JUNE 25 / JULY 2, 2017
TWO NOTABLE MIRACLES IN GALILEE
INTRODUCTION:
1. Without any mention of Jesus’ departure from Judea, chapter six opens with His appearance again in Galilee. (Verse 1)
2. John, who ordinarily documents and explains His every move, does not do so in this case until the next chapter. (Ch. 7:1)
3. Chapter five concluded with Jesus condemning the Jewish unbelief, which had become adamant. (Ch. 5:45-47)
a) Their unbelief had hardened into hatred, thus His departure into Galilee, where He would continue for perhaps a year, was symbolic of their rejection.
b) Their seeking to slay Him intensified with their growing hatred, thus “Jesus walked in Galilee…because the Jews sought to kill him.” (Ch. 5:16; 7:1)
4. Chapter six will close with another crisis of unbelief, this time in Galilee, with many erstwhile followers leaving Jesus permanently. (Verse 66)
a) We saw previously there had been a shallow miracle-based faith manifested in Galilee. (Ch. 4:45)
b) Here this faith will express itself in great political aspirations, but when disappointed, will turn into disillusioned apathy.
5. John’s Gospel relates this situation in Galilee by recording two miracles that are also recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, putting them into their proper moral and spiritual context.
I. THE FIRST MIRACLE IS THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND. (VERSES 1-15)
A. THE TIME AND PLACE OF THIS MIRACLE ARE GIVEN. (VERSES 1, 4)
1. The time is significant, because John notes that the Feast of Passover was nigh. (Verse 4)
a) If Jesus healed the impotent man at Bethesda, during the feast of Purim, that feast would have been in March. (Ch. 5:1)
b) This miracle, which was performed in Galilee was during Passover, which was in mid-April, just a few weeks afterward.
c) This is remarkable, because Jesus was in Galilee, when every devout Jew wanted to be in Jerusalem because it was Passover.
d) The special significance of this is that what Jesus did here was to conduct, if you will, His own Passover.
2. The place is given. (Verse 1)
a) The Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberius, after a Roman Emperor, was obviously in Galilee.
b) Jesus went “over the sea,” probably from Capernaum, to the other side.
c) Luke says it was near the City of Bethsaida (Luke 9:10) which was on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee.
B. THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL SETTING OF THIS MIRACLE IS ALSO GIVEN. (VERSES 2, 3)
1. On His return, Jesus was performing miracles.
2. “A great multitude,’ being impressed by the miracles, “followed Him because they saw the miracles.” (Lit. they were following Him, because they were seeing the miracles – all imperfect, continuous tenses.)
3. Jesus retired to a mountain for refreshment and teaching. (A place of higher elevation than the seashore)
4. Into this place of seclusion burst this multitude seeking Him. What will He do with these rude intruders?
a) He doubtless spent most of the day teaching and healing this multitude of folks who just kept on coming.
b) As the day was drawing to an end, a problem arose. The people needed to eat, and there was no food.
C. JESUS CITED THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAD NO APPARENT SOLUTION. (VERSES 5b-9)
1. Where and how were they to be fed? This question was put to Philip.
2. Jesus knew what he would do, but was testing Philip. (Verse 6)
3. Philip logically analyzed the problem. (Verse 7)
4. Andrew, good-heartedly, brought forth all of their natural resources. (Verse 8) They consisted of one small boy’s lunch, which he had brought.
D. JESUS THEREFORE MOVED TO MEET THIS NEED BY SUPERNATURAL MEANS. (VERSES 10-13)
1. Jesus instructed the multitude to be seated in accordance with the oriental custom of the day, i.e. men segregated from the women and children.
a) The men numbered about 5,000. This did not include women and children, who without question were also fed.
b) They were seated on the plush green grass. “Much grass,” indicative of spring time.
2. Jesus took the five loaves and two small fishes, and acting as the head of the family at Passover,
a) He gave thanks, which impressed all (Verse 23b);
b) He distributed to all;
c) They all did eat “as much as they would,” until “they were filled.”
d) Remember Andrew’s question: “but what are they among so many?” (Verse 9b)
3. Jesus directed that all leftovers should be gathered. (Verses 11, 12)
a) God’s abundant blessings are not to be squandered.
b) These 12 baskets of leftovers were proof that a divine miracle had been performed.
c) There was a practical reason for the “extras.” As the twelve baskets probably belonged to the twelve disciples, this food would be for their future use.
E. THE CROWD RESPONDED WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM. (VERSE 14)
1. They saw what Jesus did as a sign that Jesus was indeed “that Prophet.” (Deut. 18:18)
2. They concluded that since Jesus was that Prophet of whom Moses had spoken, He surely was going to establish an earthly kingdom.
