6:1
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is recorded in all four gospels. Indeed, it is the only one that is recorded in all four gospels, excepting the resurrection of course. We have already seen in John miracles where Jesus healed people, we now have two miracles coming up where His Lordship over nature is demonstrated. Healing miracles can sometimes be explained away as having a psychological element to them. However, this cannot be done with the nature miracles, and the nature miracles also imply that the healing miracles were straightforward healings. Ie the word of God bringing about physical change. This is not to say there is no relationship between a person’s psychological state and their physical state, there clearly is, but we must not limit God’s power. Jesus has the power to heal, and this includes bringing about miraculous physical change.
John says this happened “some time later”, the other gospels (Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17) can help us place the time of the incident. It happened after John the Baptist had been beheaded. It happened by the Sea of Galilee. The Roman name for this sea was the Sea of Tiberias and was the name used in the later part of the first century.
6:2
Remember that John does not report anything like all the miracles that Jesus did, but he does allude to them from time to time. John also refers to them as signs. The miracles of healing were noteworthy not just because they were miracles, but because they pointed to who Jesus is. Now why do the healings point to who Jesus is? Well first they demonstrate His authority. Secondly they demonstrate His compassion. These are two key features of God that everyone needs to know, including those of us who are already Christians, for we so readily forget, or think that God does not have authority, or does not care about us. It was the signs that attracted the large crowd.
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