13 When Jesus 32 And they de- 10 heard of it, he 14 And Jesus went 34 parted into a 35 things. And 36 But Jesus 37 said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. LUKE IX. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belongto the city called Bethsaida. And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. when the day 12 was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say 13 a wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude way, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no JOHN VI. 1-14. 1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were 3 diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his 4 disciples. And the passover,2 a feast of the Jews, was nigh. 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he 2 This was the third passover during our Lord's ministry; but he did not this time go up to Jerusalem to keep the feast: the reason is assigned 1 Departed thence, &c.: probably with a view to prevent the rising of the people on his behalf, and also to have quiet communications with his disciples after their return from their first preach-in John 7. 1. ing excursion. And they 12 did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragents that remained to them twelve baskets. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. § 65. JESUS WALKS UPON THE WATER.-Night on the Sea of Galilee. Gennesareth, 1 Deut. 18. 15. MARK VI. 45-56. And straightway he constrained? his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida," while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. MARK VI. 15 JOHN VI. 15-21. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind 19 that blew. So when And when even was 16 2 Constrained: implying that the disciples were unwilling to go on the lake without their Master, because it was now night, and perhaps because they had some apprehension of the danger which overtook them. 3 From the region of the northern Bethsaida or Julias, the disciples embark for Bethsaida of Galilee, Mark 6. 45; or for Capernaum according to John 6. 17. They land on the plain of Gennesareth, Matt. 14. 34; Mark 6. 53. The next day the multitudes follow in boats to Capernaum seeking for Jesus, and find him there; John 6. 24, 25, 59. It follows as a necessary conclusion, that Capernaum was on or near the plain of Gennesareth; most probably at its north-eastern extremity. For the topography of this region, see Bibl. Res. in Palest. III. p. 238, sq.: comp. p. 282, sq. 4 Fourth watch of the night, i. e. about dawn, from three to six in the morning. Our Lord had spent the night in retirement and prayer. MATT. XIV. 50 saw him walking on the sea, they were 49 troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.1 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou 32 doubt? And when they 51 were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou 52 art the Son of God.2 34 And when they were gone over, they came 53 into the land of Gen35 nesaret. And when 54 the men of that place had knowledge of him, 55 they sent out into all that country round about, and brought un- 56 to him all that were 36 diseased; and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. [See in § 67.] 1 Comp. Luke 24. 37. And he went up unto 21 Then they willingly 2 Psa. 2. 7; Luke 1. 36; Acts 13. 32, 33; Rom. 1. 4. § 66. OUR LORD'S DISCOURSE TO THE MULTITUDE IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAUM. MANY DISCIPLES TURN BACK. PETER'S PROFESSION OF FAITH. 22 Capernaum. JOHN VI. 22-71. VII. 1. The day following, when 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 23 boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone; (howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, 24 after that the Lord had given thanks :) when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came 25 to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and 27 were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto 28 you for him hath God the Father sealed.' Then said they unto him, What 29 shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.2 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may 31 see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written,3 He gave them bread from heaven to eat.5 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from 33 heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and 34 giveth life unto the world." Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give 35 us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never 36 thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me 38 I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine 39 own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose no40 thing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which 42 came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, 43 I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, 44 Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last 45 day. It is written in the prophets," And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, Sealed, that is, sanctioned or accredited as the Messiah, by such wonderful works as the feeding of the five thousand just before: see Acts 2. 22. 2 Comp. 1 John 3. 22, 23. 3 Psa. 78. 24. Comp. Ex. 16. 15. 4 Bread from heaven. The manna was so called because of its miraculous supply. That the manna in the wilderness was not a natural production, like what is now found in the East, is certain, because it corrupted if kept till morning, except on the sabbath, and because on that day it was not sent, but a double quantity on the day before (Ex. 16. 19-30). 5 Comp. 1 Cor. 10. 3. Giveth life to the world. Our Lord's language here and in verse 51, is clearly to be understood not of the bread in the eucharist, (as many argue in support of the Popish notion of saving sacramental efficacy,) but of the atonement which he made in his own body on the tree by death. 7 Isa. 54. 13. Comp. Jer. 31. 33, sq. |