Jesus Walks on Water, John 6:16ff

We talked on Saturday morning about this chapter of John that begins with crossing Galilee, climbing a mountain and then feeding a crowd in the wilderness, all of which parallels the story of the Exodus. The crowd understands Jesus actions as paralleling that of Moses, they think he is the prophet mentioned in Deut 18, and they seek to make him king. But he disappears.

Then comes the miracle of the walking on water. I’m a bit confused. The crossing of the sea appears in v1 of chp 6, so why water again here?

But in a conversation with Ade later in the day, when she asked how things went this morning, it suddenly occurred to me. This crossing the water is NOT the parallel of the Red Sea, but the Jordan crossing.

How did I not see it? The issue at the first coming to the Jordan was whether or not they would have the courage to go in, or would they be afraid? In Num 13, ten of the spies warned them of giants in the land. Two said, they should go in and take possession.

In the community discussion that follows, recorded in Num 14, verse 2 says,

“all the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron”

and decided to choose a new leader and go back to Egypt (remember the confusion in John 6 about back and forward in the boats!!).

Caleb says:

“do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people in the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, BUT THE LORD IS WITH US. Do not be afraid of them.”
Num 14:9

God then gets frustrated about their inability to believe, ‘in spite of the miraculous signs I have performed among them” (Num 14:11). After this, God declares that those who saw all these signs, but treated God with contempt would not enter the Promised Land.

Now go back and read John 6.

Note how in their terror in the strong wind, the disciples were willing to let Jesus into the boat. And how Jesus gets frustrated with unbelief later in the chapter, in the face of miracles and his teaching on manna.

I think there might be something in this, and it certainly serves to complete the story parallels.

What do you think?

Feeding 5,000 and a Fish Fry After Resurrection

A little more on feeding 5,000 and the closing incident of John’s Gospel in chp 21. I know many experts argue that the Gospel closes at the end of chp 20, finishing with Thomas’s great declaration of faith in v28 and then the famous summary statement of the writer to the effect that Jesus did lots of other things which were not recorded, but these have been carefully selected to lead you to faith and life (v30,31). And that would make literary sense…it’s a suitably high dramatic moment on which to conclude. But instead we have this curious additional chapter.

I’m intrigued by a number of things:

1. Thomas’s reappearance here in v2, (after his declaration in 20:28), as the disciples decide to return to fishing. This has always been presented to me as a loss of faith on their part evidenced in a return to the old life, and their conviction that the great endeavour with their Messiah had failed utterly. I guess it could still be; we’re all prone to these lapses, and if so, then it is remarkable that Jesus still has patience. But maybe there is something more here. Any ideas?
2. The startling number of parallels with the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6.
   Note:
   -the lake has a prominent part – both stories happen beside it or after having crossed it.
   -there is a food related question to open events:
   “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (6:5)
   ”Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (21:5)
   -miraculous multiplication of bread in and fish in chp6, and a miraculous catch of fish, more than ever before in
   chp21.
   -the distribution of the food in ways eerily reminiscent of the Last Supper, (6:11 & 21:13)
   -the exact same phrase is repeated ‘and he did the same with the fish’ (6:11 & 21:13)
   -the asking of questions to which Jesus already knew the answers (6:6 & 21:17)
   -the conclusion with a statement about force, the one referring to the attempt to make Jesus their king (6:15)
   and the curious statement of Jesus to Peter concerning the death by which he would glorify God: ‘when you were
   younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands,
   and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ (21:18).What’s going on?
3. And on that last point, what is the connection between a statement about ‘feed my sheep’, the third command in the reinstatement of Peter (21:17) and the statement about Peter’s death? I mean, what leads Jesus to make that statement after having spoken to him about his pastoral duties? Is there a connection with the call in 21:19?
4. Why did Jesus ask them to bring some of the fish they had caught, when he already had fish cooking (v9, 10)?
5. What does it mean when John says ‘none of the disciples dared ask him ‘who are you?’. They knew it was the Lord.’ (21:12)?
6. Why repeat the explanation of 21:25, which says almost the same thing as 20:30,31?

So many questions. But then the events that followed the resurrection were so extraordinary I guess.

Anyway, I’m open to further ones, or to any answers.

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previously posted on crookedshore

Breakfast

Been reading through the post-resurrection stories and got to John 21 tonight. Peter, rather forlornly gives up the journey and decides to go back fishing and was dutifully followed by the others. Jesus wanders down the beach, urges them to cast their nets again despite a fruitless night, and they draw in a net-busting load, only it didn’t – a detail which the fishermen remark on in the story.

Peter impulsively dives into the water once he recognised who their shore-based fishing consultant really was and by the time he swims the 100 yards to the shore Jesus has a coal fire burning with fish a-frying. How infuriating this could be for the professional…just where did he get them from? And when Jesus orders them to bring some of their own catch, Peter is back into the water, and, it appears, dragging the net of 153 fish ashore by himself.

Given the origins of this blog, Jesus invitation to them stands out:

“Come and have breakfast”

When they accept the invitation the simple meal of bread and fish becomes a moment of communion with the risen Lord. The Gospel says,

“Jesus came..
took the bread and gave it to them..
and did the same with the fish.”

Good Friday

Matthew’s Gospel says the following in chp 27 and verses 50-51:

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Yes, that meant access for all people to the presence of God.

But it also meant freedom for God. God was now free to leave the confines of temple and restrictive religious practices and to move out into the world. On Good Friday, the way was cleared for God to come out from behind the curtain.