João 6
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 6
Guzik - John is the only one of the four gospel writers (all four describe this miracle) who tells us this took place near the time of the Passover. Perhaps this great multitude was made up of Galilean pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Passover is associated with the Exodus and God’s sustenance of Israel in the wilderness. Jesus will sustain this multitude in their small “wilderness” with bread from heaven—both literally and spiritually." J C Ryle makes a great point - The approach of the passover feast is no doubt specially mentioned in order to show the suitableness of our Lord’s discourse in this chapter to the season of the year. The minds of His hearers would doubtless be thinking of the passover lamb, and its flesh about to be eaten and blood about to be sprinkled. Our Lord takes occasion to speak of that “flesh and blood” which must be eaten and drunk by all who would not perish in sin. It is an instance of that divine wisdom with which our Master spoke “words in season,” and turned everything to account. (John 6 Commentary) D A Carson has a lengthy note on this Passover - Although this is the second of three Passovers mentioned by John (cf. Jn 2:13, 23; 11:55ff.), his reason for including this aside is not so much chronological as theological. The Jewish Passover celebrated the exodus from Egypt. Intrinsic to the celebration was the slaughter of a lamb in each household, which then ate it. In this Gospel Jesus is the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29, 36). The first Passover to be mentioned (Jn 2:13, 23) is in the context of Jesus’ self-designation as the temple that would have to be destroyed—a way of pointing to his death; the third Passover (Jn 11:55ff.) is at the time of his death. This intermediate one occurs about (John says it was near) the time of the feeding of the five thousand, which precipitates the bread of life discourse, in which Jesus identifies His flesh as the true bread that must be given for the life of the world (Jn 6:33, 51), the bread that must be eaten if people are to have eternal life. The connections become complex: the sacrifice of the lamb anticipates Jesus’ death, the Old Testament manna is superseded by the real bread of life, the exodus typologically sets forth the eternal life that delivers us from sin and destruction, the Passover feast is taken over by the eucharist (both of which point to Jesus and His redemptive cross-work). ‘The movement from the miracle to the discourse, from Moses to Jesus (Jn 6:32–35, cf. Jn 1:17), and, above all, from bread to flesh, is almost unintelligible unless the reference in Jn 6:4 to the Passover picks up Jn 1:29, 36, anticipates Jn 19:36 (Ex 12:46; Nu 9:12), and governs the whole narrative’ (Hoskyns, p. 281). At the same time, the Passover Feast was to Palestinian Jews what the fourth of July is to Americans, or, better, what the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne is to loyalist Protestants in Northern Ireland. It was a rallying point for intense, nationalistic zeal. This goes some way to explaining the fervour that tried to force Jesus to become king (cf. notes on v. 15). (Borrow The Gospel according to John - Pillar Commentary or see The Gospel According to John - Page 268 and scroll up and down for more text) Bob
João 6
Guzik - Philip thought in terms of money; and how much money it would take to carry out God’s work in a small way (every one of them may have a little). We often limit God the same way, looking for how God’s work can be done in the smallest way. Blum - Even if the bread had been available, the disciples did not have nearly that much money. The disciples were supported by people who responded to Jesus’ ministry (cf. Mark 6:7–13). (See Bible Knowledge Commentary) Borchert adds "rather than focusing on Jesus, Philip’s mental computer began to work like a cash register, and all he could think about was the total cash that would be needed to provide just a little bread for each person” (NAC-John) NET Note - Not only would going and buying food have been expensive and awkward at this late time of day, it would have taken quite a logistical effort to get the food back out to this isolated location. Hiebert on denarius - the amount suggested would be about eight month’s wages for a common workingman. It would be a sum quite beyond the means of the disciples. Brian Bell on 200 denarii - Leave Jesus out of your calculations and you’ll come up short every time. Oh, they were keenly aware of the need, but powerless to meet it. Standing before them was the One who created the Heavens and the earth (ED: AND WINE AT A WEDDING IN CANA). One who had all power. So, the first step is not to measure our resources, but to determine God’s will and trust Him to meet the need. (This is a Test) Denarius (1220) denarion from Latin origin) denoted a Roman silver coin equivalent to a laborer's average daily wage. Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. (Dictionary article). See ROMAN COINAGE It was the practice of all new emperors to issue new coins with their own likeness stamped on the face. There is a sense in which the coin was considered to be the personal property of the king. It bore testimony to the rule of the king whose likeness it carried. The first thing that a conqueror would do would be to issue new coins with a new face.
