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Commentary on John 6 verses 22–27
In these verses we have,
I. The careful enquiry which the people made after Christ, Joh 6:23, Joh 6:24. They saw the disciples go to sea; they saw Christ retire to the mountain, probably with an intimation that he desired to be private for some time; but, their hearts being set upon making him a king, they way-laid his return, and the day following, the hot fit of their zeal still continuing,
1.They were much at a loss for him. He was gone, and they knew not what was become of him. They saw there was no boat there but that in which the disciples went off, Providence so ordering it for the confirming of the miracle of his walking on the sea, for there was no boat for him to go in. They observed also that Jesus did not go with his disciples, but that they went off alone, and left him among them on their side of the water. Note, Those that would find Christ must diligently observe all his motions, and learn to understand the tokens of his presence and absence, that they may steer accordingly.
2.They were very industrious in seeking him. They searched the places thereabouts, and when they saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples (neither he nor any one that could give tidings of him), they resolved to search elsewhere. Note, Those that would find Christ must accomplish a diligent search, must seek till they find, must go from sea to sea, to seek the word of God, rather than live without it; and those whom Christ has feasted with the bread of life should have their souls carried out in earnest desires towards him. Much would have more, in communion with Christ. Now, (1.) They resolved to go to Capernaum in quest of him. There were his head-quarters, where he usually resided. Thither his disciples were gone; and they knew he would not be long absent from them. Those that would find Christ must go forth by the footsteps of the flock. (2.) Providence favoured them with an opportunity of going thither by sea, which was the speediest way; for there came other boats from Tiberias, which lay further off upon the same shore, nigh, though not so nigh to the place where they did eat bread, in which they might soon make a trip to Capernaum, and probably the boats were bound for that port. Note, Those that in sincerity seek Christ, and seek opportunities of converse with him, are commonly owned and assisted by Providence in those pursuits. The evangelist, having occasion to mention their eating the multiplied bread, adds, After that the Lord had given thanks, Joh 6:11. So much were the disciples affected with their Master's giving thanks that they could never forget the impressions made upon them by it, but took a pleasure in remembering the gracious words that then proceeded out of his mouth. This was the grace and beauty of that meal, and made it remarkable; their hearts burned within them.
3.They laid hold of the opportunity that offered itself, and they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. They did not defer, in hopes to see him again on this side the water; but their convictions being strong, and their desires warm, they followed him presently. Good motions are often crushed, and come to nothing, for want of being prosecuted in time. They came to Capernaum, and, for aught that appears, these unsound hypocritical followers of Christ had a calm and pleasant passage, while his sincere disciples had a rough and stormy one. It is not strange if it fare worst with the best men in this evil world. They came, seeking Jesus. Note, Those that would find Christ, and find comfort in him, must be willing to take pains, and, as here, to compass sea and land to seek and serve him who came from heaven to earth to seek and save us.
II. The success of this enquiry: They found him on the other side of the sea, Joh 6:25. Note, Christ will be found of those that seek him, first or last; and it is worth while to cross a sea, nay, to go from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, to seek Christ, if we may but find him at last. These people appeared afterwards to be unsound, and not actuated by any good principle, and yet were thus zealous. Note, Hypocrites may be very forward in their attendance on God's ordinances. If men have no more to show for their love to Christ than their running after sermons and prayers, and their pangs of affection to good preaching, they have reason to suspect themselves no better than this eager crowd. But though these people were no better principled, and Christ knew it, yet he was willing to be found of them, and admitted them into fellowship with him. If we could know the hearts of hypocrites, yet, while their profession is plausible, we must not exclude them from our communion, much less when we do not know their hearts.
III. The question they put to him when they found him: Rabbi, when camest thou hither? It should seem by Joh 6:59 that they found him in the synagogue. They knew this was the likeliest place to seek Christ in, for it was his custom to attend public assemblies for religious worship, Luk 4:16. Note, Christ must be sought, and will be found, in the congregations of his people and in the administration of his ordinances; public worship is what Christ chooses to own and grace with his presence and the manifestations of himself. There they found him, and all they had to say to him was, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? They saw he would not be made a king, and therefore say no more of this, but call him Rabbi, their teacher. Their enquiry refers not only to the time, but to the manner, of his conveying himself thither; not only When, but, "How, camest thou thither?" for there was no boat for him to come in. They were curious in asking concerning Christ's motions, but not solicitous to observe their own.
