Reflections on John 6:1-21

The events of John 6:1-15 is found, to a lesser degree, in all four gospels.  John 6:16-21 is found in Matthew and Mark.  The writer of John gives us a significant detail: It is nearly time for Passover, the Jewish festival.  John’s gospel wants us to understand the underlying significance of these events of feeding the multitude with a young boys lunch of 5 loaves and 2 fish (a meager resource in light of the size of the crowd) and the stormy boat trip of the disciples and Jesus walking on the water.  Both events are to be considered in the context of the Exodus experience of the people of Israel.

As God provided manna from heaven for the Israelites in the wilderness, so God through Jesus is able to provide for (feed and nourish) the crowd with meager resources.  There is more than enough with leftovers, even when the disciples fret over the limited resources.  Jesus uses what is made available to him. The disciples are delivered through the waters of the Sea of Galilee, just as the Israelites are delivered through the waters of the Red Sea.  Their fears are no match for the presence of Jesus in the storm.

Have there been times in your life, when faced with overwhelming circumstances,  you felt hopeless, felt your resources were no match for the enormity of the situation?  And what about the times when fears seemed to have the upper hand?

John connects these events with the Exodus experience of Israel to remind his readers of God’s continued faithfulness in the ministry of Jesus.  The crowd wants to force Jesus to become “king” and Messiah.  What is a better response?