8: Feeding five thousand & walking on water — John 6:1–29


6After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. ² A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. ³ Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. ⁴ Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. ⁵ When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.
⁷ Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him,
⁹ “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” ¹⁰ Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. ¹¹ Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹² When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” ¹³ So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. ¹⁴ When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”

¹⁵ When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷ got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸ The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
²¹ Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. ²³ Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” ²⁶ Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. ²⁷ Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” ²⁸ Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” ²⁹ Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”   NRSV

Get into the word

1. What happens as this chapter opens? Why do you suppose the crowd followed Jesus? What does this say about his ministry?

2. How does Philip react to Jesus’ question about buying bread for the crowd? How does this compare to other responses to Jesus’ remarks about water and bread? How would you have reacted?

3. How does Jesus solve the dilemma of feeding the crowd? How do you suppose the disciples felt as they were giving out the food? How would you have felt? What do you think they did with the twelve baskets of leftovers? Why did Jesus leave the crowd abruptly?

4. Why would the disciples leave for the other shore of the lake without Jesus? What happens when they are in the middle of the lake? How do they react to Jesus’ presence? How would you have reacted?

5. Why did the crowd follow Jesus? What were they really seeking? Do you think they realized what they were doing? How do you think they felt when Jesus told them what God’s “work” actually was? How do you respond?

Get Personal

What picture of who Jesus really is emerges from these two incidents? Does this change your view of Jesus’ power? Of his love? Of his expectations for your life? How does this view of Jesus affect your faith?

6:1. Sea of Galilee — a fresh water lake about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. It is 650 feet below sea level in a valley with steep hills and cliffs on all but the south side, which make it subject to sudden, violent storms. There were several good sized cities, including Tiberias and Capernum around the lake.
6:4. Passover — six months after the Feast of the Tabernacles [see chapter 5].
6:6. Test — rabbis often tested their disciples with questions about an apparently impossible situation. The Greek word means an experience that proves the strength or purity of the tested one – similar to proving the purity of gold or proving one’s faith like Jesus in the wilderness. The focus is how much you grow, not how much you know.
Knew — Jesus has already said he is the one Moses prophesied, now he is going to give the people a sign like God gave during the exodus: “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. ⁵ On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”[Exodus 16:4-5].
6:7. Six months’ wages — Philip reacts like the disciples in the earlier incident  He tries to compute the worldly cost of feeding the crowd rather than

looking for the spiritual solution Jesus has in mind.
This is one of the few incidents that is recorded in all four Gospels [compare Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, and Luke 9:10-17].
6:14. Prophet — the Jews had been expecting “the Prophet” for more than 1,200 years, but they continued to look for the wrong kind of prophet. But the Old Testament makes it clear that God would send a spiritual leader, not a worldly one.
6:19. Terrified — even though they had just experienced Jesus’ power and love, the disciples now think he is a ghost.
6:20. I am here . . . — literally “I am,” the name God applies to himself with Moses [Exodus 3:14]. Jesus is telling the disciples “God is here.” 
6:21. Immediately — this incident ends with a second miraculous sign, which confirms Jesus’ mastery over this world.
6:26. Very truly — Jesus knows the crowd wants more of the material blessing that Jesus provided the day before.
6:28. Perform the works — actions were the most important to the Jews – following the laws. Jesus tells them the real “work” is to believe, and to seek the spiritual “bread” of a life in relationship with God. Our work is with our heart and minds, not with our hands. And Paul points out in Romans 4:5 that even our belief is a gift from God.