John
6:1-21
With thanks to page sponsor 2015:
The Rev. Nancy Brantingham
on behalf of
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Edina, MN
.
- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
- Primary comparative texts about Prayer and Piety at Dr Mahlon H Smith's Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus (Rutgers University). See esp "Hanina Stills A Storm."
- "Bread and Fish," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C. Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation.
- XVIII.21-25, 30-34, 36, 41-42, 45-49; XVIX.2, 11; Tatian's Diatessaron (c. 150-160).
- II.XXII.3, II.XXIV.4, III.XI.5, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- Chapter XVIII, On Idolatry, Tertullian (c. 211)
- XI.2, XI.19, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Origen. (c.247)
- From Augustine's Tractates on John
-
Tractate XXIV (6:1-14)
- "To run over it briefly: by the five loaves are understood the five books of Moses; and rightly are they not wheaten but barley loaves, because they belong to the Old Testament. And you know that barley is so formed that we get at its pith with difficulty; for the pith is covered in a coating of husk, and the husk itself tenacious and closely adhering, so as to be stripped off with labor. Such is the letter of the Old Testament, invested in a covering of carnal sacraments: but yet, if we get at its pith, it feeds and satisfies us."
-
Tractate XXV (6:15-44)
- "But why did He ascend after He knew that they wished to seize Him and make Him a king? How then; was He not a king, that He was afraid to be made a king? He was certainly not such a king as would be made by men, but such as would bestow a kingdom on men."
-
Tractate XXIV (6:1-14)
- "The Feeding of the 5,000," John 6:5-14, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
- From the
Geneva Notes.
- "They that follow Christ sometimes hunger, but they are never without help."
- From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
- "Observe the effect this miracle had upon the people. Even the common Jews expected the Messiah to come into the world, and to be a great Prophet. The Pharisees despised them as not knowing the law; but they knew most of Him who is the end of the law. Yet men may acknowledge Christ as that Prophet, and still turn a deaf ear to him."
- From
Wesley's Notes.
- "Jesus saith to Philip - Perhaps he had the care of providing victuals for the family of the apostles."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "passover . . . was nigh--but for the reason mentioned (Joh 7:1), Jesus kept away from it, remaining in Galilee."
- From
The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
- "The miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand, which follows, is the only miracle of the Savior recorded by all the four Gospels."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Commentary,
John 6:1-21, Craig A. Satterlee, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org,
2015.
- "While Moses is God's greatest prophet and lawgiver, Jesus is God. Stated another way: Whoever your -- whoever our -- Moses is, Jesus is mightier. Jesus is more."
- "Visible Words," David Lose, ...in the Meantime, 2015.
- "It's not what we want to hear, really, but there it is all the same. The sacraments tell us first the difficult truth about ourselves, and only then tell us the glorious truth about God's loving response to us and abiding concern for us."
- The Center for Excellence in Preaching, Scott Hoezee, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, illustration ideas, 2015.
- "Bread of the Preaching Life," Karoline Lewis, Dear Working Preacher, 2015.
- Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2015.
- "Come to the Feast," David Sellery, 2015.
- "Jesus and the Feeding of the 5,000 and a Man Named Karl," Janet H. Hunt, Dancing with the Word, 2015.
- "Who do you relate to in this story? Philip? Andrew? The boy? Someone in the crowd? How does where you enter the story impact your understanding of the meaning of Jesus feeding the 5,000?"
- "Seeing through Fog," Thomas Beam, 2015.
- "So What Did He Do on that Mountain?" Stan Duncan, If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home By Now, 2015.
- "Fragments," Nancy Rockwell, The Bite in the Apple, 2015.
- "Bugs at the Picnic," Lynn Miller, Art & Faith Matters, celebrating our creative and living God by generating art and architecture resources for congregations and individuals. Art and Faith Matters facebook page contains additional resources.
- "Signs for the Sick," Andrew Prior, First Impressions, One Man's Web, 2015.
- "A Hard Wind Blows," Howie Adan, Just off the Map, 2015.
- "Help Me Lord. You're My Only Hope," Porter C. Taylor, The Liturgical Theologian, 2015.