IV. The answer Christ gave them, not direct to their question (what was it to them when and how he came thither?) but such an answer as their case required.
1.He discovers the corrupt principle they acted from in following him (Joh 6:26): "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I that search the heart, and know what is in man, I the Amen, the faithful witness, Rev 3:14, Rev 3:15. You seek me; that is well, but it is not from a good principle." Christ knows not only what we do, but why we do it. These followed Christ, (1.) Not for his doctrine's sake: Not because you saw the miracles. The miracles were the great confirmation of his doctrine; Nicodemus sought for him for the sake of them (Joh 3:2), and argued from the power of his works to the truth of his word; but these were so stupid and mindless that they never considered this. But, (2.) It was for their own bellies' sake: Because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled; not because he taught them, but because he fed them. He had given them, [1.] A full meal's meat: They did eat, and were filled; and some of them perhaps were so poor that they had not known of a long time before now what it was to have enough, to eat and leave. [2.] A dainty meal's meat; it is probable that, as the miraculous wine was the best wine, so was the miraculous food more than usually pleasant. [3.] A cheap meal's meat, that cost them nothing; no reckoning was brought in. Note, Many follow Christ for loaves, and not for love. Thus those do who aim at secular advantage in their profession of religion, and follow it because by this craft they get their preferments. Quantis profuit nobis haec fabula de Christo - This fable respecting Christ, what a gainful concern we have made of it! said one of the popes. These people complimented Christ with Rabbi, and showed him great respect, yet he told them thus faithfully of their hypocrisy; his ministers must hence learn not to flatter those that flatter them, nor to be bribed by fair words to cry peace to all that cry rabbi to them, but to give faithful reproofs where there is cause for them.
2.He directs them to better principles (Joh 6:27): Labour for that meat which endures to everlasting life. With the woman of Samaria he had discoursed of spiritual things under the similitude of water; here he speaks of them under the similitude of meat, taking occasion from the loaves they had eaten. His design is,
(1.)To moderate our worldly pursuits: Labour not for the meat that perishes. This does not forbid honest labour for food convenient, Th2 3:12. But we must not make the things of this world our chief care and concern. Note, [1.] The things of the world are meat that perishes. Worldly wealth, honour, and pleasure, are meat; they feed the fancy (and many times this is all) and fill the belly. These are things which mean hunger after as meat, and glut themselves with, and which a carnal heart, as long as they last, may make a shift to live upon; but they perish, are of a perishing nature, wither of themselves, and are exposed to a thousand accidents; those that have the largest share of them are not sure to have them while they live, but are sure to leave them and lose them when they die. [2.] It is therefore folly for us inordinately to labour after them. First, We must not labour in religion, nor work the works thereof, for this perishing meat, with an eye to this; we must not make our religion subservient to a worldly interest, nor aim at secular advantages in sacred exercises. Secondly, We must not at all labour for this meat; that is, we must not make these perishing things our chief good, nor make our care and pains about them our chief business; not seek those things first and most, Pro 23:4, Pro 23:5.
(2.)To quicken and excite our gracious pursuits: "Bestow your pains to better purpose, and labour for that meat which belongs to the soul," of which he shows,
[1.]That it is unspeakably desirable: It is meat which endures to everlasting life; it is a happiness which will last as long as we must, which not only itself endures eternally, but will nourish us up to everlasting life. The blessings of the new covenant are our preparative for eternal life, our preservative to it, and the pledge and earnest of it.
