Day 18 - John 6:1-15
03 Feb 2017
Jesus now heads away from Jerusalem, up country and across the sea of Galilee. Here he performs his most famous miracle. But as we’ve already seen, these miracles are “signs” pointing to who he is.
So what do we learn about Jesus in this incident? First, we see he is a compassionate teacher. Jesus seems to be attempting to get away from the crowds, but when he sees they are following him he is concerned for them. They may not have been following him for the right reasons - like obsessive fans they seem to be following him because of what they’ve seen him do - but Jesus does not send them away. He is very concerned about their needs (verse 5). They are in the middle of the country. They need to eat! But the way he provides both gives them what they want, and teaches them what they need. It is a great comfort to see that Jesus has concern for us, even if we come to him with mixed motivations. His love is that great.
Second, we see that is an extravagant provider. The way Jesus provides food is explicitly supernatural. The point of the five loaves and two fish is that it is nothing compared with the crowd (probably far larger than the 5,000 men who would have been counted). But as the food is passed around everyone eats their fill, with 12 baskets left over.
If you were part of that crowd you would have known your Old Testament, and it is likely that your mind would have recalled the incidents where the Lord fed his people in the wilderness with manna. Jesus is saying by this sign - I am the Lord. And if that’s the case - what else has he come to do? Has he come to provide a greater rescue than the escape from Egypt?
Third, we see that Jesus also appears to be a reluctant ruler. The crowds do not miss what Jesus is saying about himself by this sign. They recognise he is “the” prophet (possibly the one greater than Moses who was promised), and want to make him king by force. But Jesus withdraws. Yes, he is a prophet and king (and priest) - but it is important that performs those roles on his own terms.