Lesson #14

• It connects Jesus with the purpose of the Passover, which was to proclaim that God is the source of all man’s basic needs.
• The Passover contains unleavened bread which is a symbol of Jesus without sin.
• It tells us why there were so many people on the road travelling and without food.
• In Jesus’ travels he had healed many people. As a result many followed him to Jerusalem.
• There are many people even today who only want the miracles that Jesus can do for them. They don’t want Him, they want the miracle.
• This is the wrong reason for following Jesus. Why?
• The belief in Jesus’ ability to do miracles does not save anyone, because the focus is on the miracle and not on the Lord.
• The miracle is only a short-term fix that should call attention to the fact that there is a long-term need, eternal life.
• The purpose for the miracles was to be an advertisement that Jesus was the Son of God so that people would believe in Him and be saved. (Joh 20:30-31)

• Why did Jesus bring Philip’s attention to the hunger of the people?
• Remember that Jesus is operating in the sovereignty of God where every word, everything, and everyone had a specific purpose.
• He is, therefore, laying a basic foundation for a teaching He will do later in this chapter.
• Usually we look at the miracles that Jesus performed as random, isolated events that suddenly happened, when, in fact, John has written the gospel to show us that everything that occurred was in the plan and sovereignty of God.
• John tells us that the question was to test Philip’s faith. (6)
• Philip was one of the 12 disciples. He was a quiet man. However, he was an active man. He brought the disciple, Nathanael, to the Lord. .
• Philip was from Bethsaida which was about 9 miles away. He would know where to get food. However, Jesus had no intention of using man’s resources.

• “Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient…”

(7)

• This was probably the amount that the disciples had in their treasury. Remember that Judas was their treasurer.
• Philip is not thinking about a miracle. He is looking at the current situation from a worldly point of view.
• There is a need and man’s resources are limited, so the solution is impossible.

• Peter and Andrew were often together. They were from the same hometown.
• Andrew mentions the boy with the lunch as the only resource in the group.

• If there were 5,000 men, the total number of people must have been about 15,000 people counting women and children.

• Philip and Andrew have given Jesus a financial report of the disciples’ assets and liabilities. A committee is made up of individuals that can do nothing and collectively can decide that nothing can be done.
• The assets are these:
• 200 denari (one denari was the day’s wage of an average laborer. Therefore, the total is about 8 months wages.)
• 5 small loaves of bread and 2 small fishes. (Barley loaves and fish were food for the poor.)
• The need (the liability):
• About 15,000 hungry people.

• Jesus told the disciples to see that the people sat on the grass in specific groups. (Mar 6:39-40) Everything Jesus did was in perfect order.
• Jesus prayed and gave thanks.
• Jesus is the model for us. Everything we have comes from God. He is the source. We should give Him the credit for it by giving Him thanks.

• Jesus, himself, prompted the miracle by seeing man’s needs.

• Faith was involved because the miracle itself was to test Philip’s faith.
• Faith is tested when man’s resources are insufficient. It is then that we can look to God as the source.
• Faith was involved on the part of the little boy who shared his lunch.
• Undoubtedly there were others in that large crowd that had other pieces of food. However, the boy was willing to share what he had with Jesus. By faith he knew Jesus would do something with it.

• Obedience is always linked with faith. The disciples were obedient when Jesus told them to prepare the crowd and when Jesus gave them the loaves and fishes to distribute.

• The miracle probably occurred in the hands of the disciples. The more they distributed, the more was added.
• Miracles occur at the point of faith and not before, otherwise there is no need for faith. (Heb 11:1)
• Jesus could have done the miracle without the boy’s lunch. The food could have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. If it had, the disciples would have learned nothing about faith which was the whole purpose for the miracle.

• John tells us that 12 baskets full were left over.
• God provides abundantly beyond what we ask or think.
• Why twelve?
• The number 12 is symbolic of God’s people, 12 tribes of Israel in the Old Testament and 12 disciples in the New Testament.
• The miracle was done for the disciples, not specifically for the people who only followed Jesus for the miracles. Remember it was to test faith.
• It is at this point in Jesus’ ministry that many defected from following Jesus. They saw that to follow Jesus required sacrifice, which they were not willing to make, and faith, which they did not have.

