John chapter 6

vs 11

It's a fairly simple way of explaining what happened, isn't it? Because, in our culture of facts in the minutae, we want to know exactly how he managed it. The simple fact is that it's a miracle, now matter how it happened. We can't fault John for not trying to explain an event which he had never seen before, and we're just going to have to accept that it happened somehow.

vs 12

Jesus seems fairly conscious about waste, good for him. You could probably do a whole sermon on conservation and prudence from that, if you had no life. For me, his words are simply a prompt to show that there was more leftovers than there was food to begin with. So this was a real multiplication miracle, and not just an expansion in stomachs miracle. Both would be miracles, but now we know a little more info.

vs 13

No fish was left over, and I'm sure that has been the focus of many sermons, essays and books of people I wouldn't read. If Jesus had some sort of meaning in that, then it is lost to us, because it is never explained. 12 baskets full of bread were collected, though, which is pretty incredible, especially after everyone has eaten.

What did they do with the bread? I don't know. Did they carry it with them? Give it out? Give it to the poor? All we know is that it was not wasted.

vs 14

This miracle did its part in convincing many people that Jesus was a great prophet, and quite possibly the one who had been prophesied. Anyone with 5000 men at his disposal becomes a political power. 5000 people is a lot. 5000 men with religious fervour and farming implements is a force that would create a bloody though shortlived resistance movement.

vs 15

Jesus knows that they are wanting to militate, that they think he should be king of Israel so that he can save them as the Bible predicts. But he's not keen. He does the runner, and hides on a hill by himself.

It sounds almost blasphemous to describe Jesus that way, doesn't it? But that's what he does. Jesus doesn't want to be crowned king. He could have been born as king. Moreover, he thinks that his kingliness should be evident to people without him sitting on a throne. But that's because he is king of all of earth and all of heaven, not just king of Israel. Who would settle for Israel if the whole world belongs to them?

But this shows us another thing about the Jews - many of them were looking for a political and military saviour. Jesus isn't that, and as such they were going to be disappointed.

vs 16-17

Obviously they had some instructions regarding what to do - I mean, you wouldn't just get into a boat and do the scarper because your Master has done the runner and hidden somewhere, right?

Well, perhaps you would. I mean, you've got to really ask yourself, why did the disciples get in that boat without Jesus there? Perhaps they thought he had already crossed over? Or perhaps they were going home too? How did they expect Jesus to "join them" on the boat? Did Jesus have a speed boat or something?

vs 18

Strong winds, or something. I am given to understand that the whole experience was less than pleasant, and is not uncommon over the Sea of Galilee. But then, perhaps that's just because I don't like boats.

vs 19

Three and a half miles is a long way. The waters must have been rough enough to be slowing them down, because Jesus caught up to them walking. Now, the fact that he was walking on water was not lost on them, and they were scared. Why? One of the other gospel writers says they thought he was a ghost, which is kinda scary. Also shows how superstitious they were, and what their feelings about ghosts was. I'm not saying that there's no such thing as ghost (although off the top of my head I'd have to say that ghosts are demons parading as people, because the way I understand the afterlife, the person would either say "Worship Jesus, heaven is great", or "Ahh, help me, hell is real!" or perhaps "I seem to be in some sort of limbo, why isn't Jesus back yet?" or "I don't quite understand the thing I'm seeing here"), just that they obviously thought they were something worth being scared of.

vs 20

Jesus assures them he's not a ghost, and then no doubt they are onto their next adventure. This is a quick little miracle, isn't it? I guess even John can put miracles in just for the sake of showing that Jesus is awesome.