What does John chapter 6 mean?
John chapter 6 packs several crucial moments into one narrative. The passage states that the events occur "after" the narrative of chapter 5, which turns out to be several months later. This chapter describes the high point of Jesus' worldly popularity. He disrupts this almost immediately by telling the crowd something they do not want to hear. This passage also includes the fourth and fifth of John's seven miraculous signs, the third of John's seven witnesses to Jesus' divinity, and the first of John's seven "I AM" statements ascribed to Jesus.The gospel of John also skips over a great deal of material which is covered in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Based on the events described, somewhere between 5 and 6 months have passed since the events described in chapter 5. John sticks to his primary purpose, which is explaining how Jesus Christ is, in fact, God incarnate. For this reason, and because he assumes the reader is already familiar with the other Gospels, John skips over both the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus' many parables about the Kingdom. Instead, the opening phrase "after this" brings us to a moment about one year prior to Jesus' trial and crucifixion.
The primary event of this chapter is Jesus' feeding thousands of people with the contents of a boy's small lunch (John 6:9–13). This was the most public of all the miracles Jesus performed, and the one which garnered Him the most immediate worldly acclaim. Each gospel records several miracles performed by Jesus, but this is the only miracle included in all four accounts. The crowd's need for food provokes different reactions from the disciples. Some just want the problem to go away. Some are concerned with money. Some simply bring whatever they can find to Jesus, trusting Him to do the rest.
This practical, generous expression of power is first met with amazement and praise. However, Jesus recognizes that there is a flaw in the crowd's reaction. Rather than seeing the miracle as a sign, the people are merely pleased with the idea of getting a divine handout. This incident not only allows Jesus to teach important truths about Himself, it also demonstrates some of the spiritual barriers which keep us from properly seeking God. In response to His miracle, the people regress from seeking, to complaining, to bickering, and finally to abandonment.
After sending the disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:16), Jesus will immediately wipe away the applause of the crowd. Over the course of a long dialogue, moving from the seashore into the synagogue, Jesus attempts to clarify the spiritual meaning behind His recent miracles. This passage is one of the better examples of the concept of ipsissima vox, which simply means that some dialogues in the Bible are recorded as summaries, not word-for-word transcripts. Since this discussion changes locations between verses 25 and 59, it almost certainly involved a longer, more extensive conversation.
The day after feeding thousands and hearing their praises, Jesus tells people that He, Himself, is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:51). By explaining that His ministry is essentially spiritual, not material, Jesus alienates most of those who had been eager to follow Him. This, of course, only goes to prove Jesus' accusation: that the people were not there to learn or to receive truth, but rather to once again be given free food (John 6:26).
In between these two moments of public preaching, John chapter 6 includes the fifth of his seven miraculous signs, as well as a "bonus" miracle. Jesus is seen walking on the water after the disciples' boat encounters a storm (John 6:19). The hidden miracle is the one mentioned in an almost off-handed way: when He is taken into the boat, it is "immediately" at its destination (John 6:21).
The end of chapter 6 features the third of seven instances where someone in the gospel of John professes belief in Jesus' divinity. Here, Peter will refer to Jesus as the "Holy One of God" (John 6:68–69).