João 6
Guzik comments that "it never entered their minds that Jesus might provide for the multitude with a miracle. God has resources that we know nothing about, so we can trust Him and be at peace even when we can’t figure out how He will provide. There wasn’t much to work with here, but God doesn’t need much. “Small things are not always contemptible. It all depends on the hands in which they are.” (Taylor). In fact, God doesn’t need any help—but He often deliberately restrains His work until He has our participation.
João 6
Guzik says "The miracle resided in the hands of Jesus, not in the distribution. Little is much in His hands. Bread comes from grain, which has the power of multiplication and reproduction within itself. But when it is made into bread, the grain is crushed, making it “dead”—no one ever multiplied wheat by planting flour. But Jesus can bring life from death.
João 6
Guzik - Jesus "knew that wastefulness didn’t glorify the God of all provision." Spurgeon said, “Come, then, weary hungry sinner. You have nothing to do but to take Christ…Open your mouth and receive the food! Faith to receive what Christ provides is all that is needed.” (Spurgeon, “The Miracle of the Loaves,” #1218). Where we see a lack He sees an abundance. Where we see human problems He sees and accomplishes divine possibilities. A little can become a lot with Jesus! -- Daniel Akin Spurgeon on CLEANING UP. There must be a cleaning up after every banquet. They went round and gathered up the fragments that remained and found 12 baskets full. This, as has often been remarked, teaches us economy in everything that we do for God—not economy as to giving to Him—but as to the use of the Lord’s money. Break your alabaster boxes and pour out the sacred nard with blessed wastefulness, for that very wastefulness is the sweetness of the gift. But when God entrusts you with any means to use for Him, use those means with discretion. When we have money given to us for use in God’s cause, we should be more careful with it than if it were our own. And the same rule applies to other matters. Ministers, when God gives them a good time in their studies and they read the Word and it opens up before them, should keep notes of what comes to them. The wind does not always blow alike, and it is well to grind your wheat when the mill will work. You should put up your sails and let your boat fly along when you have a good, favoring breeze—and this may make up for dead calms. Economically put by the fragments that remain after you have fed next Sunday’s congregation, that there may be something for hard times, when your head aches and you are dull and heavy in pulpit preparations. (The Miracle of the Loaves) THOUGHT - God will shatter the pint-sized expectations of what His followers can do if they would learn to bring Him what they have already been given. “Little is much when God is in it.” When Christians are willing to offer their lives sacrificially, relinquishing their hold on whatever God has given them in terms of time, money, talents, etc., God will use these ordinary things to create extraordinary things. Christians must never believe their resources are too little to serve God. God delights in taking a humble, seemingly insignificant person and using him or her for His glory (see 1 Corinthians 1:27). (Gotquestions)
João 6
Guzik - Jesus was more interested in being with His Father in heaven than in hearing the applause of the crowd.
João 6
Guzik adds " Several of the disciples were fishermen, all accustomed to fishing on this very lake. It didn’t bother them at all that they would be rowing across the lake at night."
João 6
Guzik adds "We so often feel that when we are doing the work of Jesus, it should be easy. After all, isn’t God helping us? But sometimes, God tells us to do something and allows it to be hard as we do it." Steven
João 6
Guzik has an interesting comment - If anything, the disciples were not ready for any kind of supernatural help. They knew what Jesus commanded them to do, they set out to do it, but without any help from the Lord. So they are surprised, even afraid, to see supernatural help on the way.. This is a perfect picture of us when we try to do God’s will, but do it our way without seeking and relying on God’s help.. Jesus provided reminders for them of His supernatural help. Undoubtedly, they took with them at least some of the twelve baskets of leftover bread (John 6:13), yet they were still shocked when the supernatural help came. (ED: THOUGHT - Do you have any memories of "leftover bread," that is of some situation in which Jesus clearly provided His aid in your time of need? If so, then take the approach of the downcast prophet Jeremiah who chose to say "Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope." Lam 3:20-21. And what did he remember? Lam 3:22-23! That's good medicine for all of us beloved.) Jesus wouldn’t turn a stone into bread to satisfy His own hunger, but he would multiply loaves and fishes to feed a hungry multitude. Jesus wouldn’t cast Himself off the pinnacle of the temple to glorify Himself, but he would walk on the water to bring comfort to His disciples. God’s presence is all that we need, and we should expect it, though not in a way that we would necessarily expect. John
João 6
Guzik - We read this staggering statement with two main thoughts in mind. First, what it means to “believe” in the sense Jesus meant; that is, to trust in, rely on, and cling to. It is a trusting love. Second, we think of the astounding nature of this claim. No other prophet or holy man of the Bible ever said such a thing; “Believe in me and find everlasting life.”