- Commentary,
John 6:1-21, Ginger Barfield, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org,
2012.
- "Perhaps we can move through these texts, allowing for the bread metaphor to hold them together, but not getting blocked in our interpretations by the dominance of the loaf."
- Jesus Feeds a Large Crowd, Then Walks on Water, audio telling, story in episodes, graphic, audio and written commentaries. Go Tell Communications, Biblical Storytelling for the Global Village, 2012.
- "Five Barley Loaves," Glenn Monson, Law and Gospel Everywhere, 2015.
- Lectionary Greek, John 6:1-21, Rob Myallis, 2012.
- "Bread of Life Sermon Series," David Lose, Working Preacher, 2012.
- Lectionary Blogging, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2012.
- "Catering Our Fears," Peter Woods, I Am Listening, 2012.
- "Shine a Light," Neil Chappell, a weird thing, 2012.
- "Bread, Water, and Signs of God," Sharron R Blezard, Stewardship of Life, 2012.
- "On Barbeque Grills and a Boy's Lunch," Janet Hunt, Dancing with the Word, 2012.
- "Some prefer to think of it as a kind of supernatural miracle.. Others insist it would be as much of a miracle if, following a child's example, everyone simply put on the table what they had brought... In a world where we are all too quick to hold tight to what is 'ours' and awfully slow to share, the latter would seem to be as miraculous an event as any."
- "Gathering the Fragments," Jan Richardson, The Painted Prayerbook, 2012. Use of images.
- "It is part of the miracle: how Jesus, with such intention, cares for the fragments following the feast. He sees the abundance that persists, the feast that remains within the fragments."
- Commentary and Reflections, Stan Duncan, If You Lived Here You'd Be Home by Now, 2012.
- "...Jesus is also not just symbolically being the new realm of God embodied on earth, he is modeling a way to create it."
- The Politics of Breaking Bread, Rachel Mann, Political Theology, 2012.
- "Jesus invites us to gather up the fragments. For it is part of the nature of broken bread that fragments will fall. Yet, at heart of Jesus’ economy is the desire that nothing that matters – that might actually feed us – should be lost."
- "All the Water in the Oceans," Katie Munnik, Presbyterian Record, 2012.
- "John 6:1-21 and mourning Aurora."
- Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours,
John 6:1-21, David Ewart, 2012.
- "These stories try to open our eyes, hearts and minds to see the hidden truth that is in plain sight. They are trying to train us so that we too can SEE where is the bread of life. ... So that we can SEE Jesus and welcome him into our frail boats on the stormy sea."
- "Loaves and Fishes," Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, 2012.
- "Beyond Bread and Kingdom," Andrew Prior, 2012.
- John takes the story of the feeding and says Jesus is profoundly more than a provider of bread.
- "Jumping to Jesus," Rick Morley, 2012.
- "Would you follow Jesus even if he didn’t do cool stuff?"
- "Mind the Gap," Alyce M. McKenzie, Edgy Exegesis, Patheos, 2012.
- "In between 'Here is what little we have' and 'Here are the 12 baskets of leftovers,' there is the Jesus factor."
- Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
- Comentario del Evangelio por Ofelia Dávila Llimpe, Juan 6:1-21, Working Preacher, 2012.
-
Commentary,
John 6:1-21, Brian Peterson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org,
2009.
- "The feeding of the multitude is the only miracle story told in all four Gospels."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
"First
Thoughts on Year B Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Pentecost
9" William Loader, Murdoch University,
Uniting Church in Australia.
- "For many who are sensitive to world poverty and disaster the images of multiplying food or walking on water are painfully unreal, almost a cruel fantasy."
- "Bones: A Reflection on John 6:1-21," poetry by William R.G. Loader, Murdoch University, Australia.
-
Exegetical
Notes by Brian Stoffregen.
- "What type of "savior" do we try to make Jesus? Is it Jesus' "job" to completely take care of us -- like a king for his subjects? Is it Jesus' "job" to leave us alone so that we can do whatever we want?"
- "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
-
"Want
More!" Marcus Felde, Sabbatheology,
The Crossings Community, 2009.
- "And what is the Life we now live who have eaten of the Bread of Life?"