• The people were convinced by the miracle that Jesus was the prophet prophesied by Moses in Deu 18:15-18. Were the people right?
• Yes, they were correct. The prophecy in Deu 18:15-18 clearly speaks of Jesus as the ultimate prophet. However, the people were wrong when they expected the Prophet Jesus to be a political leader who would overthrow Rome.
• Jesus was foreshadowed by the prophet Elisha who fed 100 men with 20 loaves. (2Kin 4:42-44)
• Isaiah said that the Messiah would spread a banquet feast for the people. (Isa 25:6-9)

• John’s gospel does not have many of the details of this miracles as are found in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. John uses the miracle to prove Jesus is indeed the Son of God, while the other gospels focus on the reactions of the disciples and Peter’s walk on the water.
• The disciples board a boat to sail to Capernaum without Jesus. Jesus remains in the mountains to pray.
• The sea of Galilee:
• This is a large lake 650 feet below sea level, 150 feet deep, seven miles across, and surrounded by mountains. These conditions make it subject to sudden and violent storms with high waves.
• However, some of the disciples were experienced fishermen very accustomed to sailing on this large lake.
• The planned destiny o the disciples:
• In Mat 14:22 Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side of the lake.
• In Mar 6:45 Jesus told the disciples to go to Bethsaida which was a village near Capernaum.
• In Joh 6:17 Jesus tells the disciples to go to Capernaum.
• The strength of the storm:
• The experienced disciples rowed through heavy waves. It took them all evening to row only three or four miles. The storm was so severe that they were tiring and did not make much progress.
• The time of day:
• The hour was between three and six in the morning.
• Jesus walks on the water.
• What prompted the miracle?
• Jesus saw the need of the disciples in the boat battling the storm. He walked out on the water to them.
• The disciples response:
• The disciples were surprised. They did not expect a miracle. They thought Jesus was far away. When they saw Jesus, they thought it was a ghost.
• The unknown produced fear in the disciples.
• Jesus knows their fear and calls to them, “…It is I; be not afraid.” (20)
• The phrase “It is I” is very significant, in that it is the same Greek phrase which means “I am Jehovah, am here.”
• What is the significance?
• With this phrase in this chapter, John is going to introduce us to a series of declarations beginning with “I am”. Each one is an important characteristic of God, the Father.
• The name “I am” is a name for our God, Jehovah given in the Old Testament.
• This name for God was first given to Moses at the burning bush
• Read Exo 3:2-6, 13-14
• The name, I am, indicates to us that He is a living God forever active and working in the hearts and lives of people.
• Was faith involved? How?
• When Jesus says to the disciples, “It is I” he is saying, “I am God.”
• It is this powerful declaration that prompts Peter’s faith to be able to walk on the water.
• It took faith for Peter to get out of the boat in the middle of a storm.
• Is obedience involved? How?
• Obedience is always involved in connection with faith. If Peter had never taken that first step, he would not have experienced the miracle.
• Faith is a matter of little steps, one at a time. As you take the first step of faith, God sustains you and requires a second step of faith. Step by step faith grows and God sustains you.
• At what point do you think the miracle occurred?
• The miracle occurred with the first obedient step of faith.
• The miracle ended when Peter looked around at the circumstances instead of keeping his focus on Jesus.
• It is when you look at the circumstances that fear comes in the door and faith goes out the window. Remember that fear is the opposite of faith. Jesus told the disciples not to be afraid.
• There is a second miracle in this storm that is often overlooked.

• “…and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”

(21)

• As soon as Jesus entered the boat they were immediately at the shore on the other side of the lake. They were in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when they first saw Jesus walking on the water. Therefore, they covered approximately 3 ? miles of lake instantly.

• What do these miracles tell you about Jesus?
• Jesus supplies all that man needs.
• Jesus has compassion for the needs of people.
• Jesus is God in the flesh. He is the same Jehovah we see in the Old Testament in the burning bush with Moses.
• Jesus has power over the elements of nature and can, at will, supercede the scientific laws of physics.
• What was the purpose for the miracles in this chapter?
• Both the multiplication of the bread to feed the multitudes and the walking on water, was to teach the disciples the importance of faith and how it works. What have we learned about faith?
• Faith is required to see God work. (Heb 11:6)
• Faith grows by your exposure to the Word of God. (Rom 10:17)
• Faith requires a sustained focus on Christ. (Mat 14:31)
• Faith requires obedience. (Jam 2:17)

HOMEWORK
John 6:22-59
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 6:1-21
• Do you often find that you lack sufficient faith to believe God for miracles in your life?

• Faith comes by reading and hearing the Word of God. (Gal 3:5 Rom 10:17)
• Faith is sustained by focusing on the Lord. (Mat 14:31)
• Faith is rewarded by God. (Heb 11:6)

• According to Rom 10:17, how can you increase your faith?

• Preparations for Joh 6:22-59
• Read Joh 6:22-59
• Background:
• If you are not familiar with the unleavened showbread in the tabernacle, read Exo 25:23-30 and Exo 37:10-16.
• If you are not familiar with the story of the manna in the wilderness, read Exo 16.
• To what characteristics in His nature did Jesus refer when He said that He was the bread of life? 

• Memory verse: Joh 6:35