[2.]It is undoubtedly attainable. Shall all the treasures of the world be ransacked, and all the fruits of the earth gathered together, to furnish us with provisions that will last to eternity? No, The sea saith, It is not in me, among all the treasures hidden in the sand. It cannot be gotten for gold; but it is that which the Son of man shall give; hēn dōsei, either which meat, or which life, the Son of man shall give. Observe here, First, Who gives this meat: the Son of man, the great householder and master of the stores, who is entrusted with the administration of the kingdom of God among men, and the dispensation of the gifts, graces, and comforts of that kingdom, and has power to give eternal life, with all the means of it and preparatives for it. We are told to labour for it, as if it were to be got by our own industry, and sold upon that valuable consideration, as the heathen said, Dii laboribus omnia vendunt - The gods sell all advantages to the industrious. But when we have laboured ever so much for it, we have not merited it as our hire, but the Son of man gives it. And what more free than gift? It is an encouragement that he who has the giving of it is the Son of man, for then we may hope the sons of men that seek it, and labour for it, shall not fail to have it. Secondly, What authority he has to give it; for him has God the Father sealed, touton gar ho Patēr esphragisen̂ ho Theos - for him the Father has sealed (proved and evidenced) to be God; so some read it; he has declared him to be the Son of God with power. He has sealed him, that is, has given him full authority to deal between God and man, as God's ambassador to man and man's intercessor with God, and has proved his commission by miracles. Having given him authority, he has given us assurance of it; having entrusted him with unlimited powers, he has satisfied us with undoubted proofs of them; so that as he might go on with confidence in his undertaking for us, so may we in our resignations to him. God the Father scaled him with the Spirit that rested on him, by the voice from heaven, by the testimony he bore to him in signs and wonders. Divine revelation is perfected in him, in him the vision and prophecy is sealed up (Dan 9:24), to him all believers seal that he is true (Joh 3:33), and in him they are all sealed, Co2 1:22.
(viii. de Trin. c. 44) A seal throws out a perfect impression of the stamp, at the same time that it takes in that impression. This is not a perfect illustration of the Divine nativity: for sealing supposes matter, different kinds of matter, the impression of harder upon softer. Yet He who was God Only-Begotten, and the Son of man only by the Sacrament of our salvation, makes use of it to express the Father's fulness as stamped upon Himself. He wishes to show the Jews He has the power of giving the eternal meat, because He contained in Himself the fulness of God.
What else then could they suspect, save that He had arrived there crossing the sea on foot? for it was not possible to say that He had passed over in another ship. For "there was one," saith the Evangelist, "into which His disciples entered." Still when they came to Him after so great a wonder, they asked Him not how He crossed over, how He arrived there, nor sought to understand so great a sign. But what say they? "Master, when camest Thou hither?"
(Hom. xliii. 2) Our Lord, though He did not actually show Himself to the multitude walking on the sea, yet gave them the opportunity of inferring what had taken place; The day following, the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto His disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples were gone away alone. What was this but to suspect that He had walked across the sea, on His going away? For He could not have gone over in a ship, as there was only one there, that in which His disciples had entered; and He had not gone in with them.
(Hom. xliii. 1) Yet after so great a miracle, they did not ask Him how He had passed over, or show any concern about it: as appears from what follows; And when they had found Him on the other side of the sea, they said unto Him, Rabbi, when earnest Thou hither? Except we say that this when meant how. And observe their lightness of mind. After saying, This is that Prophet, and wishing to take Him by force to make Him king, when they find Him, nothing of the kind is thought of.
And why is John so exact? Why said he not that the multitudes having passed over on the next day departed? He desires to teach us something else, namely, that Jesus allowed the multitudes if not openly, at least in a secret manner, to suspect what had taken place. For, "They saw," saith he, "that there was none other boat there but one, and that Jesus went not into it with His disciples."
Unless any one affirm that the "when" is here used by them in the sense of "how." But it is worth while also to notice here the fickleness of their impulses. For they who said, "This is that Prophet"; they who were anxious to "take Him and make Him a king," now when they have found Him take no such counsel, but having cast out their astonishment, they no longer admire Him for His former deeds. They sought Him, desiring again to enjoy a table like the first.
(Tr. xxv. 8) Knowledge of the miracle was conveyed to them indirectly. Other ships had come to the place where they had eaten bread; in these they went after Him; Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither His disciples, they also look shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
These men follow Him, marvelling perchance at His miracles, yet not receiving any profit from them unto the duty of faith, but as though they were making some return to the Wonder-worker by merely bestowing on Him a not undesired praise. For this is a dreary disease of a mind and soul which is never accustomed to be led to the choice of what is profitable for her. The reason why this was so with them was, that they delighted solely in the pleasures of the flesh, and jumped eagerly at the meanest temporal food, rather than hasten after spiritual goods, and endeavour to gain what would support them to life eternal. This you will learn clearly by what follows too.
The mystical meaning is, that the conventicles of heretics are without the company of Christ and His disciples. And other ships coming, is the sudden growth of heresies. By the crowd, which saw that Jesus was not there, or His disciples, are designated those who seeing the errors of heretics, leave them and turn to the true faith.