- "Five Loaves and Two Fish, Walking on Water," Gospel Analysis, Sermons from Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
- Marginally Mark, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
- 10th Sunday after Pentecost, John 6:1-71 -- The Bread Which Gives Life to the World, Paul S. Berge, Word & World Texts in Context, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, 1985.
-
Join the Feast,
John 6:1-21, Luke Schlimme, Union PSCE,
2009.
- "In this text we see an interplay taking place between Jesus? grace and his glory."
- Wellspring of the Gospel, Ordinary 17B, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, Weekly Wellsprings.
-
"The Gift of God,"
Ordinary 17B, Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com:
A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's
Story, Family Activity, Support Materials.
- "What do you most appreciate in your life? How hard did you work for those items or qualities? Do you deserve those items or qualities?"
-
"Israel's
Hour of Decision (John 6)," by Robert Deffinbaugh at the
Biblical Studies Foundation.
- "Jesus had sought retreat from the crowds, due to their heightened messianic expectations, but instead they gathered about Him, and now He performed this miracle which further added fuel to the flames of their hopes for Messiah. It was difficult enough to deal with the crowd alone. His disciples (with their own messianic hopes running high, perhaps higher than the crowd?s) would have only made matters worse."
-
Commentary
by Hall Harris at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
- "Note that the fish mentioned previously (in 6:9) are not emphasized here. This is easy to understand, however, because the bread is of primary importance for the Evangelist in view of Jesus' upcoming discourse on the Bread of Life."
-
"The
Messiah: Mightier Than Moses (John 6:1-21)," by Robert Deffinbaugh at the
Biblical Studies Foundation.
- "The main thrust of this chapter is our Lord?s ?Bread of Life? discourse, which is occasioned by the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. John records this miracle because it is the setting for what takes place in the remainder of the chapter, much like the healing of the paralytic sets the scene for the rest of chapter 5."
- "Meals, Food and
Tablefellowship." Jerome H. Neyrey, in The Social Sciences and New Testament
Interpretation, 159-82. R. L. Rohrbaugh, ed. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1996.
- "How can readers understand the particular ceremony of meals and table fellowship? Why are meals so important as symbols of broader social relationships? How can we peer below the surface and grasp the social dynamics encoded in meals and commensality, what anthropologists call "the language of meals"?"
- Commentary,
John 6:1-21, Craig A. Satterlee, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org,
2015.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Bailey, Raymond,
"John 6," Review and Expositor, 1988.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Berge, Paul S., "The Bread Which
Gives Life to the World," Word & World, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Burghardt, Walter J., S.J., and
Katharyn L. Waldron, "Jesus Feeding the Hungry: Miracle or Mandate?"
The Living Pulpit, 2007. (See also issue focus
"Hunger," Living Pulpit 16.1 (2007).)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Crossan, John Dominic,
"It Is Written: A Structuralist Analysis of John 6," Semeia,
1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Fredrickson, David E., "Eucharistic
Symbolism in the Gospel of John," Word & World, 1997.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Harm, Rudolph H., "4th Sunday in
Lent," Concordia Journal, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Harrell, Daniel M., "Living by the Word: 2 Samuel 11:1-15, John 6:1-21," The Christian Century,
2009.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hoffman, Charles, "More than Enough,"
The Christian Century, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kilmartin, S.J.,
"Liturgical Influence on John 6," Catholic Biblical Quarterly,
1960.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Kim, Stephen S.,
"The Christological and Eschatological Significance of Jesus' Passover
Signs in John 6," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Koester, Craig R., "John Six and the
Lord's Supper," Lutheran Quarterly, 1990.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lamar, William H., IV, "Chasing
Jesus," The Christian Century, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lilly, Joseph L.,
"The Eucharistic Discourse of John 6," Catholic Biblical Quarterly,
1950.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Manus, Chris U., "John 6:1-15 and its
Synoptic Parallels: An African Approach toward the Solution of a
Johannine Critical Problem," Journal of the Interdenominational
Theolocial Center, 1991-1992.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Naranjo-Huebl,
Linda, "'Take, Eat': Food Imagery, the Nurturing Ethic, and Christian
Identity in The Wide, Wide World, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," Christianity and
