Miracles
The feeding of the 5,000 is the only account of Jesus told in all four gospels.
v2. Christ’s miracles caused many to follow Him. Many out of curiosity of the healings and not for the power of them.
v5. Shows Christ’s compassion for the well being of others.
v7. Why did He ask Philip? Philip was from the area, also he had seen Christ’s first miracle. He should have said that if Jesus wanted them to be fed, that He could easily feed them all.
Are we apt to lose faith in God’s power when it pushes our ordinary understanding?
v9. (2 Kings 4:42-44)
v11. “As much as they wanted” – When we receive blessings from God, they don’t come up short. They meet or exceed our needs. (Ps 23:5)
v13. What are we to do with the bounty of our blessings? We are not to let it go to waste.
v14. They still did not understand what the Messiah truly was to be. Even though they were not born again, He still healed and blessed them. If someone says God didn’t heal or answer your prayers because you didn’t have enough faith, they are wrong. Many of these people didn’t have faith.
If God depended on our faith, we would look to ourselves for the power.
v19. They thought He was a ghost, which frightened them more than the storm they were in. Sometimes our real problems are increased by our imaginary ones.
v21. 3-4 miles from Capernaum, they were there instantly.
v26. Not because He taught them, but because He fed them.
Many follow Christ for loaves and not for love.
v27. Given on the cross.
v28. You can’t work for a free gift.
v29. Faith
v30. Didn’t most of them just see Jesus feed the multitude? Were not any or all of the miracles He had done enough?
v31. Implying that the bread Jesus gave didn’t come from heaven. Although it did.
v32. It wasn’t Moses, but it is God who gives bread.
v34. Like the woman at the well, they were not thinking spiritually.
v35. Spiritual hunger and thirst.
v36. Despite all the evidence, pride blinded them.
v37. All are accepted and not turned away.
v39. The coming fulfillment of the promise of eternal life.
Hard Teaching
v41. Why were they grumbling? They understood that Jesus was claiming to come from heaven. What is significant about their grumbling? (Ex 16:7-9) The Jews often had rebellious feelings against God.
v42. Unbelief questions everything. It takes faith to understand truth.
v44. Does this mean that God chooses (elects) us? (John 12:32) “Draw” does not mean against our free will. God takes the initiative, but it is on us to make the choice.
v45. The Father draws all who hear and learn. Hear and learn what? (Rom 10:17) The Gospel.
v46. “Seen” – Horao in the Greek means to know, to experience, to fully comprehend.
v48. He gives and sustains life.
v51. His sacrifice on the cross.
v52. No amount of education or intellect can change unbelief without faith.
v53. Eat/Drink = believing in Christ. The same way you believe in a parachute if you jump out of a plane, that it will save you!
v55. Like real food and drink we need to hunger and thirst for it every day.
v56. If you aren’t desiring the things of God regularly, you aren’t abiding in Him.
v57. (Gal 2:20) By faith. Notice Jesus didn’t change or water down His message.
v60. Difficult/Hard for them to accept.
v61. Unless we realize who Jesus really is, His teachings won’t make much sense.
v62. If all of this offended them, there will be plenty more to come that will be offensive to human understanding.
v65. Grace. We are not saved by faith, but by the One that we have our faith in.
v66. (Heb 6:4-6)
v67. Shows that they have free will to follow Christ or to turn away.
v69. They know He is the Messiah.