As the ministry of Jesus continues Jesus is met with more and more unbelief, first from the very people he grew up with and then from his own disciples. The more people thought they knew Jesus the less they seemed to believe in him.
The depths of God’s power have always been and always will be beyond the grasp of our finite human abilities. Now matter how long we travel this road we will never comprehend more than just the tip of the iceberg of God’s grace.
The stories in this chapter act as a warning against becoming so familiar with Jesus that we stop understanding the depth and breadth of His greatness and power. Additionally, in this chapter we’ll look at two of Jesus’ more famous miracles, the feeding of the 5,000 and walking on the water.
STUDY NOTES: verses 1-56
6.1-6: A Prophet without Honor
We saw Jesus’ family on the outside in 3.31-35. Now back in his hometown it’s his neighbors that reject him. Those individuals who knew Jesus before he started his ministry were astonished at his authority and knowledge. They remembered Jesus as a simple carpenter and were offended at his teachings instead of moved.
Why were they offended at Jesus’ teaching?
It is likely that they were offended at Jesus because they were too familiar with Jesus. They had seen Jesus grow up, they knew that Jesus had no formal education and they knew his whole family. They knew Jesus too well and they could not handle the reality of his message or the change in their own lives that accepting the message of Jesus would demand. Like the parents who will never learn to take advice from their children these people were so familiar with Jesus that they couldn’t change their own memories of who they remembered Jesus to be that they couldn’t see him for who he was.
Likewise today’s followers of Jesus are constantly in danger of becoming too familiar with our own Church culture, practices and stories that we miss the true voice of Jesus in our lives. Going to church can become a routine, Bible stories can become repeats, and the Word of God spoken by a young teenager can be discarded because everyone remembers when the teen used to run around the nursery in a diaper.
We must never get too used to the way things have ‘always been’ that we don’t see what God wants to be.
How can we combat becoming too familiar with the way things have always been done in our own spiritual experience? How might God be telling you today to look beyond what you’ve always done to something new?
Jesus could do no work because of their unbelief. Jesus’ blessings in this life are dependant to the actions of our hearts. Their unbelief did not alter God’s ultimate plan for humanity but their unbelief did lessen the blessings in their own life. “All things are in general possible to God, Mat 19:26, but then it is to him that believes as to the particulars, Mar 9:23.”.
The obstinate and hardened heart will find a reason to reject Jesus. Here in his home town Jesus was rejected because the people where too familiar with him. In the Gospel of John Jesus is rejected because the people didn’t know who he was or where he came from (John 9:29). The human heart will always try to rationalize its unbelief.
Christ could not perform any mighty works among his own people and marveled at their unbelief. The only other time Jesus is recorded to have marveled is at the belief of Gentiles (Mat 8:10). The unbelief and sin of people who have never heard of Jesus is understandable but to know who Jesus is and yet still not belief is something that makes even God marvel.
We’ve all been given a level of knowledge about God. The question is not how much we know about God but what have we done with what we do know.
In light of the knowledge you have been given would Jesus marvel at your unbelief like those who knew him best or marvel at your faith like those who barely knew him?
6.7-13: The Sending out of the Disciples
The disciples had been learning from Jesus and now they were called to practice what they had learned. Though their abilities and understanding was still imperfect the disciples were called to exercise what they had learned. Likewise, we are called even in our dim understanding to exercise what we do know. Our understanding will clear over time but our call to action begins today.
The disciples sent out in groups of two (Eccl 4.9-12). The Christian battle is not a solitary one. We are not a lone cowboy riding alone across the prarie. Man was not meant to minister alone. If we want to be truly effective in our Christian walk we must seek out other men to sharpen us and stand with us against the world (Ps. 27:17). Even in today’s armed forces soldiers are placed in groups of two called ‘battle buddies’. Each soldier is responsible for watching the back of his buddy.
A parallel passage to this calling is found in Mathew 10. Looking at that passage the disciples were not simply called to preach repentance but to even raise the dead. Now that’s a tall order, but the disciples were not going in their own power but in the power of the one who sent them.
The disciples were commanded to take no provisions but to depend upon God as they went. They were also reminded that they had not paid for what they received; likewise they should not charge for the healings that they gave (Mat. 10:8). This should be a warning to those who would seek to profit from the works of God.
The disciples were called to stay in a house once they chose to enter into it. The disciples where not to constantly look for an upgrade in the quality of their quarters. Likewise, we are to be content with were we are placed and not constantly look to better our surroundings.
Jesus prophesies doom on those places that reject the message of his disciples. Don’t waste your time trying to convince those who won’t receive you. Brush off your feet and move on. If the wheat’s not growing don’t try and harvest it. Fire from heaven rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed those wicked cities (Gen. 19) but an even worse punishment is awaiting those who hear the work of Jesus and reject it.
The disciples preached that men should repent. This is and always will be the primary message of God, “Repent and come back to me.” It is our rebellion against God that separates us from him. Repentance is the only act we need to accomplish for our relationship with God to be restored.
The disciples had not received the Holy Spirit, only the commandment of Jesus to go and yet they brought about many miracles.
How much more empowered are believers today who have the Holy Spirit at our disposal?
