John 6:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This was a sign of coarse souls. It is said, "Signs are not for believers, but for unbelievers" (1 Cor 14:22).

But the people mentioned by Matthew were not like this. Listen to what kind they were: "The people were astonished at His teaching," says Matthew, "for He taught them as one having authority" (Mt 7:28-29).

They did not even shudder to call Him a Samaritan, Jn 8:48. They dishonored Him somewhat more decently by calling Him the carpenter’s son, Mt 13:55. But among those who believe in Him, He inspires reverence as wonderworker and God, as the performer of marvelous works. Indeed, listen to the pious aim that guided those who followed Him: “because,” it is said, “they beheld the signs over the sick.” For this reason they thought it right to follow Him fervently. From the works being performed, they came to a knowledge corresponding to the One who performed them. Through divine omnipotence they understood the Son, who is clothed with it by nature. By this same path the Savior commanded us to come to faith in Him, when He said: “For the works which I do, the works themselves bear witness of Me” Jn 5:36. And again: “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works” Jn 10:37-38. Just as from “the greatness and beauty of created things their Creator is contemplated” as God, Wis 13:5, so from divine signs, by exactly the same reasoning, the performer of the signs is contemplated. The faith of His followers, therefore, rightly ought to revere Him. But I think that in these words there is also hidden a subtler and more complex meaning. Let us notice that, according to the Evangelist, those who followed Christ were not merely spectators of “signs” in general. He also indicates the particular “signs” before which they rightly stood in reverence, for he adds: “which He performed over the sick.” Through this he shows the opposition of thought between the Jews and those who followed Him. The former are impiously indignant because He healed the paralytic. The latter not only marvel at this when He is present with them, but also gather to Him as He departs, as to a wonderworker and God. Therefore let us flee the folly proper to the Jews. Confessing Christ as our Master, let us cleave to Him unceasingly. The wisest disciples patiently did this, never allowing themselves to fall behind Him or be separated from Him. At last, by their very deeds, they boldly cried out what Paul said: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Rom 8:35. Let us follow Him even when He is persecuted and withdraws from the stubbornness of His enemies. Then we too may ascend “the mountain” and sit with Him there. That is, let us be raised to the most glorious and radiant grace through reigning together with Him. As He Himself said: “You who have followed Me in My temptations, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” Mt 19 and Lk 22:28. Such contemplations, I think, are contained in the saying that the disciples remained with the Savior and, having ascended, sat with Him on the mountain.

Seeing that His withdrawal was in vain, the Lord turned to the people with teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven and mercifully healed the sick.

The day was already passing, but the people did not leave Him, and meanwhile they remained without food.

Drawn by the growing fame of the great prophet, they turned from the direct road and joined the other hearers.

Christ was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

Coming ashore, He and His disciples went up the slope of the mountain and waited there until all the people had gathered.

Then, going down to the people, He taught them, preached about the Kingdom of Heaven, and healed the sick.

Even this miracle John describes briefly, in verses 1-21. He uses it as an occasion for a detailed presentation, in verses 23-71, of Jesus Christ's discourse with the people "on the living bread," that is, the sacrament of Holy Communion.

This city lay at the northeastern corner of the Sea of Galilee, not far from the place where the Jordan flows into it.

To distinguish it from the Galilean village of the same name, the homeland of the fisherman-apostles, it bore the name Bethsaida Julias, in honor of the daughter of the Roman emperor Augustus.

It was there, to the deserted outskirts of this city, that the boat directed its course, with Jesus Christ and the apostles seated in it.

But the people saw them departing. Many recognized them and told others.

On foot from all the cities they ran along the shore, keeping the boat in sight and trying to outrun it.

When Jesus Christ came out of the boat, He found on the shore a multitude of people who had arrived before Him.

He pitied these people, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them, speaking about the Kingdom of God, and healed the sick among them.

After this He went up the mountain with His disciples and sat down, while the people continued to approach Him.

Much time had passed, and the day was inclining toward evening.