João 6
Guzik - Jesus rescues the disciples from futility. Jesus wants us to work hard; but He never wants us to work in futility. On this occasion He came to rescue the disciples from futility, not from fear. The disciples were in this uncomfortable place because Jesus told them to cross the lake. We will face trials when we set out to do what Jesus tells us to do. Jesus knows this. He understands it. We should never be deceived into thinking that if we were really right with God, everything in life would be easy. ii. All the time the disciples struggled, Jesus watched over them. He watches over us at all times, and prays for us even when He seems distant. Jesus knew exactly what was going on, and He was monitoring their progress across the lake. He saw them straining at rowing, yet let them work at it for a good long time. In this miracle, Jesus reassured us at the precise point where they needed to be reassured. J C Ryle on John 6:15-21 - WE should notice, in these verses, our Lord Jesus Christ’s humility. We are told that, after feeding the multitude, He “perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king.” At once He departed, and left them. He wanted no such honours as these. He had come, “not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28.) We see the same spirit and frame of mind all through our Lord’s earthly ministry. From His cradle to His grave He was “clothed with humility.” (1 Pet. 5:5.) He was born of a poor woman, and spent the first thirty years of His life in a carpenter’s house at Nazareth. He was followed by poor companions,—many of them no better than fishermen. He was poor in his manner of living: “The foxes had holes, and the birds of the air their nests: but the Son of man had not where to lay his head.” (Matt. 8:20.) When He went on the Sea of Galilee, it was in a borrowed boat. When He rode into Jerusalem, it was on a borrowed ass. When He was buried, it was in a borrowed tomb. “Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor.” (2 Cor. 8:9.) The example is one which ought to be far more remembered than it is. How common are pride, and ambition, and high-mindedness! How rare are humility and lowly-mindedness! How few ever refuse greatness when offered to them! How many are continually seeking great things for themselves, and forgetting the injunction,—“Seek them not!” (Jer. 45:5.) Surely it was not for nothing that our Lord, after washing the disciples’ feet, said,—“I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done.” (John 13:15.) There is little, it may be feared, of that feet-washing spirit among Christians. But whether men will hear or forbear, humility is the queen of the graces. “Tell me,” it has been said, “how much humility a man has, and I will tell you how much religion he has.” Humility is the first step toward heaven, and the true way to honour. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14.) We should notice, secondly, in these verses, the trials through which Christ’s disciples had to pass. We are told that they were sent over the lake by themselves, while their Master tarried behind. And then we see them alone in a dark night, tossed about by a great wind on stormy waters, and, worst of all, Christ not with them. It was a strange transition. From witnessing a mighty miracle, and helping it instrumentally, amidst an admiring crowd, to solitude, darkness, winds, waves, storm, anxiety, and danger, the change was very great! But Christ knew it, and Christ appointed it, and it was working for their good. Trial, we must distinctly understand, is part of the diet which all true Christians must expect. It is one of the means by which their grace is proved, and by which they find out what there is in themselves. Winter as well as summer,—cold as well as heat,—clouds as well as sunshine,—are all necessary to bring the fruit of the Spirit to ripeness and maturity. We do not naturally like this. We would rather cross the lake with calm weather and favourable winds, with Christ always by our side, and the sun shining down on our faces. But it may not be. It is not in this way that God’s children are made “partakers of His holiness.” (Heb. 12:10.) Abraham, and Jacob, and Moses, and David, and Job were all men of many trials. Let us be content to walk in their footsteps, and to drink of their cup. In our darkest hours we may seem to be left,—but we are never really alone. Let us notice, in the last place, our Lord Jesus Christ’s power over the waves of the sea. He came to His disciples as they were rowing on the stormy lake, “walking on” the waters. He walked on them as easily as we walk on dry land. They bore Him as firmly as the pavement of the Temple, or the hills around Nazareth. That which is contrary to all natural reason was perfectly possible to Christ. The Lord Jesus, we must remember, is not only the Lord, but the Maker of all creation. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3.) It was just as easy for Him to walk on the sea as to form the sea at the beginning,—just as easy to suspend the common laws of nature, as they are called, as to impose those laws at the first. Learned men talk solemn nonsense sometimes about the eternal fixity of the “laws of nature,” as if they were above God Himself, and could never be suspended. It is well to be reminded sometimes by such miracles as that before us, that these so-called “laws of nature” are neither immutable nor eternal. They had a beginning, and will one day have an end. Let all true Christians take comfort in the thought that their Saviour is Lord of waves and winds, of storms and tempests, and can come to them in the darkest hour, “walking upon the sea.” There are waves of trouble far heavier than any on the Lake of Galilee. There are days of darkness which try the faith of the holiest Christian. But let us never despair if Christ is our Friend. He can come to our aid in an hour when we think not, and in ways that we did not expect. And when He comes, all will be calm. In leaving this passage, I call the reader’s attention to the very marked and peculiar position which the two miracles recorded by St. John in this chapter occupy. They immediately precede that wonderful discourse in the synagogue of Capernaum, in which our Lord proclaims Himself to be “the living bread which came down from heaven and giveth life to the world,” and declares that “except we eat His flesh and drink His blood we have no life in us.—I believe that the two miracles were intended to prepare the minds of the disciples to receive the mighty truths which the discourse contained. Did they stumble at the announcement that He was the “bread of God,” and “gave life to the world”? It would surely help their weak faith to remember that the very day before they had seen Him suddenly supply the wants of a mighty multitude with five loaves and two fishes.—Did they stumble at the doctrine, that “His flesh was meat indeed and his blood drink indeed”? It would surely assist their feeble spiritual apprehension to remember that the very night before they had seen that body walking on the face of the sea. They had had ocular proof that there was a deep mystery about our Lord’s human nature, and that although He was real and true man, there was at the same time something about Him far above man. These things I believe are worth noticing. The connection between our Lord’s miracles and His teaching is often far closer than at first sight appears. (John 6 Commentary) Warren
João 6
Guzik - Jesus’ questioners are trying to manipulate Him into providing daily bread for them, just as Israel had from God during the Exodus. They even know how to quote Scripture (“He gave them bread from heaven to eat”, Psalm 105:40). Marvin
João 6
Guzik - Some have taken these words more literally, and applied them to communion. From this, the Eastern Orthodox practices the custom of infant communion. They believe infants will not be saved unless they partake in communion.
João 6
Guzik - Jesus spoke in a figure of speech. The metaphor of eating and drinking was common in Jesus’ day, and pointed to a taking within one’s innermost being. Jesus offers us heavenly bread for eternal life, but we must eat it. Faith in Jesus is not compared with tasting or admiring, but with eating. We must dig in! Jesus says that we must have Him within us, and we must partake of Him. Seeing a loaf of bread on a plate will not satisfy our hunger. Knowing the ingredients in the bread will not satisfy our hunger. Taking pictures of the bread will not satisfy our hunger. Telling other people about the bread will not satisfy our hunger. Selling the bread will not satisfy our hunger. Playing catch with the bread will not satisfy our hunger. Nothing will satisfy our hunger and bring us life except actually eating the bread. He who eats this bread will live forever. J
João 6
Guzik on difficult - This refers to that which is hard to accept, not to what is hard to understand. No doubt, they did find Jesus’ words somewhat mysterious, but it was the parts they did understand that were really disturbing.. Jesus was demanding a complete allegiance to Him, and demanding that everything else—including literal bread—be put in second place. Barton on difficult - The motive behind Jesus’ harsh words is not difficult to see—he wanted people to count the cost of following him (Luke 14:25–33). His words shocked and challenged. They were not comfortable half-truths, but hard-edged truth. Those who follow Jesus in hopes of feeling good will always be disappointed sooner or later. Only those who find in Jesus the rock-solid truth will be able to weather the difficulties of living in this fallen world (Borrow John - Life Application Commentary) NET NOTE on listen - Or "obey it"; Grk "hear it." The Greek word akouo could imply hearing with obedience here, in the sense of "obey." It could also point to the acceptance of what Jesus had just said, (i.e., "who can accept what He said?" However, since the context contains several replies by those in the crowd of hearers that suggest uncertainty or confusion over the meaning of what Jesus had said (Jn 6:42; 6:52), the meaning "understand" is preferred here. John
João 6
Guzik - If we could do the same thing—effectively discourage every fleshly motive for following Jesus—how many would stop following Him in our churches today?i. Instead, many churches encourage people to follow Jesus for fleshly motives, promoting Jesus as a “product” to “fix” our life—just like bread will fix your hunger. But those who come to Jesus under such a sales and marketing approach will either come to God in Spirit and in truth, or it will be revealed that it was never been granted to him by My Father to follow after Jesus. Brian Bell - They are no longer willing to walk alongside Jesus & no longer committed to Him & His Mission. So, here Jesus thins out the ranks! They say the test of an army is how it fights when it's tired! At the 1st shadow of the cross...they left Him! Like Gideon, Jesus sends home those who were “fearful & afraid” of the battle Steven