To take the passage mystically: on the day following, i. e. after the ascension of Christ, the multitude standing in good works, not lying in worldly pleasures, expects Jesus to come to them. The one ship is the one Church: the other ships which come besides, are the conventicles of heretics, who seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. Wherefore He well says, Ye seek Me, because ye did eat of the loaves. (Phil. 2:21)
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SUMMARY
Following the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus' subsequent walk on water, John 6:24 describes the persistent crowd's determined search for Jesus. Realizing that neither Jesus nor His disciples were present at the location of the previous day's miracle, they took boats and crossed the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, a significant center of Jesus' Galilean ministry, intent on finding Him. This verse sets the stage for Jesus' profound discourse on the Bread of Life, revealing the crowd's underlying motivations for seeking Him.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices. Irony is subtly present, as the crowd diligently seeks Jesus, yet their motivations are fundamentally misaligned with His divine purpose. They seek the "bread that perishes" rather than the "bread of life" that Jesus embodies, a point Jesus will soon make explicit. The Setting of Capernaum itself functions symbolically; as a hub of Jesus' ministry, it becomes the stage for a critical theological confrontation. The crowd's physical journey across the lake can be seen as Symbolism for a spiritual quest, though in this case, it's a quest with flawed motives. The entire scene also serves as Foreshadowing for the profound discourse on the Bread of Life that follows, where Jesus will challenge the crowd's carnal desires and reveal the deeper spiritual meaning of His identity and mission.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
John 6:24 serves as a crucial bridge, connecting the miraculous signs of Jesus' power to the profound theological truths He is about to reveal. The crowd's diligent pursuit of Jesus, though physically arduous, highlights a universal human tendency to seek out sources of provision and power. However, the subsequent narrative exposes the superficiality of their quest, revealing that their hunger was primarily for physical satisfaction rather than spiritual transformation. This sets the stage for Jesus to reorient their understanding, shifting the focus from earthly bread to the eternal sustenance He alone provides. It underscores the theological truth that while God often meets physical needs, His ultimate desire is to satisfy the deeper spiritual hunger of humanity through His Son, calling for a pursuit of Him for who He is, not merely for what He can give.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
John 6:24 offers a profound mirror for contemporary believers, prompting us to critically examine the motivations behind our own pursuit of Jesus. Are we genuinely seeking Him for who He is—the Son of God, the source of eternal life, and the Lord of all—or are our efforts primarily driven by a desire for what He can provide: comfort, security, healing, or material blessings? The crowd's earnest physical pursuit, yet spiritually shallow motivation, serves as a cautionary tale. True discipleship calls for a diligent and wholehearted seeking of Christ's person, His will, and His kingdom, recognizing that His greatest gifts are spiritual and eternal, far surpassing any temporal provisions. This verse challenges us to move beyond a transactional faith, where Jesus is merely a means to an end, towards a transformative relationship where He is the ultimate end, the very object of our deepest longing and worship.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did the crowd cross the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to find Jesus?
Answer: The crowd crossed the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum because they had observed that Jesus and His disciples were no longer at the site of the miraculous feeding on the eastern shore. Knowing Capernaum was a central location for Jesus' ministry, they correctly anticipated that He would likely be there. Their motivation, as revealed in the subsequent dialogue in John 6:26-27, was primarily driven by a desire for more physical food and miraculous signs, rather than a deeper spiritual understanding of His identity or message. They were seeking the "bread that perishes," not the "Bread of Life."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The crowd's earnest, yet ultimately misdirected, pursuit of Jesus in John 6:24 beautifully foreshadows humanity's inherent longing for fulfillment, a longing that can only be truly satisfied in Christ. While they sought Him for physical bread, Jesus would soon reveal Himself as the true Bread of Life, the one who descends from heaven to give life to the world. Their physical journey across the lake to find Him points to the spiritual journey every soul must undertake to find satisfaction not in earthly provisions, but in the person of Jesus. He is the ultimate answer to every human hunger, the living water that quenches all thirst (John 4:14), and the light that dispels all darkness (John 8:12). The crowd's seeking, though flawed in its motivation, highlights the universal need for a Savior, a need perfectly met in the one who declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). He is the one who satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart, offering not temporary sustenance, but eternal life and abundant joy to all who truly seek Him.