Cheryl Schatz

John 6. I am going to start with only two verses because that should get this going. Mark, you can give your differing point of view as we go or you can go on to the next 2 or more verses.

John 6:1–2 (NASB)
1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).

There is a couple of important things that we can notice from the beginning of this passage. The first thing is that John says “after these things”. What things? We have to go back to chapter 5 to find out.

At the end of John 5 we find Jesus dialogging with the Jews that wanted to kill him (see John 5:18, 19) Jesus told them:

John 5:39–40 (NASB)
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;
40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

We can see from Jesus’ words that these Jews were “unwilling” to come to Jesus. Jesus doesn’t say that God didn’t allow them to come, but that they were “unwilling” to come to receive life.

Why were they unwilling to come to Jesus? We can see from the beginning of the discussion with Jesus that they hated Him enough to want Him dead and Jesus goes on to say:

John 5:42 (NASB)
42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

Jesus knew their hearts and Jesus said that in their hearts they did not have the love of God in them. These were the ones who did not fear God and did not love God. This important fact will come up again later in chapter 6.

In John 6:2, we see the next important thing that we need to pay attention to:

John 6:2 (NASB) A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.

Here we see the reason why the crowd is seeking Jesus. It is because of the “signs” which He had been performing.

Over to you, Mark.