John 6:1-59

Feeding 5,000 family units and walking on water

™ This is the only miracle from Jesus’ public ministry which is also in the synoptics.

™ There is a very close parallel between the language and actions in the accounts of the loaves and fishes and the last supper.

1. Read 2 Kings 4:42-44, then John 6:1-15. What eschatological figures were the Jews looking for? Elijah, the Prophet and the Messiah. Read Acts 3:17-23 as necessary.

2. Did the crowd know that Jesus had multiplied the loaves and fishes? Yes – v. 15.

3. What was their reaction? The took him to be the Prophet – v. 15 again.

4. Which of the figures from question 1 is Jesus? The Prophet, the Messiah.

5. Why did Jesus leave quickly after feeding them? They wanted to crown him.

™ Read 6:16-24. When Jesus walks on water, he says “it is I” (“εγο ειμι”). John uses this phrase, which calls to mind the God’s “I am who I am” (Ex 3:14) to stress Jesus’ divinity (e.g. “before Abraham ever was, I am”, John 8:58).

6. John tells us these events occurred near Passover. A parallel is drawn in the passage between the manna in the desert and Jesus’ feeding of the crowd. In fact, there are many parallels between Num 11 and John 6: (Fun fact! There was a popular belief at the time that the manna would resume with the coming of the Messiah.)

• Moses asks God how he will feed the people (Num 11:13, John 6:5)

• The grumbling of the people (Num 11:1, John 6:41-43)

• The description of the manna (Num 11:7-9, John 6:31)

• The reference to the eating of meat (Num 11:13, John 6:51)

• Many more mouths than meals (Num 11:22, John 6:7-9)

What are the differences between the loaves and fishes and the manna? What other parallel is there between chapter 6 and the Passover story? Walking on water / escaping through the red Sea. In this second parallel, who does Jesus call to mind?

™ Read Amos 8:11-13, Is 55:1-5, 6:25-59. It is not obvious why the listeners at Capernaum asked for a sign having just seen the multiplication of the loaves and fishes; nor is it immediately clear how thousands of Jesus audience crossed to Capernaum in fishing boats. Smart money says that a subset crossed following Jesus, and were joined by locals who hadn’t seen the previous miracle.

7. What would a Jew of the day have thought of Jesus’ response in v. 29? How about 53?

8. What does Jesus say one must do to receive the bread of life? Read Deut 8:3. Which of the following is the BoL, and why?

(a) Wisdom (the “Logos”; see v. 45) (b) Jesus’ physical form (c) Jesus’ atoning sacrifice (d) The Holy Spirit (e) Salvation (f) Love

How did Jesus’ listeners misunderstand his words?

(g) The Living Water (John 4:14) (h) Faith (i) God’s daily provision (Matt 6:11) (j) The eucharist bread (I Cor 10:1-4) (k) None of these

9. We are in the wedding banquet of the Son of Man (Matt 22:2). How have you recently felt fed by Jesus? Do you ever feel fed by the eucharist? Should you?