F. JESUS DID NOT WELCOME THEIR RESPONSE. (VERSE 15)
1. He had previously warmly welcomed them. (Verses 5, 6)
2. He had just graciously fed them. (Verses 11, 12a)
3. Yet now, He departs from them into a mountain again, in order to get away from them.
a) This escape is prompted by Divine knowledge of what they intended to do.
b) He removed Himself from them because they intended to seize Him and make Him their King.
c) Rather than embrace this idea, Jesus escaped from them.
d) He needed a place of solitude to seek His Father’s face.
4. According to modern thought about Christ and an earthly kingdom, Jesus’ actions were very strange. But, if, as He said, His Kingdom is not of this world, His actions made perfect sense.
II. THE SECOND MIRACLE IS JESUS WALKING ON THE WATER. (VERSES 16-21)
A. THE DISCIPLES OBEYED JESUS’ COMMAND AND TOOK SHIP BACK ACROSS TO CAPERNAUM, BUT RELUCTANTLY, AS IT APPEARS. (VERSES 16, 17; WITH MATT. 14:22)
1. Jesus had given them strong order to depart earlier. (Matt. 14:22) He did not want them to become infected with the idea of the multitude.
2. In the meantime, Jesus dismissed the greater part of the crowd, and then He went away into a mountain alone. (Verse 15; Matt. 14:23)
3. The disciples apparently hung around until it was almost dark, “evening,” waiting for Jesus.
4. Finally, they gave up waiting on Him, and they departed in a boat for Capernaum, but by then it was dark. (V. 17)
B. THE DISCIPLES WERE CAUGHT UP IN A FIERCE, LIFE-THREATENING STORM AT SEA WHEN JESUS MIRACULOUSLY CAME TO THEIR RESCUE. (VERESES 18-21)
1. The Sea of Galilee is not a large body of water (actually more of an inland lake) but it is subject to severe and sudden storms. This is still true to this day.
2. We must remember that these disciples were experienced fishermen, and knew how to navigate these waters, even when storms arose. This, however, was no ordinary storm.
3. Rowing furiously, they got about halfway across the sea, but the storm was getting the best of them. (Verse 19a; Matt. 14:24)
4. Suddenly there appeared out of the darkness, what they thought was a spirit (specter) and they were afraid. (Verse 19b; Matt. 14:24)
5. It was Jesus who came to them walking on the stormy sea, who then calmed their fears with a personal greeting. (Verse 20)
a) This must have made a great impression, for these words are recorded in all of the Gospels.
b) They are authoritative and also comforting. “Stop fearing.”
6. Then Jesus made a royal entrance into the boat. (Verse 21)
a) His voice calmed their fears completely. (Verse 19b) They before had “cried out for fear” at the sight of what they thought was a ghost (Matt. 14:26), but now knowing that it was Jesus, they welcomed Him gladly.
b) His voice and presence still calms us when we are afraid or troubled.
c) John adds a wonderful bit of information that none of the other evangelists tell us. Jesus entered the ship “and immediately the ship was at land whither they went.” (Verse 21b)
C. WE HAVE NEXT THE REACTION OF THE ENTHUSIASTS THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND. (VRS. 22-24)
1. Jesus had sent the multitude away, but the next day some of them, probably those who were most enthusiastic to make Him king, still remained on the shore.
2. They had observed that only one boat had left the shore the night before, and though the disciples were in it, Jesus was not, and yet He was not to be found. (Verse 22)
3. They were perplexed where Jesus might be, sine He obviously was no longer in that place.
4. However, other boats had by now come to that shore from Tiberius across the sea on the far western shore, perhaps force to land by the storm the night before. (Verse 23)
5. After a thorough search for Jesus, and coming up empty, these enthusiasts boarded these boats and came across to Capernaum still looking for Jesus. (Verse 24)
CONCLUSION:
1. We noted at the beginning that John, though his gospel is largely supplemental, relates these two miracles which are recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, and that in doing so, he puts them in their proper perspective, i.e. their proper moral and spiritual context.
2. We need to consider the higher meaning of these miracles, which is seen in what follows to the end of the chapter.
3. Clearly, the enthusiastic multitude missed the true meaning of them, but we must not.
4. In the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Jesus was setting Himself forth as the true Bread of Life which came down from heaven.
a) As he broke the bread, so His body would be broken for sinners. “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”
b) As He gave them to eat, so we must feed on Him by faith, as He goes on to show in this chapter.
c) Thus He miraculously gives life to the world.
5. In the miracle of His walking on the water, Jesus shows Himself as Sovereign King.
a) This great truth is also expounded through the rest of this chapter.
b) As He suspended the laws of nature, curing the separation and fears of His disciples, so does He, by His sovereign power and grace, receive perishing souls from sin’s separation, fears, and destruction.
c) As He defied natural law in this miracle, so He would one day suspend natural law and rise from the dead.
d) As He miraculously appeared to save His disciples, and take them immediately to their destination, so one day He will come again, and transport all His own to their desired haven.
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