Literature, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - O'Day, Gail R.,
"Between Text and Sermon: John 6:1-15," Interpretation, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Phillips, Gary A.,
"'This Is A Hard Saying. Who Can Be Listener To It?': Creating a Reader in
John 6," Semeia, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Ross, J.M.,
"Further Unnoticed Points in the Text of the New Testament," Novum
Testamentum, 2003. (Section on John 6:11 begins on page 215.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Ruland, S.J., Vernon,
"Sign and Sacrament: John's Bread of Life Discourse," Interpretation,
1964.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Rusch, Frederick A.,
"The Signs and the Discourse - The Rich Theology of John 6," Currents
in Theology and Mission, 1978.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Shoemaker, H. Stephen, "Bread and
Miracles," The Christian Century, 2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Temple, Patrick J.,
"The Eucharist in St John 6," Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1947.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Throckmorton, Burton Hamilton,
"Language and the Bible," Religious Education, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Toppin, Shirlyn,
"'Soul Food' Theology: Pastoral Care and Practice through the Sharing of
Meals: A Womanist Reflection," Black Theology, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Voelz, James W., "The Discourse on
the Bread of Life in John 6: Is It Eucharistic?" Concordia Journal,
1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Witkamp, L.Th.,
"Some Specific Johannine Features in John 6:1-21," Journal for the
Study of the New Testament, 1990.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Yeago, David S., "The Bread of Life: Patristic
Christology and Evangelical Soteriology in Martin Luther's Sermons on
John 6," St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, 1995.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Bailey, Raymond,
"John 6," Review and Expositor, 1988.
- Sermons:
- "More Unexpected Jesus," the Rev. Sharon Hiers, Day 1, 2009.
- "Plenty of Grass," Pentecost 8, 30 July 2006, David Zersen, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
- "More than Enough," the Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, Day 1, 2006.
- "Five Loaves and Two Fish to Feed 5,000," "Walking on Water," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.
- "Getting the Sand out of the Gears," the Rev. Dr. William L. Self, Day 1, 2006.
- "Living Loaves," the Rev. Debra Metzgar Shew, Day 1, 2003.
- "A Picnic on the Mountainside," the Rev. Grace Imathiu, Day 1, 2000.
- Father Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily:
- With Children:
- Worshiping with Children, Proper 12B, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
- "There's No Fear in Jesus," Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
- "Jesus Gives Lunch to Thousands of People," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Feeding the 5000," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
- John 5 & 6 Word Search, Don Crownover's Bible Puzzles.
- "Sharing What We Have," Mike Perks, sermons4kids.com.
- Drama:
- "Five Loaves of Bread and Two Fish," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel.
- "Feeding the Crowd," Penny Hewlett, Drama Southwest.
- "When a Little Is a Lot," Nina Wallestad, Dramatic License. Conditions of Use.
- "Bertie from Bethsaida," Pete Smithies & Andy Lund, dramatix.
- "How to Feed a Party of 5000," Susan Cowsar, dramatix.
- "Fish and Loaves," Michelle Pitman, dramatix.
- "The Boy and His Lunch," monologue, Ross Olson.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Clip Art, John 6:13, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
- Clip Art Images: John 6:1-15, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
- John 6:1-15, at Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration. Liberation emphasis.
- Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
- John 6:1-15, John 6:1-21, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
- Clip Art: Jesus Walking on Water, Feeding the 5000, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Commercial Site: "Bread of Life,", Visual Liturgy/Film, The Work of the People.
- Hymns and Music:
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- “In Cana at a Wedding Feast,” by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, Jesus' miracles (water into wine, feeding thousands, calming the storm and healing the blind) are celebrated as signs of God's love in the world. Tune: ELLACOMBE 8.6.8.6 D (“I Sing the Mighty Power of God”). This hymn is in Singing the New Testament by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.
- "Where Is Bread?" original hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, tune: ABBOT'S LEIGH 8.7.8.7.D ("God Is Here!").
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: John 6:20. The Cyber Hymnal.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- The Text This Week's Study Pages for Parallel Texts:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of John
