The sixth chapter of the gospel of John (Yochanan) is a marvelous presentation of biblical text. It offers the very spoken words of Yeshua, miracles, as well as evil! I have noticed several interesting nuggets of study within its context. See if you have noticed these and find them as intriguing as I do. This study is a cursory one. I'm sure you can see much more than I have. It is presented in parts because chapter 6 is lengthy.
Chapter 6 also provides great examples of the dichotomy between man's understanding of Yeshua's Word verses Yeshua's WORD, hence the title of the entry. See if you agree!
We believers place great emphasis on what we call, "God's inerrant Word". This belief means different things to different people. Some folks have told me, "it's the KJV or nothing!". Others have said, "every word in the Bible, no matter which translation, is TRUTH!" Both of these statements cannot be true and everything becomes nonsensical if you believe this.
Obviously, God's TRUTH is a spiritual truth derived from studying our various translations of "His Word", while under the guidance of the Ruach Kodesh (Holy Spirit). Reviewing man's teachings on biblical text is only a means to arrive at the truth, not "The TRUTH" itself. This is why I emphasize over and over again, I am no one's teacher - I am simply a student myself, expressing myself on a blog. Stated another way, ALL of us have been guilty of having "itching ears" (2 Timothy 4:3) so we must keep this in the back of our minds. One thing I have learned, however, is that sitting in a pew and listening to a man drone away is NOT the way to study the Bible. The Words of the Bible must be loved, loved with great attention, devotion, and passion, with prayer and intellectual thought, read with a yearning for each word, never to be read superficially, while listening and waiting patiently for any spiritual epiphany that may blossom.
... so here goes! : )
John 6:1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).
John 6:2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.
John 6:3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.
[Introductory Note: Many folks argue over the location of this event, the feeding of the 5,000, an event which is also described in Matthew (Mattityahu), Mark, and Luke. But exactly where it happened and whether it happened on a "mountain" as we in the West understand a "mountain", or rolling hills, does nothing to diminish the spiritual importance of feeding the followers with the bread of life (as we shall see). And as Michael Rood (and others) have stated, this event is a marker that can be used as a coordinating moment of time in the chronological history of Yeshua's ministry. The "Sea" of Galilee is actually a large lake, also called Lake Tiberias]
John 6:4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.
[Note: This verse is one of great consternation and illustrates why we should be very careful when reading our Bibles. Many scholars say this verse simply DOES NOT, and SHOULD NOT be present here. Why?!? Because Passover is in the spring! The feeding of the 5,000 occurred in late summer/early autumn! The nearest Feast day would be Tabernacles (Sukkot), not Passover (Pesach). The earlier manuscript families, MSS 472 & 850 do not have this verse. This is a terrific example of Man's Word vs. God's WORD. Man, wishing to promote certain concepts and doctrine, have altered manuscripts over the centuries. This is why we must read with discernment. Otherwise, we have Yeshua feeding "Artos/Artone", leavened bread, to thousands during or near Passover, when unleavened bread (Azumos) is eaten. If you represent a group which denies the Feasts and hates everything "Jewish" you just may love this added verse! No small wonder Jewish folks cannot accept their own Messiah when the "Church" paints Yeshua as a Torah breaking false Prophet! (Deut.-D'varim 13) (See again, Michael Rood's explanation) Our translations have many such errors and preachers should be making us aware of them, but they don't! You have to ask why!?! Do they have an agenda? An agenda NOT in agreement with HIS Holy WORD, or is it just ignorance, as I once had? No, if someone like me can find the truth, they can. I think it's more a lack of desire to know the truth!]
John 6:5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?"
John 6:6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.
John 6:7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little."
John 6:8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, *said to Him,
John 6:9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?"
[Note: The great speaker, Charles Spurgeon, actually had a sermon based on this verse - if you're interested.]
John 6:10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
John 6:11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.
[Note: In most non-Jewish households we have been taught to give thanks for a meal and eat. In most Jewish families you eat and then give thanks (Deut.-D'varim 8:10). And you're not blessing the food, but blessing God for providing us the food! Here is a search with referenced verses concerning this vast and controversial subject. My take on this is it's fine to bless food to our nourishment and to bless God for giving it to us. And NO, I DO NOT believe unclean foods can be prayed over and is thus made clean. Whether you bless before or after a meal is irrelevant.
... ("... as much as they wanted") Have you noticed? Some folks don't want to learn much about the Bible? They don't wish to eat much? They do not hunger for the WORD.]
John 6:12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost."
John 6:13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
[Note: Wow! Did you catch that? Nothing much is stated by Yeshua without deep meaning! This physical demonstration of the gathering of end-time Israel - so that nothing will be lost - so all who are willing and have eaten will be filled, and the Remnant gathered - TWELVE baskets! So much for the Church claiming to be the replacement for Israel. Obviously, this represents the 12 tribes scattered throughout the world. This reminds me of the prophecy of the two sticks from Ezekiel-Yechezk'el 37. Here is a study of that prophecy.
This also brings up a related subject, the gross demonic heresy of Replacement Theology. Follow the link to see a great study on it, but essentially the theology states that because of the failure of the Jewish people to spread the worship of the God of Ahvraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov throughout the world, Jesus had to come to us and start a new religion, Christianity, and therefore all promises, prophecies, and rewards to be given to "Israel" now belong to the new Israel, the Gentile Church. Down South, this is what we call, SATANIC! The Bible is very clear on this, the original Israel will be cleansed, redeemed, and once again be the Bride of the Bridegroom and given all the land between the great river Nile to the Euphrates! We unnatural branches are lucky to even be a part of it - and we should not be conceited or boast (Romans 11)!]
John 6:14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." (emphasis mine)
[Note: Most Christians don't have a clue what this important verse is saying! It is literally referencing Moses (Moshe) in Deut.-D'varim 18:18. Yehovah was to raise a Prophet, The Prophet, likened unto Moshe, from His people, to whom we must Sh'ma (listen and obey)! This is Yeshua, of course, Mashiach ben Yosef, the Messiah in the character of Joseph, the suffering servant, who was to come and repair the worship man had corrupted by his rules and tradition, to fulfill (fully preach) the Torah and restore the appointed times (the Feasts)! Folks, this is happening right under our noses! The "Church" is failing, the true believers are moving towards Yehovah-Yeshua, His Feasts and Torah, and the sun-worshippers wonder why, as they return to their drones, and consider how to punish the ones who no longer believe in man!]
... End, Part 1
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