14:27 and notes):
WORK FOR HEAVENLY BREAD
JOHN 6:22-29
6:26: The same as my notes on John 6:14-15- Notes!!!
JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE
JOHN 6:30-42
6:38: MY OWN WILL: Since Christ has two natures, He has two wills-the divine will and His human will: The Sixth Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople (AD 680-681), proclaims these two wills of Christ do not work contrary to one another, but rather "His human will follows, not resisting nor reluctant, but subject to His Divinity and to His omnipotent will" (also see my notes on John 1:14; and John 5:30):
EAT HIS FLESH, DRINK HIS BLOOD
JOHN 6:43-59
6:51-59: THE EUCHARIST SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PASSAGE: is indisputable: Our Lord's declaration that He is Himself THE LIVING BREAD that gives life and revealing the Mystical Supper of NT Church: John does not report the details of the Last Supper (the words of institution recorded in Luke 22:19-20- see also my notes on that); instead, he reveals the significance and truth of these events (events that were already known to his hearers) by reporting here Christ's own words: (see also Matthew 26:26-28 and Luke 22:19-20):
6:53-56: CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED IN THE FLESH: and His blood was shed on the Cross, and on the Third day He was raised in a glorified state: We receive the grace of Christ's sacrificial offering by coming to Him in faith (v. 35) and by receiving Holy Communion in faith: In Communion, we truly EAT HIS FLESH AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, and this grants the faithful ETERNAL LIFE (v. 54), with Christ abiding in us and us in Him (v. 56):
THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE
JOHN 6:60-71
6:60-66: EVEN HIS DISCIPLES: took Christ's teaching on His Body and Blood as a HARD SAYING (v. 60), and many WALKED WITH HIM NO MORE (v. 66): To this day, there are still those who reject Christ's own words concerning the sacramental eating of His Body and drinking of His Blood, and so do not walk in His teaching: Because of the difficulty of grasping the depth of this Mystery, many attempt either to define its nature rationally or to explain away Christ's words altogether, giving them a purely metaphorical meaning: Either extreme is nonsense; to reject this sacramental teaching is to reject the witness of the Scriptures and the unanimous teaching of the Church throughout history: (see also my notes on Luke 22:19-20):
6:68-69: See my notes on both Matthew 16:13-20 and Luke 9:20
JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE AND IS THE WAY, THE LIGHT AND THE TRUTH!!! NO ONE GETS TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH CHRIST THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF THE FATHER...TODAY WE RECEIVE OUR DAILY BREAD AND WE PRAY AS WE WERE TAUGHT!!!
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER!!!
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!