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The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher

Focus Text: John 6.7-14

It was not as if He had not previously performed signs and wonders; in fact, many had seen His miracles and believed because of them. “Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” (John 6.2). Yet, Philip did not foresee the supernatural deed that He was about to do; he just mused, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” (John 6.7). Andrew was no more insightful than Philip in as much as he exclaimed, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” (John 6.9).

“Then Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.’ Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. (John 6.10-13).

It is somewhat amazing to see how otherwise reasonable people like Philip, Andrew, and thousands of others there assembled – amazing to see how they failed to understand that the power of Jesus was not limited to merely healing the sick! If He was indeed the person He claimed to be, what limitations could He know other than those which He imposed upon Himself? Yet at this point, in the eyes of His disciples, He had no power to satisfy the need for food that was common among the crowd. If He was Creator God, would it be too great a feat for Him to speak culinary delights into immediate existence? Yet, in spite of it all, those closest to Him failed to see that He would or could have a role in feeding the multitudes.

Look, however, at the result of the miracle of the loaves and fishes! “Then those men [those who had been fed], when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” (John 6.10-14). The structure of their statement is crucial to its understanding. Note that they did not simply proclaim that He was a prophet; they said He was the Prophet (emphasis mine; jeb) who had been predicted to come into the world. In other words, He was the great Messianic hope for which Israel had so long waited! Moses had prophesied of His coming at Deuteronomy 18.15-18 and now these men were convinced that Jesus was that very person!

First, consider God’s overarching plan for signs and miracles; they were to cause faith to be possible in the hearts of those who witnessed and/or read about them. Although God could continue to feed every hungry person who inhabits the earth in the same manner in which He fed this multitude, such would not be in keeping with His design for miracles. Secondly, note that Jesus confirmed His identity as Messiah such that none could misunderstand or miss it! (cont’d).

Questions:

1. What limitation did Andrew place on Jesus at John 6.9?

2. What proved Jesus to be Messiah, words or deeds? What kind of deeds?

3. Who had prophesied of the coming of a certain and specific Prophet of God? What test of a prophet could the people apply to determine when this special prophet had come (see Deuteronomy 18.19-22)?

4. Can this same test be applied to professed prophets today? Is it commonly applied? How do men measure up today?

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Comfort in Isaiah II (12-14-10)