Israel had been ruled by Rome for more than 90 years by the time Jesus ministered. The Jews despised the Romans, and they were sensitive to every rumor of a would-be deliverer. Simon of Peraea, Athronges, Judah the Galilean, and Theudas had claimed to be the messiah. Judah, in fact, told the people to reject any earthy king, to rebel against the Roman census and fight. He and his followers hoped God would give them a string of victories… it didn’t end well.
God had promised to send a righteous king whose reign would last forever (2 Sam 7:16). Wars would cease, peace would endure, and Israel would be exalted among the nations (Isa 60; Jer 33:10-11). Jewish Scriptures are filled with messianic themes that instill hope, but these texts were wrongly used to justify rebellion. The Jews longed for a deliverer to liberate them, and it’s important to realize that Jesus’ disciples were no different.
The disciples believed Jesus would soon usher in the kingdom, elevate Israel, conquer Rome, and reign (with them right beside Him). The crowds had grown in size, and the disciples had already given more than a year to Jesus. In this chapter, John tells us what happened when Jesus refused to reign.
No Rest for the Weary (John 6:1-3)
John 5 ended with a paraplegic healed. A widow’s son and a ruler’s daughter were restored to life after this, demoniacs were cleansed, the blind received sight, the mute spoke, and the deaf were healed (see Matt 5-14, Mk 1-6 and Lk 6-9). John leaps ahead to say, “After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee” (John 6:1).
News that Herod had beheaded John the Baptist had reached the disciples after six intense months of ministry in Galilee (Matt 14:12-13). Jesus and the men were heavy with grief, and they needed time alone. Mark tells us they often had “no leisure even to eat” (Mk 6:31).
While Jesus and His disciples were grieving and worn out, the crowds still formed. Rather than being annoyed, “[Jesus] had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk 6:34). The people didn’t love Him or come to worship Him. They only wanted more miracles and healings. Regardless, Jesus had compassion. He ended His time of rest out of love for a people who hardly understood Him.
A Miraculous Meal (John 6:4-13)
Some 5,000 families gathered around Jesus. They were on their way to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. The day was late, and they were hungry. Naturally, the disciples said to send everyone home. That’s when Jesus told His men to feed the entire crowd (Mk 6:36-37). Feed them? It was a test—how well did they know and trust Jesus? (John 6:6).
Philip, ever practical, estimated the cost of food. Andrew found a boy with a meal (John 6:7-9). The boy had five barley biscuits and two pickled fish (not much food for thousands of families). The problem is that the disciples didn’t asked Jesus. It seems they never considered that just maybe the Lord could feed the multitudes Himself. They were learning.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29—”But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
One small lunch, and from it, Jesus fed many. He created so much food that the people were stuffed (John 6:12). This reminds me how the Lord often uses small or insignificant things. He used the tear of a baby to touch the heart of Pharoah’s daughter. He used a shepherd’s stick to bring forth wonders against Egypt. A sling and a stone conquered a warrior, a donkey confronted a prophet, and a little shepherd boy became Israel’s greatest king. Even in choosing the disciples, God chose nobodies.
Disappointment and Despair (John 6:14-17a)
Feeding thousands of families was the crescendo of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. When the people saw it, they linked Jesus with Moses (Deut 18:18). As Moses gave the people manna, so Jesus gave the people bread. With that link, the people went into a frenzy: It’s Him! It’s Him! This must be the prophet Moses said would come!!
Yes, they were right, but their reaction was wrong. The people pressured Jesus to come with them to Jerusalem where they could crown Him as their king. It was Passover, and there was a nationalistic feeling with this feast. Passover was all about deliverance. What better time to crown a deliverer? But Jesus wouldn’t let them (John 6:14-15). He could have reigned right there, but He refused to lead a bloody revolution. For that matter, if Jesus came for a crown, He would never have a kingdom. Why? Because every man, woman, and child would all die in their sins. He had to die—and that’s why He came.
To the people, nothing could have been so disheartening than to see Jesus turn away. All of Galilee and the disciples wanted Jesus to reign and soon crush the Romans. The scene must have been like a punch in the stomach. A miraculous meal and then nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. The crowds left, even the disciples left, as the Lord went to be alone and pray (Matt 14:23).
Faith Reaffirmed (John 6:17b-21)
The disciples were now without Jesus. John was there as they rowed across the Sea of Galilee with a sense of sorrow. They had a feeling of betrayal in their hearts: Who had we followed for the past year? Why did Jesus send us and the people away? Little made sense, and Marks says the disciples’ hearts became hard (Mk 6:52). It was night, and certainly, it was dark in more ways than one as they rowed across the sea (John 6:17b).
Fierce storms are common on the Sea of Galilee. Cool winds could sweep down from the surrounding mountains with little notice and violently churned the waters. This happened when the disciples were halfway across the sea. Matthew tells us the wind and waves became threatening (Matt 14:24).
Jesus’ most faithful followers, the twelve disciples, were confused and ready to quit. Jesus wasn’t the messiah they had thought He would be, and now their lives are at stake by a great storm.
What follows is beautiful, because the disciples discovered that their Lord would never leave them. When He told them to go across the sea without Him, He knew their faith hung by a thread. He knew their doubts were strong. He knew they had learned nothing from the miraculous meal and that an awful storm was on its way. He knew their hearts had become hard. Jesus knew everything about these men. While they were struggling on the sea, He was struggling in prayer for them (Matt 14:23). Without a boat, He walked through the storm upon the waves to be with His disciples.
The men never expected to see Jesus, but what did He say when He approached their boat? “I Am” (John 6:20). Out of the darkness, Jesus showed His authority over crashing waves. “I Am.” It’s the same two words that God declared out of a burning bush to a fearful Moses. “I Am” is here, and it’s the only two words the disciples really needed. These twelve men hadn’t been duped by a false messiah. Rather, they had taken up their cross to follow God Himself.
The waves stilled as the wind ceased to roar, and even the storm ended within the hearts of Jesus’ men. God was with them, and they suddenly knew it.
The next morning came, and the crowds arrived for another miraculous meal from Jesus. However, when He preached instead of feeding them, they left. They didn’t come for the preaching, only the food. Thousands of families turned away from Jesus that day, but as for the disciples? They stayed with Him (John 6:20-21, 67-69). They didn’t have all the answers at this point. How could they? Little probably made sense, but they were certain of one thing: Jesus is the messiah. As Peter confessed, Jesus is “the Holy One of God” (John 6:69).