jcnr@mpinet.net
John chapter 6 records five groups or individuals that react to Jesus. Some of the reaction concerns what He did and some concerns what He said. The five are: the multitude, the Jews, the disciples, Peter, and Judas.
Chapter 6 begins by stating that “a great multitude followed [Jesus] (across the Sea of Galilee) because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” This multitude was following Jesus because of His healing deeds. They wanted to see and experience more. They were considering Him for a position of leadership among them (as we shall read later), but still more examination was needed.
Jesus saw them coming to the mount and out of compassion considered their need for physical sustenance. But as Jesus always did, he reacted with purpose. Jesus wanted to feed the multitude but also wanted to teach and draw a stronger faith from His disciples. To accomplish these purposes, He asks the disciples a simple question. “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” Philip and Andrew answered Jesus’ question literally and concretely. They had limited and inadequate resources to meet the need. There was no earthly way to feed these people. Philip, Andrew and the other disciples wanted to help the people, you can sense it in their voices as they essentially told Jesus, “Lord, we do not have enough to help them.”
Jesus acted authoritatively. “Make the people sit down.” He then took what He had and created the solution to meet the need. He miraculously provided food enough to feed the multitude, over 5,000 people. And had enough leftover to fill 12 baskets with barley bread.
The multitude was impressed. This man Jesus can get the job done, and He even has access to God’s ear in a special way! Any doubt they had before was erased, Jesus is the leader they wanted. “ With Jesus as our King, how can we fail to break Rome’s yoke over us. How can we fail with one who can heal the sick and command the material world to produce at His word.” The people had found their King, now all they had to do is tell Him of their decision.
Jesus knew their intention and did not accept it as an adequate faith response. Jesus reacts the same way He did in John 2:23-25. He did not join Himself to them. For Jesus to unite with these king-seekers would mean that God is willing to save in response to this type of faith and motivation. He is not! God demands true faith commitment to Him in a personal way, through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:17-21), before the blessings that are ‘attached’ to His presence become a reality for a particular person. And make no mistake, God is after individuals before He is after a nation! Individuals first, nation second! These people did not understand that truth. God is after heart affection not political power, not mere political monarchy. He does not want to show those pesky, insufferable earthlings who the boss is, he wants to show those He created with His own hands that He loves them and wants to teach and lead them for their benefit.
Jesus does not turn away in disgust but teaches them where their faith is falling short of the faith God requires. He tells them point blank in v. 29 that they must believe spiritually (v. 27) in Him. In v. 32-33, He relates the receiving-believing with spiritual needs. Humans are not spiritually self-sufficient (v. 44, 65). To believe in Jesus is to know this of oneself. Jesus is the Bread of Life! We can make no such bread ourselves!
The Jews resisted Jesus’ teaching and murmured among the crowd against Jesus’ claims. They were not ‘in-touch’ with their true inner needs because of their prideful self-sufficiency, and so found no hope in Jesus’ references to spiritual bread and water. One has to know he is lost before he will accept a rescuer. The Jewish leaders saw themselves as the rescuers and the Jewish masses as the lost ones in need of them. Who was Jesus to not acknowledge them and give them the respect they deserved?
Verse 66 records that most of those following Him “went back and walked with Him no more.” Jesus then turns to His closest followers, the twelve, and asks, “Will you also go away?” Peter, answering for all but Judas Iscariot, shows real faith, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The eleven, imperfect as their faith was, knew Jesus was for real and that He had the ability to give them eternal life. That was enough for them. They would keep following Jesus.
Judas also stayed. But his staying was for other than spiritual reasons. He recognized Jesus as someone special. All the talk about “I am the Bread,” and “I came down from heaven,” that troubled so many others did not bother him greatly. He saw in Jesus his ticket to wealth and power. He would stick it out. When Jesus rose to power-- after all how can someone with the power to heal the sick, make wine from water, feed the 5,000, cast out demons, and more, not rise to power--he wanted to be there with Him.
