Joh 6:1-15 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for John 6:1-71: 6:1-71 Each story in this chapter uses the setting of the Passover Festival (6:4 ) to communicate a deeper meaning. Summary for John 6:1-15: 6:1-15 Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 recalls the great Old Testament miracle of bread when Israel was in the wilderness (Exod 16 ). The rabbis of Jesus’ day expected the coming Messiah to “rain down food from heaven” once again (Exod 16:4 ), and he did.

Summary for John 6:1-71: 6:1-71 ^a Each story in this chapter uses the setting of the Passover Festival (6:4 ^b) to communicate a deeper meaning.
Summary for John 6:1-15: 6:1-15 ^c Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 recalls the great Old Testament miracle of bread when Israel was in the wilderness (Exod 16 ^d). The rabbis of Jesus’ day expected the coming Messiah to “rain down food from heaven” once again (Exod 16:4 ^e), and he did.
6:5 ^f Where can we buy bread: When the Israelites left Egypt following the first Passover and entered the desert, finding food and water was also their first concern (Exod 15:22–16:3 ^g).
6:9 ^h Barley was the grain of the poor. The loaves were similar to pita bread. The two fish would have been salted, and with the five loaves of bread would make one meal.
6:10 ⁱ The headcount of about 5,000 reflected the men alone (Matt 14:21 ^j), as social custom dictated. With women and children included, the total number was far greater.
6:11 ^k The modest meal provided the crowd with as much as they wanted, echoing the miraculous provision of manna in the wilderness (Exod 16:35 ^l). Moses had first supplied Israel with heavenly bread; Jesus was the new supplier.
6:14 ^m he is the Prophet we have been expecting! The crowd understood the miracle as a fulfillment of Old Testament promises (see Deut 18:15 ⁿ, 18 ^o; Mal 4:5-6 ^p).
6:15 ^q The people were ready to force Jesus to become their king. To avoid this role, Jesus fled the crowd and commanded his disciples to go back across the lake (Mark 6:45-46 ^r).