The events closest to the miraculous feeding of the people were the sending of the Apostles to preach, and their return to Jesus with news of their success, Mk 6:7, 30; Lk 9:2, 10. Another circumstance connected with the preaching of the disciples was the alarm of Herod Antipas. By his will the Forerunner was beheaded, Mt 14:12. This Herod was a ruler in name, but in reality the obedient servant of a wanton woman. He was as superstitious as he was sensual, as vain as he was soulless. Hearing of the preaching and miracles of Jesus, he anxiously said: “This is the Baptist risen from the dead.” Passionately attracted to the marvelous, he wished to see Jesus in order to be an eyewitness of His miracles, Lk 9:7, 9. It is understandable that the Lord Jesus wanted nothing to do with such an empty man. And so, both so that His disciples could rest in a solitary place and so that He might not meet the soulless Herod and his servants, He withdrew beyond the Sea of Galilee, Mk 6:14-16; Mk 6:31; Mt 2:13, a misprint in the original, more correctly Mt 14:1-2. The Slavonic translation, “He went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, of Tiberias,” is as inaccurate and obscure as the Russian: “He went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, to the region of Tiberias.” Before this, Jesus had been in Nazareth and its environs, Mt 13:54; Mk 6:5-6. Tiberias is four and a half hours northeast of Nazareth, and three hours south of Capernaum. All these places were on the western side of the Sea of Galilee. Since Tiberias lay on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Plinius, Hist. 5, 15, Jesus could not, after crossing to the eastern shore, have been “in the region” of Tiberias. The Slavonic translation followed the thought of Zigabenus: “to the other side of the Sea of Galilee or Tiberias.” But in the original text there is no ητοι, “or.” Holding strictly to the text, one translates: Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, opposite Tiberias. According to St. Luke, Jesus withdrew to a deserted place near Bethsaida, Lk 9:10. John points out a mountain in this wilderness, where the disciples and the Savior rested, Jn 6:3. Bethsaida on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee was otherwise called Julias. It is known not only to Josephus, De bello Iud. 3, 10, 7, but also to Pliny, Hist. nat. 5, 15. Being in lower Gaulanitis, it belonged to the tetrarchy of Philip, Josephus, De bello 2, 9, 1; Antiq. 18, 2, 1. Consequently it was not under the authority of Herod Agrippa, the wretched murderer of the Forerunner. “And a great multitude followed Him.” According to St. Mark, “they ran there on foot from all the cities and arrived before them” Mk 6:33. Jesus and the disciples crossed to the eastern shore in a boat, Mt 14:13. The people went around the lake by land, yet arrived at the place before Jesus. “So great was their desire, so strong was their thirst, that they overcame every obstacle,” says Chrysostom. “Because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were sick.” In saying this, the Evangelist John assumes that his readers know from the other Gospels about the healings performed by the Savior before this time. And indeed, according to Lk 9:27 and following, and Mt 9:35 and following, many miracles had just been performed. Almost all of them consisted in the healing of the sick. In the wilderness of Bethsaida, according to Luke, the Savior “spoke” to those who came “about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.” St. Mark depicts the reality more precisely and vividly. “When Jesus came out” of the boat, “He saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them” Mk 6:34. John notes: “Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.” Why is this noted? Most likely to explain why there was now such a large crowd around Jesus. People went to Jerusalem for Passover in whole caravans. These pilgrims, of course, hoped that the great Teacher would also go to Jerusalem for Passover, and that they would accompany Him. Yet the law prescribed celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. None of the circumstances that, according to tradition, exempted some from the Passover journey applied to Jesus Christ: illness, old age, blindness, or lameness. Nevertheless, Christ Jesus was not in Jerusalem for this Passover. In Himself He showed the Lord of the Sabbath and of the Passover. Or, as Chrysostom says, He did this “taking as the occasion the corruption of the Jews.” The miraculous feeding of the people that followed is described by all four Evangelists, Mt 14:15-21; Mk 6:35-44; Lk 9:12-18. John supplements the description of the others with several particular details, though he also omits some things.

This is very clearly shown by the fact that the Lord spoke this in the synagogue at Capernaum; v. 59. There the leading and influential people were certainly Pharisees and scribes.

Although these "Jews" were at first touched by the Lord's words, as we shall see below, this word was choked in them or stolen by the enemy of mankind.

Therefore they withdrew from the Lord; below, vv. 60 and 66.

But the simple, unlearned people walked after Jesus in crowds, knowing in their hearts that He is the Lord.

We note here that the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish took place twice.

The first time there were five loaves; Mt 14:13ff., Mk 6:30, Lk 9:10. The other time there were seven loaves; Mt 15 and 16:9-10.

We cannot confuse these two miracles, on the basis of the Lord's clear words in Mt 16:9-10.

The Evangelist John tells of the first miracle, with the five loaves.

Passover: see Jn 6:1.