Are the conditions of Jesus call to the disciples applicable to use today? In what way can we be encouraged by them?
6.14-29: The Beheading of John the Baptist
This is not a chronological account of the beheading but rather a recounting of it due to Herod’s fear that Jesus was John rose again. Herod’s fears and evil heart still haunted him even after he had John the Baptist killed.
6.30-44 Feeding of the 5,000
Jesus had compassion on the people. Jesus’ heart will always break for his people. Even Jesus’ plans for a peaceful retreat where altered by his love for his people. Human need trumps all other plans once again. Jesus had not planned for the large number of people to show up and listen to him but if the people show up Jesus will provide.
The disciples were still focused on the physical impracticality of the request instead of who was asking (v.37). They did not yet understand that the practicality of a request does not rest on the logical feasibility of the request but on the one who is asking the request to be accomplished. Even in today’s corporations it is a fact that when the CEO asks for something to get done then that something gets completed because the CEO puts his authority and resources behind accomplishing that task. Likewise, if Jesus desires something to be done then he puts his resources and power into accomplishing that desire.
In this situation Jesus provided an increase that was beyond the capability of human means to address. With God there is no limit on what may be accomplished.
If there are no limits on God’s ability to provide, then what is He capable of providing in your life, ministry or family?
6.45-56: Jesus Walks on Water
Jesus was always focused on the work before him. The crowd that had gathered clamored around him again desired to direct Jesus’ next step and even make him king (John 6:15) but Jesus sent his disciples away and dispersed the crowd. There was still a lot of work to be done and people who desired his attention but Jesus took time alone to pray. Jesus had previously taken time alone to pray (Mark 1.35). Prayer for Jesus was not a once in a while occurrence, it was a way of life. We can learn from Jesus’ example and make prayer not an occasional event but a way of life.
Often when the demands of the world around us begin to overwhelm us the first thing to go is our prayer and devotional life. What can we learn about the importance of prayer from Jesus’ actions in this passage?
Having been sent across the sea alone the disciples soon found themselves in the midst of a great storm and where forced to row strongly against the wind. Now the Fourth Watch of the night was between 3:00 A.M and 6:00 A.M so the disciples had been fighting this wind for quite some time. The fact that the disciples had continued to fight the wind and waves until the Fourth Watch shows that they were driven to reach the destination that Jesus had sent them to. It would have been easier for them to turn around or head in another direction that was more favorable to the wind. When we are sent by Jesus himself we must remain true to his direction even when this world tries to impede our progress.
What are the wind and waves that oppose you in your walk?
How can we remain true to the directing of Jesus in our lives even when these winds and waves oppose us?
When Jesus finally did come to the aid of the disciples it was not until the Fourth Watch of the night, almost the last minute. He did not come to their aid the instant the wind started blowing but let the disciples strain against the wind so that their resolved would be tested and in the end their faith strengthened.
Immediately when Jesus entered the boat the sea became calm and they arrived at their destination. Jesus does not keep us away from all the storms of life away but he will always arrive in time to see us through to his destination. The storm calmed when Jesus chose to arrive and not before. Jesus provides the means to progress where human effort falls short.
How has Jesus provided safe passage through the storms of your life? How do these experiences encourage you in the midst of today’s wind and waves?
When the wind had ceased the disciples “were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.” (6:51) Wonder and amazement seem like natural emotions given that they had just seen Jesus walk up on the water but the next statement rebukes their amazement, “For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.” (6:51).
What had the disciples not understood about the loaves? Why were their hearts hardened?
Until we are in heaven and can ask the disciples personally we will never know what exactly it was that they failed to understand. What we can do though is ask this same question of ourselves, “What may we not understand about the loaves?” If we only look at the miracle as producing food then we sell the miracle short because this miracle also tells us something about the character of Jesus.
It tells us that Jesus is compassionate and that he can turn a little into a whole lot. We all come to Jesus with little more than a sinful heart and a lot of hurt but in his compassion Jesus makes us a lot more. We learn that Jesus does not desire an earthly kingdom (John 6). And we learn that by creating all that food from nothing Jesus was in complete control of the natural realm. We misunderstand Jesus when we view him as uncompassionate, our natural situations as outside of his control, or our worldly advancement as more important than his ultimate will.
6.45-56: Many Touched and Healed
The people of this region immediately recognized Jesus and began to bring their sick to Jesus for healing. We are told that wherever he went Jesus was ‘implored’ to heal. People were always wanting something out of him and he gave for we are told that ‘as many as touched him were made well’ (Mark 6:56)
Conclusion
Who is Jesus to you? Like the people in his home town have you been around him for so long now that he’s become too familiar to you and you’re failing to recognize who he really his? Maybe you’re more like the disciples and you’ve seen God work miracles in your life but now in the midst of the storms of life you don’t recognize him when he’s coming to you in a new way.
Whatever our current situation is we must constantly look beyond our own familiar beliefs and practices to the way God wants to work in our lives. Perhaps he wants to work through an old familiar friend or family member and because of past experiences with this person we’re hesitant to listen. We must open our ears and hearts and let God work in our lives the way he pleases not just in the way we expect.